SmartPhone cameras can easily become effective business tools, and this article will show you how…

SmartPhone cameras have really improved: SmartPhone camera resolution is getting higher. In fact, it is now common to find SmartPhone cameras with 5 and even 8 megapixels. Lens quality is better, and most SmartPhones even come with a flash. Of course, SmartPhones don’t even approach the quality of a digital SLR camera used for serious photography, but it does contend well with point ‘n’ shoot cameras, and even inexpensive camcorders.

But the big advantage of a SmartPhone is that it is always with you. As long as you carry your SmartPhone with you, you don’t have to worry about missing that photo op’ because you didn’t remember to bring your camera AND, you don’t have to juggle two things, just one. How easy is that!

So let’s put that SmartPhone Camera to work:

#1. Mini Copy Machine: You can use your SmartPhone camera as a mini copy machine to capture information on a printed or handwritten document. Some SmartPhone cameras have a “Text mode” setting to make it easier for you to photograph pages of text, graphics, and pictures.

#2. Mobile Video Conferencing: Several SmartPhones come with two cameras, one camera that faces the front for taking pictures of other people/things, and another that faces the back so that you can use your SmartPhone for video conferencing. How kool is that!

#3. Business Card Reader: Some SmartPhones, come with extra camera-related software preinstalled. Other SmartPhones work with apps that allows you to photograph a business card. The software, or App, extracts the information and puts it in your Contacts phonebook. My iPhone friend uses OcrtoolPro and my Droid friend uses Alchemy Clip. Of course, I’m a Windows Mobile guy and I use Business Card Reader (it also works on Blackberry).

 #4. Whiteboards and Charts: SmartPhones cameras are great for taking pictures of whiteboards, charts, and presentations like PowerPoint. Be sure to ask permission first. It is just the right thing to do.

#5.Field and On-The-Job pictures: If you’re in the field, you can take pictures of items relevant to the job and email them back to the office, which is much more efficient and accurate than trying to verbally relate the information to a client, or attempting remember the details whilst documenting the experience at a later time.

#6.Put Faces with Names: Ever forget the name of an important new business contact? Perhaps taking a picture of that person and inserting it into Contacts will eliminate that problem. Be sure to ask their permission first. I’ve found that if I tell them what I’m doing, they find it kool too and usually ask me to show them how it works.

#7. Aide to remembering Dates: Because digital photos carry a time/date stamp, taking event and meeting pictures can serve as a quick way to find out, weeks or months later, exactly when that meeting took place.

#8. Comparative Shopping Aide: When comparison shopping for big ticket items, snapping photos of tags showing model number, price, and specs can be useful for keeping that information straight later.

#9.Vehicle Location: Ok, I’m telling on myself. When traveling and using a rented vehicle, sometimes it is difficult to find them in a parking garage or lot. You can use your SmartPhone camera to quickly document its location, just in case you forget.

#10. Security: SmartPhones can be useful for documenting an auto accident scene or other incidents that could result in a civil or criminal investigation. SmartPhones can also be used to document suspicious persons or activities, but please be careful.

But don’t get too “snap happy” just because you have a SmartPhone camera that’s always available. Some folks value their privacy or just don’t like having their pictures taken. Although it is generally not against the law in the United States to take pictures of people in public places without their permission, use common sense. If you see “No photography” signs posted, keep the SmartPhone in your pocket. Remember the golden rule, ‘cause if you wouldn’t want your picture taken under those circumstances, chances are they don’t either.