Getting down to business with Windows Phone

Android and Apple phones have their fans, but when it comes down to getting things done, Windows Phone users claim that they're on top. Here are some apps that may just prove their point.

SkyDrive is Microsoft's cloud service for document storage. If you keep your stuff on SkyDrive, this app means that you can access it anywhere from your phone — which means, no more carrying around USB sticks for your PowerPoint presentations or spreadsheets.

Everyone loves Evernote: it's like a little notebook in your pocket that lets you jot down anything and everything you might want to remember. From taking pictures and adding notes to them to writing shopping lists and making voice notes, it’s a very comprehensive personal organiser for your phone — all backed up on the Evernote cloud.

If you have to drive for work, you'll understand the importance of keeping accurate logs. LogMyDrive records your trip via GPS and then sending the data to LogMyDrive.com. You can later log into the website to view accurate travel data — but bear in mind, it will use both battery life and phone data, so make sure you have a good plan and an in-car charger.

Likewise, keeping accurate expense reports can be vital. My Expenses is an app that allows you to track all your expenses, both personal and work-related, filed under respective categories. It's pretty comprehensive, giving you the ability to create transactions, have multiple profiles, create balance sheets and spreadsheets to export, and multiple currency support.

Business cards are useful, but also annoying; you lose them or you have to file them — or they end up in a pile on your desk. CamCard lets you scan in business cards to file on your phone, but also includes useful features such as auto-recognition, exportation into People Hub and the ability to save information to Gmail contacts.

If you like to dictate notes, adding a Dictaphone app to your phone is a great idea. We like the look of Cloud Recorder, which lets you upload your notes to SoundCloud for access anywhere. Or, you can just save them to your phone. Whichever works for you.

If you do a lot of travel overseas or a lot of international business, a currency converter is invaluable. XE Currency is the most widely-used currency converter in the world, noteworthy for its real-time, up-to-the-minute updates and comprehensiveness.

If you travel, you also know that sometimes you need to make spur-of-the-moment plans. Skyscanner lets you find cheap flights, quickly. There are over 1000 airlines worldwide for you to search; you can then email yourself flight details for booking.

If you're a contractor or work by the hour for any reason, Hours Logger will let you keep track of the hours you work. You can create multiple logs, calculate earnings, manage your billing rates and then export all this data to Excel, via email.

PC Remote lets you use your Windows phone as a remote control for your PC. This is great, for instance, for controlling PowerPoint presentations on a laptop, without having to keep awkwardly pressing buttons on your laptop's keyboard; but you can also use it at home for your media. Score!

PDF support isn't native to Windows phones; if you want to view them, you'll need an app. Adobe Viewer is the official viewer from Adobe; but you should probably be advised that it only lets you view the things, not edit or share them

Love Windows Phone but hate Bing? The Google app puts the world's most powerful search engine on your phone.

Send to WP7 is a simple app with a simple job, but it does it brilliantly. It sends links and selected text from a browser to your Windows Phone. If you need important information on the go — for example, a function or meeting location — this gets it done.

You might want something a little heavy-duty for transferring files, which is where an app like PC File Download comes in. You do need a server, but it lets you transfer files directly from your PC to your phone. It doesn't work the other way, though, so it's mainly for viewing, rather than editing files to re-upload later.

Busy people need to be able to keep a schedule quickly and easily. Live Calendar puts your calendar on the start screen of your Windows Phone as a live tile. With just one or two taps, you can see what you have going on in the months ahead.

A few banks have apps available for your Windows Phone, which means — if you have an account with them — you can do your banking easily on the run. Unfortunately, there aren't very many, but if you're with the Commonwealth Bank, St George, BankSA or the Bank of Melbourne, you're in luck.

The social network that's really a business network, LinkedIn is for keeping up-to-date with your professional contacts. This app lets you do so when you're too busy to be sitting at a computer.