iPad for Business Round-Up: WebEx for iPad2 and More

This week Cisco released one of the first business apps designed specifically for the iPad 2: WebEx for iPad 2. Also, Smartsheet launched its first iPad app and VMware released yet another app for the iPad.

But is the iPad really a good business productivity tool? Read on.

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Cisco WebEx

The latest version of the WebEx iPad app enables users to take advantage of the built-in camera for video conferencing. The features include: the ability to switch automatically switch between video display depending on who is talking, the ability to toggle between streaming video of the speak and the content being presented, and a display of yourself so you don’t have to worry how you look. The WebEx app is also available for other platforms.

Smartsheet Project Manager

Smartsheet, a software-as-a-service provider that offers several different business applications, launched its first iPad app this week: Smartsheet Project Management app. The iPad app gives users the ability to view and update projects, manage attachments, participate in dicussions, view Gantt charts and more.

VMware

Last week we told you about VMware View, an app released last week that enables users to remotely access a virtual desktop from the iPad. This week, VMware announced another app: vSphere Client for iPad. It gives vSphere administrators a set of management tools. You can read more of our coverage here.

The iPad and Office Productivity Apps

Marco Arment, the founder of Instapaper and former lead developer of Tumblr published a post this week questioning the iPad’s ability to serve as an office productivity device:

Most of us tried to rationalize the iPad’s purchase by telling ourselves that it could often replace a laptop. The productivity apps and the Keyboard Dock support that view: that the iPad is a new kind of computer that might replace your traditional computer, and therefore, it’s rational to spend over $500 for one.

But I don’t think that’s what happened in practice.

Arment goes on to explain how rarely the iPad is really the best tool for the job when it comes to office productivity apps. “Apple is now adapting to the market’s actual use by retreating somewhat from office productivity and pushing strongly into new territory — casual media creation — to see if that gets a stronger uptake in practice,” he writes.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it can’t be useful for certain special purposes. But Arment does have a point about keyboard-centric productivity apps.

What do you think? Do you actively use the iPad for work?

Discuss