In a recent article, author and InfoWorld executive editor Galen Gruman recounts how he came to love his iPad. At first, he didn’t see its utility. It was just another gadget. But after a year of using it, Gruman writes, his view has changed:

“A year later, the iPad has made itself a key part of my personal and professional workflows. I read more, I lug less around on trips, I am more aware and in touch, and I can be more flexible in when and where I work. And I still really enjoy using it.”

Even the “For Dummies” series has a chapter devoted to using the iPad at work.

He’s not alone. The rest of the world is thinking about the iPad too, and tablets in general. Even the “For Dummies” series has a chapter devoted to using the iPad at work. Here’s a rundown of what the tech media is saying:

How the iPad is Changing Work, and Working Together

By John Cox, Network World

When Hugh Owen wakes up in the morning, the first thing he reaches for after the alarm clock is his iPad 2. Even before he gets out of bed, he’s started reviewing the flock of corporate reports on yesterday’s metrics and today’s plans. Owen is director of mobile marketing for MicroStrategy, a McLean, VA, vendor of business intelligence software. He and others at the company, say the iPad’s attributes are leading to unexpected changes in the way people work and work together. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney Consumerization of IT iPad, smart phones, tablets

Although iPhones are catching up, the BlackBerry still rules mobile business communication. Case in point: We ran this tipsheet earlier in the year, and it continues to bubble up to the top of most-read lists. Here it is again.

Indeed, we get hundreds of BlackBerry calls a week, and most aren’t from the guy who cannot find the on/off button. Rather, it’s the managers on their way to meetings or hopping on flights who want to know the handy tricks and tips that will save them time and make their smart phones smarter.

Here are a few of the notables:

Tip No. 1: How to Filter Incoming Mail
Say, for example, you receive a daily report that you will not read or deal with on your phone and would prefer to just handle it back at the office. Can you create a filter for that?
Of course you can. Here’s how: Read more…

Jenny Sweeney BlackBerry, How To BlackBerry, calendar, shortcuts, smart phones

I’ve asked the question on this blog before, but I have to ask it again: Are you still waffling about supporting mobile devices, and, in particular, the iPhone?

You had better get it together. The heavies are starting to weigh in.

Resistance is futile, says one CIO. The iPhone is the most popular handheld device available.

Last month, Forrester Research released findings from a study that said IT departments are moving closer to supporting all mobile device platforms. Although BlackBerry (upwards of 60 percent) and Windows Mobile (40 percent) still take the lead, according to the study, one out of four companies now supports iPhones.

The only thing holding the iPhone back from catching up is its so-so security, which remains a big concern for CIOs. (There’s also that pesky issue of AT&T’s spotty coverage. But that’s for another time.)

Security doesn’t seem to be the main issue if you look at the results of a recent TechRepublic poll, which asked 300 CIOs if they support the iPhone, and their reasons for doing so or not doing so. TR editor in chief Jason Hiner posted the results on his blog and the findings have at least one common thread: The iPhone is still viewed as a personal “gadget,” and thus has no place in the enterprise. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney BlackBerry, iPhone, Mobile Devices Forrester, Jason Hiner, smart phones, TechRepublic, Zenprise

If there is one constant in these sour financial times, it’s that there’s no dearth of stories about corporate waste. And that’s good news for us, as our company makes a living boosting productivity.

Training and support transform smart phones from “fun toys” into powerful business tools.

The most recent is a witty report published by TechRepublic, titled “IT Budgets: How to waste money.” The nine-page report offers 10 tips on effective money-wasting, including doling out too much money on energy, unnecessarily purchasing new hardware, and spending too much on travel.

All of the tips are worth a look, but here are a few we’d like to amend/elaborate upon:

Spend too much on mobile technology. Yes, spending too much on mobile technology is a waste of money – when you don’t show your employees how to get the most out of it. Training and support transform smart phones from “fun toys” into powerful business tools. Write that down. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney Office 2007, Outsourcing Office 2007, smart phones, software support, TechRepublic, upgrades

With all the press this week about Apple’s newest toys, I thought I’d focus this entry of IT Buzzwords on phrases related to mobile devices.

We know you’ve been nodding your head in agreement when your colleagues (or underlings) discuss the pros and cons of the 3GS, even though you have no clue why the world is so miffed about tethering and MMS. Here’s a chance to school yourself, so you know what your employees will be griping about in the near future. Read more…

Jenny Sweeney BlackBerry, iPhone, Mobile Devices, Tech Babble 3GS, Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, dumb phones, iPhone, Palm Pre, smart phones, tethering