Want more productivity on Windows? Check out these highly integrated apps.
Windows 10 works best when you have the right apps that take advantage of its integration with Microsoft services as well as other software. This is particularly the case of apps that take critical business services that you depend on and replace them with Windows Store versions that are more efficient, provide a friendlier interface, and work more efficiently with other Windows programs. Here are several of our favorites – is it time that you download any of them for your job?
Skype remains a very popular web conferencing app, especially for small businesses that want a free service (easily accessible by everyone) to quickly communicate with partners and clients. If you find yourself frequently turning to Skype, make sure you have the full Windows Skype app downloaded to take advantage of its speed and features. Even better, consider Skype for Business, an excellent addition that adds many web conferencing tools to flesh Skype out for more sophisticated training, team conferencing and other capabilities. If you want to work on more online communication, this is a great place to start.
Wunderlist is a useful task managing app with a Windows 10-dedicated version available for download. The normal version of Wunderlist offers to-do creation, list management, syncing tasks, and similar organization capabilities for those who love to list out and share tasks. The Windows version adds integration with Cortana for automatic additions and updates, making task management that much faster (even if you’re just managing tasks for yourself).
Important note about Wunderlist: Wunderlist’s team was acquired by Microsoft a few years ago. They have been working on a new to-do list app specifically for Windows 10 called Microsoft To-Do, which offers task management capabilities that are even more closely connected to Windows and Office 365. Eventually, To-Do is going to replace Wunderlist on Windows machines, and Wunderlist support will be dropped. We mentioned Wunderlist because it’s a much more recognizable app, but if you are planning for a long-term service, it’s smart to switch over to To-Do instead.
Remote desktop software allows you to access a particular desktop computer from a different device, even if you aren’t at work. This type of software can be very useful (with proper security) if you have remote workers or workers with flexible schedules that allow for at-home work. It’s also particularly useful if you need to access a Mac desktop from a Windows computer instead of switching back and forth, which may not always be convenient. Finding a good free remote desktop option can be tricky, but Splashtop is one of the best we’ve come across.
DrawBoard is all about detailed PDF management. If none of your current PDF tools on Windows can really do what you need them too, it’s time to find a better solution – especially if you end up trading a lot of documents in PDF format. DrawBoard allows you to quickly make notes, draw, highlight, and find specific sections on your PDFs, then send them along as necessary.
Do you use Dropbox for storage? Then make sure you have the version that’s designed for Windows: The expanded app provides support for Continuum (in case you want to use your phone as a full-fledged computer), interactive notification, integration with Quick Search and Jump List, and a lot more functionality. Other cloud storage options are available on Windows of course (Box, Drive, etc.) but Dropbox offers some of the most important compatibility.
Zinio is more of a niche app, but useful for a particular kind of business: Do you find yourself looking through a lot of magazines for new ideas, news, fashions, marketing techniques, or opportunities? Zinio allows you to collection and views full digital magazines to quickly move through content on your computer and find the information you need.
Windows Central keeps you updated on the latest Microsoft news. It’s a little salesy, but it’s also a good way to follow notifications about any new tools, partnerships, or important patches that you may not otherwise hear about.
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