On the road again … with mobile apps!

Plane travel and “windshield time” is a fact of life for many busy business professionals these days. And yes, I wrote this during the holidays, but the information is still beneficial for time-pressed road warriors at any time of the year. So, for Execs “on the go,” sometimes just remembering to do the simple things can be a trick, much less remembering to write down ideas, tasks, and whatever else hits your already overloaded brain.

Dragon Dictation:
Tired of having ideas pop into your head with no pen and paper handy? Dragon Dictation is an app that translates speech into text. What originally started out as a computer-based software program designed to translate speech to text on a much bigger scale (and it still does!), this iPhone or Android app allows you to record a short message on your Smartphone, and then sends it via text message or email for you to use at a later date. Perfect for remembering the phone meeting you just set up on the fly, or reminding yourself to follow up with John Smith about that new project you were just discussing.

The app is actually fairly accurate in its translation too. Occasionally it will substitute the wrong word, but is more common if the user has an accent or speech impediment. The newer updates keep getting better and better.

Expensify:
With a tagline of “expense reports that don’t suck!” Expensify provides a mobile app for your iPhone, Android. You can then use this app to enter, categorize, and make notes about expenses right as they happen. This can be an exceptionally helpful phone app when flitting from meeting to meeting or running from one flight to another. Makes it super easy to keep all of your personal receipts separate from your business receipts. And according to Expensify, their eReceipts have been designed to meet and exceed IRS regulations for record keeping.

The Flight Tracker Pro:
Airline Tracking: With all of the other distractions and delays and things to keep track of when traveling, this handy app has flight alerts, syncs with Tripit, terminal maps, weather delays and the ability to manage your flights in real-time. With over 3,000 airports listed and over 1,400 airlines available, it also comes in handy the next time you have to pick someone up at the airport. The Flight Tracker is available for Android ($4.49) and iPhone ($5.99).  There is a free version, but the paid version is totally worth it.

These are just 3 of the many apps I’ve found to help keep sane during this busy travel time of the year. I know there are plenty more out there. What are some of your favorite “on the go” mobile apps to beat the busy on-the-go Road Warrior woes? Leave a comment below and let us know about your latest and greatest find.