Business smartphones are no longer just about calls and e-mails. They go, and must go, beyond such features to increase productivity and make accessibility to important data convenient.

There are plenty of business phones you can take your pick from, but since Android has now surpassed BlackBerry to become the third most popular smartphone operating system in the world and is the best one in Canada, why not consider making this one your choice? Of course, Android still cannot match the control and power of BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but it is only a matter of time before it gets there. So, here are 10 ways to turn your Android into a business-class phone.

1. This one is ridiculously simple, but important nevertheless. Lock your screens by setting a more complex pattern for unlocking your screen or setting a password PIN.
2. Keep those viruses out of your way by getting an antivirus program running on your Android. DroidSecurity and Lookout Mobile Security are the ones to choose.
3. Get multifactor authentication with third-party tools, such as SecureAuth and PhoneFactor, which deliver multifactor authentication to the Android. This lets you securely access enterprise applications.
4. Mobile Device Management can help your Android get closer to BES functionality, but you will need a third-party development for this one. An MDM lets you encrypt data in motion, remotely enforce application password policies, partition corporate data and set role-based access right, and remotely wipe enterprise data from handsets.
5. Determine the earliest version of OS you will support and stick to it. For Android, anything below 2.2 is a no-no.
6. Go beyond simply accessing e-mails on the go by integrating e-mails with Exchange. Android is lacking in this one so you will have to opt for TouchDown which serves as a mobile client for Exchange, giving users secure access to their corporate email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes.
7. Give email on the Android an Outlook like that of a desktop’s by using DejaOffice which adds features, such as notes and memos and lets you color code calendar events, create custom fields and link contacts to calendar appointments.
8. Red Bend Software does you the favor of completely partitioning the business OS from the personal OS. Make sure you get this software for your Android.
9. Optimize input. You can pick your input options which range from swiping your finger around the keyboard to giving voice commands using Android’s Voice Actions.