If you have not yet purchased a Kindle or any eReader for that matter, but enjoy apps like Kindle for iPhone, you will be happy to know that Amazon will soon debut its Kindle for PC and and Kindle for Mac.  The free reader will allow you access to over 360,000 books available in the Amazon Kindle bookstore.  What’s even better is that if you have purchased samples or full length books on your Kindle for iPhone app (or if you have a Kindle), with Whispersync, you can access all of your favorite books, notes and marks.

Last week, Kindle introduced its International Kindle Wireless Reading Device that allows users to download books, magazines, and blogs wirelessly in the U.S. and internationally dropping it from its original $279 price to the U.S. Kindle’s $259.  Could this be to compete with Barnes & Noble’s new eReader, Nook which is set to debut in late November for the same price?

Happy reading!

We’ve previously touched on if a smartphone is right for you, but now we will talk to smartphone owners in the wedding industry who are looking to make their lives more efficient both personally and professionally.  I had an opportunity to talk to Wendy of Sacred Moment Weddings and the innovator behind Aspire to Plan when she first got her Palm Pre.

CWG:  How long have you had your Pre?

W:  Exactly 10 days!  I stood in line the day it was released…June 6th.  No…didn’t camp out or anything like that…just got up early and got in line about 20 minutes before the store opened.

CWG: How often do you use it?

W:  I use my Palm throughout the day but mostly when I am out and about with clients or when meeting with vendors. I also use it a lot when I’m traveling…it has a great navigational app!  I’m trying to see if I can change the voice on it though…I’d rather hear a guy’s voice!

CWG:  What does it do that makes it invaluable to you and your business?

W:  The phone has several tools that keep me organized and efficient throughout the day.  If I’m at a linen appointment without my client, I can take crisp, clear pictures and send them to her for real time opinions…My calendar is at my finger tips throughout the day for making appointments and then I can sync it to my calendar on my laptop as soon as I get home.  The NAV app helps me find where I’m going if I get lost when meeting a new client and I LOVE the multi-app functionality…I can use Tweed to twitter and text my son about his latest crisis all at the same time!

CWG:  What do you wish it would do?

W: Right now I get my email through Yahoo’s Small Business service however I can’t get to it through the Palm OS.  I can get to my regular yahoo account but not the biz side of it…yet!

CWG: What programs/apps have you added to your phone and what do you use them for?

 W: I use "Tweed" for Twitter…its very close to the original app online; I love the "Where" app for finding commonly frequented businesses like Starbucks, Target etc. when I’m in a unfamiliar part of town.

CWG: What made you choose the Pre over another smartphone?

W: Although I have been a Sprint customer for almost 10 years, I was 99.9% ready to switch my regular cell phone over to AT&T and purchase an iPhone.  Several of my good friends have it and have raved about the great functionality.  Because of my superwoman role, I must have an office on me, around me at all times!  I’m constantly mobile and my laptop was starting to weigh me down.  A smartphone was the logical next step and the iPhone was it.  Despite that and the problems I’ve had with Sprint in the past, I felt a sense of loyalty to them and to at least wait for the Palm to be released before I switched.  To try it out and see if it was going to meet my needs.  I’m glad I waited.

The Palm Pre has a slide out  full keyboard to type emails and messages quickly and easily, as well as a removable battery.  It also boasts Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G and the Palm OS, with allows for backups of your information as well as over-the-air updates.  To learn more, visit the Palm Pre for Business website or your nearest Sprint retailer. 

In a world where almost everyone has a blackberry, iPhone or something similar—if you don’t but are considering one, how do you make your decision?

I was just like you—I had a flip Samsung phone and was content with doing my business.  For Christmas, I was given a small Palm Pilot as a gift.  This was great for keeping up with contacts and my calendar. Best of all, it synced with Outlook (what I was using at the time). 

That lasted briefly, as I was tired of holding two devices in my hand and upgraded to a Palm Treo.  When my baby sent it to smartphone heaven, I moved up to an older model blackberry.  I was adamant about not getting the blackberry service because I was frequently in my home office and didn’t feel the need. Once I did, though, my life changed!  I was no longer a slave to my laptop and inbox.  After going into purchase a new holster for my beloved blackberry, I instead walked out with a new iPhone. 

I haven’t looked back since.

This isn’t about iPhone vs. Blackberry, but the use of a smartphone and how it will benefit you overall as a wedding planner. 

Benefits:

• All-in-one device that combines your email, calendar and phone
• On the go internet, some with WiFi
• Additional features such as cameras, video access or music player

How it works for your wedding planning business:

• Access to email to communicate  or respond to clients, vendors and prospective clients while away from your computer
• Access to documents via device storage or online storage
• Complete synchronization of your company’s address book with your computer and phone—you have all of your vendors at your finger tips
• Use the camera and voice recording features to take notes on venues and event design for later reporting when you get back to your computer

Now that we have discussed this, soon we will delve into profiles from different professionals as to how they use their devices and maximize their benefits.   Would you like to contribute?  Leave a comment and I’ll be in touch with our questions!