Volume 3, Number 5

What Mobile Computing means to Consumers and the Enterprise

The arrival of the next generation of smartphones such as Apple’s iPhone  and the G1 based on Google’s Android technology heralds a new era in mobile computing. But what does this mean to consumers, and how do enterprises leverage these new devices without sacrificing security?

These are good questions, but let me start out by saying what this article is not. This article is not a review or endorsement of either the iPhone or the G1 phone or any other smartphone as there are simply too many features that matter disproportionately to different types of users.  Besides, there are already plenty of reviews on the specific devices.

Instead, this article abstracts the notion of mobile computing and suggests ways it can and will enhance our lives, whether we are consumers checking our email and stock market investments or as members of a business, collaborating with our peers while away from the office. 

Consumers

The consumer area of smartphone use is the one with which we all are generally familiar, especially if you are already using a smartphone.  The combination of increased raw power of the CPU combined with cutting-edge user interfaces as introduced by Apple’s iPhone and HTC G1 (Android) has finally made mobile computer easy to use by typical consumers.  No longer do we have to drill down through hierarchies of abbreviated menu items just to accomplish some simple task like muting the phone or add the current caller to our address book. With the improved large rotational screens and the improved user interfaces, related tasks can be visually grouped or located on the screen in a manner that makes common sense.

Apple’s iPhone

Beyond the obvious, this modern smartphone approach brings with it an advancement of mobile computing applications not seen before for their ease-of-use, rich features, and speed. Apple Apps for iPhone and iTouch selling at $1 million per day is proof that consumers want to do more with their phone that just make calls and read email — games, productivity apps, reference material and social networking are just a few of the expansions offered by mobile computing based smartphone.

As we look towards the future, we will watch as the more successful mobile computing apps take a lead, set standards, and drive further the development of mobile computing, just as what happened between desktop PCs and notebooks.  It seems reasonable to expect that smartphones will evolve into mini-personal computers that will completely replace their desktop brethren much in much the same way that a growing number of people are opting to use only their cellphones or all of their voice communication, eshewing the once-dominate hard-wired phone lines.

T-Mobile’s G1 Android Phone

As more people use their smartphone as their only computing device, the peripherals industry will follow suit with some reworks of existing products such as bluetooth keyboards, remote speakers, small printers and wireless displays.  In time, as existing peripherals become part of the smartphones’ standard offerings, the peripheral industry will begin to off more exotic featured-laden products that border on science-fiction — hand motion detection, eyeball motion tracking, brainwave detection and in-the-air 3D displays, to name a few that we know are under development right now.

The Enterprise

In concert with the evolution of smart computing for the consumer market, enterprises will realize that they will be able to leverage these technological advances to their benefit as well.  Outside of perhaps support for Microsoft’s Exchange Servers, third-party applications already permeate the mobile computing enterprise field.

Why do we think that is the case? Enterprises are finding that a simple mobile computing application can be used to “front end” certain of their server modules. For example, an order entry application on a G1 can be used by a sales representative out in the field to check available inventory and, immediately upon receiving an order, lock in an quantity or even have the order fulfilled remotely. As they walk around for their rounds, doctors can update a patient’s medical chart, check their MRIs and x-rays, and coordinate with technicians, nurses and staff, all this to reduce delays and data entry errors that could cost lives.  City workers can check the location of subterranean pipelines before a dig.  And more.  Our list of examples could be rather lengthy, bounded more by the desires to make business faster and better than by technological limitations.

The impact on the enterprise has been noted and accepted even by previously consumer-focused suppliers. While the iPhone started out as primarily a consumer product, Apple has already made some changes to enable it for business.  According to Apple, there are two kinds of iPhone native app developers, consumer based and enterprise based.  Enterprise-based developers are allowed to deploy their applications internally and in an ad hoc manner to their customers. Right now, banks are rushing to provide secured mobile access to their roaming customers.

As support for mobile computing within the enterprises increases, there will be some growing pains.  Currently, enterprise servers are not naturally set up to handle the additional workload and servers are hit with applications, so special mobile computing servers will appear.  (We here at DataPlex is actually designing such a server right now.)  Mobile apps will be written in a phone’s native code for best performance, driving industry standards for programming and user interfaces so that applications can be more easily ported between difference devices.  New types of input sensors and output devices will be created to support the needs of the enterprise, for example, producing and scanning barcodes or tracking through RFID tags.

Expansiveness

In only a matter of a couple short years,  mobile computing with the third party applications will become de rigueur, so it would be wise to plan for that eventuality.

We here at DataPlex are very excited about the opportunities offered by more powerful mobile computing, and we have a plan in place to offer products and services in the following ways:  direct to consumer, direct to enterprise, and custom client applications through consulting.  We will soon be offering some of our old classic applications with new looks and enhanced features, and we are designed some groundbreaking new sets of applications for both consumers and enterprises

If your organization is thinking of an application for mobile computing, know that DataPlex has been successfully developing and deploying mobile applications since 1988 with the advent of its DataKeeper product line.  We can be a conscientious, cost effective resource for you.  Please contact us for more information.