Handheld PDA Solutions for First Responders and Mobile Business Processes on the Server Side

I have written several times about the benefits of automating business processes on mobile handheld devices, so this time I am going to focus on automating business processes once the data is synchronized from the handheld device in the field to the server in the office.

Last week I visited Patron Systems in Boulder, Colorado. They are a software company focused on law enforcement and public safety. They have sophisticated business processes built into their mobile law enforcement applications that include real-time queries to multiple disparate databases to auto-fill eforms on laptops. Once the data is collected on the law enforcement form, it can be synchronized and routed to a police supervisor for review. It stays in a "work que" until the supervisor either approves or rejects it. If rejected it is returned to the original officer for editing and correction or if approved gets sent to the record management system for storage.

This is an example of how data collected in the field can activate an automated business process/workflow back at the office. The data is routed to a specific location, and a specific person/position to review, make a decision and then act upon. Once there is an item in the work que, the person is notified that there is an action required. This is an important concept - the person does not have to remember, or look things up, they are notified there is work to do. This is "automating" a business processes. If the eform is rejected as incomplete it will be sent back to the original author's "work que" and the officer will be notified. Again the significance of this step is that the workflow/business process will notify an officer in the field that there is additional work required.

The above example of an automated business process demonstrates the ability to start a process/workflow in the field, move the process to the office and then back to the field. This is a "mobile and automated" business process. The more you can define and automate "best practices" the higher quality and better your products and services will be.

Workflows can be automated by using mobile software platforms that are integrated with a central database server. Business rules, triggers and other methodologies and tools can be used to automate your processes on the database.

More on Workflows & Business Processes for Mobile Handheld PDAs

I want to share some more thoughts on mobile software applications and automated business processes as they relate to mobile handheld PDAs. One of the key differences between a paper form and an electronic form on a handheld PDA is the ability to include automated business processes in the electronic form on the handheld. What do I mean by automated business process?

Definition of Automated Business Processes: a set of interrelated tasks linked to an activity that spans functional boundaries. Business processes have starting points and ending points, and they are repeatable.

IBM adds these valuable comments - "More importantly, the value of creating business processes for an enterprise is in the intellectual assets that those processes represent. The widgets that a business produces have value, of course; additionally, the knowledge of how to make those widgets has value too. That knowledge can be captured, added to, and improved in a business process. The scope of the widget-making process is important because doing all of the steps ensures quality widgets; doing more or less or different steps results in higher costs or lower quality or both."

One can improve the quality and consistency of the operation or business process by automating the way it should be completed. In a mobile software application for a handheld PDA, a company has the ability to ensure the appropriate business processes are done in the appropriate order. This is accomplished through a variety of means including:

• Requiring specific information to be captured
• Automating GPS location capture whenever a work order is completed
• Requiring a digital signature from a customer to close out a work order
• Requiring a digital photo of the work performed
• Automatically capturing time and date stamps for work
• Automatically checking inventory levels before dispatching a service technician to replace a part
• Routing the field worker to a different set of questions, based upon answers (e.g. if equipment is broken automatically ask question #6, if equipment is repaired automatically proceed to question #3)
• If work completed, close service order - if work incomplete answer question #2 about rescheduling work
• etc

There are an infinite number of ways you can develop and automate business processes. These business processes, as IBM explained, can help you ensure that work is completed in a systematic and quality manner. You are in effect building "best practices" in your mobile software application.

MobileDataforce has spent the last 7 years researching and developing ways to include and manage automated business processes in mobile handheld applications. The PointSync Mobility Platform has been designed with automated business processes in mind.

Multilingual Mobile Software Applications for Handheld PDAs

Mobile software applications are often used in the field by workers using handheld PDAs that do not have English as a first language. To assist in training these workers to use mobile applications in the manner they are intended audio and video files can be included in various locations on the mobile application. These audio files are often accessed through an icon on the application next to a field or set of inspection questions. Here are some examples:

• RFID Cattle Management application includes Spanish language audio files on the screen so workers can listen to instructions on how to correctly use the application and answer questions.
• Construction Management application can flip back and forth between English words on the application and Spanish words on the application at the push of a button.
• Quality Assurance applications can explain how to analyze the quality of a particular operation through audio, video and pictures
• Instructions can tell the field worker the proper method of ordering additional products to use on a job.

Video files can also be accessed from the mobile application. Let's say a field worker has never performed a routine maintenance procedure on a peice of equipment. The service order or maintenance order can include a multilingual video file that explains how to perform the procedure. This is a powerful training aid for field workers.

MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform enables the user to access these multimedia files from within their mobile applications.

Video for Service Technicians Using Handheld PDAs

Imagine this - a junior service technician needs advice on how to repair a piece of equipment. He pulls out his handheld PDA with a wireless connection, calls his supervisor back at the office, and starts taking a digital video of the equipment. The supervisor is able to view the digital video in real time and asks the junior service technician to move the video camera around so the equipment can be viewed from several angles. Advice is given and the junior service technician completes the job.

This scenario is available today. MobileDataforce's PointSync mobile software for field service technicians is available here, and the ability to transform your Smartphone or handheld PDA into a live video cam can be found here.

More Business for Mobile Software and Handheld PDAs in Australia & New Zealand

MobileDataforce is growing rapidly in Australia and in New Zealand. We have just kicked off a number of very interesting mobility projects. One project in New Zealand is with a prominent engineering and construction company that involves mobile service requests. They are utilizing GPS, photo capture and the ability to create new service requests and job estimates on the handheld PDA from the field.

Our customer has the following business units; trucking, engineering, asset management, facility management, road and bridge building and construction and many more. Each of these business units have a need for mobile software on rugged handhelds to communicate with their management team and software in the office.

30 Reasons to Mobilize Your Business using Mobile Handheld PDAs

ROI (return on investment) is the term used to define the value of a solution relative to the cost. If a mobile solution for use on a mobile handheld PDA cost $50,000, how do you justify this investment? Management needs to see that their investment will provide them with a positive return. The following list contains some of the most common justifications for mobilizing business processes using mobile software for handheld PDAs:

1. Eliminate time spent in the office re-typing data collected in the field.


2. Eliminate time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets or work orders, rather dispatch electronic service tickets direct from your computer to the mobile device of your service technician.


3. Send driving directions from Google Maps in the electronic work order; saves time finding work locations.


4. Avoid the fuel costs incurred delivering paperwork to the office; rather synchronize the data direct from the field to the central database application.


5. Avoid the time cost transporting paperwork from the field to the office.


6. Save time and provide better customer service by providing real-time access to enterprise data while in the field. Enable mobile access to customer history, product documentation, warranty information, inventory information, time sheets, work schedules and much more.


7. Speed up field data collection by using barcode scanners and barcode labels on assets. A quick scan with your handheld computer can automatically display all stored information related to the asset for quick review, edits and additions.


8. Create and schedule service tickets direct from the field , rather than using office staff. This avoids the need to involve the central office staff for this purpose.


9. Immediate invoicing for faster collections and cash management.


10. Proof of work – GPS audit trail of work. Detail work completed in that location.


11. Reduce introduction of errors - paper based systems are inherently slow and error prone. The more hands touch a paper form and add or edit data, the more chances that errors can be introduced to the data.


12. Ensure complete data is sent from the field – incomplete field data can take hours of work to track down later .


13. Avoid bad handwriting errors and misunderstandings – by creating prepared pick-lists and using handheld keyboards.


14. Validate answers on the mobile software application – ensure accuracy of data.


15. Digital images to document work - with before and after digital photos that synchronize back to the office.


16. Push data to the handheld – avoid time on the phone and note taking while driving by pushing documents directly from the office to the handheld.


17. Vehicle and handheld GPS tracking for quicker dispatch and least cost routing- handheld computers with GPS functionality can integrate with GIS and display the location of the field worker to help managers better organize service responses.


18. Compute and analyze data on the handheld in the field – programmed analytics can help field users make quicker and better decisions.


19. Automated business processes - your mobile application can be configured to perform all kinds of automated business functions, queries, computations, analytics and many more time consuming features automatically based on data input or buttons pushed.


20. Enforce business processes for efficiency and best practices - mobile software solutions can be configured to ensure the field user follows the appropriate business processes based upon the data entered (a specific answer can force a separate business process.


21. Avoid lost data on paper forms —capture data immediately and sync to headquarters.


22. Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time due to forgetfulness- enforce real time data entry before clock out or work order completion.


23. Require clock in and clock out at jobsites to document the accuracy of work estimates.


24. Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips.


25. Capture digital signature for proof-of-delivery and proof of work.


26. Enforce and automate best practices business processes.


27. Automatically track inventory and parts usuage on the handheld computer.


28. Query for available inventory in nearby work vans to save travel time and fuel cost.


29. Use information on handheld computers to up-sell more products and services while onsite with the customer.


30. Query latest shipping status or inventory levels via handheld computer while onsite with customer
    

Handheld Computers Everywhere

What do these folks all have in common - the water delivery guy, the parking meter attendant, the surveyor on the sidewalk, the UPS delivery guy, pig farmers, building inspectors and nearly every business person in the airplane? The answer....they all are using handheld computers. So why then is Dell Computer announcing they are going to stop manufacturing PDAs? The answer is that handheld computers are becoming much more than the simple PDAs (personal digital assistants) that Dell has traditionally sold. The new convergent PDA phones should really be renamed to EDAs (enterprise digital assistants) and they are now being sold primarily through the wireless phone carriers rather than electronic stores or direct computer manufacturers as in the past.

EDAs require the combination of a mobile phone and a full functional computer. They integrate processing power, memory, Windows Mobile operating systems, wifi, bluetooth, internet, music/video, digital cameras, and sometimes GPS, bar code, RFID all working with email/calendar features connected over the Internet to enterprise corporate databases and software applications. The simple PDA has been transformed into an essential tool designed to extend the power of corporate database applications into the hands of the mobile workforce.

Think about it...nearly 40% of the global work force is mobile. That means they are traveling, driving delivery trucks, working in field services, repairing equipment at a customer's location, farming, building homes, etc. These mobile workers need access to corporate and customer data and the use of corporate software applications, yet they need them on a portable, ruggedized handheld computer that can fit on their belt or in their pocket.

My team at MobileDataforce is dedicated full time to extending the power of enterprise database applications out to the field force. This is accomplished by developing mobile software platforms such as the PointSync Mobility Platform that enable handheld computers to connect to and access enterprise applications. These solutions enable the bi-directional exchange of information between the office and the field using handheld devices.

Ruggedized Cases for PDAs

In our office here at MobileDataforce in Boise, Idaho we have several tables covered with ruggedized handheld computers and ruggedized cases for PDAs on display in our executive briefing area. Recently we received a new box full of ruggedized PDA cases from a company called Otterbox. I must say there are some very impressive and appealing cases for PDAs and PDA phones. These cases can keep the majority of water and dust off your devices and can provide you with a much greater level of protection from common bumps and drops. They don't offer industrial grade protection, but they do offer a much higher level of protection than a standard exposed phone or PDA.

My sales team is now using the Otterbox for the Palm Treos they carry. The above picture shows how they look. The keys on the Otterbox case work surprisingly well, and a lens on the back allows you to take digital photos without taking the phone out of the case. Good job Otterbox! I drop my PDA phone about once every couple of months and a protective case like this can mean the difference between picking up a working, or non-working PDA phone.

Clinical Research & Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions

MobileDataforce was fortunate enough to have been selected to provide mobile software and consulting services for a very interesting clinical research project that utilized handheld PDAs and synchronization technology recently.

This project involves 6 hospitals that are participating in a data collection and research project on treatments of spinal injuries. The hospitals using our mobile data collection software are:

• Craig Hospital
• Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York
• The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
• National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington DC
• Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia
• Carolinas Rehabilitation in Charlotte, North Carolina

This research projects involves 250 Clinicians in 6 different disciplines including:

• Social Workers
• Physical Therapists
• Speech Therapists
• Occupational Therapists
• Psychologists
• Recreational Therapists

This study is designed for "Improving Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Outcomes" by:

Identifying individual patient characteristics, including demographic data, severity of spinal cord injury, and severity of illness (complications and comorbidities), that explain significant variation in the outcomes of acute rehabilitation for SCI.

Identifying specific medical/nursing procedures and therapy interventions, or combinations of procedures and interventions that are associated with better outcomes, controlling for patient characteristics.

Determining whether specific impairment-by-treatment interactions are associated with better outcomes. Participants for this study include individuals who sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury and are receiving inpatient rehabilitation at one of the participating facilities (Craig Hospital, Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York, The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, National Rehabilitation Hospital in Washington DC, Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and Carolinas Rehabilitation in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Solution:

The solution consists of mobile data collection software called PointSync Mobility Platform from MobileDataforce and consumer grade handheld PDAs.

Mobile Handheld PDAs - You Don't Want to Sit Next to Me on a Plane

If you are unfortunate enough to be seated next to me on a plane, then I hope you like talking about mobile handheld PDAs and other kinds of mobile computers and mobile software solutions. Last night on the flight home from San Jose, CA a lucky food broker was throughly indoctrinated into the world of mobility.

This tired traveler did not understand the full degree of his luck. Seems his company is currently testing a mobile software application now and they hate it. If he was hoping for some sleep on the flight, he should never have told me that. It just so happens that MobileDataforce has a lot of experince working with CPG (consumer packaged goods) companies and helping them mobilize their in store promotion and product delivery processes. He was one of the luckiest guys on the entire plane, although he should get some more rest.

Ryzex Visit in Bellingham, Washington and a Look at Mobile Handheld PDAs

Last week I had the opportunity of visiting Ryzex in beautiful Bellingham, WA. Ryzex is a very interesting company that sells new, used and refurbished handheld computers and mobile handheld PDAs. Their business model supports the purchase of old and used handheld computers from their clients, and upgrading them with new hardware. They also have a rental program for companies needing short-term data collection devices.

As I walked through their facilities I saw workstations where engineers were repairing devices, disassembling devices and cleaning used devices. I saw a warehouse full of handheld computer parts and add-on components. It was a very interesting tour and I left impressed with the scope of their services and offerings. They sell and service a wide range of handheld computers including Psion Teklogix, Symbol, Intermec and others.

My interest in all of these handheld devices of course is that they require software in order to be of any use. MobileDataforce develops all kinds of applications for mobile handheld computers and it is important for us to understand all the different technologies, plug-ins and add-on components and how we can best support them.

Route Accounting and Proof of Delivery on Mobile Handheld PDAs

I have been programmed, by my work with mobile software solutions for handheld PDAs, to see opportunities everywhere. I drive my wife crazy... One of the reasons is my habit of constantly calling out phone numbers while driving down the street. Why?...I can't stand seeing people delivering packages and cargo while not wearing a handheld computer on their belt. I feel an intense sense of responsibility to make their life and work better. We all have a purpose in life and this is mine.

Here are a few ways that a mobile software application for a handheld PDA can make the life of a delivery man better:

1. Electronic proof of delivery form - sign the screen here, capture the digital signature and synchronize with the office...this enables the company to prove delivery at a designated location and time and show this on a website instantly.
2. Allows the delivery man (or woman) to look up past deliveries at this location, or instantly track the status of other in-process deliveries. This provides better customer service at the point of delivery.
3. Allows the delivery man to take orders on the handheld computer, and up-sell additional products and services to the customer at the time of delivery.
4. Allows the delivery man to inspect and report any damage to the cargo at the time of delivery. Saves time and resolves liability issues immediately without additional investment of time.
5. Vehicle tracking with a GPS enabled handheld computer allows the warehouse or office to see the location of all delivery vehicles. This enables better planning of routes and dispatches which saves time and fuel.
6. Grocery store product delivery folks can have "planograms" on their handheld devices which predict how much of each product each particular store needs. They can load their cart with a predicted amount of products which saves time and money.
7. etc

One of my sales team members once said to me, "our market is anyone driving around with a logo on their door." I must agree. If business is being conducted away from the desk, in a mobile environment, a handheld computer and mobile software solutions have relevance.

Asset Management and Mobile Software for Handheld PDAs

Asset management comes in all different sizes and shapes. Assets are not just property and buildings, desks and computers - the also include things like cows, chickens, human resources, inventory, fences, landscape etc.. My professional services teams often are involved in the development of mobile asset management and inspection software solutions. These projects usually involve ruggedized handheld PDAs, a mobile software platform with wireless synchronization and are designed to monitor and track assets on remote job sites.

We are currently working on a project that includes the delivery of fences and environmental barriers. These barriers are delivered to construction sites to prevent water runoff and erosion issues. Sometimes these barriers are temporary and are rented by the construction company. The company providing these "assets" must deliver them, monitor them, track their location, record how long they have been in place, and inspect them for damage once they are retrieved. Many of these tasks are conducted remotely in the field. This is a perfect environment for a ruggedized handheld PDA and a mobile software application wirelessly synchronized with the main office database system.

Handheld PDAs and RFID in the Hospital

Last week my VP of Product Management, Dave Wasden, was playing a high tech version of an Easter egg hunt in the office. He would distribute RFID tags in various locations around the office and walk through with a Symbol 9000 (industrial grade handheld computer) with an RFID antenna attached. The antenna would pick-up the RFID tags and list them on the screen of the handheld device.

Dave was testing this RFID software solution developed, using the PointSync Mobility Platform, on behalf of a company that monitors hospital equipment. Seems often it is hard to find various high priced pieces of equipment when it is needed in the hospital. This can cause delays in treating or diagnosing patients - this is not a good thing. The solution being tested would allow a technician to monitor and track the locations of a large variety of hospital equipment. We have already been involved in a similar project to track expensive tools on construction sites in a similar manner.

In a blog article last year I expressed the opinion that RFID was not yet ready for prime time, or at least for small to medium sized businesses, however, already this year I have seen numerous inexpensive and practical applications for small to medium sized businesses primarily in the asset management arena that want to deploy RFID on mobile handheld PDAs.

MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform supports a large variety customized RFID solutions.

Inspection Software for Handheld PDAs and the City of Los Angeles

My team has been supporting a mobile inspection software project with the City of Los Angeles' Building Maintenance Division. They had a need to collect conditional assessment data and inspection data from equipment and buildings at over 900 locations using handheld PDAs. These buildings include:

• Police Stations
• Fire Stations
• Libraries
• Waste water operations
• Communication Centers
• Municipal Buildings of all kinds
• etc.

Their 6 inspectors collect data and complete inspections for their CMMS application (computer managed maintenance system). These 6 inspectors are experts in the following areas:

• Carpentry
• HVAC
• Roofing
• Elevators
• Plumbing
• Electrical

The Building Maintenance Division selected MobileDataforce's Mobile Inspection Software for handheld PDAs and Symbol MC 9000k handheld devices.

The inspectors collect the data and complete the inspections and synchronize their devices to a central data repository.

The Building Maintenance Division selected software from MobileDataforce that would enable them to create, customize and configure their own handheld inspection forms and applications. By selecting a software solution that lets them create their own mobile applications, they can edit and customize whenever necessary without the need and expense of paying a third party.

Canyon County Selects MobileDataforce® for Mobile Automated Building Inspection System

Canyon County Selects MobileDataforce® for Mobile Automated Building Inspection System

County seeks to control costs related to building inspections and to improve efficiency of field inspectors

Boise, Idaho—January 25, 2007 – MobileDataforce® a leading provider of business critical mobile software applications today announced they were selected by Canyon County, Idaho to provide a Mobile Automated Building Inspection system. The purpose of this mobile solution is to help control costs related to inspections by improving the efficiency of the County’s building staff and the administrative staff they work with on a daily basis. This will be accomplished by replacing the paper based system for conducting and reporting inspections with an automated and mobilized system. The mobilized system will synchronize and integrate with the existing permitting and inspection request system used today.

The Mobile Automated Building Inspection system, using MobileDataforce’s PointSync Mobility Platform, will dispatch to the inspectors’ mobile devices a list of inspections to be conducted each day. While still on the construction site, inspectors will be able to file their reports and synchronize with the central office database.

Expected cost savings will come from reduced fuel consumption, reduced mobile phone usage, minimized overtime pay and reduced administrative work. Additional benefits will come from improved contractor communications, more accurate and timely reports and near-real time information.

About the PointSync Mobility Platform

PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class solution used to rapidly design, develop and deploy field inspection applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile inspection applications with bi-directional synchronization, GPS, barcode scanning, connectivity, security and enterprise database integration all within one solution.

About MobileDataforce

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical field inspection applications for use on mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America and in Australia to support their expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing inspection processes since 2000. For more information, please visit our website at www.mobiledataforce.com.

Mobile Software Platforms for Handheld PDAs and Smartphones for Enterprise Mobile Software Solutions

I was reading an article from Gartner last week that mentioned by 2009 companies would be seeking mobile software platform solutions for use with smartphones and handheld PDAs, rather than single purpose mobile software applications. I agree and have been evangelizing this strategy for some time now. Let's discuss why I believe this statement to be accurate.

A single purpose mobile software application is designed for only one business process -for example, an electrical substation inspection. It has no value beyond that one inspection process. A mobile software platform in contrast, would enable an infinite number of different mobile software applications and inspection software programs to be designed, developed and deployed on the same platform.

Last year I was working with a large electrical utility company. They had 7 different enterprise applications that all had their own mobile handheld PDA applications. The IT department had no interest in learning and supporting 7 different mobile client applications, design environments, security architectures, help desk organizations, vendors, etc. They wanted one mobile software platform that could provide mobile handheld clients for all of their enterprise applications. This would reduce costs, headaches and enable their IT team to learn one environment that could support all of their mobile client needs. MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform is designed specifically for this purpose.

A mobile software platform should provide the following components:

• Mobile application development environment (easy to learn visual development)
• Mobile synchronization middleware
• Mobile application, device and user manager
• Mobile databases and database server(s)
• Integration and adaptor tools

A mobile software platform enables a business to mobilize all of their field operational processes, not just a single process.

Google Earth, Job Estimates and Mobile Handheld PDAs

Have you downloaded and played with Google Earth yet? There are versions of desktops and for mobile handheld PDAs and iphones. You can download the client and then see all kinds of very interesting maps, 3D buildings, satellite views, fly overs and more. In addition to all the fun and games, there are real business values you can gain from Google Earth.

Let's say you are a Fencing contractor. You want to provide a quick estimate of a job without spending the time and money to drive to the other side of town. Google Earth enables you to enter a home or business address and get a relatively new satellite view of the address. You can zoom in almost to ground level and see the exact yard, driveway, parking lot etc. Next in Google Earth you can select the ruler tool and measure the length and width of the yard, parking lot, roadway, etc to learn the dimensions. You can then provide a ball park estimate based upon the satellite view and measurements you took from the air. Very Cool!

I entered the address of my in-laws house. Google Earth quickly flew me to the address and I zoomed in to their driveway. I could see their horse trailer and their truck trailer parked in the driveway. I zoomed in further and could take exact measurements of their property lines, roof dimensions, length of driveway, yard size, distants to street, etc. This information could be used by:

1. Roofing Contractors
2. Asphalt Contractors
3. Cable Companies
4. Phone Companies
5. Fence Contractors
6. Landscape Contractors
7. Lawn Maintenance Contractors

These are just a few of the contractors that could save a great deal of time, fuel and other resources by studying the close-up satellite photos of their prospective jobsites early on in the sales process. These maps and satellite photos can also be printed off and added to the job estimates with drawings.

PointSync Mobility Platform 4.0 for Automotive Inspections and Services on Handheld Computers

MobileDataforce Launches PointSync Mobility Platform 4.0 for Automotive Inspections and Services on Handheld Computers

New version features over 220 pre-built functions to help quickly design, develop and deploy customized mobile solutions for the Automotive Industry

Boise, Idaho - January 05, 2006 – MobileDataforce® today announced the release of the latest version of the PointSync® Mobility Platform for Automotive Inspections and Services, the next generation of the company’s award-winning mobile software solutions for handheld computers. This major release includes over 150 new features, innovations and enhancements to support the needs of the automotive industry.

“This is a significant development for the automotive services industry,” said Kevin Benedict, CEO of MobileDataforce. “PointSync Mobility Platform 4.0 will change the way mobile solutions are developed for the automotive industry and will reduce the time it takes for our customers to recognize a return on investment by reducing the time it takes to design, develop and deploy new automotive services solutions on handheld computers.”

Key new features and enhancements include:

· Enhanced graphical user interface tools, including interactive SPLAT diagrams
· Built in support for VIN scanning and decoding
· New Visual Debugger to quickly debug mobile automotive applications during customization
· New Data Mapping Wizard speeds integration with existing back-office tools such as financial, CRM, HR, scheduling, and many other software packages
· New SQL Builder speeds up business rule development for mobile automotive applications
· Enhanced library of over 220 pre-built functions for mobile application development
· Expanded support for multiple PointSync applications and databases in a hosted environment

To learn more, visit http://www.mobiledataforce.com/Solutions/auto.asp

About PointSync Mobility Platform

The PointSync Mobility Platform for Automotive Inspections and Services is an enterprise class solution used to rapidly design, develop and deploy mobile applications for the automotive services industry. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications that can be deployed and synchronized from the field.

The PointSync Mobility Platform is popular with companies providing mobile services such as vehicle inspections for insurance companies, auto auctions, auto lease returns, mobile dent repair, detailing and other repair services.

About MobileDataforce

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class mobile software solutions for the automotive services industry. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America and in Australia to support its 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/.

Mobile Software and Handheld PDA Technology Innovations for 2007

The two following innovations for mobile handheld PDAs and Smartphones are the most innovative I have read about in a long time.

1. Flexible flat screens


2. Flash memory in laptops to improve boot-up speed

The flexible flat screen is pictured here. It is about the thickness of paper and can be plugged into a Smartphones, handheld PDA or ruggedized handheld PDA etc. It can be rolled-up and inserted into a tube that fits in your pocket or brief case. It would allow you to read ebooks on 8"x 11" or A4 sized screens, or view CAD drawings or maps stored on your Smart Phone. It would enable your Smart Phone SIM card, that holds gigabytes of maps, to display them on portable, flexible full sized screen. I love it!!!

MobileDataforce has many customers that find it necessary to buy two different mobile handhleds, one a ruggedized handheld computer, and another a ruggedized laptop to view maps. If a flexible screen could be plugged into the ruggedized handheld, so full sized maps and CAD drawings could be viewed, then this would remove much of the need for the additional and expensive ruggedized laptop.

Now on the subject of the flash memory boot-up. Have you ever wished your laptop would boot up instantly like your mobile phone? If so, there might be a solution for you. In the next few months new laptops are supposed to be available that boot-up from flash memory, so they don't have to wait for the hard drive to start spinning in order to boot up the laptop. This should enable laptop users to boot-up in seconds and save us mobile road warriors a lot of time.

Innovations in Mobile Handheld PDA Technologies

This week I have read about two very interesting new technologies that have the potential of improving a mobile workforces' technology experience.

1. Laptops and Tablet PCs that can boot up nearly as fast as a mobile smartphones and handheld PDAs.
2. Flexible screens nearly as thin as a sheet of paper. See attached image.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could push a button at your laptop was instantly on? It is reported that this technology is only a few months away. The laptops would boot from flash memory, not a hard drive. Time is money!

A company out of the UK just raised $100 million in funding to lauch their flexible screen technology. Ponder this...a screen could be rolled up into a small tube that fits in your pocket or brief case. When needed, you could unroll your screen, lay in on the table, or hold it in your hands and plug it into your Smart phone, PDA or rugged handheld and look at full sized CAD drawings, maps, blueprints, or newspapers.

We have many customers in the construction, facilities management and engineering industries that need to look at maps and CAD drawings daily. They love the utility and convenience of a ruggedized handheld computer, but need the larger screen size of a laptop to effectively view maps and drawings. These flat and flexible screens just might be the answer.

County Selects MobileDataforce for Mobile Building Inspection Solution for Handheld PDAs

Canyon County Idaho has selected MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform to mobilize their Building Inspection processes for use on mobile handheld PDAs. In 2006 Canyon County experienced rapid growth and record breaking building inspection requirements. In order to meet the high demand, they sought a method to streamline their building inspection processes through mobilization. The result of this search is that MobileDataforce was selected to both develop and implement a mobilized building inspection process for Canyon County.

MobileDataforce Announces a Reseller Agreement with Abox for Mobile Software

MobileDataforce announces today a reseller partnership with Abox. In this agreement Abox will resell MobileDataforce's mobile software, the PointSync Mobility Platform in Spain, Portugal, France and many areas of Africa. We are very excited about this relationship. This will help us provide our customers and sales prospects with localized sales and technical support across a significant geographical area for our mobile software solutions used on handheld PDAs and Smartphones.

MobileDataforce's market for handheld PDA and smartphone software has been growing rapidly around the world with offices in North America, Sydney, Australia and Den Bosch, The Netherlands.

Our channel partners are the key to our success. They provide localized business knowledge as well as vertical expertise.

MobileDataforce Announces a Reseller Agreement with Sybase South Africa

MobileDataforce today announces a reseller partnership with Sybase South Africa for delivering mobile handheld PDA and smartphone applications. In this reseller partnership, Sybase South Africa will be reselling MobileDataforce's PointSync Mobility Platform to companies and government agencies interested in field mobility including, inspection software, work orders and asset management on handheld PDAs and smartphones.

Interest in MobileDataforce's mobile software solutions is growing rapidly and we have a significant sales pipeline in South Africa that reflects an expanding market for mobile applications.

We are very excited to work with Sybase South African. This partnership will enable MobileDataforce's mobile solutions to be supported locally with the highest level of professionalism and attention.

Airlines and PDAs

NEW YORK (CNN) -- From cell phone use to high-speed Internet access, the connected life is spreading to the skies.

In January, Emirates airline plans to launch mobile phone usage in its planes, making it the first airline to allow passengers to make cell phone calls on its flights. And Australian carrier Qantas plans to start evaluating technology that lets fliers use their cell phones and PDAs during flight early next year.