It wasn’t that long ago that there were only a handful of ways one could surf the Internet. As recently as 2002, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer had close to 90% penetration, which meant that web pages really only had to be coded for that one browser. Today, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Opera are taking bites out of Microsoft’s dominance, and now, there is a new tool that can be used to surf the Internet, reach out to clients and more. Smart phones are phones that have Internet access and can browse web pages, but is your website ready for this new innovation? Let’s take a look at how Smart Phones are changing the world of business in the 21st century.

Since Smart Phones make web browsing a portable endeavour, it also means that email is now portable, as well. You no longer have to call someone on their cell to reach them when they are away from their desk, which means that the world of business is speeding up. More business is now able to get done from more locations than ever before, which means longer hours, more stress and more pressure to perform than ever before.

Not only do Smart Phones make the world of business smaller, they may eliminate the centralized business office forever. It is no secret that more and more people are working from home than ever before and now that Smart Phones make working away from a desk easier than ever, there isn’t much of a reason to have a desk in the first place. As technology improves, teleconferencing, video phone calls and other applications will make offices even more irrelevant. Soon, the idea of “going into work” may seem as antiquated as rotary dial telephones.

One of the biggest obstacles that any office environment must face is communication. Management in some offices have gotten rid of cubicle walls so that coworkers can speak freely and share information to increase productivity, and there is no reason to think that Smart Phones can’t have the same kind of impact. At its heart, a Smart Phone is a communication device, but it also so much more. The iPhone, for instance, is packed with productivity software, communication tools and ways to share information like never before. If any creation can help an office stay in touch with each other, it is a Smart Phone.

Finally, Smart Phones like the iPhone may finally help the entire business community communicate in the same language. Just like the battle between Mac and PC has been raging in high schools and college classrooms around the world, businesses have been choosing sides, as well. For businesses that pick the iPhone over other Smart Phones, a switch to a Mac-based office is almost guaranteed. The real question will be which of the Smart Phones will become the business standard. The winner may help to write the next fifty years of business technology from sea to shining sea.

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The iPhone has become the hottest new business tool since its introduction only a few short months ago. It remains to be seen if the iPhone will replace the erstwhile Blackberry as the business communication tool of choice, but the following red hot iPhone business applications are doing their part to woo over the office crowd.

Contact Hero - Let Contact Hero be the content management app you’ve been looking for! Upload your contacts from Hotmail, Yahoo, Outlook and lots of other sources and Contact Hero has the mind to organize them all, merge them and present them in an easy to use way. It is the ultimate address book organizer for someone with business contacts spread out over multiple platforms.

Currency Convert - Imagine having the power to go between 23 major currencies with real time updating rates and a simple to use one touch interface? Wonder no more, Currency Convert can do it all when it comes to converting your currency.

JustAddMoney Expense Tracker - This is an incredibly neat tool that will allow for groups of people to keep track of just how much money they are spending, all in one phone. Best of all, you can instantly email your record back to the home office so they know just where their money is going.

Goal Tracker - While this may sound like a soccer application, it is actually an ingenious application that can help you keep track of your goals. You can update your status and build pathways to achieving your goal. It can also be a great motivational tool to keep people on task.

ACTPrinter - Save a forest of trees with this cutting edge business app. Save documents to your iPod or to your iPhone so you can take them with you without printing them out and wasting paper.

iBeam - Send documents, photos or anything else from iPhone to iPhone in seconds with iBeam. This app lets you transmit just about anything you like to anyone else, and you don’t need to connect up with cords or any kind of hardwired connection. Make sending documents easier than ever with iBeam.

Task2Gather - Keep track of all of your tasks that you have assigned to yourself and ones you have assigned to others. This is the perfect app for any manager who is responsible for a team of people. It will help you stay organized and on top of all of your responsibilities.

TouchCall - Don’t get caught without the right phone number ever again with TouchCall. This program will automatically search the web for any business you list in your phone and then you can call it with a single touch. Phone books are now officially obsolete.

Ledger - This is an excellent application for your accountant or for anyone on a business trip. You can instantly keep track of expenses and figure out just who is spending more than they should. You can even use Ledger to balance your check book, which makes it suitable for home use, as well.

TimeWerks - Who knew you could carry your company time clock on a portable phone? Have folks punch in and out, keep track of hours and more with this innovative new tool.

Popularity: 10% [?]