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Showing posts from February, 2009

Questions to Ponder before Starting a Mobile Software Development Project for Handheld PDAs, iPhones and Smartphones

This article identifies some basic questions that should be asked and pondered by the business user and software development teams before starting on a mobile software development project: Do you anticipate needing one mobile software application, or many? Can you start with a mobile software development platform that supports all of your mobile application needs , or will each mobile application be a separate IT project and use different development technologies and infrastructures (e.g. Windows Mobile, Google Android, RIM Blackberry, Symbian , iPhone, etc.)? Do you know your exact solution and data requirements in advance? Do you anticipate needing to edit and adjust your mobile application as you learn from your field users and their experiences? Can it be hard coded, or does it need to be flexible and easily edited? The answers to these questions will impact both design and schedules. Do you have an in-house software development capability, budget and helpdesk infrastructure to en

Google Latitude for Handheld PDAs, Smartphones and Work Orders

Google recently announced a new application in the world of cloud computing called Google Latitude . This is a very interesting application in that it allows friends to see where friends are located, or managers to see where his or her work teams, vehicles and job sites are located. In the past, this functionality has only been available to companies for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars (or name your currency). You could find these features on enterprise quality work order management solutions or proof-of-delivery solutions for handheld PDAs and Smartphones. Google has a way of shaking the industry up by making mobile applications free. Today, for free, a manager can implement Google Latitude on his company issued handheld PDAs and Smartphones and see where his workers are at all times. The manager, from his desktop, can view a map of the location of all of these mobile handhelds. In a previous article I wrote about the inefficiencies caused by a lack of management visibility

Google and Cloud Computing Comes to Mobile Handheld PDAs and Smartphone Users

Google has just announced they will be offering synchronization and support for Cloud computing for mobile and wireless handheld PDAs and smartphones users including those using the: iPhone BlackBerry Nokia S60 Nokia standard Sony Ericsson Windows Mobile Why is this important? It demonstrates a trend that people are moving away from the view that their desktops or laptops are the center of the universe, to a view that Cloud Computing - their online Google or Yahoo Accounts are the center. Google has now enabled synchronization directly through any wireless connection to your online account(s). Your contacts and calendars and other Google Apps no longer must be synchronized through a desktop, iTunes account or laptop. This is big news! This functionality permits the concept of a truly untethered mobile computing environment for handheld PDAs and smartphones. The home or work desktop is no longer the anchor weighing you down. You are free to move around the world and have access to your

PDAs and Handhelds Used for Medical Research Projects in Peru

In this article the use of handheld PDAs on a medical research project in Peru is detailed. The handhedl PDAs provided the following benefits: reduced delays reduced errors reduced workload reduced the time it took to process medical data by 15 days prevented lost data patients could be monitored in a more timely manner Here are the details of the study and the use of the handheld PDAs as was detailed in this article in the article at ITExaminer.com Patients with drug resistant tuberculosis undergo a two year regime of powerful antibiotics, including injections six days a week during the first six months, with monthly testing. The test results dictate the course of treatment. The half-month delay in getting information from the outback to the city medical facility disrupted the treatment plan. Here is a description, as described in this article in the Hindu News , of the patient record process before the use of handheld PDAs - Under the old patient tracking system, a team of four heal

The Power of Digital Cameras on PDAs, Handhelds and Smartphones

In this morning's newspaper there was an article called, "With New Smartphones , Doctors Reinvent the House call." The article relates how a Doctor can use a smartphone , PDA or other handheld computers to quickly view x-rays and give advice remotely. Other applications mentioned were for perusing pharmaceutical libraries and for showing educating patients with anatomical drawings. Although each of these applications are useful, I believe the real power comes from the ability to remotely collaborate with other team members that can all look at the sames information, in high definition and exchange real time data and thoughts. It is amazing what can be accomplished with these new mobile devices. Digital Cameras in handhelds , PDAs and smartphones are becoming very powerful tools. Today, Sony Ericcsson announced they have included a 12 mega pixel camera in one of their new smartphones called the Idou . In the context of the healthcare field you can image how useful

Ericsson Turns to Navigation for Mobile Handheld PDAs and Smartphones

In an article in today's Wall Street Journal called Ericsson Turns to Navigation it is reported that Ericsson is looking at navigation applications with voice commands as an revenue stream for their carrier partners. Everyone is getting into the act because the bigger screens on smartphones and mobile handheld PDAs like some lines from Ericsson , Blackberrys and iPhones make it easier to see maps and read directions while on the move. Navigation applications and data for consumers will be quickly followed by applications designed for businesses. Navigation and voice directions can be integrated into delivery, work order and inspection applications on mobile handheld PDAs. Google has already created consumer oriented applications for iPhones that let friends know where friends are on a map. It won't be long until businesses can also see the location of their employees, job sites and company vehicles via PDAs, handhelds and Smartphones. Google makes this application free. I

Sky Technologies have announced the launch of SkyMobile Smart Client for SAP® on Nokia Smart Phones and PDAs

Sky Technologies out of Australia seems to be spending some big money to make a push into the SAP mobile application market. In the past week I have read about their expansion to the USA with the opening of a Seattle, WA office, and the release of a new framework for mobile SAP integration. On top of all that, they state they will support the following operating systems, Windows Mobile, Blackberry platforms, iPhone and Android smart clients in 2009. Sky Technologies has announced the released of its SkyMobile Smart Client for the Symbian OS (Series 60 3rd Edition FP1+). “This enables SAP® users to effectively deploy mobile solutions such as proof of delivery, field service and business work flow solutions onto a wide range of Symbian based handsets. This is primarily targeted at the Nokia smart phone market and is designed to be pre-cursor to the new Symbian open platform." If Sky Technologies' information is accurate it represents tens of millions of dollars worth of invest

Comparing Netbooks, Mini-Notebooks, PDAs and Handhelds in Field Services

I am a big fan of Netbooks and Mini-Notebooks. These are lightweight portable computers generally with 7-inch to 11-inch screen sizes optimized for internet connectivity. They often have exceptional battery life and can be used as a truly convergent device. Often they are optimized to run the complete Microsoft Office Suite. This article discusses them in more details. The term Netbook refers to the fact that they are optimized to work on the internet . They are mobile internet devices that also have the power to run your standard office software applications. Doesn't most mobile handheld devices and PDAs that run Windows Mobile already provide these functions? Yes, but the 7"-11" screen is a vast improvement, especially for people needing to do real work, process and read large amounts of data and read diagrams, maps and drawings. The Netbook , as a mobile internet device, should be set-up to access online documents, manuals and work order applications through si

SAP, Landis+Gyr, Electrical Utilities and Mobile Handheld PDAs

SAP, the world's leading provider of business software, announced yesterday a new partnership with Landis+Gyr, a leading provider of integrated energy management solutions. This partnership includes a software development agreement for the integration of Landis+Gyr's advanced metering infrastructure with the SAP® for Utilities solution portfolio using enterprise services. You are seeing SAP recognize that there are many specialized business processes that are needed beyond their core ERP solutions, and outside the four walls of the office in mobile environments. SAP has been seeking partnerships that address the industry specific business process needs of companies with mobile workforces. So far, SAP has seemed willing to give up the mobile applications market for PDAs, handhelds and rugged mobile computers to third parties, and restrict themselves to developing APIs and enterprise service integration repositories for specialized third party mobile application companies like M

SAP Business Suite 7.0, iPhones, Blackberrys and Mobile Handheld Applications

Today SAP announced the release of Business Suite 7. Reuters reports the following mobile application news concerning SAP's Business Suite 7.0: Unlike previous SAP products, all programs in the suite will have a common interface, making them easier to use and less cumbersome for IT staff to implement, the sources said. It is designed to easily work on mobile devices such as the BlackBerry and iPhone, they said. SAP already offers mobile features in a few packages, such as programs that companies use to manage sales, but has yet to offer those functions across its full line of applications. SAP's answer to supporting mobile applications is to develop a common interface, web based, and let mobile devices access it via the web. This may work for mobile workers with 100% access to the Internet, but what about mobile workers that travel to remote locations or anywhere with intermittent connections? I have not seen SAP address this issue with an online/offline version of their applic

Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software Application Resources

If you are interested in information related to mobile computing, mobile handheld PDAs and mobile software strategies for your business, you may find this Knol (Google's name for a unity of knowledge) called Mobile Software & Handheld PDA Business Strategies valuable . It contains many useful articles on mobile computing, selecting the best mobile handhelds and advice on developing mobile software applications. Here is the table of contents for your reference: The ROI in Mobile Applications What ROI Can I Expect? 10 Steps to Implementing a Successful Enterprise Mobile Solution Mobilizing and Automating Business Processses During a Down Economy Mobilized Work Orders Designing a Mobile Solution to Automate Business Processes Learning from Mobile Solution Deployments The Evolution of a Mobile Solution Buying vs. Building Mobile Applications Supporting a Customized Mobile Software Application