Mobile phones and tablets have changed the way we do business these days. On one hand they've blurred the line between work and home, leading to longer work days and interruption during both work and family times. On the other hand, they can be a heaven sent lifesaver to some of us. If you're like me, your office chair is collecting dust as you're scouring the neighborhood of wherever you happen to be for a coffee shop with chairs, internet and a good cup of joe to squeeze productivity out of every minute between sales calls and meetings.

If that sounds like you or if it sounds like where you see yourself in a few months, you know that a good piece of mobile computing with excellent apps is vital to keep your business going on the go. Here are the five top apps that can keep you productive away from the computer with your android device. (Sorry iPhone and BlackBerry users we're focusing on android today but if you'd like to see a list for your favorite platform, just let me know in the comments section below).

1. Nuance Flex T9 Keyboard

While there is nothing wrong with the keyboard that comes with your android device, this app will make your mobile computing rockby redefining how you use the keyboard.The app allows you to use your keyboard in four different modes.

•    Slider
•    Handwriting Recognizer
•    Keyboard Input
•    Voice Recognizer

The slider mode is my favorite because it greatly speeds up your typing. Instead of typing things, which we all know is hard on a touchscreen, you can draw lines to connect the letters to your words and the app does the rest. It automatically recognizes the words from your gestures and will correct any spelling mistakes. And, it has reduced my typing time by at least 30%.

The other mode I love is its voice recognizer. Using this mode, you can record your story and it will automatically transcribe it for you. We are generally faster at talking than at typing (and that’s especially true for us women) so the time saved is huge. The accuracy is quite impressive and you should expect that since the app comes from Nuance, the company that makes the leading desktop transcription software, Dragon Naturally Speaking.

2. MailDroid

Emails are everywhere and we cannot avoid the speed at which they enter our lives and change our business deals. Access all your emails on the go with MailDroid. Although there are many email apps including Google's own Gmail app, this one will let you access any of your emails and doesn't limit you to Google emails. It also has built in support for handling attachments, something that the Gmail app surprisingly lacks.

Most importantly, it allows you to attach a professional signature at the end of your emails which is an extremely important marketing tool. And finally, my favorite feature has to do with the level of customization this app gives you; you can set the amount of time it checks your emails giving you more control over your battery life.

3. KingOffice Mobile

If you work out of coffee shops and C-Trains, you are probably used to leaving the documents until you get home to a proper computer than can let you edit and review them. With KingOffice, you don’t need to delay your review, feedback and decisions. You get the familiar Microsoft Office feel with basic editing capabilities right on your mobile device. This is a must-have app for any intense remote work session. The best part is that it is free and has a good open source development community behind it.

4. Skype

Skype is a great tool to keep in touch with employees or contractors to ensure your delegated and outsourced work is being done according to expectations. It is especially useful if you are working with someone in a different city and want to avoid those outrageous cell phone long distance charges. The phone version allows you to use the instant messenger features while the tablet version also supports video calling. However, more advanced and powerful phones may also support audio and video calling.

5. Seesmic

Your business likely has a Facebook Page or twitter account that needs to be updated regularly. Keep your social media marketing going while you’re on the go with Seesmic. Seesmic makes it easy for you to manage all your personal and professional networks from one place. You can use it for Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz and even SalesForce chatter. And, as far as I know, this is the only social network app that lets you manage your Facebook pages.

6. DropBox

I know I promised you five apps, but this is a must-have. In fact, you should install DropBox before you install any of the other apps. Dropbox allows you to sync files from your mobile devices to your laptop, desktop and any other device easily and quickly. Saving a lot of time in manually syncing documents via email.

Over to you: What are your favorite productivity apps on your mobile devices?