Today, thanks to a wide variety of apps available on the Google Play Store, you can actually use your tablet as more than just an entertainment device. In fact, it can become a full mobile workstation if you simply download and install the right apps. With the right apps and maybe even a Bluetooth keyboard, you can easily get just as much work done on your high-end tablet as you could on your PC.
But what apps should you get to become truly productive on your mobile device. Luckily, that’s why we’re here. Below your find a list of some of the best productivity apps for Android. By downloading and installing them, you can transform your device from a simple mobile device that provides some entertainment and allows you to do a little work in a pinch, to a true mobile workstation that you can use when you are traveling or if you are simply out of the office.
OfficeSuite 8 Pro
Price: $9.99
For those of you out there that prefer not to use Microsoft products, but still need a feature rich office suite that is compatible with Microsoft’s leading Office products, OfficeSuite 8 Pro is the software for you. It offers an impressive array of features and full compatibility with office documents from multiple suites. It even adds the ability to make and create PDF files and you can even sync all your documents easily across multiple devices.
Google Drive
Price: Free
The world of the cloud is here and storing files on your local tablet is just so 2010. With Google Drive, you can store up to 5 GB for free on the cloud so you can access them from anywhere. If you need more space, you can easily purchase hundreds of gigabytes if that’s what you need for a low monthly fee. Google Drive is the perfect addition to any tablet especially if you prefer to use Google Docs for your document creation instead of Microsoft Office or OfficeSuite Pro.
Dropbox
Price: Free
The first of its kind, Dropbox was one of the earliest leaders in cloud based storage. Today the market is far more crowded, but Dropbox still remains at the top as one of the leaders in the industry. While you start with a little less space compared to Google Drive, the impressive features and low price to add more space along with its compatibility with a huge range of apps and other services make Dropbox one of the most useful cloud storage solutions you will find.
FolderSync
Price: $2.99
Sometimes, you want to keep files stored locally on your Android tablet, but you still want to be able to access them on your local computer. If that sounds like something you need, FolderSync is the app for you. It quickly allows you to sync files stored on your Android devices to various cloud storage services such as Box, DropBox, Google Drive and many more. There is also a built in file manager that you can use to manage files on your Android tablet so you don’t have to install a separate app just to manage files.
AirDroid
Price: Free
What would you say if I told you that you could manage your Android tablet right from your computer? You can with AirDroid. With Airdroid, you can easily manage almost every aspect of your tablet using the comfortable keyboard and mouse. In addition, you can easily transfer files to and from your Android tablet with just a few clicks so you can add whatever files you need to your tablet. Using AirDroid, you can even send and receive SMS messages right on your computer’s desktop much like you can using iMessage on a Mac.
Cloud Print
Price: Free
Printing should be easy, but in the past printing from any type of tablet was cumbersome at best and many times simply not possible. Today things have changed. Using Cloud Print, you can easily print from any compatible Android device to a wireless printer on your network. Latest devices running KitKat or higher will have this one already installed, but you can always update to the latest version and if you are running an older Android device, this app is a must have if you want to print the documents or images you create.
Evernote
Price: Free
The undisputed leader in task management and note taking in the mobile workspace, Evernote allows you to easily create, manage and even share almost any type of note you need to take. Over 100 million people use Evernote on a regular basis to help them manage their work and jot down any tasks that they need to remember later. Its organization features allow you to clip web articles to your notes for a much more rich note taking experience than you will find on other competing apps.
Asana
Price: Free
I don’t know how much time I spent when I worked for the man on good project management software. Something that is easily accessible across every type of device that will also effectively allow you to communicate about each project was always hard to come by, unless you were willing to pony up big bucks. Asana, however, has changed the game. Offering a web interface on both PC and Mac and then custom apps for Android and even iOS, you can easily track each and every task you have no matter where you are and you can communicate with your clients and other workers much more efficiently.
SwiftKey
Price: Free
Let’s all of us admit it right now, the Android keyboard, while functional, is pretty basic and just, well, boring. However, you can take your touch keyboard interface to the next level with Swiftkey. With features such as word prediction, improved autocorrect, and beautiful themes, you can not only make your keyboard look exactly how you want it but you will be able to type much more quickly and accurately on your tablet than ever before.
Microsoft Office
Price: Free
Finally, Microsoft has listened to the pleas of its customers and brought a mobile office experience to both iOS and Android. Above you will find several download links, that is because I wanted you to have access to all of the available options from Microsoft. For example, you can install then entire package giving you access to everything, or, if you prefer, you can only install the application from Office that you need or want such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint or even Outlook. The software will easily integrate with various cloud services run by both Microsoft and its competitors such as Google and Dropbox so you can store your files on the cloud and access them anywhere you go.
Any.do
Price: Free
My personal favorite to do list tracker, Any.do offers a clean and minimal layout that is designed to be easy to read so you can keep track of everything you have on the go. You can set tasks to be due at a certain time on a certain day and you will receive notifications when a task is due so you can always stay on track and you never forget anything ever again. Any.do will also allow you to attach photos and videos to your to do lists and will even sync to cloud services such as Dropbox so you can get your to do lists no matter where you may be.
Sunrise
Price: Free
Sunrise calendar is hands down one of the prettiest calendars you will ever use, but it is also one of the most feature rich. It will easily connect to and sync with a variety of calendar applications such as Google Calendar, Exchange, and even iCloud. On top of that, you can connect to social media sites such as Facebook or other apps such as Trello to give your calendar a truly integrated experience that you will love to use each time you launch the app.
Expensify
Price: Free
Tracking your expenses while you are traveling for business can be a difficult task, requiring you to keep up with tons of paper receipts and constantly keep track of how much you have spent so you don’t go over budget. When you get home, you then will have to compile these into a report to submit to your company. Expensify makes it much simpler for you to keep up with your expenses while on the road and you can even use it to snap pictures of your receipts to submit to your company later so you don’t have to keep track of a bunch of small receipts while you are traveling.
Trello
Price: Free
Another interesting take on the to do list, Trello is much like a very powerful whiteboard. Using it you can create boards of everything you have to get done. Instead of just plain old boring lists, you can attach images, videos and much more. You can even collaborate with others using Trello and assign someone working on each and every card pasted to your super powered whiteboard.
IFTTT
Price: Free
IFTT, or if by IFTT, creates yet another new way of keeping track of everything you need to do by allowing you to create a series of “if then” statements so you can manage what you need to do every step of the way. On top of that, you can easily integrate these statements into various social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook and it will even integrate with Evernote allowing you to easily create statements and track your progress using multiple platforms.
Conclusion
While I believe this list is pretty comprehensive, I’m sure there are others out there that people use for work. If there is an app you use that isn’t on the list, let us know in the comments and maybe we will add it.
Today there are tons of apps that you can use to help you perform almost every task you do in the office, from document editing and creation, to email, web browsing and research, and much more. Using the apps you find in this list can make your mobile office that much easier to use and allow you to get even more done when you need to travel for work.
*Disclaimer: Prices are subject to change and often do quite frequently on the Google Play Store. Prices can also differ in your region as well so the prices reflected here in this post may be different based on where you live. Some apps may not be compatible with your specific model of Android tablet so check the store carefully before purchasing and installing.