Showing posts with label mobility strategies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobility strategies. Show all posts

Ultimate Mobile Technologies, UAVs and Artificial Intelligence

X-47B
I read an interesting article this week titled I AM War Plane that was published in the August 2012 edition of the magazine Popular Science.  It was written by Clay Dillow and explored the new mobile technology that permits unmanned fighter planes to fly from specialized aircraft carriers.

The prototype plane, X-47B, is the world's first autonomous warplane, and first unmanned plane ever to land on a carrier.  By autonomous, the author means the ability to, in real-time, "assess fluid situations and form dynamic responses."

It is a stealth plane designed to deliver strikes or perform reconnaissance.  This plane is now part of the U.S. military's approximately 10,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in its inventory.  Here is the connection to enterprise mobility - these planes are loaded with remote sensors, video, radar, infrared and all kinds of mobile technology that is securely synchronizing with a back-office server in real time.  This is an incredible glimpse into the future of enterprise mobility.
Download report: http://info.antennasoftware.com/GartnerMQ_MADP_KB.html
In addition to all of the cool technology already mentioned, this plane's robotic brain makes all the moment-to-moment decisions on its own.  Yes, its mission is still controlled by people, but its tactical flight tasks are left to the UAV's on-board brain.  This brain enables it to operate in complex settings.  It can process vast amounts of flight data, make near-instantaneous decisions and guide itself to a flawless landing on the deck of a heaving aircraft carrier.

The X-47B uses many sensors that you can find in an iPhone.  It uses GPS equipment, accelerometers, altimeters and gyroscopes, plus a trunk load of classified equipment and sensors.

The author notes that one of the biggest advances in this UAV is the software that enables it to translate the on-board sensor data into decisions and commands that are sent to the flight computer.  This data must be translated and processed fast enough to enable successful and tricky landings on the deck of a moving ship that is buffeted by wind, rain and waves.

The X-47B is flying today.  The military's technology of today, will be in the commercial sector tomorrow.

The X-47B is not just a demonstration of mobile communications, remote sensors and artificial intelligence, but also a demonstration of M2M (machine-to-machine) communication.  SAP has recently sponsored a new M2M initiative (http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2012/05/sap-announces-new-m2m-initiative.html) and I am seeing more mention of M2M in the SAP ecosystem.  Some SAP partners like ILS Technology also have dedicated M2M solutions that are integrated with SAP.
Learn more at http://www.devicewise.com

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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Top 5 Lessons Learned from Mobilizing SAP in the Cloud

I am excited to present this article from mobility expert Srini Subramanian.  He is the CTO at Unvired and shares his experiences implementing mobility in the cloud in SAP environments with us.


Working with SAP customers on the cloud has been a rich learning and myth busting experience in many ways.  Contrary to popular belief, a number of SAP customers do have a strong affinity for deploying solutions via the cloud.  So what are the insights from our first set of cloud customers?

1. Cloud is relevant and top of the mind for SAP customers 
Many of them already use other solutions such as Salesforce, Workday, Successfactors, etc. and integrate these SAAS / cloud solutions to their SAP systems in a number of ways.  A cloud based delivery of the mobile platform struck a chord with many of the CIO/CTO and IT heads that we spoke to.  It is also a known fact that on-premise or hosted data centers running the dedicated SAP instances need to co-exist with the cloud based platforms / solutions.  A flexible approach to cloud deployment without disrupting existing landscapes is what customers want.

2. Security
Data security is of paramount importance to all customers.  Business data is being unlocked and the safe guarding of that data while it is put to innovative usages needs to be the bedrock of any cloud platform.  The heads of IT recognize that email on mobile is already putting sensitive data on the device and data from business systems like SAP is not new, but only enhancing the amount of data on the device.  Also MDM solutions complement the security needs of the mobile platforms.

Security in the mobile context can be: Data on the cloud, data in transit and data on the device.  The mobile platform does not need to replicate the data from customer systems to the cloud.  Data is held on the cloud in encrypted form only for as long as it is required to be delivered safely to the device.  Data in transit is secured via standard HTTPS/SSL and data on the device is stored in encrypted databases.

3. Time to deploy, rapid change
Companies want to deploy mobile solutions rapidly and they don’t want to wait.  Reasons are many but the primary one is that deployments on mobile devices are in response (or to preempt) to business demands (like approvals on the Go, sales order creation etc) and are time sensitive.  In many cases, deploying the solution a few months later means reduced business relevance.  So solutions need to be rapidly deployed and be adaptable to rapid changes requested by business users.

4. ROI matters, no more POCs
Good old fashioned ROI still matters. Customers are hesitant to make huge investments into POCs with limited production relevance. Customers want quick and free trials with their own SAP systems and mobile devices eliminating the POCs. After the trial, customers are more interested in iterative roll out of mobile processes and investing in shorter bursts as and when required.  Customers want to see bang for the buck quickly as unlike investments in SAP and other systems wherein the investment is depreciated over 10 to 15 years.  Mobile investments are for much shorter periods of 2 to 3 years.  BYOD phenomenon, short device life and mobile manufacturer / telco driven periodic device refresh have driven the shorter shelf life in the mobile investments.

5. Pay as you go / scale as you go
This is a preference for many customers.  Rarely do we find that customers want to go for a big bang deployment of mobile solutions.  Additional deployments, requiring purchasing of (expensive) additional users, are a dampener for larger mobile adoption.  Also significant churn in employees’ headcount due to challenging business circumstances means customers want to not just buy additional users but also return users.  This new trend / requirement of return of users is done much easier in a cloud environment. 


Author: Srini Subramanian, Chief Technology Officer at Unvired, Inc. srinivasan.subramanian@unvired.com
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If you have lessons learned that you would like to share here, please contact me!

*Would you like my free mid-year enterprise mobility survey report?  If so, please take the survey now and receive the report for free!

Survey link - http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e64mo7lmh4g6ur76/start

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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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More Early Results on HTML5 from Kevin Benedict's Mid-Year Enterprise Mobility Survey

In my Mid-Year Enterprise Mobility Survey, I ask the question, "How important is HTML5 or HTML5 hybrid apps to your company's mobility plans?"  Here are the early answers (the survey is still open):

  • 12% - Not Important
  • 28% - Somewhat Important
  • 43% - Very Important
  • 15% - Critical Component
If you haven't already registered your opinions, please take the short survey and receive the full and final report for free!



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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Kevin Benedict's What's New in HTML5 - Week of July 8, 2012


Would it be useful for you to have the latest data on HTML5 and enterprise mobility?  If so, please take the following short survey and get the complete report free!

Now for the news...

In a recent interview, IBM’s Bob Sutor listed the progress HTML5 has been making including support from major mobile vendors, active standardization efforts, and a growing ecosystem of third-party tools that has been fueling recent success and adoption of HTML5.”  Read Original Content

Content optimization system Inbound Writer has announced the availability of a new release, rewritten entirely in HTML5 and available for Apple’s iPad and other smartphones and tablets with compliant browsers.  Read Original Content

The number of the top 100 websites using HTML5 storage has doubled in the last year, from 17 in 2011 to 34 currently in 2012.  The number using Flash has dropped from 37 to 13.  Read Original Content

YoYo Games is highlighting its Gamemaker: Studio’s HTML5 abilities by publishing seven of the hit games on the Google Chrome Web Store.  The game development tool allows studios to export Android games to HTML5 with "no additional porting or development resources required."  Read Original Content

Offering “an example of the power behind tools that small, resource-constrained publishers can now use to distribute their content across different platforms”, MIT Sloan Management Review has released a new web app for tablets using HTML5.  Read Original Content

The makers of the Dolphin browser want to show developers that HTML5 is a “strong foundation to build on”, and have announced the Dolphin Garage program which opens up access to nearly 150 APIs.  Read Original Content

Flash has been replaced with HTML5 in Google’s Android 4.1 “Jelly Bean” operating system.  “HTML5 is now universally supported on major mobile devices, in some cases exclusively, which makes HTML5 the best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms.”  Read Original Content

Facebook has rebuilt its iOS app, abandoning HTML5 for Objective-C.  The new app is reportedly much quicker and will be available in July 2012.  Read Original Content

Mozilla’s open mobile project, Firefox OS, will be an open mobile platform where every app and function is based on HTML5.  Carrier partners on record supporting the project are now Deutsche Telekom, Smart, Sprint, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telenor and Etisalat.  Read Original Content

Uberflip has developed a new infographic highlighting the rise of HTML5 as a publishing and marketing technology. The infographic is titled “HTML5:  What Marketers Need to Know.”  View the infographic here:  http://www.uberflip.com/blog/infographic-making-a-case-for-html5, Read Original Content

Electronic Arts showcased HTML5 at Google’s I/O conference with Strike Fortress, a social cross-platform game with full 3D graphics and “none of the telltale problems with animation that HTML5 is notorious for”.  Read Original Content

On-device caching is one of the features of HTML5 that mitigate or eliminate many of the pitfalls that come with mobile cloud computing.  Some of the popular mobile apps that take advantage of on-device caching are:  Google Maps for Android, CIA World Factbook (for BlackBerry and Android), and NewsRob Pro.  Read Original Content


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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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First Report - Mid-Year Enterprise Mobility Survey

I have just scanned through the first 53 survey responses, and wanted to share an early result.  By the way, if you have not already taken the quick survey, please do so here!  You will receive the final survey report free if you take it.

The question: What are your biggest challenges to implementing enterprise mobility today?  The top four challenges identified so far in order are:
  1. Choosing which mobile operating systems to support
  2. Selecting the right mobile security platform
  3. Determining the right ERP integration strategy
  4. Selecting the right mobile platform
Please invite all of your contacts to also take this survey so we can get the most accurate information possible to base our strategies on.  Here is the survey link, http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e64mo7lmh4g6ur76/start.  Remember, anyone that takes the survey gets the final report free!

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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Guest Blog: Mobile DSD - A Requirement

Mobility Expert Alok Pant, CEO of Unvired, shares his insights on mobile DSD (direct store delivery) in this guest blog.

In a world of fast changing tastes and instant gratification, my can of favorite beverage had better be on the shelf. If not, the retailer and supplier will have lost a loyal customer.  Direct Store Delivery (DSD) is a vital process that brings foods and beverages to the shelf. Mobilizing the DSD process makes the supply chain much more efficient, and ensures that the shopping experience is a pleasant one. In the world of enterprise mobility, mobile DSD is not a luxury—it is a must have.

While SAP and other companies have solutions for DSD, the Mobile DSD (MDSD) area remains ripe for innovation.  During our implementations of DSD and MDSD Solutions, customers have shared with us valuable feedback.  The usability of MDSD solutions can be improved to enhance sales and productivity of the delivery drivers.  The User Interface can be simplified for data entry and screen navigation. In many cases, there is a need to re-engineer the process flow to meet our clients' needs. 

One area to improve is in Sales Order creation.  Immediate Sales Order replication to SAP can trigger the follow up leading to faster order fulfillment. Another area to improve is Customer Surveys. During the store visit, the supplier personnel collect customer data via surveys. This survey data can be integrated with CRM systems like SAP CRM, which can be fed into BW and analytics can be utilized to make better decisions. 

Another insight from our customers is that it would be good to integrate the MDSD application with Asset Maintenance/Plant Maintenance systems to create and access Notifications.    Many times, the drivers are doing multiple things —taking orders, merchandising as well as conducting maintenance and repairs on a variety of assets the supplier has deployed at the retailers - think refrigerators as an example. 

Some customers have unique requirements for mobilizing DSD, and only a custom MDSD solution will work.  In these cases, we utilize our domain expertise and deliver a custom MDSD solution.   We also give our customers the option of either an on-premise or in the cloud solution.

Mobile DSD in conjunction with DSD has benefits for both the CP (consumer products) manufacturer and the retailer.  The supplier can better monitor demand on the shelf, be more responsive, and better control merchandising and promotions. New products can be introduced better and innovations increase. The retailer in turn benefits from lower capital outlays and always having fast moving items in stock. 

So the next time you grab that beverage, thank the process that enables you to quench your thirst - Mobile DSD. 

Alok Pant
CEO
Unvired, Inc.
www.unvired.com
Houston, Texas
M: 7135602760

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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Enterprise Mobility, Institutional Knowledge, New Processes and Context Aware Solutions

One of the most interesting benefits of mobile technologies is the ability to develop completely new business processes and workflows that provide new and unique values.  These are important, and rarely are considered as part of potential ROIs.  Let's think about the following scenario:

A diamond bladed concrete cutter is required for some utility work.  What needs to happen?  The cutting machine needs to be scheduled, located, inspected, transported, and a qualified operator needs to be available to run it.  In addition, a series of safety procedures need to be completed to ensure a safe working environment.  Perhaps municipal government agencies also need to be notified and permits received before the work can begin.

As you can see from this scenario, there are a lot of moving parts and steps that need to be completed in order for this job to be done optimally.  Many of the steps in the workflow are also dependent on other parts.  I can imagine companies developing cloud based workflows that include all of these steps, dependencies, procedures and tasks and connected to mobile applications.  When a job requires this cloud based workflow, it is activated and mobile applications that are integrated to a variety of back-end systems, plus GPS tracking systems, work together to input the data and complete the cloud based workflow.

How many different customized workflows do you think the world needs?  I don't know, but it is a large number!  The value of a mobile solution connected to this workflow is that predictive and context aware activities can start to be implemented automatically by your cloud based workflow.  If a documented workflow has 18 steps, how many of these steps can be automated?  If a diamond bladed concrete cutter needs a trailer to transport it, can available trailers be located by checking GPS locations and then scheduled automatically?  Can the schedules of all of the potential operators in the region be automatically reviewed to see who is available, and then scheduled?  Can government permits be requested automatically?

Most activities in the field have not been automated or even documented.  Required activities have traditionally been completed by experienced personnel that had been trained over many years.  The challenge is that in many field services environments like the utilities industry, they are losing large numbers of their most experienced people over the next 5 years to retirement.  These industries are struggling to harvest the institutional knowledge in the heads of their most senior workers so the next generation can benefit from their wisdom and experience.
If this institutional knowledge can be captured in cloud based workflows and connected to mobile technologies that would ensure real-time communications with the mobile workforce, then this also could be a major benefit.

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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Kevin Benedict's What's New in HTML5 - Week of June 17, 2012

This week I have posted a several segments of the Mobile Expert Video Series with mobility experts that discuss HTML5.  Here they are for your easy reference:

I have interviewed many more mobility experts discussing HTML5 this week, and these interviews will be published next week.  Stay tuned!!!

Now for the news:
 
Results of a recent survey of enterprise software coders found that 79 percent of nearly 2,200 mobile developers said they will use HTML5 in their apps in 2012, a higher than expected interest in HTML5 for mobile apps.  Read Original Content

Vana Workforce’s Vana HCM Release Update 6 introduces dedicated mobile support using standards-based HTML5 for cross platform support for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and tablet devices.  Read Original Content

Q&A site for finding repair solutions FixYa has revamped its mobile website with the launch of FixYa Mobile, a complete HTML5 overhaul for use on smartphones and tablets.  ReadOriginal Content

Mooklet Project has released an iPhone app, Mooklet that enables users to publish a photo book as an HTML5 web application.  Read Original Content

Facebook has launched its App Center for iOS and Android, enabling users to find new apps for their mobile devices.  The App Center supports HTML5 web apps as well as native apps.  Read Original Content

Startup bMobilized has introduced a do-it-yourself tool that will allow users to easily convert a website into a full-featured HTML5-enabled mobile site.  Read Original Content

One of the useful features of HTML5 is Drag and Drop, enabling developers to drag and drop HTML5 elements.  This tutorial explains HTML5 Drag and Drop with a simple example.  Read Original Content

Modernizr is an open-source JavaScript library that allows developers to take advantage of the new capabilities of HTML5 even on older browsers.  Read Original Content

iSpring has introduced the beta version of their PowerPoint to HTML5 converter for iPad and mobile devices (http://www.ispringsolutions.com/ispring-converter).  Read Original Content

Microsoft officials have announced that the company is adding HTML5 output support to its Visual Studio LightSwitch tool, which is now available to testers.  Read OriginalContent

Insurance industry software and services provider Systema Software has announced the launch of SIMS Mobile, developed using HTML5 to maximize interoperability.  SIMS Mobile is available for iOS and Android.  ReadOriginal Content

Combining HTML5 and CSS3 provides an opportunity for the creation of sophisticated websites in terms of design and capabilities, with stunning visual effects.  Read OriginalContent

FunMobility Inc. has announced the availability of an integrated mobile marketing suite, the AppWidget Mobile Engagement Platform, which features cloud-based, HTML5 plug-ins that instantly and easily improve the performance of any native iOS or Android app.  Read Original Content

Datameer has released a new version of its “Big Data analytics solution”.  Datameer 2.0 is HTML5-based and runs on smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops.  Read Original Content

Steel Media has created a new free digital magazine, swipe, built with interactive HTML5 and designed for the iPad.  Read Original Content

The mobile workforce is moving from desktop PCs to smartphones and tablets, and now is the time for businesses to incorporate HTML5 into web development projects.  Richard Hein provides “8 Reasons to Gear Up for HTML5 Now” on CIO.com.  Read Original Content

Glu CEO Niccolo de Masi states that HTML5 gaming is growing, but “its slow progress means it won't be a viable alternative to native apps for most publishers for another five or ten years”.  Read Original Content
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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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Mobile Expert Video Series: Verivo's Marc Rosenbaum

What value does HTML5 bring to a mobile platform vendor that says they already support cross-platform development?  How does HTML5 integrate with native apps to form hybrid apps?  These are the kinds of questions I ask Verivo's mobility expert Marc Rosenbaum in this segment of the Mobile Expert Video Series.  I hope you find this segment useful.


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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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What's New in HTML5, Week of June 10, 2012


I have been having numerous discussions about HTML5 with mobile experts these last few weeks, many of which I recorded on video, so stay tuned to my blog to watch them and learn how leading mobile vendors are incorporating HTML5 into their platforms and mobile apps.

One of my goals with publishing this HTML5 article series each week is to help companies, considering the use of HTML5, to understand the spectrum of use cases and the scope of its adoption by leading vendors.  I hope you find these articles useful.

Now for the news...

The automated software testing tool Testing Anywhere has released a new version, Testing Anywhere 7.5, and is now capable of testing HTML5 and cloud applications.  Read Original Content

OverDrive has announced plans to launch OverDrive Read, an open standard HTML5/EPUB browser-based e-book platform that will allow users to read e-books online or offline, without having to install software or download an app.  Read Original Content

For a comprehensive look at HTML5 in general and specifically as it relates to content publishing, check out this new article from Roger McNamee, “HTML 5: The Next Big Thing for Content".  Read Original Content

Inkling has announced the launch of Inkling for Web, an HTML5-based E-Book app that allows any device with a [compliant] browser the use of Inkling's features, previously available only through its iPad app. All current and future Inkling titles are now available through the new web interface with features including 3D graphics, videos and audio.  Read Original Content

A new provider of in-app mobile payment solutions, Zooz, is now offering an HTML5 mobile web version of its compact SDK, which requires only three lines of code for developers to “cut, paste, and go” in under 10 minutes. Read Original Content

Taptu has announced the launch of an HTML5-based news aggregator web app which will function across all devices.  Read Original Content

According to a YouTube executive, the video sharing site has been slow in fully adopting HTML5 because of browser fragmentation, problems with distribution and cost.  Read Original Content

Uberflip is a cloud-based digital publishing service built on HTML5 for mobile which features geo-targeting tools to allow companies to distribute tailored versions of their marketing pieces by region.  Read Original Content

The FBI has launched its first mobile-friendly website designed for smartphones and built with HTML5, JavaScript and AJAX.  Read Original Content

Jeffrey Zeldman‘s classic “Taking Your Talent to the Web” has been re-created with HTML5 and CSS3 and is now available as a free web book.  Read Original Content

The Beta developers update for the BlackBerry Playbook includes HTML5 optimization, Android functionality and features, and full device encryption support.  Read OriginalContent

appMobi has launched a cross platform game, Boom Town, developed in HTML5 and released simultaneously in Apple’s App Store, Google Play for Android, and on Facebook.  ReadOriginal Content

Progressive Media Group is planning to add HTML5 e-cards to their corporate holiday e-cards product lines, stating “the majority of animations we’ve seen on the web using HTML5, Javascript and CSS3 keep progressing at an encouraging pace”.  Read Original Content

Q4 Web Systems has introduced new HTML5 mobile apps for public companies to communicate with their investors via mobile applications.  Read Original Content

Enterprise mobility solutions provider AnyPresence has developed a utilities solution, backed by a flexible mobile platform, enabling IT staff to assemble mobile apps once, and deploy them instantly as HTML5, iOS and Android mobile applications.  ReadOriginal Content
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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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3D Maps and the Real World of Mobile Workers

I read yesterday about Apple dumping Google Maps and making a big investment in their own 3D mapping technology solution.  I was interested specifically in the 3D aspect of Apple's announced mapping solution.  Since the real world is in 3D, the more 3D the better.

A few years ago I worked on several mobile software projects with a facilities management company.  These projects were very interesting as they involved 3D considerations.  Facility managers need to know things like location and count of electrical outlets,  light fixtures, heaters, network cables and remodeling projects that are not included in the original plans.  Why?  It is their job to assess, maintain and repair the facilities and keep them compliant with local regulations and fire codes, so they must know what they are working on.

In some cases, facilities management company will bring into a room 3D laser scanning technology that will scan the room and completely map out its interior.  These 3D representations are then added to the building plans to provide a complete 3D representation of the building.   This is very useful if you are the person tasked with repairing the building.

I was once involved in a mobile field services project with a company in Oxford, England.  Their business model involved signing multi-year service contracts to support all the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) units in large commercial buildings.  The first thing this HVAC services company did with a new contract is to map out their customer's buildings and equipment and geo-tag them.  That is basically a 3D view of the location of all the equipment they would need to service.

For those not familiar with the concept of geo-tagging, it is simply documenting the GPS location of an object and labeling the location on a map.  In addition, many service companies will add a bar code label to the object so it can be uniquely identified in the EAM (enterprise asset management) system and facilities management systems.  This enables a service technician to simply scan a bar code on an object and have its history and records instantly produced on the handheld computer or smartphone.  It also helps them accurately document maintenance and repairs to that piece of unique equipment.

Buildings are 3D.  So anytime you are servicing objects in a building it is useful to have a 3D representation of it.  Especially, if the buildings are large and the interiors complex.

I recently listened to a segment of TedTalk about an organization that takes 3D scanners and maps out archaeological sites to preserve them digitally.  I thought this was very interesting.  They first described how many historical sites have been lost to history due to wars, looting, vandalism and geological events.  They described how they felt they were in a race against time to scan as many objects as possible to preserve them digitally.  Again these are all 3D maps.

I remember working on a mobile applications project for a services company that did post-disaster inspections of property.  They would enter a building and immediately begin a 3D map of the building.  They were looking for damage to buildings and property including storm damage (water, wind, earthquake, mold, mildew, etc.).  Everything they did involved a 3D map.  I remember discussing how to visually demonstrate water damage that was on the ceiling, two walls and the floor - definitely 3D. 

I teach in all of my mobile strategy workshops the concept of 4D field services.  This takes the concept of 3D (height, width and length) and adds the 4th dimension of time.  When did something happen (time) at that location on the map is also important.
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Kevin Benedict, Mobile Industry Analyst, Mobile Strategy Consultant and SAP Mentor Alumnus
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.
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