The mobile device you choose for your professional life depends a great deal on how you conduct that professional life. If you are out of the office a lot, you need a device that can be carried easily, but which has the power to connect you to the communications hub of your company. If you deal with reports or written documents you need a screen that is big enough to read – though again if you are flitting between different locations often, you also need a device that is small enough to carry conveniently on trains and planes and in automobiles.

In the end, most corporate workers end up splitting their communication and working needs between two devices,. Which when you think about it is quite sensible. Work is different from communication. The end results of your work reports and presentations, often – can be sent out using a communications device, but you wouldn’t write one or create one on a smartphone any more than you would write a novel by talking into a telephone.

So the real question is: which two devices are the right ones for your arsenal?

We’ll start with the obvious one. The smartphone is indispensable in the corporate world for two reasons. One, because it is a mobile communications centre that connects you to the web, to your office and to the world while fitting in your pocket; and two, because everyone else has one. The corporate world is just as trend conscious as every other social group on the planet. If you are to interact successfully with other corporate heavy hitters, you need kit they understand.

The next item then – laptop or netbook? Well, the netbook was never designed for doing serious work and even though our grasp of smaller devices has improved greatly in the last few years, it doesn’t mean that a netbook has the requisite power or ease of use to be ideal in a corporate situation. A netbook is basically a miniature laptop designed for sending emails and surfing the net. It has neither the power nor the convenient physical setup required for doing prolonged and serious work.

So the laptop it is then. Laptops of course are smaller and lighter than they used to be, and now command as much power as most desktops. Even the big ones. With increases in cooling technology, memory capabilities and roaming internet connections, there is nothing your desktop can do that a laptop cannot do with just as much efficiency.

So what size laptop does a corporate worker need? One with a screen that is big enough to work comfortably on, so no smaller than 15 inches. One with more memory than you think you need, so even multi tasking can be performed without problems. And one that can withstand the rigours of being bounced about on the luggage shelf of a train or slung into the overhead compartment in an aeroplane.

As a frequent traveler it can often behoove the corporate user to get a laptop that has a good graphics capability too – so you can use it for entertainment in the evenings after you have had your work done. There’s nothing like watching one of your favourite films to make a strange hotel room seem somehow more comforting.

Superb security is required for all corporate laptops. The easiest way to deliver that is by going to a company that creates bespoke security solutions for companies who use satellite workers. You can have an intranet created that spans more locations than just one, for example – allowing your corporate workers to get hold of the information and software tools they need without laying your precious data open to phishing or unscrupulous involvement by unauthorised third parties.

The make and model of both laptop and smartphone that you need are dictated by quality and price. Clearly you need quality devices that will not break every three months – but by the same token you also need devices that you can afford. Talk to your IT and comms device provider about a bulk deal on specific handsets and laptops to get better prices.

About the Author:

Working closely with different communities, Roxanne P, a social media expert as well as an expert in internet communications and technologies. She has an all round expertise in internet services including internet dongle. With an intense knowledge of the latest developments in the field she likes to share them with her readers through her blogs and articles regularly.