Hot Pad = iPad

Being an early adopter paid off! Check out the app OmniFocus too its one of my most used apps, we use most of the business-friendly ones and Keynote too.

Source: Promotional Consultant Today... With the launch of the iPad, and now iPad2 plus a myriad of other tablet PC’s, many businesses are purchasing these lightweight devices. In fact, if you dine at the famous five-star French Laundry Restaurant in Yountville, California, the wine menu will be delivered via an iPad.

According to Deloitte Canada, more tablets and smart phones will be sold this year than desktop computers. Furthermore, the business segment will account for more than one quarter of the 50 million tablets set to ship this year worldwide.
Cloud computing (and the use of mobile applications) is making tablets far better computer substitutes than could have been predicted a few years ago, While they still lack the storage and power capacity of their PC cousins, tablets are making their mark on everyday business



Here are four advantages of these “hot pads”:

1. Better meetings and presentations. Between video conferencing, meeting-related apps and an HDTV adapter, the new iPad makes it a whole lot easier to share information. Too busy to travel? Hold a virtual meeting with a remote client using Skype. Giving a presentation? Spice it up with Keynote and show it on the big screen. Apps like Meeting Mngr Pro allow presenters to instantly share extra materials with everyone in the room. Then, participants can use the app to ask questions and give feedback without interrupting the speaker.
2. More business-friendly apps. These tablet PC’s have hundreds of impressive apps to help businesses stay organized. For example, Bento helps you manage projects, organize contacts and plan events from one simple database. And you can create all kinds of charts with OmniGraffle. GoodReader is an app that lets you add notes, drawings and arrows to all the major types of docs.
 
3. Working on the go is even easier. Part of the reason tablets are so great is that you can take them anywhere. For example, the iPad 2 is the thinnest tablet available. With a duel-core processor, it operates faster and has large memory. Despite its size, you can still use it all day without running out of battery.
4. It’s also a cash register. If your business deals with credit card transactions, Square is an essential app to have. Twitter founder Jack Dorsey developed this app, which lets you swipe credit cards and sign for purchases. It even generates digital receipts. Plus, it’s cheaper than most of the custom point-of-sale systems you see in stores today.


Source: Alana Horowitz is an intern and writer for Business Insiderand a senior at New York University. Previous internships have included the Daily Beast, the Village Voice, and Patch. Her articles also appear on www.openforum.com