With over 93% of the Fortune 500 companies using tablets, it is inevitable that the next big thing in Mobile will be presenting. CGI’s CEO, David Kelleher, recently used the iPad as a presentation tool when giving a presentation at the Boston Entrepreneurs Network Event. David brought the iPad along to guide him through the slides that were shown on the screen behind him. CGI is always looking for innovative and creative ideas for presenting. A few of our favorite mobile presentation ideas are to use the iPad to project your presentation or create a product demo or “elevator pitch” for presentations on the go. The following apps will help you achieve your mobile presentation goals as well as engage your audience.

1. iThoughtsHD: The first step to giving a killer mobile presentation is organizing your thoughts. The iThoughtsHD app allows you to write down ideas and create a map, essentially a “mind-mapping app.” The app then helps you make sense of your thoughts and allows the user to edit and manipulate right from the touch screen.

2. IdeaFlight: IdeaFlight allows a presenter to share their presentation via WiFi. The app allows the presenter to remotely control the audiences device from their iPad as well as locking and unlocking the presentation, and the ability to let the audience download the presentation to their device.

3. Evernote: Similar to iThoughtsHD, Evernote is a great brainstorming tool for presenters. The big difference between the two apps is the ability to separate projects in Evernote.  The Evernote app acts as a digital folder where you can store notes, links, and more.

4. 2Screens: The 2Screens app is great for an executive that presents often. The app allows you to use the iPhone as a remote, connect to a projector, switch screens, and manage documents.

5. Dropbox: The Dropbox app allows presenters to share files they create on their desktop with their iPad and even their iPhone. Having presentation files accessible through Dropbox allows a presenter instant access to a presentation. Great for presenting at the drop of a hat!

So you have solved one mystery, a smart tablet would be beneficial to your business. Now, the next hurtle is picking which one: Motorola Xoom, Apple iPad, Blackberry Playbook, or HP TouchPad. Just because one tablet is more chic than the other, doesn’t mean it will perform better for your particular needs.

Here is a break down:

The first consideration when choosing a tablet is if you need 3G connectivity. If the answer is YES, check the carriers for each device and weight that against who you use for your cellphone plan. Most tablets are compatible with their smartphone counterpart. By purchasing a tablet that works with your current cell phone plan and accounts, you can simplify transferring information.

Other questions you may want to ask yourself:

How much will I be using my tablet and what will I be using it for?
Will I  keep large amounts of documents on the tablet all the time?
What apps would I like to make my business run more smoothly?
Will I be using it for video meetings?

Form follows function, so once these questions are answered, you can start looking at aesthetics such as display size, screen resolution, color, weight, etc.  To help with the decision process, a good practice is to read industry and user reviews to see if the features you like most are performing as expected.

A tablet purchase is more about creating an additional tool that extends the capabilities of the technology you are using within your day-to-day business. The purchase needs to be well thought-out considering all the options and thinking about what will work best for you.

Which will you choose and why?
Happy shopping!

The business world has been abuzz with smart tablets and how they’re going to change the way that people do… business.  Building off of the mobile computing revolution, tablets are the next “it” piece of technology.  With their light weight, long battery life, and ever growing number of applications, tablets are accessible and practical for the business environment.

So, how does tablet technology apply to you?

1. Mobile Presentations: Remember that cumbersome computer bag carrying a laptop and all your cords for a presentation?  Walking around a tradeshow floor and having to dig out your computer?  No more.  With the weight of a tablet (around 1.5 pounds), it can easily be brought to meetings or accessed during tradeshows to engage potential customers in the moment.  The iPad2 has the new capability to work with Apple TV, so you can go even further with in-person meetings.
2. Optimizing your customer’s experience: As seen in the recent use of the iPad in Hyundai’s Equus application, the customer is gaining control of how they interact with your product.  Instead of reading a manual sequentially, a new owner can browse their new Equus the way they want to, whether it is seeing how the engine works or checking out interior features.  By diversifying how each customer can see your product, tablets can increase your opportunity to appeal to multiple groups at once.
3. Applications at your finger tips: We all know why you really love tablet technology – it’s the apps.  With tablet applications you can customize your screen to include everything that’s relative to your business needs.  The Motorola Xoom includes Android Honeycomb technology allowing you to access the Google capabilities that you use every day.  Below are some of our favorite iPad tools:

• Keynote: Re-worked for on-the-go marketers, Keynote can be used to present to your clients right on the iPad. Although some compatibility issues persist, it is a simple way to tell your company’s story.
• Sadun’s Whiteboard and Idea Boards: In a meeting?  Need to get your ideas on paper?  Both of these apps act as interactive and intuitive cocktail napkins that can capture your ideas in the moment.
• Mighty Meetings, WebEx, and GoTo Meeting: Perfect for sales people always on the move, these applications make it possible to have a meeting and share information while away from your desk.

It’s easy to see how using a tablet for business can simplify your busy schedule.  Now, deciding which one you want can be a whole other matter.  To be continued…