Best Non-Ag Apps for Ag

Did you get a new smartphone or tablet for Christmas?  Or, just searching for some new apps to freshen up your device?  Well, here is my short list on my iPhone and iPad. Hope it helps you organize and enjoy your smartphone or tablet all the more!  (I believe most, if not all of these are available for Android or Windows devices, too.)

1. Evernote - Although not ag specific, this handy app allows me to jot down ideas and copy/paste links and articles from a variety of sources while on the go.  I can access it from my phone, tablet, laptop or desktop and it's always in sync.  I've even heard of some savvy farmers using it for field record keeping.  It's searchable and really flexible in how you organize it.  Be creative and don't forget a thing!
2. Pandora - I'm always on the move but one thing is always with me... my smartphone.  I have a decent iTunes library of songs and a few audio books (read more later), but I really like Pandora because it suggests songs I might like based on other tunes.  This is fun when I'm in the middle of no-where and needing some inspiration.  Play me something like the Black Keys.
3. Box - (or DropBox).  We use www.Box.com to share soil sampling and crop scouting files with our customers.  This little app allows me to find them when someone calls with a question.  It's also super handy as a farmer to access files we've shared.  Or, if you're feeling ambitious simply upload your own files to your own account and then get them when you are out and about!
4. GoToMeeting - It's better on the iPad than iPhone, but still, having the ability to join a webinar meeting virtually while you are out in the field is pretty amazing stuff.  At a minimum, I encourage you to call in and join these so you can network with colleagues around the country.  With the app, you can share web camera and see their computer screen as they operate it.  Cool stuff.
5. Google Latitude - My wife texts and calls me to ask where I'm at almost every day.  Now, with Google Latitude, she can simply look me up from her phone or computer... see where I'm at and estimate when I'll be home for dinner... if my appointment doesn't run late!  It's accurate enough to track me walking back through some strange field.  Some people think this is a little weird but you can control who you share your location with and that means it is really up to you how you use it.  Besides, big brother is tracking you already, anyways, ehh?
6. LinkedIn - This app is actually my favorite source for news and "social" connectivity.  I get my business news and heartbeat of industry happenings here.  It's also a good place to get feedback on particular questions via the Group areas.  Download app and connect with me:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/darylstarr
7. WeatherUnderground - I've tried so many weather apps but this is the one I keep coming back to.  Besides a really simple GPS based "find me" solution the radar is good and can be easily set in motion.  Additionally, we use it for part of our weather in www.Optmzr.co so that just makes sense.
8. FeeddlerRSS - Organizing RSS feeds in one place is a pretty big deal.  If you are not an RSS user you should Google it and start thinking about it.  It can really streamline the overwhelming amount of information by setting up some auto-sort and filter parameters.  Additionally, I use Google Alerts for particular key words and send them to Feeddler so I can be alerted about things I'm actually interested in digesting and sharing.  If you know yourself, this will help you listen better.

I hope you enjoyed this short list.  If you can't tell by now, you can guess that I didn't want to post a bunch of the same ol, same ol in the app for ag domain, but instead wanted to provide you with some enriching ideas that I have used to help my mobile productivity.  Enjoy and please share your favorites with me in the comments section below!