Five Must-Have Android Productivity Apps For Executives

Putting in relentless work hours and expected to be available and attuned to work demands on the go are just some of the many attributes expected of today’s professionals. While we all could make a futile attempt to wish it away, the next best option to living in a dream world would be to look for answers in the real world. And, so we turned to a more sophisticated avatar of the Swiss army knife. Or, more simply put, the mobile device.

With over 4,50,000 apps currently listed on the Google Play store alone it’s a rather tough ask to isolate those productivity apps which do justice to their category.

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The all-important criteria of usability - whether its about accessing and editing documents on the go, searching for a file while in the middle of a meeting or collaborating with your team - has been the key while shortlisting our recommendations. Ease of use and the ability to integrate with other apps helped in further filtering down to our final list of recommendations. While we don’t claim these to be the best of the lot among the millions of apps in the market, these certainly are handy enough to get a mean task going on the move. The key lies in optimally utilising these apps.

Here is our recommendation of five leading Android productivity apps for executives.

1. OfficeSuite pro 6 (PDF & HD)

One of the most successful office applications across platforms, OfficeSuite pro 6 in its latest avatar eases reading word docs, spreadsheets, powerpoint slides, and PDFs with page view for Word and other text documents. The latest updates have made editing a breeze. Now one can use headers and footers in word documents, can manipulate objects in PowerPoint files – move, re-size, rotate. Most significantly, with the increased number of functions in Excel – OfficeSuite spreadsheet experience on mobile devices is like never before.

Apart from utilising the most commonly used desktop document formats it seamlessly integrates with cloud storage options, including everyone’s favourite, Dropbox. For those who review, create and modify documents from word docs to spreadsheets to PPTs while on move this app becomes a necessity. The only mobile office for Android that allows opening of password protected documents, OfficeSuite is now available for Android Honeycomb too.

2. Microsoft OneNote

This unsung hero from the Microsoft stable has been around in the mobile space for quite some time but the Android users got the taste of it only a couple of months back. Being a productivity app, the design is not to blow you away with its appeal but the no-nonsense, clean feel of OneNote is really quite pleasing.

The application basically lets you create notes with images or text, as well as edit to-do lists or manage them while on the move. It also comes with a built-in spelling checker and table editing features. All notes can be synced using free Microsoft SkyDrive online storage in order to access and manage them anytime, anywhere.

Microsoft has allowed users to create up to 500 notes, which can be edited, deleted or synced. For those willing to create more than 500 notes will have to upgrade “OneNote Mobile” for Android to unlimited user via in-app purchase. What actually works for OneNote over Evernote is its superior syncing and sharing tools, which also make it more suited to team collaboration, brainstorming, and whiteboarding, whereas Evernote works well as a shared repository of reference material.

3. TeamViewer

TeamViewer is one of the most popular providers of remote access and online meeting software. Now the awesomeness is even greater with the advent of TeamViewer for Meeting and TeamViewer for Remote control on the Android platform.

With the meeting app one can participate in meetings from any Android device any time, anywhere. Also one can participate in web-conferences spontaneously and with more flexibility. The addition of VoIP to the TeamViewer for Online Meetings Android App is just icing on cake. The new VoIP allows participants to communicate instantly and from anywhere.

The integrated pointer function users can focus presenter attention on a given point. TeamViewer for Remote control allows users to see the entire screen of the remote computer and manipulate the mouse for control. Moreover, android gestures like pinching and zooming give navigation an authentic feel. In terms of security also TeamViewer meets the highest security standards: 256 Bit AES Session Encoding, 1024 Bit RSA Key Exchange. For a private user all these come for free, and that’s the best part.

4. ES File Explorer

The primary question which needs to be justified here is why a file explorer app is featured in this list? With the increasing number of Android users who use their phones or tablets as a storage device and with microsd card and internal phone storage capacities getting bigger, a file explorer app is a must.

ES File Explorer allows users to manage their files through copy and cutting, changing the filenames, file search capability, and changing properties of files and folders within the file system. One can access files over LAN, FTP, Bluetooth, Internet (box.net, Dropbox), manage apps or use it as a task manager.

But, the thing which makes this app far better than most of the other apps in its category is its UI. You have a built-in thumbnail support which helps you know the file without reading its name. So, when you are into an important meeting and need your phone to search a file on the network, this app will search the same for you in no time. At the end, if one has a rooted phone this app acts as a root explorer too.

5. Life Reminders

Normally the default calender app in any Android device is good enough for all the ‘reminder’ purposes, but this particular app is actaully a step ahead as it integrates the calender, mail services, notes and even calls and SMSs.

Life Reminders helps you create a reminder for your daily tasks. So even when you forget about them Life Reminders will remind you. The application works primarily because it delivers on small details including the navigation. Although the app lacks the human touch it will surely remind you when a meeting is scheduled, a con call is to be attended, or an email is to be despatched next week. The USP of this app is the simplistic manner in which this app organises schedules and, in turn, uses the information as reminders.