The best productivity apps for your tablet: the apps I use every day

This tablet is so firmly integrated into my daily life that I sometimes wonder why I still need a laptop. Almost everything I do on a laptop works just as well on the tablet. Here I show which apps I use day to day to work productively.

The tablet: Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro

To make all tasks run smoothly, I need a powerful tablet. I have used the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro since launch. It costs from €499 RRP with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage, or €599 RRP with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB. I have the version with 16 GB of memory because I work with 4K files on the tablet. Three reasons speak for the Pad 7 Pro:

1. Display: 11.2 inches, 144 Hz, 3.2K resolution, 800 nits and 4,096 brightness levels. It adapts flicker-free to the surroundings and is easy on my eyes.
2. Processor: The Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 is as powerful as I need it to be.
3. Accessories: the Focus Keyboard with a mouse in the touchpad, so I do not necessarily need a separate mouse, and the Xiaomi Focus Pen for writing and drawing.

My apps in daily life

Notion

I use Notion daily. This is where I plan all of my YouTube and Instagram content. In a content calendar I enter videos and reels and see every week what I have to produce. I also write my script in the calendar entry. That way I have everything in one place. I also have Notion on my laptop and smartphone. When I notice something while testing on the go, I jot down a few keywords in the entry. I probably only use the basics, but I cannot do without the app anymore.

Google Keep

I have this simple app on all my devices. Here I create lists, for example the shopping list. On hectic days I do a brain dump and write down everything that is on my mind, unsorted. That brings great relief. Afterwards I sort and prioritize. That would also work in Notion, but it is more complex, and sometimes I need exactly the opposite.

Xiaomi Notes

I note down work appointments in the Xiaomi Notes app, mostly handwritten with the pen. That way I can underline, cross out, highlight or put marks in the margin. I find the Hyper AI function practical. It can summarize notes, write texts or turn keywords into full sentences, for example into proper meeting minutes. Anyone who has to write minutes should try it. It is a game changer. The app syncs with my other Xiaomi devices.

Google Gemini

I let AI take as much off my plate as possible. Most of the time I use not ChatGPT but Google Gemini, because it is integrated much more deeply into my Android devices. Besides research, it can handle tasks. For example, I can say: find a restaurant near me, ask my husband if he is coming along tonight, and create an appointment for 8 p.m. I get a suggestion, a message draft and the appointment with the address in my calendar.

Gemini Live is now available for Advanced subscribers. You talk as if with a real assistant, can say several things at once and ask follow-up questions. With the camera on, I can also ask questions about what I am currently seeing. That is how I adjusted the height of a door in my apartment: Gemini Live told me which screw on the hinge I had to turn.

CapCut

I use CapCut for YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Stories, and TikTok. I like to shoot short videos with the Xiaomi 15 Ultra and its Leica camera. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, the phone can be mirrored to the tablet and operated from there. I exchange files by drag and drop and have the footage on the Pad 7 Pro quickly. That way I do not have to reach for my phone with every notification and do not end up on Instagram unintentionally. CapCut is also available for phones, but I prefer to edit on 11 inches rather than 6 inches. For me it is the best app for generating subtitles, which is essential for Shorts and Reels. I can post finished videos directly to Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and the like.

Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive and Teams

For email and appointments I use Gmail and Google Calendar on all devices, and Google Drive for syncing and sharing. They are available on every device with every operating system, so I switch between devices easily. Teams for video conferences runs flawlessly on the Pad 7 Pro, as flawlessly as Teams can run.

After work: Pam app, Netflix and YouTube

Of course the tablet is not always fully productive. Then I take off the keyboard cover, snap on the normal stand cover, and the tablet knows it is time to relax. Several times a week I use the Pam app by Pamela Reif with all the workouts, training plans and recipes. That is a big recommendation from me. After that it is off to the couch with Netflix and YouTube.

Verdict

With a powerful tablet like the Xiaomi Pad 7 Pro, a lot can be moved from the laptop to the tablet. My basics are Notion, the notes apps, Gemini, CapCut and the Google apps.