Leading things off in this issue’s Enterprise section is my “Mobile Technology Toolbox,” an article that outlines many of the widely available technologies that are commonly used in mobile deployments. By thinking about these technologies as “tools” in a “toolbox,” I believe that it is easier to think about how they can be combined and leveraged to develop innovative solutions and solve specific business problems.
As the number of mobile device users increases, it becomes more important to serve their needs by creating a mobile version of your Web site. Chris De Herrera discusses how to optimize your enterprise Web site, your content, and your server to maximize the experience for your mobile visitors.
While advancing technology can certainly have a negative impact on traditional cultures, it can also help protect them. Jim Moore writes about how the Mbendjele people, a Pigmy tribe in the Congo, are using mobile technology to preserve their way of life. Using GPS-enabled handheld devices, they are able to identify their villages, hunting grounds, and sacred sites so that they can be protected from logging.
Mobile security is a huge issue in the enterprise, and new tools are constantly being developed to enhance it. The U.S. Department of Defense has just approved some very exciting new security technology, and Randy Siegel discusses it and the impact it has had on some specific deployments and the entire Windows Mobile ecosystem.
Beyond security and messaging applications, the public sector is a large consumer of mobile applications. Dale Daniels is here to give us a high-level view of the public sector landscape, how they are currently using mobile technology, and where more of these applications may be deployed in the future.
Although you wouldn’t normally think about doing it, your smartphone is actually capable of running a Web server. In this capacity, there are many powerful applications that don’t actually require a screen or user interface. Many of these “headless” embedded devices have much of the same hardware and software under-the-hood as a Windows Mobile-powered device. Paul Zazzarino gives us a look at some of them and how they can be used.
While most of the world has standardized on GSM-based wireless technology, the United States is currently split between GSM (AT&T and T-Mobile) and CDMA (Sprint and Verizon). Verizon is currently piloting a GSM-based version of their next-generation data network, and the big question is, will they ultimately switch to GSM? Mark Jenkins provides us with an overview of the situation, and some insight into what might happen.
As workers continue to do more and more work from their mobile devices, protecting those devices is a never-ending challenge. Dan Hanttula shows us several of the Windows Mobile-based security products currently available on the market, and shares his opinions about these offerings.
I always enjoy hearing from you, so if there is a topic you would like to see covered, please drop me a note with your comments or questions (nclevenger [at] smartphonemag [dot] com).
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