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.
More on iPhone Challenges and Mobile Software
- Kevin Benedict
Otterbox, Dell Axiom PDAs, Handhelds and Windows Mobile 6.0
There is nothing wrong with a Dell Axiom, except for the fact they are no longer made. They ran on Windows Mobile 5.0 and earlier versions of pocket pc, so there is no Dell Axiom that can run on Windows Mobile 6.0. Again, nothing is wrong with running on Windows Mobile 5.0, unless the Dell Axiom dies and you need to buy a new mobile device. New mobile devices run on Windows 6.0. There is nothing wrong with buying a new mobile device that runs on Windows 6.0 unless of course the software you were using only runs on Windows Mobile 5.0. If you developed your own mobile software application 2 years ago for the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, and your trusted software developer has long since departed for an IPO-bound career in a wireless mobile software company, then you have some challenges.
Most companies do not think about technical obsolescence issues when they decide to custom build a mobile application internally. For a longer list of issues to consider before choosing to develop your own mobile application please visit this website.
- Kevin Benedict
iPhone Business Applications
Real mobile business applications are extensions of key business applications that are run in the office. These mobile business applications enable you to integrate mobile devices with large, complex database applications that include workflow automation, database queries and business automation. The challenge that Apple has today is that their software SDK (software development kit) does not include synchronization technology that enables software developers to easily move data between a database applications in the office and the iPhone.
Another criticism I have for this article is suggesting that $39.00 for a business application is expensive. Expensive is of course relative, but significant business applications can often be worth $39,000-$390,000 to companies that can automate and mobilize their mobile users.
- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions and Mobile Software Implementations & Strategies
Contents:
The ROI in Mobile Applications
What ROI Can I Expect?
10 Steps to Implementing a Successful Enterprise Mobile Solution
Mobilizing and Automating Business Processses During a Down Economy
Mobilized Work Orders
Designing a Mobile Solution to Automate Business Processes
Learning from Mobile Solution Deployments
The Evolution of a Mobile Solution
Buying vs. Building Mobile Applications
Supporting a Customized Mobile Software Application
Convergent Handheld PDAs & Garmin
- Mobile phone
- Music player and mass storage
- Digital camera/video camera
- GPS and navigation
- Internet connectivity
- Powerful operating system that can run powerful business applications (windows mobile or equivalent)
- Audio memos
- etc
The convergence of these features in one mobile handheld device provide the mobile worker/field services worker the capabilities of automating and mobilizing many of their business processes and applications without carrying multiple devices.
Garmin, a long time satellite-navigation device company, seems to just be absorbing this concept. As printed in the Wall Street Journal's Breakingviews.com on Saturday, August 2, 2008 - Garmin has been planning, but is now delaying the launch of their mobile phone and gps navigation device until the first half of 2009. It does not seem to include many of the features listed above, but does combine the mobile phone with GPS/Navigation. My question, like the Wall Street Journal's, is why now? Where were they when they owned the GPS/Navigation market? Did they completely miss this concept in 2006, 2007 and 2008 when the iPhone was introduced? Did they really think people would want to carry multiple devices around?- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Software, Handheld PDAs & Paper Processes Compared to Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions
- Creating a job estimate
- Getting the job estimate approved and signed by the customer
- Scheduling and assigning the work to a specific service technician
- Hiring new employees or contract help and completing the documentation
- Documenting the work (to the customer's satisfaction)
- Submitting the completed work to the customer for payment (in the proper format)
- Paying the employee or contract help
This process may happen hundreds or thousands of times per day across a wide geographic region. How does the central office collect, enter and review all of this paperwork to ensure accuracy? How do managers keep all of the correct business processes happening in the field? How do you ensure quality and professionalism when there is significant staff turn-over? How do you keep your customers happy?
Many of these issues can be avoided, or eliminated by using an automated business process on a rugged handheld, PDA or Smartphone at the point-of-work. The handheld PDA and mobile software application can step each service technician systematically through the correct business processes. The handheld solution can inform the service technician how things need to be completed, provide additional audio and video examples, and alert when something has been done incorrectly. The information entered in the field, at the point-of-work, can be synchronized with headquarters and reviewed by management in near real time. This is how companies can ensure quality, consistency and the ability to scale up their business.
- Kevin Benedict
MobileDataforce Announces iPhone Software Development Services
New iPhone software development services enable businesses to deploy custom mobile business applications to the popular iPhone
Boise, Idaho— July 17, 2008 – MobileDataforce®, a leading provider of mobile software solutions for businesses, today announced a new professional services offering for users of the popular Apple iPhone.
MobileDataforce has for years been developing mobile software applications for use on handheld PDAs and helping our customers develop and deploy mobile enterprise software applications around the world on the Windows Mobile and Pocket PC operating systems. We are now adding the capabilities to develop enterprise mobile business applications for use on the iPhone.
About MobileDataforce®
MobileDataforce® is a leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions for use on mobile computers including Smart Phones, Handhelds, PDAs, Tablet PCs and laptops. MobileDataforce has sales offices in Europe, North America and in Australia to support their expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.
Apple Stores and Motorola MC50s
MobileDataforce is now developing custom mobile software applications for businesses wanting to extend the use of their iPhones or handheld PDAs into their business processes.
- Kevin Benedict
Mobile Data Collection on Handheld PDAs Drives Rational Decisions
- Surveying AIDS victims, using mobile handheld computers, in various African countries to learn about habits, practices, cultural norms and other lifestyle issues. This information is synchronized back to a central research databases so analyst can learn how best to educate people on how to prevent the spread of AIDS. Real field data is critical for developing the most effective educational programs.
- Customer surveys included with Work Orders/Service Tickets. Once work is completed at a customer's location, the service technician hands the customer a mobile survey form on the handheld. The customer has the opportunity to rate the service in several different areas. This information is immediately synchronized to the office database and the manager can review the customer's responses. This is an effective way of scaling the manager/owners contact with customers. If there is a problem rating on the survey the manager can immediately contact the customer to address these issues. Having a mobile survey, also encourages the service technician to always provide their best customer support. Managers can base bonuses in part on customer survey reports.
These are just 2 areas where real-time, or near real-time mobile field data collection can enable managers in the office to make solid rational decisions based upon data gathered in far away locations.
If you are interested in more information on inspection software, data collection software or mobile software applications please visit MobileDataforce's website.
- Kevin Benedict
The Law of Mobility for Mobile Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software
Russell McGuire has provided us with a concise description of the value of mobile software applications for use on mobile handheld PDAs. Here are 39 detailed reasons to mobilize your business.
Mobilizing business processes enables you to gain visibility into work done in the field, helps to ensure quality work, enables you to reduce administrative work and invoice for field services quicker.
- Kevin Benedict
Interviews with Kevin Benedict
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