Most if not all of the field inspection software applications that MobileDataforce have worked on synchronize data from mobile handheld PDAs to a database back at the office. Often we are asked to create web interfaces to this data so project participants and management can quickly login and review the collected inspection data from anywhere in the world via a web browser. We customize a series of reports that display the data in relevant and helpful formats for quick and efficient viewing and understanding.
Kevin Benedict is a TCS futurist and lecturer focused on the signals and foresight that emerge as society, geopolitics, economies, science, technology, environment, and philosophy converge.
Mobile Inspections on Handheld PDAs and the Web
Most if not all of the field inspection software applications that MobileDataforce have worked on synchronize data from mobile handheld PDAs to a database back at the office. Often we are asked to create web interfaces to this data so project participants and management can quickly login and review the collected inspection data from anywhere in the world via a web browser. We customize a series of reports that display the data in relevant and helpful formats for quick and efficient viewing and understanding.
Mobile Inspection Software on Handheld PDAs
Mobile inspection software solutions are the topic of the week. Why? Many of MobileDataforce's largest global customers are in the inspection services business. In addition, rarely are inspections done in an office cubicle. They are most often completed somewhere away from the office and often out-of-doors. My engineering team has been developing and enhancing the PointSync Mobility Platform for many years specifically for companies that have a need to use a wide variety of different inspection applications and other mobile applications in the field.
The image in the upper right corner of this blog - is a screen shot of the PointSync Developer. This is the application companies use to develop each customized inspection. Once the mobile application is designed, developed and deployed the work can begin.
Because the inspection services industry covers such a wide variety of inspections, MobileDataforce created a mobile inspection platform to support the requirements for quickly changing them. Here is a list of a few of the common inspection applications:
- Building Inspections
- Power Pole Inspections
- Substation Inspections
- Stray Voltage Inspections
- Power Generation Plant Inspections
- Pipeline Inspections
- Health & Safety Inspections
- Scaffold Inspections
- Mold Inspections
- Fire Safety Inspections
- Conditional Assessment Inspections
- Auto Inspections
- End of lease vehicle inspections
- Quality Assurance Inspections
- etc...
The list is endless. No one would buy a separate mobile application for each of the thousands of different possible inspections. Companies want an mobile inspection platform that can support all of these possible scenarios. That solution is the PointSync Mobility Platform for Inspections.
Off the Shelf Mobile Applications vs Customized for Handheld PDAs
Mobile Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs
Mobile Software Solutions for Handheld PDAs and Integration
Mobile software solutions for handheld PDAs have limited value, unless they are synchronized and integrated with business applications back at the office. To that end, MobileDataforce's mobile software applications are integrated with many of the world's most popular database applications including:
- Sybase & iAnywhere
- Quickbooks
- Microsoft SQL
- Microsoft Navision
- Microsoft's Great Plains
- Microsoft Dynamic
- Microsoft Access
- Oracle
- AS 400/DB2
- MRO Maximo
- Many more...
The integration with these database applications enable bi-directional database synchronization between the mobile handheld PDAs and the office business software applications. This empowers the mobile handheld user to have the same kinds of visibility to enterprise data as someone sitting in a cubicle in the office. In addition, the office can receive near real-time data from work being done in the field. The efficiencies that are available through mobilization can be enormous.
Hawaii & Mobile Software for PDAs, Smartphones and Handhelds
Greetings Folks,
I am back from a wonderful and relaxing family vacation/holiday on the Island of Maui, Hawaii. I tried to forget about mobile software, PDAs, handhelds and smartphones for a few days, but alas, there are people carrying mobile handheld computers everywhere I go!
Let me give you an update on some of the mobile software solutions my team has been working on over the last few weeks:
- Paintless Dent Removal - mobile auto/vehicle inspections, services and repair business solutions
- Bridge inspections
- Mobile work order management applications for ATM service technicians
- Electric Utility - mobile inspection & work order applications
- Building inspection applications for a county government
- Clinical trials - mobile applications for healthcare service providers
- Asset management/conditional assessments and preventative work orders
- Much more...
The key value propositions for many of these solutions are the following:
- Accountability of work and workers in the field
- Accountability of company assets and inventory in the field
- Efficient use and dispatch of field service technicians
- Documentation of work completed in the field
- Efficient and timely synchronization of field data to the enterprise database
- Fast processing and invoicing of work completed
- Inspections and documentation of inspections - for just about everything
- Faster and better customer service leading to happier customers and greater profits
Toilets and Mobile Handheld PDAs
This is a first - MobileDataforce is developing an inspection software solution for inspecting toilets using handheld PDAs. Our team in Newcastle, England is working on a project called WaterSmart. This application is for Water Utility companies to use to help homeowners conserve water and save money.
This is how it works:
- Inspectors swarm into a homeowner's bathrooms and start flushing their toilets, using their showers and filling their bath tubs.
- They measure outputs, water pressure, and the overall water use of a house.
- They use handheld PDA applications to collect all of this data and synchronize it back to headquarters
- The data collected results in recommendations for the installation of water conservation equipment in the home, which kicks-off a work order process
- The work order is dispatched to a service technician that travels out to the home and installs things like; balloons in the toilet to reduce the water in the tank, shower heads that reduce water volume to a dribble and many other clever things...
These mobile software applications are used for mobile inspections, data collection, work order dispatch and synchronization. These are very interesting projects and they allow us to play with cool new handheld PDAs and other mobile gadgets.
Auto Appraisals Using Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software
- Mobile dent repair and minor autobody work
- Mobile Auto Detailing/Valet
- End-of-Lease Inspections
All of these business processes are completed on the mobile handheld PDA and synchronized with a web enabled database.
Reporting from the UK - Mobile Automotive Solutions for PDAs, Handhelds and Smartphones
The mobile solution they were demonstrating included a valuation component. A person could scan a VIN code and the description of the car would pop-up and auto fill the the electronic inspection form on the handheld PDA. The dealership would then inspect the car for damage and the final value of the car would be computed from the valuation database and the inspection.
This solution is used for automotive auctions, auto dealers, insurance and automotive lease return companies.
First the Dell Axim PDA Dies & Now the iPAQ Pocket PC???
LXE Using Animation to Market the HX2 Wearable Computer
LXE is using a cartoon character called the "Scan Man" to market their new wearable, rugged computer called the HX2. The HX2 has a screen made from the same material as a fighter-jet's cockpit windshield and is strapped to your arm.
I haven't spent much time thinking about wearable computers as I focus most of my time on mobile handheld PDAs, smartphones and industrial barcode scanners that run on Windows Mobile OS. Maybe it's time. Here are two interesting descriptions on LXE's website:
- Breakaway ring scanner improves operator safety by preventing snags. (Snags is another word for ripping your finger off)
- Voice enabled with ToughTalk technology. (I wonder if this was tested on sailors?)
This computer enables you to point at a distant object and voice order it to be scanned. The voice enabled computer is strapped to your arm and connected to a scanner ring that fits on your finger. Very clever! I wonder if there are any restrictions on which finger you can use to point?
Inside and Outside the 4 Walls with Mobile Software and Handheld PDAs
Ryzex Buys, Sells & Recycles Mobile Handheld PDAs and Computers
Casio Enterprise Handheld PDA
The Juno Rugged Handheld Pocket PC
The Juno ST handheld is ideal for utility companies, government organizations, and agencies that are managing large deployments and tight budgets....but don't mind breaking their handhelds and buying replacements that cost more than buying a rugged one in the first place (sorry I added that).
Another Plane Another Victim - Evangelizing Mobile Handheld PDA Applications
Clinical Trials & Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software
- Clinical trials - controlled and monitored research following specific research standards
- ePRO - electronic patient reported outcome (how did the medicine or treatement effect them?)
- eDiary - electronic patient diary (how did you feel throughout the day?)
- Real-time patient monitoring (near real time communication with mobile patients)
- Patient self-reports (a patient reporting on themselves)
- Clinical trial sponsors - the entity paying for the study?
- Capturing clinical trial data
The following list of links direct you to previous blog articles on clinical research and healthcare related mobile applications we have deployed:
- Mobile solutions for phamaceutical companies
- Mobile Clinical Research applications
- Mobile solutions for the Department of Health and Welfare.
- Mobile solutions for the Idaho Board of Pharmacy
Handheld Computer Considerations
There are a lot of good handheld computers available and some bad ones. I will leave the bad ones for a future discussion and focus on some of the points to consider when selecting good handheld hardware.
- What environment will you be using the handheld computer in - is it hot, cold, wet, dusty or filled with explosive vapors? Is it a clean office environment, or a rugged out-of-doors environment?
- Is your software application focused exclusively on bar code scanning, RFID reading, GPS, or do you need a multi-purpose device?
- Will the hardware configuration ever need to be changed? Some handhelds can be configured at will, others are locked and can only be used with the original configuration.
- What hardware does your selected software require?
- Will the battery last long enough to accomplish your work? Do you need back-up batteries? Can you use batteries purchased at the local market, or are they vendor specific?
- What is your budget? What does the value of using a handheld computer justify spending? Do you have enough budget to purchase the software and hardware you need? Does your budget only allow for low cost consumer devices? How many replacements cover the cost of a ruggedized handheld?
- How do you replace broken devices? Can you get a replacement in 24 hours, or must you wait on the slow-boat-from-China?
- What kind of support contracts and warranties are available?
- How long will you new handheld computer be supported, serviced and manufactured by the vendor. Is it near end of life and being discounted for a reason?
- Can you upgrade the operating system when Microsoft releases a new version of their mobile operating system?
- Can you use standard laptop data cards in the handheld, or do you need to pay for high priced vendor specific cards?
- Can you view the screen effectively in the sunlight?
- Does the bar code scanner work effectively in real-world environment? Some scanners can not scan effectively through glass or plastic.
- Is the size and weight of the handheld appropriate for the user and environment?
- Can your handheld computer support all the add-ons you require at the same time? Some devices can only support a specific number of add-on components so you are forced to choose. Some can not support both a GPS and a data card at the same time. Some devices can not support both a bar code scanner and a GPS add-on. This is an important consideration.
- Do you need only a touch screen and navigation pad, or a number pad or a full QWERTY keyboard? This is very important for user acceptance.
- Is the handheld device also going to be used as a phone? Is a 2 pound industrial grade handheld really a usable phone?
- Does your low cost consumer grade PDA need a rugged case like the ones Otterbox sells?
- If you only have a budget for a low cost device, does it support the battery life and add-on components you require?
- How will the device be transported around a job site? Will it strap to a belt, swing from a shoulder strap, sit in a holster or be mounted to the dashboard of your truck? Does your device support your chosen method?
- Where is the closest inventory of the handheld computers? Where is the closest repair depot?
- Will your vendor loan you a device on trial?
- How will your handheld computer send data back to the office - cradle sync, WiFi, bluetooth, GPRS/GSM, CDMA?
- What size screen do you need? Some devices like the Jett-Eye have a "landscape view" others a "portrait view" many have different sized screens. What do you require?
- Do you need an integrated digital camera? Do you need a low or high resolution camera and does your device support it?
- Does a refurbished device from Ryzex make better sense that a new device?
- Where is your vendor's office? Are they in the neighborhood or on the other side of the planet? Does their location offer you the support and attention you deserve?
- Does your handheld computer run on the same operating system that your software solutions require?
- Does your handheld computer come with a pistol grip or other straps that help you avoid dropping it?
- Can you comfortably hold the device in your handheld and complete the required job? Some devices have scanners on the side, on the end or underneath.
- Can you effectively view the data you need? Some jobs simply require a full keyboard and a full screen for viewing large CAD files or Maps. Does your screen size match your requirements?
RAM Mounts for Mobile and Handheld PDAs
Some of the mounts are designed to enable your mobile devices to be charged while cradled. MobileDataforce has a large deployment that includes software licenses of our PointSync Mobile, Psion Teklogix WorkAbout Pros and RAM Mounts all connected to a GPRS/Satellite system for an always connected environment.
Tools, Parts & Mobile Work Order Solutions on Handheld PDAs
We have had several requests recently to combine mobile work order solutions with inventory and asset tracking applications for use on mobile handheld PDAs. This is not unusual, it just points out the fact that companies are recognizing a great deal of value from mobilizing business processes. Here is an example:
The company wants to track any employees that enter the stockroom where both inventory and tools are kept, and track anything that is removed by them. They would do this by matching the employee's ID cards, with the customer's work order and any inventory or tools that are used on the work order.
This solution would better control the use of tools and inventory, and ensure they are appropriately billed to the customer's work order. This system would provide the following ROI:
- Reduce missing inventory
- Bill the customer appropriately for inventory usage
- Bill the customer appropriately for the use of tools
- Track the tools and who has them (asset tracking)
- Assign inventory and tools to an employee for accountability
- Reduce the labor needed to manage inventory, billing, and assets
The Latest Information on Appforge
After losing over $24 million since 2001 Appforge closes and sells assets to Oracle. Here are a number of additional articles and blogs on the subject:
- http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=22038&hed=Oracle+Picks+Up+AppForge§or=Industries&subsector=Computing
- http://www.localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/venture/story/1278877/
- http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2007/04/19/oracle_appforge/
- http://www.thealarmclock.com/mt/archives/2007/04/oracle_buys_ass.html
- http://mikeg.typepad.com/perceptions/2007/04/oracle_buys_ass.html
- http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2007/04/19/oracle_appforge/
- http://radiofreetooting.blogspot.com/2007/04/appforge-no-news-is-er-no-news.html
Paintless Dent Repair & Handheld PDA Solutions
Why are companies involved in the PDR industry using mobile handheld PDA solutions for field services? Here are a few of the business issues that mobile solutions address:
- Avoid duplicate billings - when a car is brought into inventory, the VIN is scanned using a bar code scanner, this creates a new and unique record in the mobile software application that can be used to uniquely identify the vehicle and to assign inspections, work orders and invoices to it. This avoids duplicate billings for the same vehicle which causes the dealership to question your integrity.
- Avoid double entry of data - data should only be entered once. Data should be entered at the "point-of-work" and then synchronized wirelessly directly with the office accounting system. When you use a paper form based system, the staff in the field must fill it out, fax or deliver it to the office where another staff member must decipher it, analyze it, complete it, and then re-type it into a computer system. This is a huge and unnecessary cost and prevents many franchisers from scaling up in size.
- Managers and staff need to know what is happening in the field. Mobile handheld solutions that are wirelessly synchronized with the office computer system can be updating time sheets, production sheets, inventory, employee data, work schedules, sales, customer information, invoices, inventory etc. all day long. This provides management with near real-time visibility into their operations. This is how active, mobile managers stay in touch with their distributed operations.
- Many of our PDR customers are competing with other companies for an auto dealer's business. Being able to show the manager of the auto dealership how your operations are mobilized with rugged handheld computers, wirelessly synchronized with the central office and capable of printing invoices and work orders directly from in the field is very impressive. It shows a level of sophistication and operational excellence missing with many PDR operations.
There are more articles on the use of handheld PDAs in the Paintless Dent Repair industry here.
Thoughts on the Business of Mobile Handheld PDA Software Development
Software and IT Consultants that wish to offer general mobile software development services and mobile handheld PDA solutions to a broad market have the following important business management questions to consider:
- how do you achieve economies of scale (get better and faster over time to increase profitability)
- how do you manage risks (from many new and custom development projects)
- how do you develop in-house expertise in a broad windows mobile market with a large number of different mobile business processes
- how do you develop all the appropriate technology skills necessary to deliver a wide variety of applications using different synchronization, security, integration, database, business process and connectivity options in your mobile software
- how do you develop a complete quality assurance plan for every new custom mobile software application (make sure you include this time in your proposal)
- how do you efficiently test and de-bug a large number of custom mobile applications
- how do you document how each customized software application works (make sure you include this time in your proposal)
- how do you maintain and support a wide variety of custom mobile software applications
- how do you keep your customer’s mobile software applications current with new versions of mobile operating systems and new handheld device technologies
- how do you integrate your custom mobile software applications with a large variety of different backend databases and database applications
- how do you do this all profitably
I have had many software and IT consultants contact me and say they have tried to develop a business targeting mobile software applications using Microsoft’s .NET development environment or other coding environments like Appforge, but it simply takes too long, and the cost is too high for the majority of their small to medium sized customers. They contacted me to ask if MobileDataforce has a solution that can address their business needs. The short answer is yes.
In order to profitably develop customized mobile software solutions for use on smartphones and handheld PDAs a large variety of business processes and/or industries, one must standardize as many of the design, development, deployment and support processes as possible. This goal is most easily accomplished by using a mobile software platform that provides these features in a configurable environment.
A mobile software platform enables your professional services organization to train on a standardized platform and to use a standardized methodology for rapidly developing and delivering custom solutions. With a common platform in use, the following benefits can be recognized:
- Many of the requirements that mobile projects have are already pre-built in the mobile software platform
- project estimates become increasingly accurate
- software developers can easily support each other's projects and mobile applications
- synchronization does not have to be developed, rather it is configured
- mobile application screens don't have to be developed, rather they are configured
- connectivity options don't have to be developed, rather they are configured
- handheld device support is configured, rather than developed
- mobile databases don't have to be developed, rather they are already included and only need configured
- common templates and functions can be re-used on many different applications
- technical support staff can easily de-bug and support new custom applications using visual de-buggers and management tools
- design standards and functions make screen creation quick and efficient
- application "clips" are reusable configurations and features that can be re-used on many different projects
- the function library has over 220 pre-built functions that save design and development time
- existing application templates can used and customized for multiple customer projects
- new versions of mobile solutions can be published to the mobile user from the server
- one set of code can work on Windows XP, Windows CE, Windows Mobile, Tablet PC and multiple screen sizes
The bottom-line - a large variety of mobile applications can be rapidly designed, developed, deployed and supported profitably if they are produced using a mobile software platform like the PointSync Mobility Platform. To program or code a large variety of different and customized mobile applications using .NET or Appforge is simply too expensive and takes too much development time for the average small to medium sized business. Speed and efficiency is required to serve this market. Mobile applications should be configured for these clients, rather than programmed.
Here are a few articles that address these issues in more detail:
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2007/04/mobile-solution-warning.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2007/03/what-happens-after-mobile-deployment.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2007/01/mobile-platforms-for-enterprise.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2006/11/managing-mobile-software-deployments.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2006/10/mobile-software-platforms-and.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2006/12/mobiledataforce-launches-pointsync.html
- http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2006/11/mobile-software-platform-thoughts.html
Ultra-Rugged Portable Printers - O'Niel Printers for Handheld PDA Solutions
For those who feel "rugged" is not good enough for them, O'Niel Portable Printers offer the "Ultra-Rugged" line of microFlash printers.
These printers are also called "wearable" printers and they can be clipped to your belt. Hummm...what if you don't wear a belt? Where would you clip it? Perhaps you also need ruggedized clothing to support your ruggedized printer? These are popular with the route delivery folks who are leaving proof-of-delivery receipts with digital signatures. They can also be used for sales receipts, service requests and letters to your mother. That's an idea, a very short curled letter to mom.
Since these printers are "wearable" I wonder if you need to accessorize them? Do they come with matching handheld computers, styluses? Are there different colors, patterns and textures....I guess black goes with everything.
MobileDataforce develops customized mobile software solutions for companies, and these kinds of rugged, or ultra-rugged printers are often part of the solution. In this article I discuss a project we did for a company that manages parking garages and city parking meters.
In an earlier article I wrote about PrinTekMobile's FieldPro Printer.
Zebra also offers rugged and wearable printers.
AppForge sells assets; firm owes $1.8 million
AppForge sells assets; firm owes $1.8 million
Atlanta Business Chronicle - April 13, 2007
by Justin Rubner
Details have emerged about the fate of software-maker AppForge Inc.
The company, which unexpectedly shut its doors in mid-March, has sold its assets to Atlanta-based Hays Financial Consulting LLC, a firm that manages distressed, insolvent and bankrupt companies. AppForge, which developed software for PDAs and other mobile devices, filed an "assignment for the benefit of creditors," a quasi-bankruptcy that assigns all assets to the management company with the intent of paying off creditors as quickly as possible so shareholders can get something as well.
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