The number of apps available on the market today is simply staggering: we understand the Google Play Store currently has more than 1 million apps!

Because a translator’s life can be quite hectic it means that translators generally rely heavily on their phones to access important information. The number of apps available on the market today is simply staggering: we understand the Google Play Store currently has more than 1 million apps!

There are many really good apps out there, with some great apps for solving everyday issues, making our lives more productive and speeding up how we do things. Some apps are simply fun while others are designed to make translator’s lives more productive. Let’s take a look at just a few of these apps with the hope that they may enhance both your personal and professional life.

Google Hangouts

Google Talk has been replaced by Google Hangouts, which is a web-based and mobile video service. The beauty of this app is that translators can host a video meeting with up to 12 people – remembering that all people will require a Google+ account. And if you’re a little camera shy, simply turn off the video and listen to the audio! Other great features of Google Hangouts include text chat and sharing of videos and pictures. Simply share your message or drop your image in Hangouts chat box and your clients have instant access. Google Hangouts support almost every device and version in both Android and iOS.

Google Drive

We all know how many files translators create, and these and other files need to be accessed from different locations. The Google Drive app is an amazing tool for accessing files stored in the Cloud. With Google Drive, translation colleagues can collaborate with each other on projects because they have the convenience of sharing files, saving to the Cloud, or viewing off-line. Google Drive is a powerful office companion, allowing you to create, edit, and quickly access files, spreadsheets, and presentations.

Flipboard

We love Flipboard because it helps you stay abreast of the news. Flipboard acts as a virtual personal magazine, connecting with social networks and giving you access to RSS feeds. Once you’ve signed up, Flipboard will present you with an intuitive layout of your social networks, including some default news categories for you to browse through. There’s so much content to choose from and you can customize your specific interests. Give it a try! We think you’ll love Flipboard too!

Dropbox

It’s probably not even worth mentioning Dropbox because surely everyone has been using Dropbox for years! If not, then you need to check it out – now! Translators are often working with huge files, making Dropbox the perfect service for backing up files to the Cloud: you can also sync files between computers, and share files with your friends and clients. Because Dropbox encrypts everything you download/upload over a secure HTTPS connection, it’s particularly useful for confidential information.

Tasker

For translators, Tasker could well be the most powerful productivity app available today. This incredible little app can turn your smartphone into a fully automated superphone: you simply script actions that you want your phone to perform once certain conditions have been met. There are more than 200 actions to choose from! Basically, Tasker can do almost anything - once you figure it out! It’s described as an automation app that takes advantage of Android’s versatility and openness to help you do more.

With Tasker you can turn on Bluetooth when you enter your vehicle; disable your lock screen while you’re at home; your own personal assistant can read out texts and caller ID while you’re driving, plus you can dictate your responses. Apparently one of its plug-ins does it even better! Tasker makes things happen, either automatically or manually when you want.