Tablet for work, what can it do for me?

LR Max

Local Oaf
So recently while travelling, I'm noticing a lot of people using their tablets for work. So far really, I've only seen guys use them when referencing emails or maybe photos. What else can a tablet be used for?

I guess I should preface this by saying I've seen it mainly in a sales roll. So in a meeting, I guess use it to take notes?

Long story short, I bought a tablet and it seems like I only use it for watching movies on the airplane or as a glorified radio. I do sales and while I don't travel everyday, often times I will fly to visit current/potential customers. While it is a year old big toshiba, I think it would be awesome to gear it a little more towards business use. Everyone else uses apple products (my work phone is a iPhone, overall great products) but my tablet is android. However I still believe that it can be a useful tool other than for playing "oregon settler" and checking facebook.

Any recommendations would be appreciated!
 

off-roader

Expedition Leader
Depends on the capabilities of your tablet and they kind of CRM software you're using. If you previously carried a laptop and your CRM solution is cloud based or has cloud accessibility and you have a 3G tablet then it could be very beneficial.

It's also great for reducing the amount of printed collateral material you need to carry.

I also use it to record my meetings and it's great to use for skype since my clients are in Australia.
 

LR Max

Local Oaf
Ah there ya go. CRM. I work for a super small company and should be implementing a CRM sometime this year. Should work well.

My work phone has wifi hotspot so I would go that route. Really love the hotspot, has saved my rear on a few occasions. However being able to visit a customer on a day trip and only take my tablet would be HUGE in reducing the amount of crap I carry.

A bag with a 17" laptop, tablet, and all the other things really starts to weigh in big time!
 

nwoods

Expedition Leader
My job workflow is mostly email and PDF based. I use Bluebeam Revu on iPad for PDF (it's like Acrobat on Steriods), Evernote for note taking, and several sketch applications for drawing architectural details and solutions using a stylus. I also find myself using text more and more in business, and iMessage on the iPad works really well for that. I use Dropbox extensively, and it syncs to iPad beautifully, and makes getting files into and out of Bluebeam a synch. I really like my illuminated Zagg portfolio/keypad/cover for responding to emails. Other that, I read a lot of documents, a few spreadsheets, but mostly don't create anything other than notes and PDF Markups.

Frankly, since getting the 15" rMBP, I hardly use the iPad anymore, though I do enjoying killing time with the Movie Trailers app, oh, and Angry Birds Star Wars edition, and Bike Baron :)
 

off-roader

Expedition Leader
I primarily work in an office but when I need to work remotely, the ipad is great for answering emails or even skyping with clients globally. Anything beyond that is cumbersome for my situation since our products are meant primarily for servers (Windows, Linux, & Unix). So just for those situations, I also have to carry an ultra book (Asus UX31) and simply connect remotely to my desktop and servers in the office.

HTH.
 

reece146

Automotive Artist
I recently changed careers from I.T. to financial services and am still trying to get my legs under me as it were with respect to how to work. What I'm finding is I still need a regular notebook and appreciate the compactness of the tablet when on the road and between client sites.

When I need to sit down with a client and/or do real work for a client I need to use the notebook but when I'm between client sites and just need to have something a little more convenient and portable but still capable of having a real keyboard (i.e. not a phone) then the tablet fills the usage case. As of yet I haven't felt the need to run out to my vehicle and grab the notebook provided the required work isn't more involved. Having both really is the best of both worlds because sometimes the notebook is just too cumbersome and sometimes the tablet is not enough. The tablet is effectively primarily a communications device and used for quick looking up of data. I don't regret having all three devices (phone, tablet and notebook) and if one were to die I'd replace them.

My usage case consists of the typical business user type applications: Word, Excel, Acrobat Pro and various web portals. I still do the nerdy computer hobbyist stuff at home at times but use the notebook for that most of the time.
 

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