I ran across something today that made me think. And of course it had to do with being more productive. It also, of course, had a technology bent. I was trying to learn something and was looking at some videos on YouTube when I discovered something. It seems that there's a difference between product usage training and problem solving training. I call it the joy of the workaround. Actually it's more like the "fix" of a workaround. It's like an addict getting what they need at just the right time.

Bottom line is, like most of you, when I run up against a problem I quickly look for a workaround. Oh, sometimes I have enough time and money that workarounds don't enter into the picture, though I still love a good workaround. It was with this in mind that I thought I could share with you some workarounds for the iPad. Yes, some of it has to do with the fact that I am still having a love affair with my Microsoft Surface Pro. I'm openly on record as saying it really is the best tablet for efficiency, based on what we all do for a living. There are still many things that frustrate me about my iPad during the normal course of business and so I'm thinking you might appreciate some of these workarounds.

First things first, whether it's an iPad or some other tablet, it's really nice not to have to carry a heavy laptop around. Of course I don't have to tell you that Dropbox, particularly the free version, is a true lifesaver. Combine that with PDF Expert which allows you to edit PDF documents and even hand write signatures, and you've got some "workarounds" that are really worthwhile.  

Here's a couple more:

CloudOn.com - allows you to put Microsoft office on the iPad. That way if you have an Excel spreadsheet or Word document, you can actually make edits as opposed to just viewing it.

SlideShark.com - allows you to take a PowerPoint presentation and view it without any compatibility issues.

CloudMagic.com - searches all of your data from Twitter, Facebook, Gmail, Dropbox and more; something that is really difficult to do on an iPad

These are just a few examples of some workarounds that help make an iPad more like that Windows laptop or desktop that most in our business have been using for 15 to 20 years.  Are these applications workarounds? Sure. But they're great ones. They take very little training and are really good at problem solving. Bottom line, they help us be more efficient.

While I grew up being taught that using the right tool for the right job is best, and I believe it to be true, sometimes it's just not practical. And that's when I say thank goodness for solving problems with a great workaround. Do you have any favorite you're willing to share?