Showing posts with label embedded mobile devices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label embedded mobile devices. Show all posts

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of August 15, 2011


The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly
Also read Mobility ROI Weekly

According to Digital Transaction, the acquisition of Motorola by Google could help speed the rise of mobile payments.  Read Original Content

eBay continues to enter move into the mobile payment market after recently purchasing the NFC payment company Zong for $240 million.  Read Original Content

According to a study from Gartner, worldwide mobile payment users will surpass 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2 percent increase from 2010.  However, the research firm also said mobile payments are not growing as fast as originally projected due to a slower than expected uptake in developing countries.  Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/

ABI is forecasting that 85 percent of point-of-sale terminals shipping worldwide in 2016 will be “contactless-enabled”, NFC-equipped smartphones that let shoppers touch-in or tap their smartphones to make purchase.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of August 8, 2011


The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly
Also read Mobility ROI Weekly

The number of consumers paying for items via their mobile devices will pass 141 million this year, says new data from Gartner.  Read Original Content

ABI research estimates that Near Field Communication payment transaction values in China could surpass $8 billion by 2014.  Read Original Content

Capital One Financial Corp. launched an Android mobile banking application last week. The new Android app joins Capital One's other digital channels:  iPhone app, mobile website, SMS text, chat, Twitter and Facebook.  Read Original Content

American Express and Verizon are building a mobile payment platform called Serve that will enable customers to make mobile payments using Verizon phones and tablets.  Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/

With over 400 million cell phone owners and few traditional banks, Africa is experiencing a movement towards mobile banking.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of August 2, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly
Also read Mobility ROI Weekly

eBay will process $4 billion in mobile transactions this year, up from $2 billion in 2010, according to Bob Page, VP of analytics platform for the company.  Read Original Content

The mobile payments market will almost triple in value by 2015 reaching $670 billion, according to a new Juniper report.  Read Original Content

Reports from analysts and investors claim Amazon.com Inc will release a tablet computer later this year in a bid to cement their position as the world's largest Internet retailer.  Read Original Content

Fandango has announced that 20 percent of its summer ticket sales has been generated by its mobile applications and its newly redesigned mobile site.  Read Original Content

Mobile payment users will reach 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2 percent increase from 2010, according to research firm Gartner.  Read Original Content

As of July 2011, Square is now processing $4 million mobile payments per day and is expected to grow quickly over the next few months.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of July 25, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

Worldwide mobile payment users will surpass 141.1 million in 2011, a 38.2 percent increase from 2010, according to Gartner.  Read Original Content

Isis, an NFC payment provider, has gained the support of all four major credit card companies, Master Card, American Express, Visa and Discover.  Read Original Content

The adoption of electronic banking in the Philippines, particularly Internet banking, will continue on its strong upward growth over the next few years, according to a top official of the Bank of the Philippine Islands.  Read Original Content

Two year old mobile payment startup Dwolla has gone from zero to $1 million per day in transactions.  Read Original Content

A survey by global consulting firm McKinsey and Co. has found that the affluent class in India, categorized as people whose household income is above 10 lakh a year, use mobile phones more than the Internet for their banking needs.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of July 18, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly
Also read Mobility Charts Weekly

The total value of mobile payments for digital and physical goods, money transfers and NFC transactions will reach $670 billion by 2015, according to a new study from Juniper Research.  Read Original Content

PayPal last week unveiled a new peer-to-peer payment functionality that allows Android users to pay each other by tapping two near field communication-enabled devices together.  Read Original Content

According to Research and Markets the global NFC payment market is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 68 percent between 2010 and 2014.  Read Original Content

Weyrich Enterprises has released a mobile app that allows smartphone owners to easily shop and browse through over 300 retail clothing brands on smartphones.  Read Original Content

In the past fourteen months 2.5 million Canadians have downloaded mobile banking applications to their smartphones according Solutions Research Group.  Read Original Content

A study by Mobile Entertainment Forum has found that more than nine out of ten Britons use their mobile phones to either research or make new purchases.  Read Original Content


Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of July 11, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly

A new report from Juniper research predicts the value of mobile payments for digital and physical goods, money transfers and NFC transactions will reach $670 billion by 2015, up from $240 billion this year.  Read Original Content

PayPal, owned by eBay, continues to demonstrate they are serious about participating in the mobile payment market.  Most recently they have purchased the mobile payment company Zong for $240 million.  Within the past few months they have acquired three mobile payment companies.  Read Original Content

By 2014, 70 percent of U.S. consumers will have smartphones and 52 percent of those will be NFC capable, according to estimates by payment consultancy Mercator Advisory Group.  Read Original Content

Google has launched Mobilize, a free mobile tool that allows small and medium-sized enterprises to create high quality mobile sites or landing pages within minutes, without any coding experience.  Read Original Content

A global consumer survey of 8,530 people conducted by MEF found that 38 percent of North American respondents have paid for items via their mobile network operator in the last six months.  Read Original Content

Mobile payment device maker Square was given a $100 million investment last week. This came as a shock to many in the mobile industry as Square brings in less than $30 million in annual revenue.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of July 4, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Monthly

Verifone has announced that it now offers a device that turns a tablet into a form of checkout register.  The device has both a magnetic device for swiping credit cards as well as NFC capability for mobile payments.  Read Original Content.

Despite being unprofitable, Square, the manufacturer of the small credit card reader that attaches to smartphones, is valued at $1.6 billion.  Read Original Content.

Asia continues to contain the largest number of mobile phone users who make mobile payments.  Currently there are 1.8 billion worldwide mobile phone users who make purchases via a mobile device.  By 2015 the Wireless Federation expects there to be 2.5 billion.  Read Original Content.

PayPal president Scott Thompson has said that by 2015 paper currency in the United States will nearly become obsolete as the popularity of mobile payments continues to rise.  Read Original Content.

Analyst firm Juniper Research has revealed figures predicting that by 2015, the number of people using mobile payment services will have risen by 40 percent to 2.5 billion.  Read Original Content.

MasterCard and CSI Enterprises are expected to release a handful of new mobile payments applications for Android, BlackBerry and iOS this summer, but it's unclear whether or not the apps will employ NFC for payment transactions or another technology.  Read Original Content.

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of June 27, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Monthly

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt predicts that by 2012 one-third of all restaurants and retail outlets will offer NFC payment options.  Read Original Content

SmartSoft has announced a major breakthrough in NFC payments.  Together with partners Turkcell and Plastkart, the companies have unveiled Europe's first MNO (Mobile Network Operator) Trusted Service Manager mobile solution for NFC Payments approved by MasterCard.  Read Original Content

Research conducted by Technavio reveals that the NFC payments market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 68 percent between 2010 and 2014.  Read Original Content

NFC developer ISIS announced that in the first few months of 2012 they will conduct trials for their new payment system in Salt Lake City and in Austin, Texas.  Read Original Content

ViVOtech, provider of NFC software and systems, has announced that it has closed $24 million in a Series C round of funding from several new investors.  Some investors include Google and Citi Bank.  Read Original Content

For the third time this year PayPal has increased it’s forecast of mobile payments and now predicts the company will reach $3 billion in mobile payments during 2011.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of June 20, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Monthly

Forrester Research reports that mobile commerce revenue is expected to reach $10 billion by the end of this year and will continue growing at an annual rate of 39 percent.  Read Original Content

The Standard Bank of South Africa is recruiting customers by providing convenient mobile banking “shacks” in thousands of locations throughout the country.  Read Original Content

The “electronic alternative payment” market, which largely includes mobile payments, is currently estimated to be worth $62 billion and by 2015 will reach $127 billion according to the research conducted by Packaged Facts.  Read Original Content

Starbucks is expanding its mobile payment plan and recently announced that they now offer a mobile payment app through Android phones for nearly 1,000 locations.  Read Original Content

A new survey by Retrevo Pulse found that only 21 percent of their participants were interested in smartphones with NFC capability, the majority of the participants were simply uninterested in using devices to pay for things.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of June 13, 2011

The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Monthly

Verizon is working on a mobile payments service for smartphones, tablets, and PCs with mobile payments start-up Payfone.  Read Original Content

Google has agreements with Citigroup and MasterCard to embed near field communication technology (NFC) in the upcoming versions of Android-based phones.  This will give Google an advantage in the mobile payment market that is estimated to be at $618 billion by 2016.  Read Original Content

According to Bloomberg, Hewlett Packard is planning on introducing smartphones and tablets that are equipped with NFC technology.  Read Original Content

In an attempt to dominate the mobile payment market Visa has acquired the South African software company Fundamo for $110 million.  Read Original Content

Ericsson has developed a mobile payment program that allows users to send and receive money through text messages.  Read Original Content

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of June 6, 2011


The Mobile Commerce News Weekly is an online newsletter made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile payments, mobile money, e-wallets, mobile banking and mobile security that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Monthly

Computerworld has found that when using PayPal’s Mobile Express Checkout customers are more willing to make purchases as a result of the easy payment process.  Read Original Content

VeriFone Systems Inc. says that topline revenues from software, services, and equipment for NFC wallets could increase in the United States between 100 to 150 million, and more internationally, if and when such electronic wallets become mainstream.  Read Original Content

Wells Fargo has led the banking world with its mobile features since 2007 and continues to offer new and advanced mobile services to customers. Wells Fargo has recently introduced CEO Mobile, which allows executives to view corporate accounts through smartphones.  Read Original Content

Market researcher Pyramid Research is forecasting that 28 percent of all smartphones (around 250 million) sold by 2015 will be NFC enabled.  Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/

U.S. chipmaker Broadcom Corp expects NFC wireless technology to be a main revenue driver in coming years, a senior executive said recently, when it becomes more of a norm for consumers use their mobile phones to make payments.  Read Original Content

Mobile banking could see massive user growth as people in India with no nearby financial services can now access banks in remote locations through cell phones.  Read Original Content

According to the research firm comScore, mobile banking in Europe has seen a growth of 40 percent since August 2010.  Read Original Content

Monitise and the Future Foundation reports that the number of people using mobile banking applications in the U.K. has doubled since last year.  Read Original Content

A GfK survey shows that PayPal leads in mobile payments both in user base and engagement. Gfk also found that customers trust PayPal with their credit card information.  Read Original Content

A steady increase in the number of smartphone purchases is having a positive effect on mobile music growth, mobile banking and the mobile industry as a whole.  Read Original Content

Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict

Upcoming Mobility Events of Note
Windows Phone 7 and Italian Railroad
Will Microsoft’s Mango Shake Enterprise Mobility, Part 1?
The Importance of Mobile EAM and M2M
SAP ECM Partner Open Text Adds Mobility

Upcoming Events

ClickConnect Europe Customer User Forum, June 8th-10th in Cannes, F
Live Webinar - Learn how Carefusion mobilized SAP CRM Field Service with Syclo, June 22, 2011

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Mobile Adoption Among Gas and Electric Utilities
Mobile Adoption in Life Sciences
Mobile Adoption in Oil and Gas
Networked Field Services

Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
Exclusive SAP Mentor and Blogger Briefing:  Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Redstone Arsenal's (DOD/Chugach) 3 Maintenance Challenges Solved by Mobile

You can follow me on Twitter @krbenedict and read my blog, Enterprise Mobility Strategies.

I have added a feature to my blog site that supports email subscriptions.  You can now receive all blog articles directly via email.  If you are interested, click here.







http://pyxismobile.com/forms/media-request/?docID=4011

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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Commerce News Weekly - Week of May 30, 2011 **Special Edition

This is a special edition of the Mobile Commerce News Weekly.  In this edition I have collected the best market and trend numbers from the past few months and aggregated them into one edition.  You can save this edition and use these numbers in your own business plans and presentations.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly

A report by Juniper Research indicates that the mobile retail market, which was worth $4.1 billion in 2009, will experience average annual growth of about 24 percent during the next four years to reach slightly more than $12 billion in 2014.  Read Original Content

According to Berg Insight, by 2015 there will be 900 million people using mobile banking on their phones.  Read Original Content

A study from TNT Research shows that over 50 percent of consumers in rapid growth economies want to use mobile phones for greater access to financial services.  Read Original Content

Pyramid Research estimates that the number of mobile banking users in Latin America will grow 65 percent between 2010 and 2015, from around 18 million users to over 140 million users. Read Original Content

PayPal expects to process more than $2 billion in mobile payments this year, which is nearly three times the amount it processed in 2010. Read Original Content

Mobile Retailing News Weekly - Week of May 23, 2011

The Mobile Retailing News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile retailing applications and mobile marketing applications that I run across each week.  I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.

Also read Field Mobility News Weekly
Also read Mobile Marketing News Weekly
Also read Mobility News Weekly
Also read M2M News Weekly

A study from TNT Research shows that over 50 percent of consumers in rapid growth economies want to use mobile phones for greater access to financial services.  Read Original Content

According to a new survey by MasterCard Worldwide, 62 percent of Americans who use a mobile phone would be open to using their device to make purchases.  Read Original Content

Advancements in technology are set to change the way customers pay for things, and telecommunication companies and financial institutions are readying themselves for the mobile payment revolution.  Read Original Content

Americans are ready and waiting for mobile payment systems, reveals a new survey from MasterCard, with almost two-thirds open to using their mobile device to make payments.  Read Original Content

VeriFone and software developer Micros Systems have developed a program that will allow NFC enabled phones to pay for meals at restaurants with participating NFC capability.  Read Original Content

Pyxis Mobile provides an agile, powerful, and secure mobile enterprise application platform.  It enables rapid cross-platform application development, unlimited data integration, enterprise-grade security, and the unique ability to change and update applications in real time.  This newsletter is sponsored in part by Pyxis Mobile, http://pyxismobile.com/.

According to research done by Acxiom, 20 percent of smartphone owners in the UK are ready for NFC payments.  Read Original Content

A recent rumor suggests that Apple will in fact be introducing an NFC capable iPhone 5 phones during the late summer months.   Read Original Content

EBay is continuing to enter the local mobile shopping market as it continues to purchase startup mobile payment companies.  Read Original Content

Consumer research conducted in nine countries has found that PayPal is the most trusted by consumers to handle personal financial data when making mobile payments.  Read Original Content

Capital One now offers customers an iPhone app to help manage accounts through their mobile devices.  Read Original Content

Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict

Mobile Expert Video Series:  Novus’ Dave Ploch
Mobile Expert Video Series:  Clicksoftware’s Nigel Clark
SAPPHIRE NOW 2011 Day 3 Mobility Photos!
Mobile Expert Video Series:  ClickSoftware's Moshe BenBassat
Mobile Expert Video Series:  Smartsoft Mobile's Ed Krufka
Mobile Expert Video Series:  SAP's Dr. Ahmed El Adl
Mobile Expert Video Series:  Leapfactor's Luis Cabrera
Mobile Expert Video Series:  Smartsoft Mobile's Dan Homrich
Mobile Expert Video Series:  AMT-Sybex's Malachy Martin
Mobile Expert Video Series:  SAP's Thortsen Stephan

Whitepapers of Note

The Business Benefits of Mobile Adoption with SAP Systems
ClickSoftware Mobility Suite and Sybase Mobility Solution
Networked Field Services

Webinars of Note

3 Critical Considerations for Embracing Mobile CRM
Exclusive SAP Mentor and Blogger Briefing:  Syclo and SAP Deliver Mobile Apps on Sybase Unwired Platform
The Future of Enterprise Mobility
The Latest m-Business Trends and How the Onslaught of Mobile Devices Affects Development Strategies
The Real-Time Mobile Enterprise:  The Benefits of Rapid, Easy Access
Redstone Arsenal's (DOD/Chugach) 3 Maintenance Challenges Solved by Mobile

You can follow me on Twitter @krbenedict and read my blog, Enterprise Mobility Strategies.

I have added a feature to my blog site that supports email subscriptions.  You can now receive all blog articles directly via email.  If you are interested, click here.

*************************************************************

Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Expert Interview Series: Sybase’s James Naftel, Part 1

I had the privilege, last week, to interview Sybase’s Staff Product Manager for Afaria, James Naftel.  We are also working together on a mobile device management (MDM) webinar that will be announced later this week.

Note:  As usual, these are not James’ exact words, rather they are my notes from our interview.  The reason I use my notes is that I cannot type fast enough to keep up with most conversations, plus our conversations often digress or become more expansive than readers would like to read.  As a result, I note key phrases, opinions, advice, thoughts and write them up concisely.

Kevin: What are your current roles and responsibilities?
James: Staff Product Manager.  I drive product strategy and partnerships around Afaria.  I am also involved in working with all the different mobile device manufacturers.

Kevin: How long have you been working with Afaria?
James: Twelve years. The first five years were as a developer.

Kevin:  How many times has the company been sold or had a name change during those 12 years?
James: Let’s see, Xcellenet, Sterling Commerce, Afaria, then back to Xcellenet, then iAnywhere/Sybase and finally SAP.

Kevin:  Was Afaria always about MDM (mobile device management)?
James:  We first started out working on a retail product called Remote Ware which was designed to help stores download or upload sales numbers.  It evolved from there.

Kevin: Where is your office located?
James: Alpharetta, Georgia.


Kevin: What mobile device(s) do you carry?
James: An Android smartphone, an iPad, in the past a laptop,  but most days now the iPad is what I take home with me. Some days the Samsung 7 inch Galaxy Tab.

Kevin: What are some of your favorite mobile applications that you have on your mobile device(s)?
James:  Weather, the ESPN app, EverNote, iProcrastinate (task lists).

Kevin: Do you ever use your mobile device to buy things?
James: I use my smartphones mostly for research, not purchasing things. I use my tablets to purchase items.

Kevin: How many computing devices do you have in your home?
James: Six.

Kevin: How long have you been involved in enterprise mobility?
James: Twelve years.  I started working on Afaria right out of college. First, we focused on supporting mobile laptops for companies that had mobile sales force, like pharmaceutical companies.

Kevin: What is different today, than when you started working with enterprise mobility?
James: The devices. Laptops were the primary platforms when I started, now smartphones and tablets.

Kevin: What industries do you see adopting enterprise mobility today?
James: Everybody. Two years ago it was industries like utilities, energy and cable companies with large field service organizations. Now everybody is implementing enterprise mobility.

Kevin: What were some the most surprising trends you saw in mobility during 2010?
James:  This year (2011) it is Nokia partnering with Microsoft. I really thought Nokia would back Android. However, during last year (2010), it was Android’s success. I have 30-40 devices on my desk today, and many of them are Android devices.  Another surprise, companies allowing the use of personal devices at work. Sybase lets employees use personal devices, but now many others do as well.  We had to refocus more attention to issues related to securing personal devices with corporate data.



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Kevin Benedict,Independent Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst, SAP Mentor Volunteer
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Join the SAP Enterprise Mobility group on Linkedin:

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Mobile Expert Interview Series: SAP's Jack Chawla

SAP's Jack Chawla


I had the privilege to interview Jack Chawla, who is Senior Director, Technology Marketing with SAP's Mobile Business Unit last week via email.

Note:  This interview took place via email, so these are Jack Chawla's words with minor edits.

Kevin:  What mobile device(s) do you carry?
Jack:  I generally have the following devices in my vicinity. . . BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, MBA and Lenovo.  While traveling, I try to carry not more than three devices. . . but sometimes I end up carrying more devices than pants!

Kevin:  What are your favorite mobile applications that you have on your mobile devices?
Jack:  I use Twitter, Bloomberg, Yelp, NYT, Pandora, Kindle, Google Maps, Google Search, Gmail and Camera apps the most.  I have more apps than I would like to admit on my devices.

Kevin:  Do you use your mobile device to buy things?
Jack:  Yes, I use the Amazon app to find and buy stuff cheaper than in retail stores!  I love the Amazon Remembers feature.

Mobile Expert Interview Series: SAP's Puneet Suppal

SAP's Puneet Suppal
I have been blessed with the opportunity to participate in a number of conferences, events and webinars this last year with Puneet Suppal with SAP’s Premier Customer Network Center of Excellence. He is an experienced mobility expert, and I want to thank him for sharing his independent thoughts and insights with us (these do not represent any official statement from his employer, SAP).

Note: These are not Puneet’s exact words, rather my notes from our interview.

Kevin: What mobile device(s) do you carry?
Puneet: My main devices are: BlackBerry, Nokia (my overseas phone), Android. Apple iPod Touch, Lenovo ThinkPad, Dell laptop.

Kevin: How many computing devices do you have in the house?
Puneet: Eight.

Kevin: Do you make purchases on mobile devices?
Puneet: Occasional movie tickets on the Android smartphone. I have purchased often using desktop or laptop computers.

Kevin: What are your favorite mobile applications on your mobile device?
Puneet: I am a news junkie, so my favorite mobile apps are news and sports related. I also use Twitter and text messaging apps.

Kevin: How long have you been involved in enterprise mobility?
Puneet: As a user, I got my first BlackBerry in 2004. I have been involved in the enterprise mobility industry since 2008-2009.

New Trend - Carry More Mobile Devices Til You Can't Walk No More

iPhone, iPad, Netbook, Blackberry
OK, I don't want to report this trend.  I am all about convergence and combining more and better features into small pocket size devices called smartphones, but my journalistic side beckons.  I have conducted quite a few interviews with leading minds in the enterprise mobility space (read the series here).  In these interviews one of my favorite questions is, "What mobile device do you carry?"

Here are some recent answers to my interview question:

Mobile Companion Applications

I have found that in some industries and markets, mobile applications for smartphones or rugged handheld computers just won't cut it, at least on their own.  In heavy construction, utilities, environmental services, disaster relief, inspection and assessment and on blueprint and map intensive jobs, handheld mobile devices simply have screens that are too small to be effective.  In these work environments Panasonic Toughbooks and other ruggedized laptops and Tablet PCs seem to be the better fit due to their bigger displays.  However, there are also cases where companies want both mobile applications for handheld devices and laptop applications that work together.  This category of applications is called "mobile companion" applications.

Mobile companion apps are smaller versions of the laptop or Tablet PC application that are specifically designed for use on a handheld mobile device.  In many cases an engineer has a mounted Toughbook in the cab of the truck, but when he/she leaves the truck they want the ability to interact with the data, collect data, receive alerts, query a database, and fill out forms all on the smartphone using a version of the application designed for smaller screens.

When the engineer returns to the truck, any edits or additions to the data captured on the mobile handheld device is already updated on the laptop.  The bigger displays on the laptops and Tablet PCs can show maps, blueprints, CAD drawings, etc., and the integrated data from the "companion" application.

SAP's co-Innovation Partner, Syclo has coined the phrase "mobile companion" application to describe the coupling of laptops and handheld devices that work together, but have different screen sizes and application designs.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Field Service Automation ROIs and Service Optimization, Part 1

Andy Wright, in a recent blog article wrote, "According to a recent study by the Aberdeen Group; organizations that adopt a scheduling solution see on average a 12 percent improvement in workforce utilization. While many field service organizations are slow to adopt a scheduling solution, those considered “Best-in-Class” are 50 percent more likely to adopt and implement resource planning tools that harmonize the execution capabilities of their scheduling applications."

From personal experience I would agree with the Aberdeen Group's findings.  When you consider all of the different areas where a service company can receive a positive ROI, not automating a field service organization seems simply irresponsible.

Here are some of the most basic areas to look for ROIs:
  • Save the office staff's data entry time. Enter clean, valid data in the field using your smartphone and have it automatically synchronize with your office business software application.
  • Dispatch service or work order information directly to your field worker's mobile device in real time. This improves work efficiency and customer care.
  • Synchronize data from the field, so you don't have to drive into the office to deliver your paper work.
  • Provide access to database information anywhere you go. This can mean customer history, product documentation, warranty information, inventory information, time sheets, work schedules and much more. This creates efficiencies both for the field worker and the office staff.
  • Use bar code scanning on your mobile device to scan equipment, inventory, buildings, products, etc. Scan a bar code and have all the relevant information on your asset immediately available for your review on the screen of your smartphone.
  • Immediate invoicing - complete work in the field and immediately print the invoice and hand it to the customer for collection. This improves cash flow and reduces collection issues.
  • Create an immediate audit trail of work and locations by integrating GPS to your invoices and work orders. Detail work completed in that location.
  • Take digital photos of before and after work to document tasks and the completion of work to reduce costly invoice disputes.
In part 2 of this article I will take a deeper look at ROIs available from mobilizing field services.  In the meantime, SAP mobility partner, Clicksoftware has a short video that describes how to mobilize various tasks in the field.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin's M2M News Weekly - July 7, 2010

Welcome to Kevin's M2M News Weekly. This is an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices that I read each week. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

I believe that enterprise mobility and the M2M markets are converging. Both areas exchange wireless data with the enterprise. Both play important roles in enterprise asset management, fleet management and field services.

You can read archived editions of Kevin's M2M News Weekly at http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/m2m.html.

Also check out Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly and Kevin’s Enterprise Mobility Blog.

Please send me any interesting M2M news links, market numbers, events, case studies, analyst reports or whitepapers that you come across and I will include in my newsletter. Enjoy!

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Gemalto announced on the 29th of June that it had acquired Cinterion Wireless Modules GmbH for a total cash price of €163 million. Cinterion Wireless Modules is a leader in intelligent cellular M2M communication. Frost & Sullivan believes that the M2M market will move from being a niche market to becoming a part of the mass market in the next few years. However, the M2M Average Revenue Per User will make sense only if providers are able to sell services and/or integration and maintenance.

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=46788&t=1&c=33&cg=4&mset=

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Satellite and cellular communications firm, Orbcomc, is to build a gateway earth station in Hartebeesthoek, South Africa. Orbcomm maintains its own low-earth-orbit satellite network, which provides two-way M2M communication from virtually anywhere in the world on a near real-time basis. The Orbcomm network provides near real-time messaging, tracking and monitoring, and the new facility is expected to significantly boost the M2M market in the greater Southern African region.

http://www.africanbusinessreview.co.za/sectors/other-construction/new-satellite-gateway-sa

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On July 1, 2010, Chang'an Automobile Co. Ltd signed a strategic cooperation agreement with China Mobile to jointly develop 3G cars and apply M2M communication technology to the cars. This technology can conduct remote monitoring and management of the car by downloading 3G network to collect the vehicle operating data, and then deliver it through China Mobile's wireless network.

http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1015836/changan-auto-to-develop-3g-car-with-china-mobile.html

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AT&T reached an agreement with the Current Group that will allow it to extend its reach with smart-grid solutions for utilities. AT&T will offer Current Smart Grid Distribution Solutions, which help utilities increase grid efficiency and system capacity by managing demand dynamically and reducing power delivery losses.

http://urgentcomm.com/networks_and_systems/briefs/att-current-partner-20100701/

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Everything Everywhere is aiming to increase business customers' productivity by up to 15 percent over the next three years. Four areas of focus have been identified by Everything Everywhere: M2M, healthcare, 'information everywhere' and HD Voice.

http://www.mobilenewscwp.co.uk/News/529447/everything_everywhere_b2b_vow.html

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Numerex Corp. , a provider of M2M products and services announced that it has been recognized by Everything Channel as one of North America's top M2M technology integrators. This recognition is the result of Numerex's strategy of offering an integrated suite of products and services in support of its customers' M2M solutions.

http://pr-canada.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221133&Itemid=58

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AT&T’s wholesale business continues to shrink. Using their sequential (Q4 to Q1) figures, they are headed for a double digit annual revenue decline in 2010. Wholesale revenues for Verizon are trending toward a double-digit decline as well. Android will need to morph into something “Incredible” to replace business and wholesale losses at Verizon. ARPU (average revenue per user) will rise, as will prepaid customers and M2M connected devices.

http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20100629/REALITY_CHECK/100629954/reality-check-earnings-spotlight-on-consumer-data-and-enterprise

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Bluetooth Low Energy is forecasted to dominate wireless sensor network (M2M) market. Wireless Sensor Networks are all still in an emergent state, however, they are projected to grow rapidly in home and building applications. While the usual listing of home security, entertainment and lighting control, automated fire containment and alarm, burglar deterrence, etc. are all important, the application in energy use monitoring and utility management will be immense. Nearly 70% of the average household utility bill could be influenced by WSN applications.

http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-bluetooth-low-energy-forecast-dominate-wireless-sensor-network-/2010/07/01/4880244.htm

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Cybercom has initiated a strategic partnership with Wireless Maingate, a leading supplier of M2M solutions. The partnership entails outsourcing of application management to Cybercom in China. Wireless Maingate works on the development of M2M wireless technology so that products can be online no matter where they are.

http://www.cisionwire.com/cybercom-group/cybercom-and-wireless-maingate-form-strategic-partnership23388

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Hans Dahlberg, head of industrial services at TeliaSonera says, "Machine-to-Machine communications represents an opportunity that is potentially larger than the either the mobile or Internet revolutions.”

http://m2m.tmcnet.com/topics/m2mevolution/articles/90536-smarttrust-collaborates-with-teliasonera-advances-m2m-market-applications.htm

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A good friend sent me an article over the holiday weekend about a tomato watering system that was set up to tweet whenever it needed more water. I like it! It contains a moisture sensor connected to an embedded M2M wireless device. It is a silly little proof of concept, but it helps us to understand how many unique applications there are for M2M systems.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/m2m-tomatoes-fisherman-and-drug-addicts.html

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BSQUARE Corporation and the Ford Motor Company have jointly setup a Telematics Competency Center. The agreement which was signed on June 29, 2010 stipulates that the Competency Center will be staffed by BSQUARE and will focus on development and deployment of the next generation Sync in-dashboard information and infotainment system (M2M or embedded mobile devices).

http://m2m.tmcnet.com/topics/m2mevolution/articles/90890-bsquare-inks-deal-with-ford-launch-telematics-competency.htm

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Wireless M2M telemonitoring devices are increasingly being used to offer assistance to diabetes patients who must manage vital blood sugar parameters at all times.

http://dataweek.co.za/news.aspx?pklNewsId=36068&pklCategoryID=42

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An ECG, which can detect abnormal heart rhythms, is usually carried out at a hospital or clinic, but Chow U-Jin, medical director at Ephone International, which developed the EPI Life, said the device is able to condense the whole ECG process onto a mobile platform, making it a life-saving gadget.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iSC36tk1MqPREb3isxLd4kd7Y9qw

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President Obama announced Friday a $795 million government program to develop broadband access in rural parts of the country. Among the beneficiaries will be 900 healthcare facilities. The FCC's National Broadband Plan estimates $700 billion in savings over 15-25 years from teleHealth initiatives. Telehealth is likely to get a boost from greater access to broadband, the FCC plan notes.

http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/broadband-investments-boost-900-healthcare-facilities

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Swedish telecoms equipment manufacturer Ericsson expects that backhaul capacity in Latin America will have to increase 100 times if the region is to support what it predicts will be 5 billion M2M connected devices operating in the region in 2020.

http://www.bnamericas.com/news/telecommunications/Backhaul_must_increase_100_times_to_support_5bn_devices_in_2020_-_Ericsson

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://twitter.com/krbenedict
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles. ***************************************************

Interviews with Kevin Benedict