As a seasoned freelancer, one of my favorite perks is ditching the home office for a coffee shop, bar, or library. A change of scenery boosts productivity—it's as good as a break. I've even turned the boot of my MPV into a makeshift workspace!
While I typically rely on my Windows 8 Acer Iconia W7 tablet—Acer Iconia W7 Windows 8 Tablet PC Review and Giveaway Slimline, sleek, sexy, silver, but you can't have everything. The Acer Iconia W7 is a Windows 8 tablet priced between $799 and $999 (depending on model chosen) that seems... Read More—with just my Nokia Lumia 920 Windows Phone, I've managed posting to websites, crafting proposals, editing resumes, annotating files, recording videos, handling calls, and conducting interviews.
I'm not saying a smartphone beats a full PC setup, but I've been surprised by how much I've accomplished on Windows Phone, despite its lack of trendiness and app hype.
The go-to solution is Microsoft Office Mobile—Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote—cloud-synced and touch-optimized for Windows Phone.
These apps launch fast, perfect for quick notes or fact-checking mid-call. In my experience with an iPad, Android phone, and Windows 8 tablet, Windows Phone's keyboard is the best touchscreen option—superior text prediction and spell-checking make it shine across apps.
Microsoft Office Mobile 2013 covers these native applications in greater depth and will illustrate how useful I have found them.
Most calls are sales pitches (mobile contracts, PPI claims, carbon credits), and Windows Phone lacks a call blocker. But handy features like silencing by flipping the phone face down help.
Working remotely with a hands-free headset, I multitask effortlessly: tap Home, access notes or docs, then resume the call via the top red bar. Simple and efficient. Call recording apps disappoint—none worked reliably across my phones since 2004. Skype is great, but battery-draining for long remote collabs.
OneNote may not rival Evernote's popularity, but as a Microsoft power user, it's my go-to for ideas, notes, and drafting on the phone—more than Word. A live tile shortcut proves it.
Key strengths: fast note-taking, photo embeds, instant SkyDrive sync across devices, and an audio recorder that embeds clips automatically. No more lost ideas!
Email has been essential since my first PDA in 2004. Windows Phone's client starts clunky but shines after merging inboxes and pinning to Start.
Todo lo que necesita saber sobre correos electrónicos y Windows Phone 8 Todo lo que necesita saber sobre correos electrónicos y Windows Phone 8 ¿Cómo usa su teléfono Windows? Conozco a muchos usuarios que son puramente adictos a una combinación de juegos de WhatsApp y Xbox Live. Otros disfrutan sus Windows Phone simplemente por el hecho de que ... Leer más Voice-to-text handles gloved typing, and the calendar syncs seamlessly to my tablet and iPad via Windows account. Minor gripe: no rich text signatures, but workable.
Essential for Windows Phone bloggers since WP7, it supports multiple sites (hosted or self-hosted), spell-check, tags, categories, image uploads, and comment notifications (toggle moderation as needed).
Besides email, it's my most-used app on the go.
For MakeUseOf research or my blogs, I use Weave News Reader for topic-based feeds with easy sharing.
Rowi Twitter—¿Rowi es la mejor aplicación Twitter para Windows Phone? ¿Rowi es la mejor aplicación de Twitter para Windows Phone? Me informaron de una nueva aplicación, Rowi, que ha estado atrayendo excelentes críticas. Parecía sensato comprobarlo y compararlo con lo que ya estaba usando. Inicialmente, era escéptico Después de ... Leer más—manages accounts, plus Facebook for links. Native sharing or IE browser makes emailing simple; OneNote for clipping—5 maneras de aprovechar Microsoft OneNote 5 formas de aprovechar Microsoft OneNote Leer más. Wishlist: direct shares to apps like WordPress.
With my second Windows Phone, I've written for MakeUseOf, interviewed notables, and blogged extensively. Email handles key gigs, Twitter delivers news, Office Mobile outlines articles with SkyDrive sync.
It's a vital freelance tool, bridging the gap sans PC. Room for improvement, but it delivers most needs reliably.
