Backpacks are stuffed and alarm clocks set,  the under-18 set is ready to strap in an begin another school year – hopefully a year that will leave students basking in new experiences, enjoying new friends and reveling in a trove of newly acquired skills.

Why should they have all the fun?

Anyone who’s done PR for more than a couple months by now appreciates the changes coming fast and furious in our business.  New technologies are constantly changing how audiences consume information, and how we communicate.  So as the kids go back to school, let’s do the same.  Here’s a list of apps and technologies every PR person should try and learn.

Staying organized & on top of things

Evernote (Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Mobile): Evernote’s incredibly robust and potent program takes note-taking (and later synthesis) and organizing the stuff you find interesting to a new level. In addition to scribbling a note to yourself, you can also take pictures, save web pages, record voice reminders and save tweets.  You can organize your notes into Notebooks, which are also searchable. You can email and share notes, too.  Basic version: Free

Business Calendar Free (for Android):  While I’ve not used this app myself, the reviews from Android users warrant inclusion.  The killer functionality here is the application’s ability to import all calendars tied to your accounts.  It also works seamlessly with Google Calendar.  If you live and die by your calendar, and use an Android device, this is worth checking out.  And it’s free.

Flipboard: At this point, it’s an “oldie” but Flipboard, in my book, is still a real goodie.  Flipboard renders the links shared by the people you follow on Twitter and your friends on Facebook.  The end result is an incredibly easy-to-read “glossy” digital magazine, enabling you to quickly flip through the content they’ve shared, and read what is of particular interest to you.  If you’ve taken the time to create and curate good Twitter lists, the results can be particularly valuable.   If you struggle to stay on top news and information, Flipboard can make you a faster and more efficient information consumer. Free

Any.Do (iOS and Android):  This little app was an editor’s pick on PC World’s “Best Apps of 2012: Shockingly Useful Apps for Android & iPhone” list, and it is a good one.  In a nutshell, Any.Do synchs and integrates your calendars and synchs them up with Google Tasks.  You can set reminders to return missed calls, and you can add tasks to your to-do list as they pop into your head.  Free

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