PDA / Mobile Computing (i.e. your destiny)
In this month’s Business Leaders Webinar, we explore the growing world of the PDA. Join us on July 22nd over the noon hour as we talk with RIM (Maker of Blackberry) about future trends and business concerns in the mobile computing world.
PDAs were once regarded chiefly as basic communication and storage products that aided in accomplishing day-to-day routines. Now, with 80-90 percent of the US able to access fast 3G network speed and processor speeds that are catching up to desktop and notebook counterparts, such PDA-enabled items as Smartphones have become true professional powerhouses.
For example, the average BlackBerry business user can respond to 50 more urgent emails weekly than counterparts lacking a mobile solution—improving productivity and providing a leg up on non-mobile competitors.
What’s ahead
Bottom line, mobility is finally growing up and becoming more strategic. Eighty-five percent of enterprise-level users have email, web access, collaboration and back office application capabilities. Further, estimates show that 65-75% of companies have made, or will soon make, corporate applications accessible from mobile devices.
Finally, a quarter of mobile workers will use their mobile device in lieu of a desk phone—making it their primary voice business tool.
These enhanced capabilities, in turn, will eventually supplant much notebook computer use during normal business hours. Fifteen to 25% of corporate users will virtually eliminate the need for a notebook during the workday.
As these developments expand, expect the number of Smartphone devices to exceed computers in many organizations as virtually every employee becomes empowered with basic collaboration tools needed for job performance from nearly any location.
Security issues addressed
Obviously, increasing mobile devices drive security considerations. Wireless handsets are access points to vast amounts of secure information. These devices need to be just as secure as anything else on the network.
To mitigate risk, companies increasingly will need to look at enterprise-grade applications that allow full control of end-user devices. Companies failing to make wise choices and securing their mobile devices can expect major security problems resulting in fines from regulatory non-compliance, legal challenges and loss of revenues.
A variety of encryption solutions and such offerings as Optional Secure/Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extension (S/MIME) offer an additional security layer using digital signatures. Also look for enhanced authentication protocols to provide secure access to mobile devices.
Secure, compact, prolific mobile devices are more than the next wave of professional assistant—they’re the coming tsunami.
Tags: Article, IT Management
