How did businesses ever get by without smartphones and tablets to take their operations with them anywhere? These days, mobile devices offer so many business solutions that it’s absolutely mind-boggling to consider functioning professionally without them anymore. The only real problem is that there are so many useful apps out there. How do you know which ones are right for the particular needs of your business? If you’re looking to narrow down the options, here are just a few universally useful and truly comprehensive apps for the small business owner that needs portable solutions for the iPad.

1. Dropbox. Okay, so you’ve probably heard of this great free app before, but that doesn’t make it any less great, especially for the avid business person seeking an easy way to transport files. So forget about lugging around a briefcase full of hard copies or a hefty laptop bag. Your lightweight and compact iPad can now be your receptacle for any files (docs, pics, and videos) that you need to bring to the office or a business meeting. Just upload from your computer and access via iPad application.
2. Keynote. When you manage a small business, meetings and presentations with clients, partners, and employees are often part of the package. Luckily, Keynote has got you covered (for $9.99). You can create slide shows at your leisure and then present them to a small group on your iPad, say at a business lunch, or to a larger group, like a board room or conference setting, using additional hardware (a dock connector or VGA adapter) to project images onto a monitor.
3. Skype. Has there ever been a better free app for business than this amazing communication tool? Whether you’re running off WiFi or you’ve got a 3G version of the iPad, this freebie actually lets you call, text, and even video conference with clients and employees from anywhere. You may find yourself leaving your iPhone at home when you travel once you download this app to your iPad.
4. Hootsuite. Any business that has yet to implement a marketing strategy via social media is woefully behind the times. And since most companies support a variety of accounts on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and LinkedIn, this free app is a must. You can use it to schedule and send updates to your various accounts as well as monitor different features (click stats, keywords, and more).
5. Pages. Whether your goal is to reach a broader consumer base through online fliers, apprise current customers of new products or specials, create reports for partners and clients, attract recent business MBA graduates to your team through targeted ads with the top online MBA programs of 2012, or even write new content for your website, this handy app can help you to quickly and easily design a slew of docs with advanced layout tools that are nonetheless user-friendly. With great user reviews and a cost of only $9.99, this app is a best buy for any business that could use simple yet ample document creation services at the drop of a hat.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

[Cult of Mac]

Angry Birds addicts you can all celebrate now — Rovio has recently updated Angry Birds Rio with more content to fulfill your never ending addition to the game. What kind of content, you ask? Simply put, this update now adds 15 new levels, a new bird, along with a new boss fight as well.

Fifteen challenging new levels will test your puzzle skills!
Thrilling boss fight will have you on the edge of your seat!
Search out all the hidden fruit and earn special awards!
The amazing expandable Orange Bird joins the party!
The Mighty Eagle is now available to wreak havoc on tough levels!

This update is free to download. Enjoy!

Angry Birds Rio
Developer: Rovio Mobile

Rated: 4+

Price: $0.99 Download

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People used to worry that the internet would only be good for communication and entertainment, but it has proven over time to be a vast resource and repository of knowledge and an excellent tool for the spread of information. So it should come as no surprise that your smartphone is equally versatile (despite the fact that its primary function is mobile communication). And if you’re a student looking for some apps to help you study, there are plenty that can make your life easier wherever you happen to be.

1. New Oxford American Dictionary. A dictionary app is a must for any student looking to improve study skills. At $29.99, this isn’t the cheapest dictionary app, but it’s not the most expensive, either (and it’s half what you’d pay for the hardcover). You’ll have access to definitions for 350,000 words at your disposal plus extras like 60,000 audio pronunciations, a word trends feature to keep you up-to-date with new words and phrases, and no wireless connection required after download (except for the audio feature).
2. Margins (book notes). As any college student knows, writing notes in the margins of text books drastically reduces the amount of money you can get back when you return them to the campus bookstore at the end of the semester. Instead, download this app for $3.99 and you’ll have all the margin notes you need (for every book and subject) on instant recall. It’s organized by book and page number, you can search by keyword, and you can even look up bibliographic information with an ISBN number. In short, it lets you take the most important data from your textbooks with you anywhere (without having to lug a bag full of books).
3. MathU RPN Calc. This calculator app may cost $19.99, but considering how many userssay it has replaced their traditional calculators, it could be the right tool to help you do math at home, at school, and any time you need to study (or work out a restaurant bill). With plenty of functionality (scientific, computer, and even financial features) you can use it for all kinds of calculations and computations. And considering that it was created by an MIT PhD with 10 years’ experience working on mobile math apps, it’s sure to deliver all of the mathematic functionality you need.
4. Spell Check. Although you can’t use this app to comprehensively spell check your emails, you can plug in words phonetically to get proper spelling. If you ever wished you had your Word or email spell checker on your phone, you can pretty much have for $0.99 with this simple but handy app.
5. Wikipedia Mobile. Okay, so you can’t exactly cite this site as a source on essays, but it’s still a great way to get general information in order to extrapolate targeted searches via reputable online journals. Any super scholar knows that you have to start somewhere. And considering that you can find info on literally any topic (from George Washington to the Pebble Mine project to the best online MBA programs of 2012), it’s a must for every student.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.

[AppleNApps]