Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

SAP to Buy Sybase for $6 Billion - First Thoughts

I will have better analysis after pondering this announcement for a few days, but here is my first, off-the-cuff thoughts. SAP will instantly be a leader in mobile middleware with this acquisition, but this acquisition does little to solve the needs of large enterprises today. Sybase is not a mobile application company. They have great mobile middleware, mobile databases, synchronization and integration technology and mobile device management. However, none of these products provide a company with a mobile applications that solves their problems. A database is not an application. Synchronization is not an applications. Mobile device management is not an application. All of these solutions are just pieces that offer no value unless somebody builds something with them. Who will that be?

Sybase does not have a SDK. How can a large enterprise with custom mobility needs build an application? Sybase tells them to go pick a programming environment of their choice. That does not help make developing mobile applications easy!

Sybase does not make it easy for systems integrators to deliver mobile applications either, since there is no SDK.

Afaria is a huge, an even obese mobile device management system. It can do anything and everything you can ever imagine. I once had a consultant tell me that the training class for Afaria was like 3 or 4 days long and was overkill, overkill, overkill! That is far more device management than 99.9% of the world wants in Afaria. I love Afaria, it is just so very expensive and complex.

SAP now needs to explain how this acquisition will deliver mobile applications that provide ROIs. Mobile application partners of SAP may want to start using some of the mobile middleware available through this acquisition and focus on the mobile business processes, mobile applications, mobile workflow and user experiences. More later...

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Kevin Benedict SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor,CEO Netcentric Strategies LLC
Mobile Industry Analyst, Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant and Web 2.0 Marketing Services
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles. ***************************************************

Sapphire and Enterprise Mobility

I just got off of the phone with Bonnie Rothenstein at SAP. She works in the enterprise mobility group at SAP. She is arranging meetings for me with all the right people at SAP to get the latest news and updates on enterprise mobility. I will be posting updates to this blog as often as I can next week.

Bonnie was sharing the extensive list of presentations, demonstrations and sessions focused on enterprise mobility that will be available at Sapphire this year. The list is long! I am very excited about the focused efforts around enterprise mobility that I am seeing from SAP. I will be attending as many of these mobility related events as my schedule allows. Look for me in an SAP Mentor rugby shirt, #45, at these events and introduce yourself!

If you can't make Sapphire this year, but want a full recap of the developments in enterprise mobility after Sapphire, please contact me to schedule a time to discuss.

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Kevin Benedict
SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, CEO Netcentric Strategies LLC
Mobile Industry Analyst, Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant and Web 2.0 Marketing Services
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles. ***************************************************

SAP Mobility Goes Mainstream in 2010

I read an interesting article today on SAP's SCN that announces mobility will be a key focus of SAPPHIRE 2010. Here is an excerpt, "We are in the midst of what might be described as a smartphone revolution. It is clear that SAP has also accepted this." In an independent analysis, Bob Evans wrote a piece (Information Week, April 30, 2010) titled: "Inside SAP: 10 Factors Behind Its Dramatic Turnaround." In this article, he calls out "Making Mobile Matter" as one of these 10 factors. He quotes J. Snabe, co-CEO, SAP AG, as saying that SAP is committed to making sure that "SAP solutions can be accessed from all leading mobile platforms, like RIM, Nokia, Apple, Google Android, etc."

SAP's co-CEO Jim Snabe has made enterprise mobility a key priority of SAP. More than a dozen mobile applications that integrate with SAP will be demonstrated at Sapphire this year. 2010 is an extraordinary time to be involved in SAP enterprise mobility. If you would like to learn more about SAP enterprise mobility please join the Linkedin group of the same name or contact me.

If you are attending Sapphire this year and want to look at the latest in mobile applications then look for the following companies:

Vivido Labs
Sky Technologies
Leapfactor
Syclo
Sybase
RoamBI
ClickSoftware

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Kevin Benedict
SAP Mentor, Mobile Industry Analyst, Founder/CEO Netcentric Strategies LLC
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant and Web 2.0 Marketing Services
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
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Enterprise Mobility Discussion Time at Sapphire

I will be available, as an SAP Mentor, in the Orlando Line of Business Area on Wednesday, May 19th from 2-3 pm to discuss SAP enterprise mobility with anyone interested in that subject. See you there!

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Kevin Benedict SAP Mentor, Mobile Industry Analyst, Founder/CEO Netcentric Strategies LLC
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant and Web 2.0 Marketing Services
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
twitter: http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
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Sapphire 2010 Here We Come - The Year of Enterprise Mobility

I must admit it is a self-proclaimed year of mobility, but I believe it is appropriate. I think enterprise mobility will be front and center everywhere you go at Sapphire next week. There are many new and innovative mobile micro-applications that were launched last week by SAP partners.

Business Indicators by Leapfactor (iPhone)
SAP EcoHub by Leapfactor (iPhone)
Mowego Mobile Solutions by Vivido Labs

SAP appointed me to be an SAP Mentor this year focused on enterprise mobility. If any of you will be at Sapphire and would like to meet with me please contact me.

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Kevin Benedict SAP Mentor, Mobile Industry Analyst, Founder/CEO Netcentric Strategies LLC
Author of the report Enterprise Mobile Data Solutions, 2009
Mobile Strategy Consultant and Web 2.0 Marketing Services
http://www.netcentric-strategies.com/
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbenedict
http://twitter.com/krbenedict
http://kevinbenedict.ulitzer.com/
http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/
***Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant and Web 2.0 marketing expert. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles. ***************************************************