There can be no denying the massive impact the mobile telephone has had on the world. In the space of only a few short years the humble mobile has evolved from a rather cumbersome means of making telephone calls on the move, into a slick, pocket-sized device used for making calls, listening to music, taking pictures, watching videos and surfing the web.
While the technology behind the latest generation of ‘smart’ phones is certainly impressive, the real strength of the modern day smart phone is just as much in its software and applications as it is in the gadget itself.
To meet the demands of the many millions of smart phone users out there, application or ‘app’ stores such as iTunes and Google Play have grown to become a staple part of many people’s lives. These stores sell an absolutely enormous range of products that cover almost every need a smart phone user could imagine.
Organisation
While most smart devices will come with some form of basic organisation tools, many users will find that these apps just aren’t enough. Thankfully, the app marketplace has something for just about every sort of organisational need, from simple to-do lists to more complex project management applications that even include the ability to ‘seamlessly sync’ between devices, allowing users to access the same projects between PC, tablet and phone.
For the most advanced users apps such as Omnifocus or other similar programmes take organisation to a whole new level, and even include ‘geolocation’ in order to give users reminders based on their location. So for example, when you next go into town, or visit a colleague in a certain area, your smart technology will remind you what it is you need to do based on where you are.
Communication
With the rise of the internet, email is now one of the most common forms of communication, and is especially useful to keep on top of your work. The Google Mail (Gmail) app is a great tool in this regard, and can allow users to register multiple accounts onto a single device, so users can quickly and easily change between personal and work email accounts.
Education
For the savvy dental professional smart phones have an awful lot to offer in the way of education. Apps such as Dental CPD Pro allow users to record CPD ‘on-the-fly’, while the app itself syncs directly with eGDC to ensure your CPD files are always up-to-date. Users can also choose to gain CPD with useful one-hour modules of verifiable CPD available for direct download and a huge library of content available.
Dental professionals should also remember that apps don’t have to necessarily be directly related to dentistry to be useful. Reeder for example is a useful RSS feed reader that can be set up to receive relevant dentistry-related news, while Pocket is a great tool for saving web pages to read later, and Evernote is a powerful note taking app.
Social
Networking is an important part of any professional’s working life, and there are apps to help you stay social, just as there are apps for communication, education and organisation. Buffer is one particularly good way of managing social network posts, while sites such as LinkedIn and other professional networking websites also have their own dedicated apps.
Just a simple click away
Whether you need help managing your CPD, or you need a way to stay up to date on the latest news in dentistry, there is an app for you. Of course smart phones can be fun, and they’re great for leisure or social purposes, but for dental professionals in particular, a smart phone is more than just a toy.