The number of freelancers are on the rise. Freelancing is common in the fields of journalism, web design and media. In this modern time, you can even see a lot of IT professionals doing freelance work. Because of the flexibility in time that it offers, freelancing has attracted a lot of working mothers. It has also appealed to those who are sick of the 9 to 5 office job.

To become a successful freelancer, one needs to be disciplined and highly motivated. Although, they do not work at a fixed time, they have a tight schedule most of the time. Typically, these individuals are tied down to their desk all day and all night long. They need to be in front of the desktop computer or laptop to do their work. With the popularity of wireless internet, wireless mobile broadband dongles and 3G connectivity, the usual work day of a freelancer has changed. They can do all their work and correspondence anywhere – coffee shop, shopping mall or even while sunbathing on a tropical beach. They just need to make sure that there is a reliable internet connection and that they have a working mobile or portable device.

Luckily, for freelancers, there are plenty of apps that can be downloaded to make everything running smoothly. Here are some of the apps that can help freelancers do their work while they are out of their home office:

 Word Processing App

Quickoffice Pro HD

(for iPhone, iPad, Android, Symbian, HP webOS)

A freelancer may need to open, create and edit word documents while on the go. This mobile app will let the freelancer do those tasks plus a lot more. They can view any Microsoft office files and them share them via e-mail.

The price of this mobile is rather steep at $19.99 for iPhone and Android phones. The price is higher at $24.99 for iPad and Android tablets, and $29.99 for Symbian. For a cheaper alternative, the app Documents To Go® Premium is worth looking at.

File Sharing App

Dropbox

(for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry)

Who hasn’t heard of Dropbox? With this app installed, a user can view, edit and share files effortlessly. A freelancer can listen to music, watch videos, look at photos and read all the important files stored in the dropbox account. With Dropbox, a hardworking freelancer can bring all the important files while he is traveling.

This app can be downloaded without paying a single dime. There is no reason not to try this one out.

Remote Desktop App

LogMeIn

(iPhone, iPad, Android)

This is truly a gift for freelancers or for any person whose job entails traveling. LogMeIn lets users access their home computer using their portable device. The computer left at home can be controlled in any part of the world where there is internet connection.

We all know that massive software like Photoshop and Dreamweaver cannot be installed in iPad or any mobile device. Using this app, a designer can do last minute editing. It’s just like bringing your own desktop computer on your small device!

The LogMeIn app can be downloaded for free. For the pro account, there is a monthly or annual subscription fee.

Image Source: Yutaka Tsutano