Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

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:

Ultra-Rugged Portable Printers - O'Niel Printers for Handheld PDA Solutions

Have you ever thought what a challenge it would be to produce a ruggedized printer for use with a mobile handheld PDA? Think about the environment they are used in; rain, snow, dust, spilled coffee, climbing in-and-out of vehicles all day, dropping it on the bathroom floor when your belt is loose. I am sure the folks at O'Niel have a million stories they laugh about or cry about when customers are not around.

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

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/04/16/newscolumn6.html?jst=pn_pn_lk

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.

Gartner on Appforge

This blog article is from Nick Jones and Michael King at Gartner:

http://blog.gartner.com/blog/comminn.php?itemid=2147

Gartner's advice - "...develop a contingency plan for what you'll do if AppForge ceases to be viable, and be prepared to activate that plan some time in the next three months."

MobileDataforce is here to help with contingency plans.

Rent a Mobile Handheld PDA or Handheld Computer

Ryzex now offers rugged industrial handheld PDAs or computers for rent. How is this helpful? Many organizations need rugged handheld computers only for a specific 6 week period of time for year-end inventory, annual inspections, or a one time limited time project.

MobileDataforce sees a lot of these projects because our mobile software platform, the PointSync Mobility Platform, enables companies to quickly design, development and deploy these simple mobile applications.

Another important set of considerations is the ability to immediately synchronize and review the data that was collected on the mobile applications. In an earlier blog article I wrote about the challenges with using poorly trained, temporary workers for important data collection in the field.

Appforge Discussion Group

I found this online discussion group on the subject of Appforge. It is mostly Appforge developers trying to determine what to do next, and how to activate their existing licenses when no one answers the phone at Appforge.

http://81.149.78.146/Appforge/default.asp

Ruggedized Digital Cameras and Windows CE

Two Technologies has an interesting product strategy with their Jett-Eye handheld PDA. They have in effect created a ruggedized digital camera in the form of a handheld PDA. Their product marketing emphasizes the camera features as its most distinctive component.

Take digital color pictures in the field. Capture data on the go. Seamlessly connect with the office. Simultaneously increase field service productivity, improve customer service, and turbo charge your profits—all while improving your customer relationships. This complex scenario is now made simple with the JETT•eye. It was designed to make all of this possible at an affordable price point.

Rugged True-Camera-System- 5.17 MP color CMOS Sensor (4MP processed)
• Camera System scans bar codes and processes digital images with auto-focus and illumination

One no longer must settle for a 1.3 megapixel camera in a handheld PDA.

We at MobileDataforce get requirements weekly from companies asking for digital image integration within their mobile data collection applications. Projects involving asset management, conditional assessments, inspections, work orders, quality assurance and law enforcement and compliance often require as must data collection as possible. High resolution cameras just enhance this capability.

Furniture Delivery & Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions

I had a piece of furniture delivered this week and it was an interesting experience with a mobile software application for handheld PDAs. The delivery team had an Intermec 700C Pocket PC with an integrated data card and a bar code scanner with them. I asked them to tell me what they do with it and here is what they said.

They first scan all boxed furniture as they load it into the trucks. This allows the office to see where any piece of furniture is at any time.

The scan is synchronized with the enterprise database and the addresses of the delivery location and the customer information is pulled down to the handheld computer.

When they unload the furniture at the delivery location, they scan the bar code on the label of the boxed furniture and fill out an electronic delivery form on the handheld computer with the deliver driver's name, date and time stamp on it.

They carry the boxes into the house and remove the furniture from it.

They inspect the furniture for damage

They ask the customer to inspect the furniture for any damage and then sign their digital signature on the Intermec bar code scanner screen.
Any identified damage that is documented activates an additional "damage report" form on the handheld computer.

The driver also signs his name on the screen to verify his delivery.

The Intermec bar code scanner synchronizes the data via GPRS back to the enterprise database.

Any changes to the driver's routes or deliveries are synchronized out to the driver's handheld computer and a pop-up window with an alert bell informs the driver of a new dispatch.

The above list contains a good example of how to effectively use handheld solution for the following:

proof-of-delivery
scheduling of deliveries
near real-time dispatch
near real-time notification of deliveries
near real-time notification of route progress
inventory tracking
damaged goods inspection and reporting
work order management

The problem - the delivery man still had me sign 4 copies of paper forms. What was that all about? 2 copies of delivery forms, and 2 customer service forms verifying there was no damage to the furniture upon delivery. I also had to sign my initials verifying the time of delivery. I asked him if the handheld computer saved him time and he answered no and that it added time to the delivery because he must climb into the back of the truck and scan all of the bar codes before leaving the warehouse, and scan then all again upon delivery....plus fill out the same information on paper forms. OK, that is a problem.

The delivery company had not integrated many of the associated business processes yet. They had made a good first step, but they needed to get all the paper forms on the handheld. The driver does not want to carry a handheld computer in one hand, and a stack of papers in the other. You want to reduce work, not add another layer of it.

The furniture delivery company had automated part of the process (dispatch and proof-of-delivery), but not the customer service forms and the furniture company's inspection reporting documentation.

A complete integration of business processes would have all the data collection requirements for all the various third parties on the same handheld device. The device would synchronize the data back to the office and all the relevant "data" would be forwarded to the appropriate business partners and integrated with their IT systems. This solution would save a great deal of delivery time, internal staff resources and paper.

Appforge Selling Off Pieces

More reports and rumors on Appforge:

Appforge's website URL now re-directs to Oracle. Last week I heard that Appforge sold their customer list to a different software company, and now their website domain to Oracle?

If there were any kind of value in the Appforge business plan, it seems they would have kept the customer list and website domain together and sold them as a package. The customer list is a key asset and represents their marketing and sales efforts since 2001. Their web domain name is their key marketing real estate. Separating them seems to represent there was minimal value in the business. Anyone looking for used cubicles, desks, computers and chairs?

If this is true (I read it on the internet so it must be), they are truly selling the company in pieces rather than to a company looking to support the product line and customer base.

MobileDataforce is a mobile software solutions company that provides an alternative for Appforge customers.

Thanks for the news Arfur C!

Appforge Strategy vs Mobile Software Platform for PDAs, Smartphones and Handhelds

Appforge provided software developers with pre-built code scripts, code libraries, and developer tools for developing applications for PDAs, handhelds and Smartphones as opposed to MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform which is a "mobile software platform" for designing, developing and deploying data-centric mobile applications. What is the difference? The PointSync Mobility Platform comes with the following:

Graphical development environment for designing and configuring mobile applications
Embedded mobile databases
Embedded synchronization database server
Embedded synchronization technology
Database integration manager
Deployment manager
User manager
Application manager

With the PointSync Mobility Platform, you do not need additional third-party mobile databases, third-party development environments, third-party integration tools, third-party synchronization tools. All of these are included in the software platform.

I recognize that some Appforge developers prefer programming mobile solutions from scratch, but many companies simply want to get a powerful, proven mobile solution running in the field as fast as they can. So if getting a powerful, proven mobile application deployed in the field is your priority, I would encourage you to consider using an existing mobile software platform.

Here are a few additional articles that further discuss mobile software platforms:

http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2007/01/mobile-platforms-for-enterprise.html

http://www.mobiledataforce.com/ceoblog/2006/11/mobile-software-platform-thoughts.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