It was not long ago that computers revolutionized the way people do business across the world, fully changing the way that people communicate and organize their personal and professional lives. The downside to the revolution is that it was limited to the office. Even with the advent of the laptop, portable computing still required a desk and a chair. Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad has broken down that last barrier.
The iPad is incredibly portable. Combined with Apple’s cloud computing technology, which allows iPads to seamlessly sync up with a user’s personal computer, the iPad is opening up a number of doors for on-site computing. This is changing, and will continue to change, the way that business works.
For many professionals, the iPad is reducing the time they must spend at a PC. Lawyers, doctors and contractors, among others, can more easily take work out of the office. Consider a real estate agent preparing for a full day of showings. With the right app, an iPad can provide property information, scheduling, contact with clients and more — all on the go.
The new generation of iPad apps is also aiding professions where PC use has been historically limited. Pilots, for instance, must carry upwards of 90 pounds of informational papers with them on each flight. Now, there are apps that do essentially the same thing. And better than their paper and ink counterparts, the apps offer immediate and up-to-date information. Hairdressers, who frequently work at a number of different locations, can make appointments, contact customers and organize financial data from the chair of any salon.
24/7 Wall St. has identified professions that have significant need for mobile computing, where traditional laptop PCs were insufficient for all their mobile needs. We then reviewed the iPad App Store to identify the most popular ones for these business, based on the store’s rankings for “Top Rated,” “Best Selling” and “Highest Grossing” apps. These are the best overall apps, as evidenced by broad adoption, that are poised to change how these businesses work.
1. MyChair
> What it does: keeps track of clients, appointments
> Who uses it: hairstylists
> Cost: $19.99
> Similar apps: Personal Salon Assistant
MyChair is one of the most popular and highest-grossing apps in the entire business section of the iPad store. Its usefulness to hairdressers extends well beyond being a compact datebook. The app also automatically sends emails to clients who missed their appointments, and it keeps track of referrals and financial records. Because hairdressers often manage their own schedules and make their own appointments, and they can work at several different salons in the same week, a mobile device is particularly useful.
2. Property Evaluator
> What it does: calculates home value
> Who uses it: real estate investors, real estate agents
> Cost: $4.99
> Similar apps: Mortgage Payment Calculator Free
Property Evaluator claims to be an ideal app for brokers, real estate investors and home buyers alike. The software calculates the approximate price of a house or a building based on its square footage, features and location. Currently, it is one of the top-grossing apps in the finance section of the iPad store. According to the publisher, Real Estate Tools: “you can view financial projections that show you a true apples-to-apples comparison between properties” while on-site. In other words, what usually requires the use of complicated spreadsheets or a PC-based application can now be done while viewing the property. More expensive versions of the app allow users to look at multiple properties at the same time and email PDFs of the valuation, as well as photos of the location.
3. Foreflight
> What it does: preflight checklist, organizes navigation
> Who uses it: pilots
> Cost: Free, with upgrades of $10 and $20
> Similar apps: WingX, Jeppesen Mobile TC
According to a New York Times article, pilots are now using the iPad to store the thousands of documents they are required to have on each flight. There are now more than 250 aviation apps. The most popular of these is Foreflight. According to Foreflight, for pilots “the iPad makes planning flights more efficient; helps them remove up to 90 pounds of paper charts from their cockpit; ensures they are always flying with the most current information possible by making the downloading of current information simple.” The developer also claims that the app improves productivity during flight by making access to information available with taps and keyword searches, “instead of flipping through pages of bound reference materials in flight.”
4. Sketchbook Pro
> What it does: sketch and paint on iPad
> Who uses it: artists, designers
> Cost: $4.99
> Similar apps: LiveSketch, Brushes, Eazel
Sketchbook Pro was developed by Autodesk, the makers of AutoCAD, which is very popular 3D imaging software used by designers and architects. The sketchbook software features a full palette of digital drawing tools that allows artists to create their work from anywhere, without having to worry about bringing supplies. The software has hundreds of tools and brushes, and it allows users to save their work and send it to others digitally. According to Wired, the app already has more than 5 million downloads.
5. Trialpad
> What it does: trial presentation preparation, legal document manager
> Who uses it: lawyers
> Cost: $89.99
> Similar apps: Testimony, Exhibit A
One of the most expensive pieces of software in the app store, TrialPad has been adopted by thousands of lawyers to manage their extensive paperwork and to prepare for trial. According to one representative from developer Lit Software, “Attorneys worldwide have been choosing TrialPad since its introduction late last year, keeping it consistently in the top 20 grossing business apps.” TrialPad says that attorneys tell them that the apps ability to organize, annotate and display documents has improved effectiveness and efficiency.
6. Swipe Credit Card Terminal
> What it does: handles credit card transactions
> Who uses it: entrepreneurs, small business
> Cost: $0.99
> Similar apps: Square
Now, any merchant at a festival, convention or open market place can accept credit cards, replacing carbon paper and the old “zip-zap” machine. The app allows vendors to set a default tip, view transaction history, and send receipts to customers. The app gives small businesses and vendors the opportunity to operate out of the store and keep records electronically. The app also interfaces with popular payment gateways like Paypal.
7. DrChrono
> What it does: creates an electronic patient database
> Who uses it: doctors
> Cost: free
> Similar apps: Healthpad, Lexicomp
One of the greatest inefficiencies in America’s health care system is the costly, time-consuming and antiquated paper-filed patient records system. Programs like DrChrono are helping to solve this problem by allowing doctors to keep detailed electronic records of their patients’ medical history and appointments while seeing them. iPad apps can be so effective at streamlining health care processes that the government subsidizes physicians who use the software. The HITECH Act of 2009 provides that that physicians can qualify for $44,000 or more in economic stimulus incentives if they adopt a certified electronic health record application like DrChrono. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health services are expected to account for one out of every five jobs created by 2014. Additionally, as DrChrono explains, “the Obama Administration is requiring all physicians to adopt EMR systems by 2014. Ours is the only one on the market optimized for tablet platforms.”
8. Contractor’s App Box
> What it does: streamlines contractor invoices, reports
> Who uses it: contractors
> Cost: $11.99
> Similar apps: Business App Box
Filling paperwork and invoices can be time-consuming for contractors. According to its description at the App Store, the Contractor’s App Box gives contractors the ability to complete paperwork while in the field and then send it send it remotely to their office and clients. The app also has functions for recording hours and incident and accident reports, as well as to make on-the-job purchase orders. These services are especially critical for those contractors whose office is often the next job site but who still need to get administrative work done.
9. PDF Reader Pro
> What it does: organize, annotate, and transfer PDF files
> Who uses it: everyone
> Cost: $1.99
> Similar apps: GoodReader, Stanza
Although iPads come with the basic function of opening PDF documents, any person who wishes to store and access more than one file will find themselves looking for an app that is dedicated to the process. PDF Reader Pro is the top-rated paid app in the Business category. This is probably due in large part to the ubiquity of the PDF as the preferred format for sending protected documents. The app can be useful to just about anybody who uses PDF files, which includes just about everyone who uses computers for their business.
Michael A. Sauter, Charles B. Stockdale
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