More on iPhone Challenges and Mobile Software

Larry Borsato of the Industry Standard wrote an insightful article recently on the Nine reasons the iPhone apps platform is lacking. Tiny companies, developing tiny applications, with tiny investments may be interested in developing tiny mobile software applications for tiny niche markets, but any significant mobile software company that develops industrial strength mobile applications would be unwilling to work under the present conditions set forth by Apple.

- Kevin Benedict

Otterbox, Dell Axiom PDAs, Handhelds and Windows Mobile 6.0

Today, while waiting for the activation of my new mobile phone, I watched the water bottle delivery guy carry to large bottles a water in the store. On his hip he wore a nylon case with a mobile device in a rugged case (Otterbox) inside it. I could not stop myself. I walked over and asked him what kind of mobile device he was using inside the rugged Otterbox case. He grimaced as he set the heavy water bottles down and reached into the case. He held it up for me to inspect. It was an old Dell Axiom PDA inside the rugged case.

There is nothing wrong with a Dell Axiom, except for the fact they are no longer made. They ran on Windows Mobile 5.0 and earlier versions of pocket pc, so there is no Dell Axiom that can run on Windows Mobile 6.0. Again, nothing is wrong with running on Windows Mobile 5.0, unless the Dell Axiom dies and you need to buy a new mobile device. New mobile devices run on Windows 6.0. There is nothing wrong with buying a new mobile device that runs on Windows 6.0 unless of course the software you were using only runs on Windows Mobile 5.0. If you developed your own mobile software application 2 years ago for the Windows Mobile 5.0 OS, and your trusted software developer has long since departed for an IPO-bound career in a wireless mobile software company, then you have some challenges.

Most companies do not think about technical obsolescence issues when they decide to custom build a mobile application internally. For a longer list of issues to consider before choosing to develop your own mobile application please visit this website.

- Kevin Benedict

iPhone Business Applications

On Tuesday, August 5, 2008 the Wall Street Journal published an article called Ringing Up Business With iPhone Applications by Raymund Flandez. In this article, an example of a business applications is a set of medical flashcards that work on iPhones. They also suggest these business applications, at $39.00 are expensive. OK...let's talk.

Real mobile business applications are extensions of key business applications that are run in the office. These mobile business applications enable you to integrate mobile devices with large, complex database applications that include workflow automation, database queries and business automation. The challenge that Apple has today is that their software SDK (software development kit) does not include synchronization technology that enables software developers to easily move data between a database applications in the office and the iPhone.

Another criticism I have for this article is suggesting that $39.00 for a business application is expensive. Expensive is of course relative, but significant business applications can often be worth $39,000-$390,000 to companies that can automate and mobilize their mobile users.

- Kevin Benedict

Mobile Handheld PDA Solutions and Mobile Software Implementations & Strategies

Google has recently released a new application called Knol. Knol stands for unit of knowledge. Knols are places to publish "authoritative" information. I spent some time over the last week preparing my first one on the subject of Mobile Solution Implementations and Strategies.

Contents:
The ROI in Mobile Applications
What ROI Can I Expect?
10 Steps to Implementing a Successful Enterprise Mobile Solution
Mobilizing and Automating Business Processses During a Down Economy
Mobilized Work Orders
Designing a Mobile Solution to Automate Business Processes
Learning from Mobile Solution Deployments
The Evolution of a Mobile Solution
Buying vs. Building Mobile Applications
Supporting a Customized Mobile Software Application

Convergent Handheld PDAs & Garmin

I have written several blog articles over the past couple of years on the concept of "convergent" handheld computers and PDAs. My definition of a convergent device is a handheld computer or PDA that combines many different features such as:

• Mobile phone
• Music player and mass storage
• Digital camera/video camera
• GPS and navigation
• Internet connectivity
• Powerful operating system that can run powerful business applications (windows mobile or equivalent)
• Audio memos
• etc

The convergence of these features in one mobile handheld device provide the mobile worker/field services worker the capabilities of automating and mobilizing many of their business processes and applications without carrying multiple devices.

Garmin, a long time satellite-navigation device company, seems to just be absorbing this concept. As printed in the Wall Street Journal's Breakingviews.com on Saturday, August 2, 2008 - Garmin has been planning, but is now delaying the launch of their mobile phone and gps navigation device until the first half of 2009. It does not seem to include many of the features listed above, but does combine the mobile phone with GPS/Navigation. My question, like the Wall Street Journal's, is why now? Where were they when they owned the GPS/Navigation market? Did they completely miss this concept in 2006, 2007 and 2008 when the iPhone was introduced? Did they really think people would want to carry multiple devices around?

- Kevin Benedict