Email is among the most important tools at a manager's disposal; it's often the main form of communication with suppliers, employees, customers, etc. With the smartphone, you can now take your email with you and be in near constant contact. If you have an iPhone and use the Mail app, you may have noticed that email attachments are a bit different from other apps.

Below is a brief overview of how iPhone's Mail app's attachments work.

How to open an attachment If you get an email with an attachment, open the message and scroll down to the bottom of the message. You will see the name of the attachment along with the file type and size. If you tap on it, your phone should open it in a new window. You can then zoom in/out and scroll around.

Some attachments can be downloaded by tapping and holding on the attachment. After about a second, a pop-up menu will show, and you should be able to select to save it. Instead of saving the attachment, you can also choose to open it using other apps.

Why won't some attachments open? There may be a time where you get an email with an attachment that can't be opened. You will still be able to see it in the email, but you won't be able to tap on it. This is because the Mail app doesn't support all file and document types.

Don't worry if you can't open an attachment as chances are there's an app in the App store that will open it. The easiest thing to do is look at the file type of the attachment, which is usually indicated by a three letter code at the end of the file name. For example, a Word document will be FILENAME.doc or FILENAME.docx. A quick Internet search for something like, 'iPhone app that can open .ddd' will usually return results with an app that can open your file.

Once you download the app, try pressing and holding on the attachment in Mail and selecting Open in... from the pop-up menu. Look for the app you downloaded and tap on it.

How to add an attachment to emails You can add an attachment to an email by pressing and holding on the body section of a new email. A pop-up menu should come up, if you scroll left you should see the Select/Paste option. Tapping on this will allow you to select either a photo, video or message which you can attach to the email. Unfortunately, there isn't much else you can attach, so if you need to attach a document or other file type, you would be better off doing so on your computer.

If you would like to learn more about the iPhone and how it can help you, please contact us today.

Social media can be a great way for your business to both expand and build as well as solidify your brand, which can in turn bring in more customers. While there are numerous services out there, many companies focus on Facebook and Twitter, when they should also be focusing on the main business related social media service: LinkedIn.

Here’s four reasons why your business should have a presence on LinkedIn.

1. You have more than 1 employee. With a company profile, you can pick how many people work in your organization, and many small businesses pick 1-10 or 11-50. In these two categories there are over 1.5 million businesses with accounts. Lots right? Add into this the ability to filter companies by industry, location and relationship and you have a powerful search tool that can help you stand out locally.
2. You want to connect with your peers. Facebook is a great tool for connecting with nearly everybody, while LinkedIn is better for connecting to your colleagues and peers who are constantly sharing topical information and discussions that could be of great use when you’re stuck, or need advice.
3. You are hiring. LinkedIn is also one of the best job boards for mid-level and higher professionals. If you have a job opening, you can post it on the site and people connected to you and your friends can be recommended for the job. You can also target the posting at professionals who you want to apply, no more having to wade through unqualified candidates.
4. You don’t want to deal with games/links to cat videos/senseless sharing. LinkedIn is a professional network, as such, there aren’t many time wasting features. If you haven’t bought into, or are tired of notifications about games or other activities, LinkedIn is a great alternative. Just be warned, you won’t connect with your customers on a close basis like you can with other networks.

If you feel it’s time to get on to LinkedIn and would like to know more about the process, please contact us.

Marketing for small businesses and entrepreneurs can be a tough nut to crack. You’re often competing against larger companies with budgets that probably rival your yearly net profits. There is one medium however which small businesses can employ to gain a foot up, or at the very least, compete on an equal footing, and that is through social media.

Using social media to advertise or sell products and services, commonly called ‘social selling’, should be an integral part of your marketing and sales promotions. Here are five reasons why your sales force should be social.

1. Cost effective. Of the main marketing and sales pipelines, social media is by-far the most cost effective way to connect with people and build a solid marketing funnel.
2. Level playing field. The best thing about social media is that there’s no size requirement. One man companies can benefit in exactly the same way as multinational corporations. With a well crafted and executed plan, you could see your company achieve Internet fame and increased revenue as a result.
3. Less investment of time. Marketing and sales is a full time job, and using a website or other technical mediums requires the time of other departments as well. With social media, sales people can run campaigns themselves thereby reducing the demands on other departments.
4. Highly trackable. Social networks like Facebook and Google+ have built in analytics making it easy to track nearly anything related to social media sales. If a mistake is made changes can be made quickly and results will show instantly.
5. Drives loyalty and brand presence. With successful social media interactions, customers will often be more loyal as they feel a connection with the brand and will be less willing to change to buy from other companies. Social media also gives customers a chance to truly let you know how they feel, and other customers can see this. Visible comments are one of the most effective ways to build brand identity.

Using social media to conduct social selling is a great way for small businesses to not only grow their business but also market their brand. If you’re not using social media in your company, or would like to know more about how social media can help your business grow, please contact us.

Eighty percent of U.S. doctors believe virtual assistants would drastically change how they use electronic medical records (EMRs) within five years, thereby freeing time for them to spend with patients.

That information came from a survey conducted by Nuance Communications, a speech recognition company that has brought virtual assistants to consumers.

According to the survey, one in every three doctors spends 30 percent or more each day on administrative activities - and these activities could be eliminated or redirected using voice-enabled virtual assistants.

Also according to the survey, 73 percent of physicians believe virtual assistants would improve health care by helping them coordinate care between multiple caregivers, and 65 percent believe virtual assistants would allow them to provide more accurate, timely information to support care.

In particular, physicians surveyed seemed interested in intelligent and voice-driven, computerized physician order entry (CPOE) - a technology that uses sophisticated reasoning patterns beyond speech for ordering medications, laboratory tests and radiology exams.

In the early to mid 2000s one of the most popular 'smartphones' was the BlackBerry. Business users loved it for many different reasons, one of the most common being the QWERTY keyboard. BlackBerry's time in the spotlight is over however and the iPhone is now the go-to for many users. One common gripe about the iPhone however is the keyboard. It definitely takes a while to get used to, especially if you are upgrading from a phone with a physical keyboard.

Here are four tip to make the typing experience better on your iPhone.

1. Lock caps lock - While the use of capital letters while typing is generally frowned upon, there are times when you need to type more than one letter in a row in caps. Most users will hit the caps button (upward pointing arrow) on the keyboard, type a letter and then hit it again to type another in caps. You can lock the keyboard in caps mode by double tapping the caps lock button. You'll notice the key turns blue, indicating caps lock is on. When you are finished, tap it once to turn it off. 2. Turn off auto-correct - We've all seen the funny and sometimes embarrassing texts blamed on auto-correct. While useful when getting used to typing on the iPhone, it can be more of a hindrance than a help after you've gotten the hang of it. You can turn auto-correct off by selecting Settings, followed by General, Keyboard and finally setting Auto-Correction to Off. 3. Long-press keys for more options - At first glance, the iPhone's keyboard is a little sparse with many of the standard keys beyond the letters and number keys missing. They are still there, however but just not labeled. With many keys, a long-press on the key will bring up a number of different options and other keys. For example: a long-press on the A key will bring up different letters associated with a, or a long press on ? will bring up the option to use an inverted question mark or an exclamation point. Play around with the keys, and you'll soon see a ton of different typing options emerge. 4. Stop typing .com - Did you know that you don't have to always type .com, .net or .org? In certain places, the iPhone will put it in for you. For example, when you are typing a web address on the browser, you can do a long-press on the . to get a pop-up of a whole bunch of dot something endings. This will also work in the email To, CC and BCC: fields.

The above tips are just a few ways to make it easier to type on the iPhone. Do you have another typing tip? Let us know; or, if you would like to learn more, please contact us.

The iPhone is a great gadget and many users probably don't know what they would do without it. One the biggest issues with it though is its relatively short battery life, although with careful use you will likely get through a full day and some of the next. This likely means you need to charge it at the office, which probably means you carry that silly cable around with you all the time. A new charging device aims to replace this cable with something that you can easily fit into your wallet.

Scheduled to release in December 2012, the Charge Card, (no, it's not a new fangled credit card), is a device that will replace the somewhat unwieldy iPhone charging cable. The concept behind the gadget is to replace the charging cable with something you can fit in your wallet.

The Charge Card is a credit card sized charging device which is .1 inches thick and made of a hard plastic. In the middle is a rubber USB connector that pops out and is compatible with any USB port. On the opposite end is a small 30-pin connector - the standard connector used by Apple. The 30-pin connector will work with the iPhone 4s and older; the iPad 3 and older; and any iPod. It is compatible with the new iPhone 5, iPads and iPods if you have the adapter.

How it works is you pop out the flexible USB connector, plug it into a USB port on a computer, TV, airplane seat, etc. and plug the other end into your iDevice. While it isn't a battery, it does allow you to leave the cords at home, and USB ports being pretty much everywhere these days, you can charge your device whenever you need to.

What is interesting about this is that the project was crowdfunded through Kickstarter, meaning people think it's a good enough idea to invest in it. You can learn more about the project here, and if you'd like to learn more about using the iPhone in the office, give us a shout, we'd be happy to chat with you.

“It’s here, it’s here, it’s finally here!” At the end of September, Apple fans took delivery of the first shipments of the newly released iPhone 5. Reviews have been largely positive, it’s an Apple product after all; expectations are high. The new version of the popular iPhone has some new features that managers will definitely find useful.

Here’s an overview of the iPhone 5 and the changes it brings with the new version.

New version of iOS As has become tradition, a new iPhone means an update to the operating system. iOS brings some features like a modified user interface, deeper iCloud integration, a new maps app, a digital wallet and many more. At this time, the maps app is good, but will need a lot of work to compete with Google Maps, while the digital wallet has yet to really be tested. To provide iPhone users information about businesses, Apple integrates Yelp information, so it will help you if you have a presence on Yelp.

Bigger screen The iPhone 5 has a 4-inch screen, when measured from top-left to bottom-right. This extra screen space allows for an extra row of icons and a better landscape view. The retina display makes a comeback and produces some of the highest quality images on any mobile phone. The bigger screen also means you will be able to see more of a document, web page or any new program.

Is the extra screen space worth upgrading from older iPhone models? Yes, ask any Android user who has upgraded to the now standard 4-4.3 inch screen and they will tell you that they don’t know how they coped with a smaller screen. The same can be said for the iPhone.

More battery power An important factor to consider before buying a smartphone is if the battery will last through your whole work day. Many iPhone 4 and 4s users know that their phone could get through a day of minimal use, but make calls or put the phone through it’s paces and a mid-afternoon top-up is needed. The battery for the iPhone 5 is bigger and according to Apple you should be able to get up to eight hours of surfing the web out of the phone.

Actual reports have been mixed from poor to amazing, with most reviews stating battery life is better than the iPhone 4, meaning you should be able to get you through a day of moderate use without needing to recharge.

Faster processor The iPhone 5 has a new processor, called the A6, which is touted as being smaller, but nearly twice as powerful. This means that the phone will run faster, open apps quicker and be able to run more advanced apps. As of the launch, there aren’t a wealth of programs that utilize the new processor’s power, but give it a few months and you’ll see some highly useful programs that parallel those found on the computer.

New connector If you are like any other modern worker, you probably have at least one laptop, two phones, an mp3 player and maybe a tablet. This can amount to a number of cables and cords that can be hard to keep track of. Apple isn’t making your life easier, as they have introduced a new connector. The connector is pretty cool, as it’s smaller and double sided, meaning you don’t have to worry about which way you plug in the device, both sides will work. The downside to this is you have to buy adaptors to use old cords, which cost around USD$30 each.

LTE support LTE is a new form of wireless communication that’s widely thought to be the next version of mobile communication. Most networks in the world use 3G; LTE is commonly known as 4G, and is currently available in, or coming soon to, a large percentage of countries. The iPhone 5 can connect to LTE networks allowing users to benefit from super fast Internet speeds, and supposedly improved connections.

Durability One of the most common complaints about modern phones is that they are somewhat fragile. Most people have dropped their phone at least once, many have had screens replaced. A drop test conducted by the Android Authority has shown that the iPhone 5 is durable, with three drop tests from different heights showing little damage. If you err on the slightly clumsy side you’ll be glad to know that the iPhone 5 appears to be more durable than other models. In general, the iPhone 5 is an evolution more than the proposed revolution, but it’s a development that should be good for businesses users who pick one up. The biggest barrier might be price, which is the same as the iPhone 4s. If you’re looking to upgrade, contact your mobile provider, or let us know, as we may be able to help.

The iPhone and its operating system, iOS is arguably the single most popular cell phone on the market. There are a large number of great features and apps that make it an easy to use system. One app, iCloud, utilizes the cloud to ensure that all your files and important information are synced across all devices. While iCloud is useful, it can cause your phone to run slower.

Here’s how to optimize iCloud to ensure your iPhone runs quicker.

What is iCloud? Before optimizing iCloud it’s important to know what exactly iCloud is and how it works. iCloud is Apple’s cloud syncing solution. It’s main purpose is to keep your device’s important information in sync with your Mac, PC and other Apple devices. It works by uploading information like your contacts, installed apps, email, photos, bookmarks and calendars to Apple’s servers, which then make your information available to any device with iCloud installed on it, including your computer. The main purpose of this app is to back up and sync data across multiple devices, not store your data.

Every iPhone owner who has an up-to-date iPhone can sign up for the service and receives 5GB of space for their needs. By default, iCloud constantly syncs in the background without the user noticing. The only problem is syncing can slow your iPhone to a crawl.

Optimize iCloud for iPhone speed If you have iCloud set up and have noticed that your iPhone is slowing down we recommend three different ways to speed it up.

• Set iCloud to only sync when connected to WiFi. Chances are high that you have a data plan for your iPhone. When you set up iCloud, the default setting is to sync even while connected to a data network. This means iCloud is always syncing, using valuable system resources and data. You can set it to only sync when connected to WiFi by going to Settings, selecting Store and scrolling to the bottom and turning Use Cellular Data to Off. This will cause your Internet to slow down slightly however.
• Turn off iCloud sync. You can also disable iCloud until you want to sync. Go to Settings and select iCloud and turn everything to Off. When you add a new contact, or would like to sync something, you can go back to the iCloud and turn on what you want to sync. Another option is to turn it on when you go to sleep at night, then turn it off again when you wake up.
• Select what to sync. With iCloud, you’re in control as to what is synced and backed up. If you take a lot of pictures or are an avid media and app user you’ll find that your iPhone is constantly updating. You can go to iCloud in Settings and turn off non-essential apps and backups. When you need to back up your media, do so by connecting your phone to the computer and using iTunes to transfer your files onto your computer.

iCloud is a great way to back up your phone’s important information, but you shouldn’t rely on it. The optimal solution is to back up your phone using a cloud backup like iCloud as well as backing up your phone on your computer. If you’re interested in learning more about iCloud or other mobile backup solutions, please contact us.

Go back 20 years and tell a person that they’d be able to access the Internet through their mobile phone. Guaranteed these people would scoff at your zany ideas, but, it’s true, the modern mobile phone is smart, and one of the most popular smartphones is the Apple iPhone. While the iPhone is popular, it can, like any device, break. Often the first thing to break is your screen, and when it does you may be stuck wondering how to replace it.

If your iPhone’s screen cracks, chips, scratches or breaks there are four things you can do to:

Keep using it Some people that have a slightly damaged screen find that their iPhone is still perfectly functional and will continue to use it. If your screen is slightly scratched but the phone’s still working then, why not continue using it? Better yet, if the scratch comes with a funny story, it could be a great icebreaker.

DIY replacement An option for those who love to take things apart, or whose iPhone is off warranty, is the DIY screen replacement. You can order screens and related screwdrivers (needed for disassembly) online for around $100 and $15 respectively.

Be aware that this is an advanced method that should only be undertaken if your iPhone is past warranty and you’re comfortable working with small parts. For a full step-by-step guide on the process, please refer to cnet. Be warned that you attempt this process at your own risk, and we can’t be held responsible for any damage to your iPhone.

Send it back to Apple If your iPhone is still under warranty please don’t attempt to replace the screen yourself, as you will void any and all associated warranties. You should just send it back to Apple or to an Apple service center to fix. If there’s an Apple store with a Genius bar in your area you can make an appointment and take it there.

Buy a new one If you’d rather not do any of this, you can also wait for a new iPhone to be released and buy a new one. If you purchased your phone through your mobile provider, you may be eligible for an upgrade when the new iPhone comes out, so be sure to contact them and ask.

To minimize potential damage to your iPhone, we recommend purchasing a screen protector - a thin film that covers the iPhone’s screen and protects it from scratches. You could also buy a case for the iPhone, preferably one that sticks up over the screen a tiny bit. This way if you drop the phone screen down the case will hit first. If you have any questions about the screen replacement process please contact us.

One of the most popular phones for professionals has been the BlackBerry. It’s a high chance that we knew someone who was addicted to their “CrackBerry”, constantly checking their email, or texting with colleagues while out of the office. Then came the iPhone, and many professionals have moved on, only to wish their shiny new iPhone had some of the great features of the BlackBerry.

Here’s how you can get some of the email features of BlackBerry devices on your iPhone.

Auto complete text With a physical QWERTY keyboard, BlackBerry is ideal for typing long emails, even more so with the ability to specify common phrases and short codes e.g., typing ‘tdy’ could put today’s date. You can do this with the iPhone as well by going to: Settings, General, Keyboard and selecting Shortcuts. Type the full phrase into the Phrase field, and the shortcut into the Shortcut field.

Blinking indicator light for new emails One of the most useful features of the BlackBerry is the LED light that blinks in different colors, depending on the notification i.e., red for new message. While you can’t set the iPhone’s LED light to flash different colors, you can get it to blink when you have a new notification. Navigate to Settings, select General and tap Accessibility. Select LED Flash for Alerts.

Specific notification As many small business owners get over 100 emails a day, it can be annoying to see a constantly blinking light. With the BlackBerry, you can set it so the LED blinks only when you’ve received an email from a certain person or group. While you can’t do this with the current software version of the iPhone - iOS 5.0, the impending iOS 6.0 will allow you to set the phone to notify you only when certain people email.

Compose email quick key Being able to quickly view and reply to an email is a speciality of BlackBerry devices, and many smartphones, the iPhone included haven’t been able to beat it. It is a relatively painless process to compose a new email on your iPhone, simply press the Home button followed by email and Compose.

While it seems to be that BlackBerry devices have had their time in the spotlight, there are many loyal users who have had to switch devices due to necessity. Many of these users probably wouldn’t go back to a BlackBerry if they had the choice, especially if they have similar features on the new devices. If you’d like to learn more about how to use the iPhone for business, please contact us.