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Feed: LATEST NEWS FROM WIRELESS DEVELOPER'S JOURNAL
Latest News from Wireless Developer's Journal
Do You Need to Monitor Your Mobile Apps?
06-Feb-12
The increasing adoption of mobile applications as part of a company’s online services leads to the question of whether we need to monitor it like other parts of our IT infrastructure. As they are part of our shipped application services we need to ensure they are working properly. However, not every application must be monitored the same way. In addition, monitoring always comes at a certain cost. We need people to take care of the monitoring, we have to prepare our applications to be ready for monitoring and we potentially also have to buy or at least integrate new monitoring tools.
Before talking about how we have to monitor them we need to figure out whether and how much to invest in monitoring. As with classical applications, not every application is worth the effort of detailed production monitoring. An obvious decision criterion is business value. If the cost of monitoring exceeds the business value or if no specific requirements for uptime exist, then we shouldn’t invest in monitoring – at least not beyond basic monitoring.read more
Developing Your Enterprise Mobile 'iDea'
04-Feb-12
In my last article I looked at the motivation behind and part of the iOS Developer's DNA. I mentioned that many great apps had started with a great 'iDea' that was either inspirational, formed by personal needs or to better apps that did not quite do it as well as they could have. It is very easy for the developer to get to thinking of how to use the technology first, but this is not a great approach and can limit the opportunities for applications. My friend Anne Skare Nielsen, at Future Navigator in Denmark (http://www.futurenavigator.dk/) identified the formula to be an innovator...read more
One Month Later, Galaxy Nexus Still the Phone to Beat
03-Feb-12
While Apple recorded their best quarter ever, Samsung and Google released the most impressive smartphone to date. Appearing on the Verizon network with LTE radios in the US, as well GSM w/ HSDPA+ radios internationally, the Galaxy Nexus is the most groundbreaking phone available. The mix of 32GB internal storage, a dual-core TI OMAP processor, [...]read more
Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly
02-Feb-12
Welcome to Enterprise Mobility Asia News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility in Asia. Asia is predicted to be the fastest area of growth for enterprise mobility between now and 2016.
In India, “mobile is becoming the preferred way to reach a billion people at low cost,” states SAP co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe. For SAP, the markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Japan grew 30 percent, India grew more than 100 percent, and China grew more than 60 percent annually.read more
NFC and iOS: Will It Become a Reality in 2012?
01-Feb-12
Lately there has been a lot of rumor on the web about the iPhone 5 and iPad 3. One thing that most people and technical loggers seem to agree on, along with more internal memory for running of programs and a faster processor is a thinner design and new innovative features such as the use of NFC (Near Field Communication). Yes still speculation until the time the next iPhone will be announced, which will probably be in June at Apple's WWDC (World Wide Developer Conference), but worth talking about in advance. As a quick example of NFC, think of something many thousands of us use daily, the London Undergrounds successful use of the Oyster card and beyond that card payments , such as Barclaycard's Contactless Payment systems.read more
Worldwide Market for Mobile Advertising is Expected to Grow 65%
26-Jan-12
According to a report from Gartner, the worldwide market for mobile advertising is expected to grow from $1.8 billion in 2011 to $13.5 billion in 2015, roughly a 65% growth rate. (The Mobile Marketing News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news, articles and links related to mobile marketing that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting market size and market trend information.)read more
The Mobile Chimera: Three Converging Technology Trends
26-Jan-12
In the case of technology – as with mythology - the whole is often greater (and more challenging) than the sum of its parts. 
The chimera is a mythological beast of scary proportions. Not only is it fairly large, but it’s also got three, independent heads – traditionally a lion, a goat, and a snake. Some variations on this theme exist, but the basic principle remains: it’s a three-headed, angry beast that should not be taken lightly should one encounter it in the hallway. Individually, one might have a strategy to meet the challenge of a lion or a goat head on. But when they converge into one very angry and dangerous beast, the strategies and tactics employed to best any one of them will almost certainly not work to address all three of them simultaneously. The world of mobility is rapidly approaching its own technological chimera, one comprised of three individual technology trends. While successful stratagem and tactics exist which address each one individually, when taken together they form a new challenge requiring a new strategic approach. THE MOBILE CHIMERA Three technology trends - VDI, mobile, and IPv6 - are rapidly converging upon the enterprise. Each is driven in part by the other, and each requires in part functionality and support of another. Addressing the challenges accompanying this trifecta requires a serious evaluation of the enterprise infrastructure with an eye toward performance, scalability, and flexibility, less it be overwhelmed by demand originating both internally and externally. Mobile The myriad articles, blogs, and editorial orations on mobile device growth have to date focused on the need for organizations to step up and accept the need for device-ready enterprise applications. This focus has thus far ignored the reality of the diversity of the device client base, the ramifications of which those with long careers in IT will painfully recall from the client-server era. Thus it is no surprise that interest in and adoption of technology such as VDI is on the rise, as virtualization serves as a popular solution to the problem of delivering applications to a highly-diverse set of clients. But virtualization, as popular a solution as it may be, is not a panacea. Security and control over corporate resources and applications is a growing necessity today because of the ease with which users can take advantage of mobile technology to access them. Access control does not entirely solve the challenges of a diverse mobile client audience, as attackers turn their attention on mobile platforms as a means to gain access to resources and data previously beyond their reach. The need for endpoint security inspection continues to grow as the threat posed by mobile devices continues to rear its ugly head. VDI It was inevitable that the growth of mobile device usage in the enterprise continued to grow that so, too, would the solution of VDI grow as the most efficient way to deliver applications without requiring mobile platform-specific versions. The desire by business owners and security practitioners to keep data securely within the data center "walls", too, is a factor in the rising desire to deploy VDI. VDI enables organizations to deliver applications remotely while maintaining control over data inside the data center, preserving enforcement of corporate security policies and minimizing risk. But VDI deployments are not trivial, regardless of the virtualization platform chosen. Each virtualization solution has its challenges and most of those challenges revolve around the infrastructure necessary to support such an initiative. Scalability and flexibility are important facets of VDI delivery infrastructure, and performance cannot be overlooked if such deployments are to be considered successful. IPv6 Who could forget that the Internet is being pressured to move to IPv6 sooner rather than later, in part because of the growth of mobile clients? The strain placed on service providers to maintain IPv4 support as a means to not "break the Internet" can only be borne so long before IPv6 becomes, as has been predicted, the Y2K for the network. The ability to deliver applications via VDI to mobile devices will soon require support for IPv6, but will not obviate the need to support IPv4 just yet. A dual stack approach will be required during the transition period, putting delivery infrastructure again front and center in the battle to deploy and support applications for mobile devices. With all accounts numbering mobile devices in the four billion range across multiple platforms and effectively 0 IPv4 addresses left to assign to those devices, it should be no surprise that as these three technology trends collide the result will be the need for a new mobility strategy. This is why solutions are strategic and technology is tactical. There exist individual products that easily solve each of these problems individually, but very few solutions that address the combined juggernaut that is the three combined. It is necessary to coordinate and architect a solution that can solve all three challenges simultaneously as a means to combat complexity and its associated best friend forever, operational risk. A flexible and scalable delivery strategy will be necessary to ensure performance and security without sacrificing operational efficiency.
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Technorati Tags: F5, MacVittie, mobile, vdi, ipv6, application delivery, strategy, performance, security, availability, architecture, quasar, blog read more
Syclo and IBM's Maximo for Enterprise Asset Management
25-Jan-12
Many people know Syclo as a mobility partner of SAP, particularly in the EAM (enterprise asset management) space, but did you know they also work with IBM's Maximo in the EAM space? I was reading today about Syclo's Smart Work Manager version 7.5 for Maximo. Here is a list of some of the supported features and capabilities:
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PSION's Durable Enterprise PDA
EP10 |
Work Orders
• Location
• Short/long description
• Priority and status
• Field generated work requests
Data Capture
• Time/attendance
• Parts and material used
• Failure codes
Plans and Histories
• Job plans
• Safety plans
• Equipment work order history
Advanced Functions
• E-validation and E-signature
• GPS, GIS enabled
• Assignment Manager
An area of particular interest to me was the workflow description in Syclo's press release, "...your technicians are guided through intuitive, action-driven workflow to ensure they capture all relevant information - including work performed, failure codes, parts used, and more." The ability to guide your workforce through specific tasks, in remote locations, using mobile apps is becoming increasingly important, especially in utilities where they are losing many of their most experienced workers due to retirement.
Enterprise asset management is one of those areas that many solutions come together. A mobile EAM system can include:
- Work orders (field service management)
- Time and attendance (HR and payroll)
- Parts and material used (inventory levels, suppliers, re-order, etc.)
- Safety plans (worker safety and compliance)
- GIS/GPS tracking
- etc.
Most mission critical mobility solutions, that offer competitive advantages, are not just one mobile app connected to one backend system. It is a mobile app connected to many backend systems in unique combinations.
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Kevin Benedict, Independent Mobile Industry Analyst, Consultant and SAP Mentor Volunteer
Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility analyst, consultant and blogger. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.  read more
Affording the Upgrade: The New World of Network Intelligence
24-Jan-12
The explosion of mobile applications and IP-based data traffic on mobile devices is fueling the migration to faster data rates and pushing the uptake of 4G technologies. Service providers are busy with migration strategies and upgrading their existing networks as stop-gap measures to allow an all-IP based services platform. Carriers and handset vendors are rolling out application portals as a way of differentiating their offerings while providing better monetization and ARPU. User mobility is pushing the trend for “anywhere, anytime” data technology, while applications are driving the subscriber need.
The march of technology powers much of the above, including more overall data traffic and the move to mobile connectivity/mobile broadband. Applications are becoming pervasive with the subscriber dictating what they want to use, where and how. Operators are continuing to reduce costs by moving to an all-IP core, attempting to reduce network complexity and often outsourcing the management of their networks altogether.read more
Mobile Strategies, PIOs, Optimized Intersections and Patterns of Life, Part 1
23-Jan-12
Several weeks ago I introduced, in an article on this site, the concepts of PIOs (performance impact objects) and PIVs (performance impact variables) and their role in managing a mobile workforce. Today, I want to expand upon the concept of PIOs and introduce two additional concepts, 1) optimized intersections, and 2) an emerging concept from the intelligence community called "patterns of life." We will then explore how these can be useful to an enterprise seeking to maximize efficiencies and the value of their enterprise mobility solutions.
For any particular job, the required PIOs must all come together at the right time and place (read 4D Field Services) in order to optimize your productivity and efficiencies (see image). The optimized intersection is where all of these items come together in the most optimal manner.read more
Turning Point 2011: Mobile Commerce by the Numbers
17-Jan-12
Mobile consumers can finally land on mobile-optimized commerce-enabled websites and the traffic to these sites can be converted into transactions in a trusted, secure environment. These mobile conversion metrics are the key and the resulting revenue numbers are real, undeniable, and impactful.
Over the last 4 or 5 years there has been vigorous debate regarding when, exactly, the true potential of mobile will be realized. Mobile mapping, mobile TV, check-ins, mobile payments, push ads, games, QR Codes, NFC, Daily Deals, SMS, virtual mobile currency, pop-up ads, barcode scanning, coupons, and a litany of others have had their moment in the sun, but none have generated commerce upside at a truly transformational level.read more
Adopting Best Practices for Wi-Fi: A Service Provider's Onus
17-Jan-12
As smartphone users become more sophisticated, they are actively seeking out the service provider they believe offers the best overall network for their smartphone. Providers are learning that users are quick to switch if they are unhappy with their existing service. Customers today expect their smartphone to deliver high-bandwidth applications along with high quality voice services. Service providers must look to alternative for “offloading” these bandwidth-intensive applications if they are to keep up with this high bandwidth demands. After years of serving as a nice-to-have hospitality solution, IEEE 802.11 is being thrust into the forefront as a solution.
The risk that providers face when using Wi-Fi for cellular offload is that unsatisfactory user experiences with Wi-Fi now result in a loss of high margin smartphone users. The reality is that consumers will, in most instances, not realize that new smartphones will move off a 3G or 4G service to a Wi-Fi network. At that point, end users will associate a poor Wi-Fi connection with a poor cellular network connection. read more
LG Signs Android Patent Deal with Microsoft
13-Jan-12
LG Electronics Thursday became the latest Android and Chrome OS peddler to bow to Microsoft’s patent claims and sign a “patent agreement” that Microsoft said “provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for LG’s tablets, mobile phones and other consumer devices running the Android or Chrome OS Platform.”
Usually Microsoft brags that it’s getting paid for privilege. This time it didn’t a word about royalties, merely noting that the “contents of the agreement have not been disclosed,” describing the deal as expanding on a pre-existing agreement. That license covered Linux and, as FOSS Patents points out, Android is a Linux fork. So, the new arrangement is assumed to be royalty-bearing. read more
Kodak Sues Apple and HTC
11-Jan-12
Eastman Kodak, the erstwhile American icon that’s been threatening to turn into road kill if it can’t sell off a chunk of its patent portfolio, sued Apple and HTC Tuesday in a New York district court for patent infringement.
It also complained to the International Trade Commission claiming the device makers’ camera-enabled iOS and Android smartphones and tablets (iPods too) tread on its digital imaging technology, specifically in the way they transmit images.
Kodak is already suing Apple for infringing a patent that covers technology related to a method for previewing images. Now it’s saying the same thing about HTC’s widgetry.
Otherwise, the two are charged with infringing the same four patents.
Kodak president and COO Laura Quatela said in a statement, “We’ve had numerous discussions with both companies in an attempt to resolve this issue, and we have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement.”
Although Kodak is asking for an exclusion order, Quatela said Kodak wasn’t interested in disrupting the availability of any product. It just wants to be fairly compensated. “We have invested hundreds of millions of dollars creating our pioneering patent portfolio,” she said.
Motorola, Samsung and Nokia pay Kodak royalties. So do 30 other companies.
The FOSS Patents blog figures the lawsuits are supposed to demonstrate to a strategic buyer that there’s enough value in the Kodak portfolio that it can be used to sue major wireless device makers.
The patents-in-suit include US Patent No. 7,210,161 – “Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Camera to a Service Provider Using a Network Configuration File;” US Patent No. 7,742,084 – “Network Configuration File for Automatically Transmitting Images from an Electronic Still Camera;” US Patent No. 7,453,605 – “Capturing Digital Images to be Transferred to an E-Mail Address;” and US Patent No. 7,936,391 – “Digital Camera with Communications Interface for Selectively Transmitting Images over a Cellular Phone Network and a Wireless LAN Network to a Destination.”
Kodak added US Patent No. 6,292,218 (“Electronic Camera for Initiating Capture of Still Images While Previewing Motion Images”) to the HTC charges. It’s the same patent at issue in the pending ITC action initiated by Kodak in January 2010 against Apple and Research In Motion. Kodak estimates the Apple-RIM case could be worth a billion dollars. A decision isn’t expected before September.
Meanwhile, Kodak said it has reorganized to cut costs, accelerate its transformation into a digital company and create shareholder value.
The Wall Street Journal said last week that if it can’t raise cash by selling off upwards of 1,100 patents to fund a turnaround, it was going to have to seek bankruptcy protection. It’s also been looking for new financing to keep operating.
Its new structure cuts its operating units from three to two: commercial and consumer. It may get kicked off the New York Stock Exchange if it can’t raise its share price. It closed at 60 cents Tuesday.read more
Mobile is the New Identity
11-Jan-12
I don’t think username/password can last much longer as the primary means of authentication on the web. Rampant phishing has made it all to common for unsuspecting “normals” (and even those who are more tech savvy) to inadvertently open themselves up to malicious purchases, or massive promulgation of spam emails and social network comments from [...] read more
2012 the Year of the Tablet and Mobile Developer
09-Jan-12
Today I noticed two very separate articles, though to me they are both interrelated and on a subject that I feel very strongly about, Tablet Devices and Mobile App Development. It is no secret that I am a total iOS convert in my personal life, living with my iPhone and iPad, but as a businessman and technologist I am just as much of a convert to Enterprise Mobility and Development, so much so that I have predicted that 2012 will be the year of the Mobile Developer, Enterprise Business App and Tablet Device… more than 2011.read more
Top Five Mobile Challenges for CIOs in 2012
09-Jan-12
2012 is shaping up to be a challenging year for CIOs as they figure out how to safely embrace the slew of mobile devices entering their networks. Smartphones and tablets are seriously threatening the IT status quo, and CIOs who fail to adapt and get ahead of this technological upheaval risk getting pink slips and seeing themselves replaced by more agile colleagues.
Clearly, 2012 is the year that organizations of all shapes and sizes must come to terms with their mobile problem. Here are five serious mobile challenges CIOs will have to deal with in 2012:
BYOD stressing networks and IT to the breaking point
This holiday season, smartphones and tablets topped everyone’s wish list. After the holidays, every executive with a shiny new iPad or smartphone will want network access. Even if you are a BlackBerry-only shop, what will you do when your CEO demands access for his iPad? That’s right, you’ll capitulate. read more
webOS Doomed from Conception: NYT
05-Jan-12
The TouchPad tablet that HP brought to market last year only to kill it a few weeks later for lack of sales was doomed to fail according a story in the New York Times Tuesday.
HP subsequently wrote off a nasty $1.6 billion to cover the cost of its folly. It had paid $1.2 billion in mid-2010 to buy Palm and the webOS operating system running the tablet.
The Times’ story, which quotes the former senior director of software at Palm Paul Mercer by name as well as several other anonymous ex-HP and Palm employees, claims the widget – like the Palm phones HP also discontinued – didn’t have a pray of cutting it against Apple and Android because webOS is based on WebKit, the open source rendering engine that browsers use to display web pages and WebKit, which was supposed to make writing apps easier, is just too slow to run applications on a par with iPad and iPhone. read more
RIM Has a Bad Case of Yahoo-itis
30-Dec-11
Amazon, which hired an investment bank for the purpose, according to Reuters, and Microsoft together with its buddy Nokia, according to the Wall Street Journal, have kicked the tires at RIM.
Reuters says RIM “turned down takeover overtures from Amazon.com Inc and other potential buyers” without knowing who those others might be before the Journal waded in. It still thinks Amazon and RIM are talking.
RIM’s board and its co-CEOs, behaving like Yahoo’s, apparently prefer to try to catch the falling knives by themselves.
No formal bids were supposedly made by anybody and the Journal says it’s “unclear how extensively RIM has been involved in any takeover discussions with Microsoft and Nokia.” read more
Apple Gets HTC Android Phones Banned in US
21-Dec-11
After a couple of delays, the International Trade Commission finally decided Monday that HTC and its Android phones infringe an Apple patent and will be banned from sale in the United States. But the ruling is so narrow that it may not make much of a difference.
In fact, HTC is playing the decision as its victory.
Apple started with 10 patents but won on only two claims in one patent and, in a concession to carriers, the ban won’t start until April 19, giving HTC more time than usual to come up with a workaround that it claims it already has or at least is working on.
Meanwhile, it said it intends to comply with the order “as soon as possible and sell non-infringing products.” Presumably it needs to avoid any slowdown in carrier orders. It’s already pulled in Q4 guidance because of competition.read more
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