Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

Electric Bikes and Mobile Handheld PDA Software at MobileDataforce

Check out Dave Wasden's new electric bike! As most of you know Dave Wasden is involved in just about everything that goes on here at MobileDataforce from design mobile software to testing it on mobile handheld PDAs. He is the author of a blog on mobile solutions, he conducts many of our PointSync Mobility Platform training classes in Europe, Australia and in North America and manages our sales channels.

He rode this beautiful new electric bike into the office this morning. He bought the kit and added it to a regular bicycle. It goes up to 35 MPH and has a 9 mile range between charges!

With all the new capabilities available on mobile handheld computers you can have turn-by-turn navigation, Bank of America mobile banking applications, Microsoft Office documents, and mobile versions of popular accounting applications all on your Windows Mobile device in your pocket. Who needs a briefcase anymore?

Barnes & Noble's and Handheld PDAs - Symbol PDT 3140

I have a habit. It is a habit that my family has learned to live with. I must confess. I can not pass by a person working with a handheld PDA without stopping to ask them what they are doing. My family has learned to just keep on walking as if they don't know me.

Yesterday, I was walking through Barnes & Noble (a book store) when I spotted an employee working with a Symbol PDT 3140. I first introduced myself and said my interest in her was purely professional (I've got to work on that line). I told her I worked at MobileDataforce and we deliver all kinds of mobile software solutions for use on Symbol handheld computers, and was interested in how she was using it.

"Are you using it for inventory tracking?" I asked.

"No, I am looking up where each book on my cart is to be placed on the shelf," she answered.

She was not using the handheld PDA and mobile software purely as an inventory database, but the software on it was telling her how to do her job the right way based upon planagrams (analysis of how items should be displayed and organized to maximize sales). This is a very good example of how mobile handheld computer solutions can be much more than just portable data storage, or field data collection devices. Huge DB2, SAP or Oracle databases with data mining and business intelligence applications can crunch large numbers and then push that knowledge to the mobile handheld computer of the mobile worker. This allows the most sophisticated intelligence to be shared with the lady in Barnes and Noble, or the electrical utility guy crawling through the briars inspecting power lines via his mobile handheld PDA.

New Rugged Handheld PDA - Trimble Nomad

The new rugged handheld from Trimble & TDS is quite impressive. Follow this link to the full description:

The new Trimble Nomad packs even more functionality into the most powerful and full-featured rugged handheld computer available. Start with an 806 MHz processor, 1 GB of Flash storage, a long-life battery and integrated wireless capabilities like GPS, 802.11g, and Bluetooth. Then select an optional integrated laser bar code scanner and color digital camera. The Nomad also features a high-resolution, sunlight-visible VGA display that shows graphics and maps in crisp detail. And it's fully rugged and just as tough as our other handhelds which means the Nomad offers a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) than consumer-grade handhelds.

In the past I have been disappointed with the lack of muscle and speed in the TDS Recon (a predecessor), and the need to add external GPS, barcode, digital camera assessories, but this new product line seems to have resolved most of those issues. I am a big fan of the rugged, easy grip, water resistant case, and I just think the Tonka Truck yellow is cool!

Many of MobileDataforce's customers work in rough and tumble environments (utilities, construction, asset tracking, inspections, environmental assessments, etc.) and a rugged handheld PDA like the Nomad is a great choice.

Here is another link to a blog on the Trimble Nomad.

What Don't I Know About Mobile Software Solutions & Deployments?

This is always a difficult question. How can you know what you don't know. Well I guess the answer is you find someone who has been there and done that and learn from them.

This blog article is a good starting point. It identifies 51 questions the helpdesk team will want to have answered before large mobile software deployments.

Let me highlight a few of the questions you will want to have answered:

Do you anticipate only needing one specific mobile software application, or many mobile applications over time? Can you start with a mobile software platform that supports all of your mobile needs, or will each mobile application be a separate IT project and use different technologies and infrastructures?

Do you know your exact solution and data requirements in advance, or do you anticipate needing to edit and adjust your mobile application as you learn from your field experiences and users? This will impact both design and schedules.

Do you have an in-house software development capability, budget and helpdesk infrastructure to enable you to customize your own mobile software application(s)?
Do you want to contract your mobile software application design, development and deployment to an experienced mobility company, or build it internally?

Will you be synchronizing your field data with one back-office database, or multiple database applications?

Do you know how to integrate field data to your database applications? Do you have your own DBA that can do this?

Mobile solutions are often used on laptops, Tablet PCs, Smart phones, PDAs, etc. Do you know your exact hardware requirements? Will you be supporting just one device, or all of the above?

If your internal IT staff are developing your mobile solution, do they know how to do the following: support GPS, Barcodes, RFID, Digital Signatures, Digital Image integration, synchronize data across multiple databases, provide helpdesk tools to support large deployments, etc.

Do you have an IT development team that is experienced in designing, developing and deploying mobile applications, or is this their very first mobility project. Can you afford the steep learning curve, time and money developing a mobile application in-house with no experience?

Have you considered the support effort required to manage large mobile software deployments? Do you have software in place to manage this?

The biggest challenge with complex mobile application development is to create the right data model for your mobile application before you start development. Often an appropriate data model for a simple mobile application, is not the appropriate data model once you start adding features in future versions.

Insurance Inspector & Mobile Handheld PDA Inspection Software

Our team in the UK has been busy working with a number of insurance companies on mobilizing their inspection processes. Automobiles that are damaged must be inspected by representatives of the insurance company in order to value the car and appraise the damage.

The inspections take place at the location of the car - so rather than travel to the location, fill out a paper form, submit the paper form to the administration staff to type into a computer - the inspector fills out an electronic inspection form on a mobile handheld PDA and submits it wirelessly to the enterprise computer system for immediate processing.

Mobilized inspection software and processes make so much sense and are very easy to justify on the merits of reduced expenses, reduced errors and better customer service.

Field Services, Work Orders and Mobile Handheld PDAs

I have written a number of articles over the past year about the value of using handheld PDAs and Smartphones for field services and work orders. Here are a few of them for your reference:

Tools, Parts & Mobile Work Order Solutions on Handheld PDAs

HVAC Maintenance and Mobile Handheld PDAs

HVAC Service Orders on Handheld PDAs

Mobilized Work Order System

Mobile Inspection Software, Service Requests & Asset Management

Toilets and Handheld PDAs

More on Mobile Workflow & Business Processes

30 Reasons to Mobilize Your Business

Business Analytics and Mobile Handheld Computers

Mobile Service Orders for Furniture Repair and Delivery

Automobile Work Order Solution for Handheld PDAs

To read more articles on mobile business solutions click here.

HVAC Maintenance and Mobile Handheld PDAs

Access Heating & Air Conditioning came to my house today. Poor them...they did not realize that I work at MobileDataforce and we design, develop and deploy mobile handheld PDA HVAC software applications. They must think I am the most obnoxious customer they have ever had.

"Using a paper form and clipboard I see."
"Yep"
"How do you know what job to do next?"
"They tell me on the radio."
"How many jobs do you do a day?"
"As many as they tell me."
"How do they tell you?"
"I go to the office in the morning and they say - here and hand me a job."
"What about jobs 2-7?"
"I call them on a radio and say I am finished. They say about time now go here or there."
"Do you ever need to review past work orders or maintenance forms?"
"Yep - most of the time the customer has the last one duct taped to the side of the furnace."
"If not?"
"I call the office and ask them to look in the file and read it to me."
"Why three separate forms?"
"One for a service agreement, one is a maintenance checklist and the third is an invoice."
"What happens when you give all that paper work to the office staff?"
"The invoice is put into the computer, the other 2 forms go into a notebook/file folder."
"How long does a service call take?"
"With a customer like you? Too long."
"Sorry...thanks...goodbye!"

I refrained from explaining how we mobilize HVAC operations regularly. It makes so much sense to combine the 3 forms into one mobile software application on a handheld computer. The service agreement, maintenance inspection and invoice could be integrated easily into one electronic form on the rugged handheld computer and the data could be synchronized wirelessly directly to the office computer system.

The service technician could query past visits with a simple online request. Digital signatures and a mobile handheld computer could be used to capture digital signatures and a mobile printer used for the invoice. The invoice could even be emailed to the customer rather than using more paper.

Service orders could be dispatched electronically to the service technicians handheld computer rather than trying to call and read all the information, which the service technician scribbles on a paper tablet while drinking his coffee and driving through the rain in rush hour traffic.

Oh my...I have a lot of work to do.

Auto & Equipment Auctions and Mobile Handheld PDA Inspection Solutions

MobileDataforce has been working on projects in Europe, North America and in Australia/New Zealand that involve inspecting and appraising automobiles and other equipment for auctions and resale. Think about the environment that these activities take place in - mines, construction sites, storage lots, homes, auto dealerships, etc. These environments require one to collect a great deal of data in the field.

Handheld PDAs and mobile inspection software with wireless synchronization back to an enterprise database application in the office provides a huge amount of value. Let's discuss some of it here:

Standardized inspection forms on handheld computers can ensure inspections are complete, uniform, accurate and readable.
Business rules included in the mobile handheld inspection applications can validate that the information is accurate. For example scanning a VIN number on a vehicle can automatically fill out much of the vehicle information automatically and ensure the inspection data matches the vehicle description.
Real time wireless synchronization means the inspection data can be immediately displayed on a website.
Digital camera integration with your handheld computer can attach photos to your inspection data for immediate display on a website
Wireless dispatch means your inspectors can be sent information on where they need to go for their next inspection
In some cases valuation data can be pre-loaded into the handheld computer and aligned with the data collected from the inspection to provide a near real-time appraisal in the field.

Electric & Water Utilities and Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs

In the past week MobileDataforce has been contacted by over 20 electrical and water utilities seeking mobile handheld PDA solutions for inspections. It seems our mobile inspection software fills a significant need for them. Here are just a few of the common mobile software applications that electrical utilities are searching for:

Power Plant Inspections
Asset Management - Conditional Assessment
Meter Repair & Maintenance
Line & Pole Inspections
Stray Voltage Inspections
Health and Safety Inspections
Pole Inspections
Weld Tracking
Construction Management
Health & Safety
Facilities Management
Substation Inspections
GIS and mobile applications

Inspection Software on Handheld PDAs

Across the globe MobileDataforce's mobile inspection software solutions designed for handheld PDAs are used in a wide variety of situations and environments. Let me list a few:

Food Processing Plants

Bridge construction

Residential water usage

Vehicle inspections for resale

End-of-lease auto inspections

Mold inspections

Roof inspections

Heavy equipment auctions

Street sign inspections

many more...

Yesterday I was involved in learning all about the following:

Eddy Current Inspections
Non-destructive Testing
Tube Plugging Tests
Corrosion Tests
Ultrasonic Testing
Concrete Testing
Soil & Water Testing
Leak Testing

Our PointSync Mobility Platform is the foundation for all of these inspection software applications. It is a software platform that supports quickly designing, developing and deploying a wide variety of mobile inspection applications for a large number of different mobile handheld PDAs in a quick and cost effective manner.

Mobile Inspection Software and Handheld PDAs in City Government

MobileDataforce has worked with a lot of municipal governments on mobilizing inspections using isnpection software designed for handheld PDAs. Here is a list of the departments in a typical city that conduct regular inspections:

City Engineering

City Land Use

City Forestry

City Historic Development

City "Right-of-Way"

City Traffic Engineers

City Building Inspectors

City Fire Marshall

City Electrical Inspectors

City Mechanical Inspectors

City Plumbing Inspectors

Many of these departments may have multiple inspections they must perform. In the Fire Marshall department alone they have quite the selection:

Fire Alarm

Cooking Equipment

Wall Rating

Wall Penetrations

Above Ceiling

Exit and Emergency Lights

Sprinklers

Panic Hardware

Standpipe

Emergency Extinguishers

Many more...

These departments and their associated inspections represent a lot of field data collection activities and internal office data entry. It is easy to see why MobileDataforce provides a lot of mobile inspection software to these agencies and departments.

Business Analytics and Mobile Handheld PDAs

We have many very large customers that are deploying hundreds and even thousands of mobile handheld PDAs to their field services and inspection teams around the world. In addition to all of the efficiencies derived from using mobile software applications that synchronize directly to enterprise database applications back at the office, there is the additional value of being able to analyze services and business metrics in real time. Let me explain:

If your company provides a defined list of services, it is easy to include a feature in your "mobile work order" application that will record the start and stop times on a service. Let's say you have 100 field service technicians all performing the same list of services. It will not take long to understand the average length of time it takes to complete that service. Your job estimates will become increasingly accurate, your planning and scheduling processes better defined and accurate and the individual performances of your field service technicians can be monitored based upon your analysis of the time it takes to complete each service that you offer. You can pay bonuses or give raises to service technicians that have above average service performances and that generate above average profits for the company.

These business analytic features can be included in just about any mobile software application for use on handheld PDAs developed on the PointSync Mobility Platform.

Inspection Software for Mobile Handheld PDAs, Service Requests & Asset Management

Many of our customers that use mobile handheld computers and PDAs for mobile inspections also use them for mobile service requests and asset tracking. Let me provide you with a scenario:

A mobile handheld computer is used to perform an inspection on the condition of a building (company asset)

The information collect from the conditional assessment inspection is synchronized to the enterprise Asset Management system so it can be documented, analyzed and work and budgets assigned to maintain it.

A service request is dispatched to the handheld computer or PDA of the service technician. The service technician completes the work that was dispatched to him/her and the service request is closed and synchronized with the enterprise Asset Management system

Inspections, Asset Management and Service Orders often go hand-in-hand. All three of these functions benefit from the use of mobile handheld computers and PDAs. The data that is collected is in the field, the company's assets are located in many different areas, the work that is performed is also done in many different remote locations.

MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform is designed specifically to support all of the enterprises connectivity between the enterprise's database applications and mobile field workers.

This link goes to a document that can be downloaded called "28 Reasons to Mobilize".

Mobile Handheld PDAs and Inspection Software

It is very important to select the appropriate and relevant handheld PDAs, Smartphones or Tablet PCs/Laptops when preparing for an inspection project. I have collected many of the most important considerations and published them in a document called, "Selecting Appropriate Handheld Computers".

Inspection software developed for handheld PDAs is unique and requires specialized attributes. It must work in disconnected environments, in rugged and remote locations and support the functionality built into your mobile handheld PDA.

I hope you find this helpful!

Mobile Inspections on Handheld PDAs and the Web

Inspections are of little value if the data is not shared, analyzed and provides relevant information necessary for making solid business decisions. We have worked with several customers who have reported that historic data from field inspections simply got placed in paper file folders and stored. The data was not accessed or viewed by any decision makers!!!

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

Often my sales team gets asked the following question, "Should I buy an "Off-the-Shelf" mobile software application, or customize a mobile software application to fit my specific business?" The answer depends on if your business is set-up as an "off-the-shelf" business. Do you conduct your business in the exact same manner as many others in your market? Do you use the same business processes and the same accounting package as the others? Is your product or service business managed in the same manner as others in your market. If the answers are yes, then buying an off-the shelf mobile application is a reasonable option. However, if you conduct your business in a unique manner that offers you a competitive advantage over others in your market, then you may want to customize your mobile software applications and automate the business processes that provide you with these advantages. Let me give some examples:

In this recent blog article I write about companies that want to add asset and inventory tracking functionality to the common service request process. Others may want to add time tracking, mileage, GPS, bar code, digital images and other features to their mobile software application. Some companies like to have a mobile job estimation application on their handheld computer. Once the estimate is accepted, it can be dispatched to the service technicians to begin work.

Our customers tend to have a wide variety of business software applications in their offices. These software applications and accounting packages use a wide variety of databases. Our customers like to select their own mobile handheld computers and software applications. Our customers are often implementing changes to their business processes to provide higher levels of customer service that provide greater competitive advantages. These kinds of dynamic business environments demand and require the ability to rapidly edit and customize mobile business applications to support the growing and changing business.

What company wants to restrict their ability to grow their business, implement "best practices" and business process improvements because of the limitation of an off-the-shelf business application? Not MobileDataforce customers!

MobileDataforce provides a rapid application development environment for mobile software solutions. Our mobile software solutions for handheld PDAs enable you to cost effectively customize your mobile applications to support your ever-changing business needs.

Mobile Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs

MobileDataforce works with many inspection services companies. Our PointSync Mobility Platform enables companies that provide a wide variety of inspection services the ability to rapidly develop new and cost effective mobile inspection applications for use on handheld PDAs and rugged handhelds. The "rapid" part is very important since many inspections are project based, and you can't spend 6 months developing a mobile solution for a handheld.

Some of our customers use the same mobile inspection application routinely, while others do contract work for electrical companies and other large organizations that require customized inspection services based upon the needs of the project. The PointSync Mobility Platform works well for both kinds of project environments.

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

Reporting from the UK - Our team in Newcastle has developed a number of very interesting and compelling mobile handheld PDA solutions

for the automotive industry. An application I previewed today enables service companies to complete many mobile services and use their mobile handheld computers to register and invoice the work. The solution was designed to mobilize the following three business processes:

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

I am in Newcastle, UK this week on assignment. Our team here in Newcastle are experts in the automotive industry. They have many years experience working with mobile PDAs, handhelds and Smartphone solutions for vehicle auctions, automobile dealerships, automobile lease return applications and more. Today they demonstrated their mobile PDA solutions to a large automobile dealership with locations across Ireland.

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???

Rumor on the street, at least in the mobile handheld industry world, is that HP may be discontinuing their line of stand alone PDAs. The rumor originated from a recent refusal by HP corporate to sell 1,000 current and supported iPAQs to a customer. No company rejects an order for 1,000 devices if they mean to continue them. This same customer was not able to source this iPAQ in any significant quantities from distributors either.

Keep in mind this is a blogged rumor...that means it is many times less reliable than the one from the cubicle next to you.

Even if true, HP may just be consolidating their iPAQs around iPAQ Phones.

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

I have spoken to a number of handheld computer manufacturers and distributors this month and they have all emphasized that 2007 is the year to go out-of-doors with their handheld PDAs and handheld barcode scanners. The market inside the 4 walls is flat (no growth). The industry's growth is in mobility, the great rugged outdoors.

Symbol/Motorola has the MC70, MC50 and MC35 handheld PDAs and barcode scanners that are meant to be used in mobile out-of-doors environments. Psion Teklogix, Socket, Hand Held Products, Intermec and most others are dedicating sales teams and marketing campaigns to this mobile handheld and mobile software market segment.

From a software perspective, MobileDataforce started in this rugged environment. Our mobile software platforms were designed from the beginning to work equally well whether connected or disconnected indoors or outdoors.

Ryzex Buys, Sells & Recycles Mobile Handheld PDAs and Computers

If you don't know about Ryzex, you probably should. They buy old handheld barcode scanners as well as sell new mobile handheld PDAs. Why is that interesting? Many companies have a closet full of old and broken handheld computers and barcode scanners. Ryzex will buy, repair, refurbish or recycle them.

Ryzex has a very interesting business model. They focus on managing the lifecycle of handheld barcode scanners for their customers. They can sell, lease or rent new handheld barcode scanners, or sell, lease or rent old ones. Some jobs are just not sexy enough to justify new barcode scanners. Some companies, like engineering firms, do a lot of project work and only need a handheld data collector for 3 months so may want to rent it.

Casio Enterprise Handheld PDA

It looks like the term "Enterprise PDA" is catching on, at least within the marketing organizations of both Casio and Motorola. Casio has the new IT-10 (the name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue does it?) Pocket PC. You can use it in the shower and drop it from 3 feet to the soap covered tile floor. It is also shock resistant. Now that is thinking ahead! No one likes getting shocked in the shower, dropping their handheld Pocket PC and having it break all in the same morning. Now that is a unique marketing angle! If you don't take showers, the IT-10 is also dust resistant and doesn't have a nose.

Casio describes the IT-10 as a "new rugged PDA designed and built to be used for vertical applications in severe business environments." If I read that right, it is not intended for horizontal applications in good business environments. Hummm...Seems like you could make more sales if you sold products to companies in good business environments.

The Juno Rugged Handheld Pocket PC

Trimble has just released, or at least I have just found out about, a new not-rugged Pocket PC (now Windows Mobile) called Juno, pronounced like but not to be confused with Juneau, Alaska. It looks rugged, but Trimble seems to want everyone to know it is not - The Juno™ ST handheld is a highly productive yet affordable, non-rugged GPS receiver for field data collection and mobile GIS. The Juno ST handheld is Trimble's most compact, lightweight, fully-integrated field computer, providing 2 to 5 meter GPS positioning in real time or after postprocessing.

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).

Garmin and Navman have long had PDAs with integrated GPS, but this seems to be Trimbles first efforts to provide low end, field data collection devices. I like the idea, but Trimble's marketers seem almost apologetic.

Another Plane Another Victim - Evangelizing Mobile Handheld PDA Applications

I was on another plane today and a senior engineer was unfortunate enough to be seated next to me. The engineer manages the building of highways and bridges. Hummm.... We do a considerable amount of work for companies involved in highway construction and bridge building by helping them implement mobile PDA solutions on rugged handhelds. In fact the largest engineering and construction firm in Australia has asked us to work with them on a number of interesting projects.

I love working with engineers. They have to collect data on everything and they often work on very strange projects.

Trimble is a ruggedized handheld vendor that develops a lot of solutions for this industry.

MobileDataforce provides a data collection software platform for rugged mobile handheld computers that allows engineering companies to quickly develop field data collection applications that are specific to the requirements of their customer's projects.

Clinical Trials & Handheld PDAs and Mobile Software

Clinical research is a very interesting industry to work. MobileDataforce is currently developing mobile software solutions (ePRO and eDiaries)for use on handheld PDAs for a number of different clinical research programs around the country. Let's identify some of the common terms you hear in this industry:

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

Capturing clinical trial data is where MobileDataforce excels. We have a number of different mobile handheld and Tablet PC solutions that are customized to fit specific clinical trial requirements.

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

Many of you will be using your rugged mobile handheld PDA solutions in your vehicles. RAM Mounts has a large selection of different equipment for mounting handheld PDAs, laptops and Tablet PCs inside of your vehicle.

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:

MobileDataforce invites former Appforge developers to consider the PointSync Mobility Platform for rapidly developing mobile applications.

Paintless Dent Repair & Handheld PDA Solutions

MobileDataforce has become one of the leading suppliers of mobile handheld PDA software applications to the Paintless Dent Repair industry (PDR). A few years ago I would not have guessed this would turn out to be such a dynamic and growing market for us.

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:

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

Printek's FieldPro Printer for Use with Mobile Handheld PDAs

One of MobileDataforce's customers operates a parking garage management company in the SE of the USA. In addition to operating city parking garages, they also contract with municipal governments to issue parking tickets when vehicles are illegally parked. This customer required a mobile printer like the Printek FieldPro pictured here for use with their mobile handheld PDAs. It is designed to be used out-of-doors in the dust and the rain and to operate on batteries. Since most of our customers operate in these environments this is a very appealling design! Our customer's employees walk around the garage and the city filling out electronic forms on their rugged handheld computers and printing citations. They needed a rugged, mobile printer that operates on batteries and connects to the handheld computer via bluetooth.

MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform printing module enabled them to connect via cable or bluetooth to these kind of rugged mobile printers.

Other MobileDataforce customers need a portable mobile printer that prints on standard sized paper forms and often turn to mobile printers that are designed to stay in the vehicle like the HP 450. The big difference is this printer is portable and lightweight, but is not designed to be wearable on a belt and suffer the effects of rain and dust. Here is HP's description -

High-performance printing virtually anytime, anywhere with photo-quality resolution, minimal, user intervention and a wide range of wired and wireless connectivity options, including Bluetooth wireless technology.

Often our customers want to leave a paper forms at their customer's location such as a completed "service request" or a "proof-of-delivery" form. If their vehicle is close to their worksite, an HP 450 may be sufficient, but if you need a ruggedized mobile printer that operates on batteries, fits on your belt and is connected via bluetooth with your handheld computer, then the Printek FieldPro is a great option.

MobileDataforce® Expands in Asia with New Singapore Reseller

Boise, Idaho— April 11, 2007 – MobileDataforce®, a leading provider of business critical mobile software applications for use on handheld PDA and smartphones, today announced a reseller partnership with NetCob Technologies Pte Ltd, in Singapore.

“MobileDataforce’s PointSync Mobility Platform will bring tremendous value to our target market in Asia,” says John Gong, Managing Director of NetCob Technologies. “Increasingly companies are looking to enterprise mobility solutions to more efficiently capture data in the field. MobileDataforce’s mobile software solutions offer the most flexible and innovative technologies to securely and cost effectively mobilize business processes.”

The PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class solution used to rapidly design, develop and deploy business critical mobile applications for use on smartphones, industrial handhelds and PDAs using the Windows Mobile OS. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security and enterprise database integration all within one software platform.

About Netcob Technologies Pte Ltd

NetCob Technologies Pte Ltd, http://www.netcob.com/, focuses on cutting edge technologies to help their customers create lasting value. Their charter rests on their capability to conceptualize and conceive IT solutions that will enable their customers and partners to maintain focus and grow their businesses.

About MobileDataforce

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of high performance software solutions for use on mobile handheld computers. Privately held, MobileDataforce was founded in 2000 and its software solutions are sold worldwide through direct and Value Added Reseller (VAR) channels. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.mobiledataforce.com/.

Interviews with Kevin Benedict