QOTW: How much work do you get done on mobile devices?

[GrahamC]

Zero

[philehidiot]

Was gonna but the T&C for the work related software gave them power to remotely wipe my phone amongst other things. I don't mind that, it does make sense. I DO mind that I've experienced the competence of these people before and there's zero chance of this happening.

I do a lot of work on my phone in that I have reference books, diagrams, numbers, software to do calls for me, etc on it. I use it extensively at work.

[Usernamist]

Almost all of it. My phone and iPad are pretty much exclusively email machines

[Saracen999]

Was gonna but the T&C for the work related software gave them power to remotely wipe my phone amongst other things. I don't mind that, it does make sense. .....

I would mind that. If my work wanted that level of access/control over *any* computing device in my possession, it would have to be a device they had supplied for work use.

As it happens, as I may have mentioned on occasion, I don't really use a mobile phone at all and have zero data of mine on it. So it isn't really an issue on a phone, but it would be on other devices and no way would I grant any employer access to that.

Of course, for some decades I haven't had an employer as such, being either self-employed,,running my own company, or both.

[pumpkin]

The odd message on Flowdock, or update on Trello and that's it. Oh and they're normally outside of working hours, hence using the mobile.

[Ferral]

My phone is used for communication when it comes to work related stuff and the calendar which I put appointments into but that's it. It just gets used mainly for media and social networking when out and about and Satnav even though the car has it built in!

[Joe91]

Virtually nothing, though my work allows email recovery codes (if you forget the password) to be sent to my mobile - that's actually handy and allows me to quickly get back into the system without the long wait for IT support. Considering we're forced to change our passwords more and more frequently, this is handy.

[Euphonium]

I do absolutely zero work on my mobile phone and I hope it stays that way. Phones are just too small and touch screen keyboards too awkward for doing any serious work. I've been trialing a tablet over the last few weeks and found it inferior to the combination of a notepad & pencil plus a desktop PC.

[Korrorra]

I have no plans on walking around like a zombie with an iphone. So pretty much none also. Bad enough people texting while driving.

[peterb]

Depends what you mean by work. I used it for communicating with clients by voice and/or text. I also use it for reading documents and where necessary taking tech photos either for myself or part of my client work.

Forgot to add that I also make notes/write short documents which I can save to iCloud for further tidying up later , or to Google docs. Much easier using my iPhone in the field rather than lugging a laptop around.

[Andeh13]

Little actual work done, but it's a critical device for accessing my e-mails, calendar, contacts and searching for files i need to see when I am away from my laptop.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

None

[Spud1]

More than some I guess judging by the above.

at least 40% of my job is reviewing documents/services/emails and my phone gets used for that when I am on a train/passenger in a car etc where I don't have space to get my laptop out. Calls too of course, but I am also one of that tiny % of Galaxy S9 owners who makes use of Dex. Since all my work files are in Onedrive & sharepoint, and my work email is o365....my phone becomes my backup laptop in the case that mine isn't working or (ahem) it has been left at home.

Actually works surprisingly well. I have a cheap (£18) USB-C dock for it, and a rollup keyboard that lives in my bag just in case. I have used it to run powerpoint presentations before, but more commonly just to plug into a monitor with kb/mouse to use for emails and the like.

So using a mobile *as a mobile*- not a huge amount, but using it as a laptop replacement in a pinch? More than you'd expect

[peterb]

More than some I guess judging by the above.

at least 40% of my job is reviewing documents/services/emails and my phone gets used for that when I am on a train/passenger in a car etc where I don't have space to get my laptop out. Calls too of course, but I am also one of that tiny % of Galaxy S9 owners who makes use of Dex. Since all my work files are in Onedrive & sharepoint, and my work email is o365....my phone becomes my backup laptop in the case that mine isn't working or (ahem) it has been left at home.

Actually works surprisingly well. I have a cheap (£18) USB-C dock for it, and a rollup keyboard that lives in my bag just in case. I have used it to run powerpoint presentations before, but more commonly just to plug into a monitor with kb/mouse to use for emails and the like.

So using a mobile *as a mobile*- not a huge amount, but using it as a laptop replacement in a pinch? More than you'd expect

This! I can’t believe how many people aren’t using some quite expensive hardware for work purposes - especially those who are self employed.

I get the argument that if you are an employee, it’s up to the employer to provide a phone for work purposes, and no one has said what heir personal phones are, so it’s impossible to know what the cost is, but judging by the way phone prices are rising, some people must be spending a lot to read e mails and interact with social media.

Still, if you have the cash to flash, it’s a personal choice!

[AGTDenton]

I use it to make/receive calls and remote onto my work PC to see how the office is doing after hours or at weekends.
I only do emergency emails on phone, it merely tells me if I need to go and get to a laptop/PC, I am likely required to remote into other computers so a Phone is just a pain, tho I have done it in the past if not near office or laptop, a lot of scrolling and screen flipping, just takes a lot longer.

Our type of Emails usually include pictures, diagrams, spreadsheets or files that have to be opened by propriatry software and a laptop/PC with multiple monitors & windows just does it 100x better.
In summary the phone is useful for prep and calls, but the real work is on a laptop/PC.

[philehidiot]

I would mind that. If my work wanted that level of access/control over *any* computing device in my possession, it would have to be a device they had supplied for work use.

As it happens, as I may have mentioned on occasion, I don't really use a mobile phone at all and have zero data of mine on it. So it isn't really an issue on a phone, but it would be on other devices and no way would I grant any employer access to that.

Of course, for some decades I haven't had an employer as such, being either self-employed,,running my own company, or both.

To possibly clarify - I do mind on my own kit. Hence why I don't let them put any software on it. I don't mind and it makes sense if it was a work device or if you have agreed to let them do it. I think if you're voluntarily using your own kit for work related stuff and you work in a field like mine, I think it makes sense to have the remote wipe stuff and I don't mind IF people have consented to it. Given the nature of what we deal with, I think it's only fair that any device that may go walkies with data on it can be wiped remotely.

I do mind if it's my phone and that's why I've declined to allow it.

What's interesting is that those who have allowed it don't seem to have read any T&Cs and are unaware of the remote access capability. I read the T&C and went "that's fine, that's sensible but definitely not for me".