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ben.lee
Recently it was revealed that Apple may announce iPad 2 at a March 2 event. Another revelation confirms that the iPad 2 will have both a camera and home button.
9to5 Mac has uncovered photographic evidence that the forthcoming iPad 2 will arrive with both a front-facing camera and a bezel, the latter of which was rumored to be on the outs, but will, in fact, be one of the features carried over from the first iPad. 
This photos show a screen protector for iPad2. There is a pin hole similar to what you would find on an iPhone 4 screen protector, for the front facing camera. An item of note concerns the hole’s cut, indicating that users would have to hold the iPad 2 in portrait to use the camera.
iPad 2 rumors have also centered on whether the device will have a dual-core processor, a thinner screen, carbon fiber shell, dual cameras, and if the device will be have the same release date as iOS 4.3.
Despite the reliability of the source, these rumors could be just that. Why? An enterprising individual could have easily cut a hole in an existing iPad screen cover to produce the photo above.
Regardless, one thing is certain: there is a lot of noise in the market regarding the iPad 2. Bloggers are discussing everything from the timing of the release to possible features, peripherals, displays, and operating systems. With tables being widely adopted in the enterprise, many organizations are trying to decipher whether information is real or fake. The March 2nd event, confirmed by Apple, will certainly help organizations to uncover what is accurate in regard to the iPad 2, and whether this device will be a fit inside the company’s mobile strategy. At Smartsoft Mobile Solutions, we are excited to see how all these new tablet devices will be accepted inside the enterprise.
For more information check out:
Trends in the Smartphone Industry and the Effect on Enterprise Mobility
New Carrier-Imposed Bandwidth Restrictions and the Impact on the Modern Mobile Enterprise
Smartsoft Mobile’s Top Four Enterprise Mobility Predictions for 2011
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Tags: 2011 Predictions in Enterprise Mobility, Apple, Device Knowledge, Enterprise Mobility, Enterprise Mobility Strategy, iPad, iPad 2, iPad 2 rumors, iPad March 2, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Solutions, Mobile Strategy, Smartsoft Mobile
Posted in Apple, Application Development, B2B Mobile, Devices, Tablets |
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ben.lee
According to a recent report from Forrester, mobile development has gone from being a separate silo to being mainstream. As more and more IT departments will be called upon to create mobile applications, Forrester recommends that managers and developers adopt its POST (People, Objectives, Strategy, Technology) strategy. POST was actually created for marketing and business development professionals, but the company explains how to apply it to mobile application development.
People
The process begins with profiling your target audience. Forrester identifies four types of mobile users:
- Task workers
- Information workers
- Wannabes
- SuperConnecteds
Each has their own requirements and you will need to determine what those are before starting.
Objectives
Next you must determine what business objective(s) you want to meet and whether the mobile channel is an appropriate means for accomplishing those objectives. Forrester identifies the following innate strengths of mobile and suggests considering whether any of them correspond to your business objectives:
- Acting quickly on time-sensitive information
- Adding location-specific context
- Alerting passive users to take action
- Acquiring new customers
- Reducing traffic in higher-cost interaction channels
Strategy
Before selecting what technology to use, Forrester suggests asking the following questions:
- How many users do we need to reach?
- What will our mobile application user experience (UX) be?
- How will we deliver and support our mobile application?
- Are on-device hardware capabilities needed?
- Is the number of mobile users predictable?
- What’s the application’s duty cycle, and what is our level of commitment to the app?
The “T” in POST stands for technology. As enterprise technology differs greatly by industry, and enterprise mentality towards mobile technology adoption improves, it is important to do a thorough analysis of both the current and future states of technology within the enterprise. Smartsoft Mobile Solutions has a user centric approach to enterprise mobility strategy, that very much aligns with the Forrester recommendations contained in this article.
For more information check out:
New Carrier Imposed Bandwidth Restrictions and the Effect on the Modern Mobile Enterprise
How will Prepackaged Mobile Enterprise Applications and Cloud Based Hosting Impact Your Business?
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility on Mashups: How Valuable Can They Be?
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Tags: Business Process Flows, CRM, Enterprise Mobility, Forrester, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Application Development, Mobile CRM, Mobile Workforce, Mobile Workforce Management, Mobility Strategy, POST Strategy, Smartsoft Mobile, User Experience, User Groups
Posted in Application Development, B2B Mobile, Enterprise Mobility, Mashups, SAP, Solution Delivery |
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Posted by:
ben.lee
With U.S. Smartphone sales up 73% in 2010, the number of consumers caring these devices is roughly 162,000,000 . Companies are rapidly implementing mobile marketing strategies, in order to grow their revenues. The fact still remains that 1 in 4 U.S. consumers do not even recognize a mobile advertisement when one is presented on their device. “Why is this the case?”, you may ask. Well, first mobile marketing is still in its infancy, with roots dating back about five years. In comparison web based advertisements have been around for roughly 20 years. Also, companies are not tailoring ad campaigns to their customers based upon analytical data, such as purchasing behavior on a regular basis. Companies also need to take into account the “on the go” mobile consumer’s location in order to bring this intimate marketing channel full circle, with complete personalization. Here are some findings of a recent report on mobile marketing:
Location-based ads are driving mobile shopping, with 17 percent of the on-the-go audience making purchases via mobile, according to JiWire’s fourth-quarter 2010 Mobile Audience Insights Report. This report also found that 20 percent of survey respondents visited physical store locations after seeing a relevant ad. Additionally, the greater the discount offered, the further the mobile audience is willing to travel to redeem a promotion.
In the near-term, companies will continue to experiment with mobile marketing, while measuring campaign success. However, forward thinking companies will implement point-of-sale personalized marketing to increase average order value. The use of location based triggers inside a retail environment will allow for further interaction between the company and customer. QR codes will soon be everywhere and as leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions is ready to provide barcode scanning solutions inside mobile applications.
For more information check out:
Augmented Reality is Here: Think of the Possibilities Inside a Mobile Commerce Application
Barcode Scanning is Quickly Becoming Second Nature For Deal Hungry Shoppers
The Battle for the Mobile Wallet is On!
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Tags: B2C, Barcode Scanning, Geo-location, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Location Based Cuponing, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Commerc, Mobile Commerce Strategy, Mobile Marketing, Mobile Solutions, Mobile Strategy, QR Codes, Smartsoft Mobile
Posted in Application Development, B2C Mobile, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Mobile News, Solution Delivery |
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Posted by:
ben.lee
Well first off, this is a big deal. Nokia, the world’s largest mobile device manufacturer, needed to make a major move in order to stay relevant in the mobile space. Additionally, Microsoft needed to get some traction in the mobile operating system space. iPhone and Androidhave built out very strong eco-systems, taking market share from both Nokia and the Symbian operating systems, in a major fashion over this last year. Nokia’s CEO Stephen Elop made this partnership decision, in part, to help facilitate the building of a new mobile eco-system. What makes up a mobile echo system, you may ask. A mobile eco-system includes:
- Developers
- Apps
- Functionality (e.g., Office Mobile)
- Games integration
- Tools (e.g., search, maps)
- Hardware manufacturers
- Peripheral providers
- Mobile OS
- Tablet interaction (like the Lenovo laptop with pop-out Android screen)
- Available cloud-based services
- Enterprise mobility solutions
- Application distribution channels
Nokia Corp. will get billions of dollars from Microsoft Corp. for ditching its current smart-phone software in favor of Windows Phone 7, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said Sunday, in defense of the deal. Nokia deliberately chose WP7, both to avoid the commoditization of Android and to create a more competitive market, where at least three major modern Smartphone platforms exist rather than to risk an Apple and Google duopoly. A MeeGo device would exist this year, but its role was no longer a central one after Symbian is ultimately being phased out of the high end device market.
When looking at this partnership, one can see how it makes sense for both parties. Microsoft gets a massive global footprint, spending a small piece of the capital that the company has acquired over the years. Nokia gets a high-end mobile operating system that has received solid industry reviews. Together, these two companies can attempt to grow market share against the big two, Android and Apple. But what does this mean for BlackBerry maker RIMM? To be frank the news is not good. As stated in this article, there are many parts to a thriving mobile eco-system. It is difficult for a company to “go it alone” without either a strong partnership or a truly innovative and compelling product. Time will tell, but I expect RIMM to be acquired later this year. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions’ goal is to keep organizations informed to the rapidly evolving mobility market.
For more information check out:
Trends in the Smartphone Industry and the Effect on Enterprise Mobility
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility: Typography and Why it is Important in Mobile Application Design
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility: The Current State of Enterprise Mobility
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Tags: Android, Apple, Device Knowledge, Enterprise Mobility, Google, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Microsoft, Microsoft and Nokia Partnership, Mobile eco-system, Mobile Solutions, Mobile Strategy, Nokia, Smartsoft Mobile, Windows Phone 7
Posted in Apple, Application Development, B2B Mobile, B2C Mobile, Blackberry, Devices, Enterprise Mobility, Google |
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ben.lee
With a host of enterprises in virtually all areas of business, including manufacturing, utilities, and hospitality, looking to implement enterprise mobility projects, the foundation of an enterprise mobile strategy has never been more important. When developing an enterprise mobility strategy, an organization should make sure to focus on a staged approach to mobility, using short term tactics to achieve overall long term objectives. Here are five tips that will help facilitate a successful enterprise mobility strategy implementation:
1. Focus on the must-haves and define requirements. First things first, define the requirements. Based on job functions and responsibilities, understand how the workforce needs to be utilized with regard to a mobile solution. Ask questions such as: who is the user, how can this worker’s tasks be enhanced by mobility, and how specifically can features in a mobile solution optimize performance without getting in the worker’s way?
2. Be selective when planning and prioritizing mobility projects. While planning mobility projects, organizations have to be selective and need make sure that the projects are carried out in most cost effective way. Focus on project prioritization by evaluating the costs and benefits of each project.
3. Establish who is in charge, and give that person authority. Make sure that a professional is in charge of all the activities related to mobility activities. This professional should coordinate and align the various efforts related to device management, security, mobile application development, carrier relationships and mobile network deployments.
4. Commit to documenting mobility policies. It is absolutely necessary to have a well documented mobility policy in place. The policy has to be educational to the employees, as well. Based on the policy, the technology has to be put into place. Having a clear mobility policy will help the enterprise strategically. Mobile policies and their implementation will help the enterprise to understand the purpose of individual mobile projects and how they fit into the mobile enterprise strategy as a whole. Governmental business regulations , such as SOX, make establishing mobile policies all the more important.
5. Constantly evaluate the mobility projects. As technology continues to evolve, often at a rapid rate, evaluating the projects will give an idea of where the enterprise stands. Gauging success accurately at each level is essential.
Managing Enterprise Mobility initiative is a daunting task and success can be achieved only with the help of a sound strategy. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions prides itself on its partnerability with clients. Working hand-in-hand with clients from a holistic enterprise mobility perspective, understanding both the business and organizational requirements and making unbiased recommendations to achieve the organizations enterprise mobility objectives, has proved to be a major differentiator in the industry. When driving towards enterprise mobility it is important for an organization to look at the five tips in this article, and then tailor an enterprise mobility strategy, one that is obtainable, actionable, and measurable.
For more info check out:
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility on Mashups: How Valuable Can They Be?
Smartsoft Mobile’s Top Four Enterprise Mobility Predictions 2011
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility: The Current State of Enterprise Mobility
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Tags: 2011 Predictions in Enterprise Mobility, Enterprise Mobility, Enterprise Mobility Strategy, Innovative Application Development, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Solutions, Mobile Strategy, Smartsoft Mobile, Tips on Enterprise Mobility Strategy
Posted in Application Development, B2B Mobile, Enterprise Mobility, Mashups, SAP, Solution Delivery |
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ben.lee
Emerging developments in the Smartphone industry are expected to bring about new trends for enterprise mobility management, with formerly popular business Smartphone options being replaced by new products from Google and Apple. RIMM’s Blackberry offering has been the only mobile offering taken seriously for sometime by corporate IT. However, the “bring your own device” philosophy continues to be adopted by the enterprise due to major cost savings, the consumerization of corporate IT, and mobile business applications. Mobile enterprise applications will need to evolve based on these factors, while provide a rich native user experience to drive employee adoption of enterprise mobility.
A recent report from institutional securities firm Piper Jaffray predicts Android Smartphones to occupy nearly half of the market share during the next five years, with an additional 20 to 30 percent market share taken up by Apple’s iPhone. The firm made its prediction based upon the recent surge in growth for Android Smartphones, as the study shows Google’s current 14.9 percent of market share in 2010 will grow to 23.2 percent by 2012. The prediction for Google overshadows the iPhone’s expected progress, which the report forecasts will increase from 15.9 percent to 17.6 percent during the same time period.
Naturally, the research leaves little room for the long-time dominant Research In Motion and Nokia to continue to provide a significant
amount of enterprise s Smartphones. As a result, the report speculates that either company could eventually adopt the Android system in order to stay relevant, and may even move to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.
“Over time, we do not see the benefit of RIM and Nokia continuing to push proprietary software that can’t compete with the market and eventually expect one or both to capitulate and move to utilizing third-party software,” the report explains.
For mobile application development, the trends toward user familiarity of mobile devices will bring pre-packaged mobile applications to the forefront. Organizations will need to adapt to the needs of their end-users, in this case their employees. The rapid deployment of cloud based pre-packaged mobile applications, along with the scalability needed by the enterprise, makes these pre-packaged mobile solutions a preferable alternative to the resource intensive alternative to writing custom mobile applications in-house. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions is positioned to supply the enterprise with these pre-packaged mobile applications, thus allowing businesses to focus on their core competencies and optimize resources.
For more information check out:
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Tags: Android, Blackberry, cloud based mobile middleware, Enterprise Mobility, iPhone, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Application Development, mobile devices, Prepackaged Enterprise Applicaitons, SAP Mobilization, Smartsoft Mobile, Windows Phone 7
Posted in Apple, Application Development, B2B Mobile, Cloud Based Middleware, Devices, Enterprise Mobility, Mashups, Windows |
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ben.lee
It is no secret that both business and consumers are using mobile devices. In fact, enterprise mobility is forecasted to grow by 70% in 2011. It is also no secret that mobile device users are actually using applications. The average iPad user has over 60 apps on their device. With carriers doing away with “all you can eat” data plans, what impact will this have on enterprise mobility?
Recently, Virgin Mobilejoined the list of mobile service providers who implement restrictions on wireless data bandwidth. Virgin Mobile notified customers with its unlimited mobile data plans that there would be restrictions on bandwidth once the customer exceeds 5 Gigabits of download bandwidth in a given month. This leaves Sprint as the only wireless carrier that doesn’t currently restrict unlimited data services.
Restrictions such as this will impact enterprise mobility plans in two ways. First, they will cause a rise in the cost of providing mobile applications to workers. Second, they will limit the ability of the enterprise to innovate both for internal and customer-facing applications. Services that include video could become crippled if bandwidth isn’t available. Applications such as video conferencing, video streaming, and application sharing will become increasingly difficult (and expensive) to deliver to mobile workers.
To overcome these restrictions, developers of mobile enterprise applications for functions such as human capital management, work order management, or inventory management must make sure to build thin apps that only pull new data to the device, data that is absolutely mission critical. Enterprises will need to adopt “smart middleware” that can provision devises not only to the user level, but the application as well. The middleware will need to detect the delta between the data on the users’ device and the actionable mission critical information stored in the back office system. The business need for enterprise mobility will force companies to look for mobile solutions providers that have the capabilities to evolve with the rapidly changing landscape that is mobility. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions not only offers prepackaged enterprise applications built thin, but the middleware that can reduce bandwidth consumption of a mobile workforce.
For More Information Check Out:
The Battle for the Mobile Wallet is On!
Data Usage Among Android Users is Much Greater than Than of iPhone Users
Tablets: Taking the Business World by Storm
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Tags: AT&T, Enterprise Mobility, Human Capital Management, Mobile App Experts, Mobile Application Design, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Bandwidth Restrictions, Mobile Bandwith Usage, mobile middleware, Mobile Strategy, Smartsoft Mobile, Sprint, Thin Apps, Work Order Management
Posted in Application Development, B2B Mobile, Cloud Based Middleware, Devices, Enterprise Mobility, SAP, Tablets |
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ben.lee
For several years, augmented reality has been prevalent in mobile applications in Europe and Asia, but only recently have companies such as WAZEincorporated this technology into real-time driver generated traffic reports and mapping overlays. Waze compiles user generated driving reports to alert groups in the Waze community about traffic speeds, accidents, and police locations via a mobile application. Augmented reality (AR) is a term for a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input, such as sound or graphics.
Recently, a company called SnapShop has incorporated augmented reality into a mobile commerce application.
The firm has done a wonderful job, launching SnapShop that highlights both IKEA and Pier One Imports’ products. The user can browse furniture by category and then select a piece that the customer finds interesting. An image of the selected furniture is then displayed in perfect proportion inside the camera view of the mobile device. The user can change color swatches of the furniture in real time, while positioning the furniture around the actual room the user desires. The social networking tie-in allows the user to take a picture of the augmented reality scenario of the furniture inside the user’s location and share that image to get feedback from friends. The selected furniture looks very realistic, and would be a great trick to play on a spouse or roommate.
As this application acts as a product aggregator for several home furnishing companies, there is no direct tie in to the company’s website on a line item basis for purchase. Instead there is a redirection to the furniture company’s mobile website, where the user must find the exact product used in SnapShop again. The mobile commerce functionality obviously has room for improvement, but the use of this tool opens up the mind to the near-future in mobile commerce application design and development. Think of the value of being able to use this augmented reality feature in industries such as:
- Fine Art Sales
- Electronic Sales
- Home Repair / Home Supplies
- Car Accessories
- Clothing
- Jewelery
The ability to view a product in its natural environment instead of on a showroom floor is a powerful sales tool, one that greatly impacts customer affinity and the connection felt by not only selecting a specific product, but taking the time to see how that product would look in its intended environment. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions is always looking for new implementations of mobile application technology.
For More Information Check Out:
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility: Typography and Why it is Important in Mobile Application Design
Leaders in Enterprise Mobility on Mashups: How Valuable Can They Be?
Smartsoft Mobile Solutions: Predictions in Enterprise Mobility Part 2
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Tags: Augmented Reality, B2C, Enterprise Mobility, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Commerce Strategy, mobile retailing, Mobile Strategy, Product Navigation, Product Taxonomy, Smartsoft Mobile, SnapShop, Typography
Posted in Application Development, B2C Mobile, Enterprise Mobility, Mashups, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Mobile News |
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ben.lee
Breaking down mobile application development to the bare essentials requires images and text. Images will be pushed through via web services from an organization’s content management system (CMS). However, text is all at the mercy of the mobile application developer. Typography is the art and technique of arranging type, type design, and modifying type glyphs. In mobile application design, the art of typography is presenting extremely important. In user centric design, one must present text to the user that not only stands out on the screen but is very readable and comprehendible by the mobile application’s end user.
I was talking with PGA golf pro Dave Anderson and asked what device he has. Dave responded, “I have a Blackberry and I hate it. I can’t read the text on it as I can’t see it”. Dave hits a small white ball for a living, so if he has problems reading text on a mobile device then I am sure others have this same problem.
If a user can’t read the text or information presented within a mobile application, then how will that user take the action that the mobile application developer desires? 
Simply put, they can’t. In fact, with 10,000 baby boomers hitting the retirement age of 65 each day, typography will become even more critical in the future. Best-in-class mobile applications have the ability to enlarge or blow up text with the touch of a simple button on the screen displaying the text. Unfortunately, this feature is currently limited to text with heavy applications, such as news applications. Why would an application developer not include this feature on new apps, like a mobile commerce application when viewing product details? This would allow for all customers to view all text elements on a page without eye strain. For the business owners, think how you will increase your conversion rates by not limiting users via small unreadable text. The use of best practices in typography incorporated into mobile application design will become standard fare in next generation customer facing mobile applications.
As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions is focused on providing world class typography features into mobile application development. Using typography to enhance the user experience is a tool that will be incorporated into mobile enterprise applications.
For More Information Check Out:
Holiday Shopping Findings Show the Importance of a Cohesive Mobile Strategy Across Channels
Leadership in Enterprise Mobility: Five Tips to Improve Your Business in the New Year
Blackberry Playbook Review
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Tags: Dave Anderson PGA, Dynamic Text In Mobile Apps, Leaders in Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Application Design, Mobile Application Development, Smartsoft Mobile, Typography, User Centered Design, Using Typography Best Practices
Posted in Apple, Application Development, B2C Mobile, Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Solution Delivery |
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ben.lee
It is no secret that consumers are using barcode scanning technology on their Smartphones in record numbers. Due to the competitive nature of the retailing environment and the weak economy consumers are holding on tightly to every dollar they must spend, and seeking maximum value. The ability to scan a barcode and compare different retailers or e-tailors offerings for price and convenience of procurement is seen as the new must have for the savvy shopper.
Retailers are catching on in a major way with 87% surveyed agreeing that shoppers can find better deals via mobile. Mobile includes mobile marketing via SMS, location based mobile coupons, and of course barcode scanning. It is now surprise that retailers are now scrambling to expand their brands mobile footprint via a cohesive mobile strategy. 
Barcode scanning usage via a consumer grade mobile device increased 900% in 2010. The US is now the number one country/market in the world for barcode scanning with regards to individual scans over the last year. Implementation of barcodes in marketing campaigns will continue to excelorate the consumer demand of this mobile technology. The rapid growth of scanning technology is only expected to continue in the coming years, as consumers begin to view this mobile utility as a standard part of the shopping process. As leaders in enterprise mobility, Smartsoft Mobile Solutions is well positioned to fill the future mobile solutions needs of all retailers.
For More Information Check Out:
Tablet Usage in a Retail Environment
User Experience Was King in Black Friday 2010 Mobile Commerce Transactions
Black Friday is Here: The Leaders in Enterprise Mobility are Ready
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Tags: 2010 Trends in Mobile Commerce, Barcode Scanning, Mobile Application Development, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, mobile retailing, Mobile Solutions, Mobile Strategy, mobile wallet, QR Codes, Smartsoft Mobile
Posted in Application Development, B2C Mobile, Enterprise Mobility, Mobile Commerce, Mobile Marketing, Tablets |
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