January 8, 2009 7:31 PM PST

Hoover's lays out mobile apps for business pros

by Jessica Dolcourt
Hoover's Mobile on the iPhone (Credit: Hoover's)

If knowledge is power, then salespeople in the field and roving business execs can now wield their share of it thanks to two new mobile apps. Hoover's Mobile and Hoover's MobileSP tap into the Hoover's business directory to bring instant company and employee information to sales, financial, media professionals, and just about anyone else drenched in B2B.

The free Hoover's Mobile for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile phones looks up company information, phone numbers, the building address, executive organization, competitors, and financial overview for any company you enter--like the one whose doors you're about to waltz through.

Pony up $20 per month for Hoover's MobileSP--BlackBerry or Windows Mobile only--and get an interactive GPS reading that can build you lists of prospects near you based on any number of filters, including business size, earnings, and the mile radius of your choice.

Hoover's MobileSP can also fetch in-depth financials, and industry and company details that you can then save on your phone, down to a roster of the company's employees. Extremely useful, and creepy.

Jessica Dolcourt reviews the latest and greatest smartphone apps, in addition to a healthy dose of Windows software. E-mail Jessica and follow her on Twitter.
Recent posts from CES 2009
2010 Best of CES Awards - call for entries
3D is coming to a living room near you
Haier launches new line of Rhapsody Ibiza players
Alpine KTP-445 Power Pack adds easy amplification
CES 2009: Computers and hardware wrap-up
CES 2009: Home audio wrap-up
CES post-show wrap-up: HDTV
CES 2009 home video wrap-up
Add a Comment (Log in or register)
by kbondelli January 8, 2009 11:13 PM PST
What's also creepy is one of the TOS conditions:

2.4 Upon reasonable notice and during regular business hours, Customer will permit HOOVER'S to inspect the locations at, or computer systems on which, Information is used, stored or transmitted so that HOOVER'S can verify Customer's compliance with this Agreement.

By signing up you have essentially given them a search warrant to your property. No thanks.
Reply to this comment
by TimWalker January 9, 2009 4:03 PM PST
Jessica -- Thanks for covering our new Mobile offering, which our users are telling us IS extremely useful in their work. But -- and you?ll never see this coming ;) -- we beg to differ about ?creepy.? iPhone and smartphone users can already access everything from Google satellite maps to Yelp listings, so we have a hard time seeing how our business information is any more (or less) creepy than that.

Also, we want to thank kbondelli for pointing out that section of the Hoover?s Mobile terms, because it made its way into the terms by mistake. That section is a piece of legal boilerplate, much like ones used by enterprise software companies of all sizes, that protects us from misuse of our subscription products when they?re used in large corporate installations. That section shouldn?t apply to our Mobile offerings, so we?re removing it as fast as we can get all the relevant pages updated. Thanks for bearing with us -- we?re new to the Mobile space, but we?re committed to getting it right.

Adam Hanin
Director, Subscription Marketing
Hoover's, Inc.

(Cut-and-pasted by Tim Walker of Hoover's on Adam's behalf because Adam is working at the Hoover's CES booth at the moment.)
advertisement
Click Here

CES awards and nominees

Best of CES, 2009

Best of CES 2009 and
People's Voice Award

Since 2006, CNET has presented the Best of CES Awards, given to the top product in 10 categories as well as one coveted Best in Show award. See the gadgets that topped our list for this year, and find out the People's Voice winner, decided by more than 10,000 member votes.

Now accepting submissions for the 2010 Best of CES Awards.

RSS FEEDS

CES 2009 Awards


Best of CES and
People's Voice Award

Since 2006, CNET has presented the Best of CES Awards, given to the top product in 10 categories as well as one coveted Best in Show award. See the gadgets that topped our list for this year, and find out the People's Voice winner, decided by more than 10,000 member votes.

Now accepting submissions for the 2010 Best of CES Awards.


About CES

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world's largest consumer electronics trade show. CES 2009 is scheduled for January 8 through 11 in Las Vegas, and it will feature thousands of exhibitors showcasing their latest tech products. CNET's team of reporters and reviewers will be at the show, covering technology's heavy hitters and previewing thousands of products before they are released to the public.

Each year, CNET, in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association, produces the Best of CES awards at the International Consumer Electronics Show. The CNET editorial team recognizes the best new products at the show with awards in 10 categories, an overall Best of Show award, and the People's Voice award, which is selected by CNET's online audience.