The “Lunch and Learn” session at the Anson County Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday drew a small crowd as the audience listened to the possibilities their mobile devices can offer.
Jermaine Alston, a senior system analyst with South Piedmont Community College, gave his presentation, “Managing Your Business Life” to the crowd, focusing on how attendees could use mobile technology to manage their documents, emails, and schedules. He also gave information on password safety and platform comparisons.
“It was practical information that I’ve been looking for,” said attendee Mike Railton, an employment consultant at the North Carolina Employment Commission. “It was helpful learning that different platforms can exchange information. I thought you had to pick one and stick with it.”
Some key points Alston focused on included:
According to PC World, smartphone sales surpassed PC sales last February and remain the leader in sales figures.
While smartphones act as a “mobile desk,” the computers are still necessary for “heavy-lifting.”
Four major mobile platforms exist — Apple, BlackBerry, Android and Windows.
The best platform for users depends on several variables, including if the user owns digital assets (movies, television shows, books, music, etc.) on a specific platform, or, if not, if the user plans to do so.
When choosing a platform, keep in mind what you need for documents, important in the business world. Windows offers mobile versions of Office included with the device; if you choose Apple, you will have to purchase an app for products you need; Android users will need to purchase either individual apps or a suite to encompass them all; Blackberry users will need to purchase each app separately.
Email, also important in the business world, can be accessed on your phone. Windows, Apple, and Android all have Apple Sync compatibility while BlackBerry has the functionality, albeit without some features.
Calendars, another business world must, can be accessed on all major platforms. Using Active Sync Client, users can sync their calendars, contacts, and email on their business devices.
Alston also introduced the audience to Dropbox, a file hosting service that offers Cloud service at various rates, beginning with a free basic version. Users can store files including documents, videos, and pictures and access them from other devices.
While file accessibility is a must, Alston warned session attendees on the dangers of storing sensitive information on Dropbox, and advised that they pick harder to guess passwords for their digital accounts.
Railton felt that he learned useful information at the session. “I’d heard of Dropbox, but I thought it was just a Windows thing,” Railton said. “It’s good to be able to access information from anywhere.” He also plans to use the information he learned about using calendars on mobile devices.
Lynn Edwards, Anson County Chamber of Commerce executive director, was pleased with the event. “It was very successful, very interactive,” she said. “It seemed like everybody was really interested in learning about mobile devices and how they all connect. I would say it was one of our more successful ‘Lunch and Learns’.”
The Chamber of Commerce will host two more of its periodic “Lunch and Learns” in October. A small business-centered one will be hosted Oct. 16, while the Oct. 30 one will be hosted by the Hospice of Anson County. For more information, call 704-694-4181 or visit the chamber at 107 East Wade Street in Wadesboro.
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