Kevin Benedict Ponders the Future

How Do You Advise an Enterprise on Mobility?

I was asked the other day to put together a list of questions to send to a management team in advance of my visit. They had asked me to help them develop an enterprise mobility strategy.

This was an interesting task. I had little knowledge of the scope of their ambitions, so I approached this challenge by creating a list of open ended questions that were designed to uncover their interests and their range of possible needs. How would you prepare to discuss an infinite number of different mobility scenarios, business processes, IT infrastructures, ERPs and a plethora of mobile devices? Were they going to describe a simple iPhone application or a solution as powerful as the SAP Workforce Scheduling And Optimization by Clicksoftware solution?

I think this is one of those tasks that benefits from trial and error. Here is the list of 14 questions I prepared in advance. What questions would you add to this list, or ask differently?

What business processes are you considering mobilizing?
What business units or departments are involved? Is this a corporate project or departmental?
What are your priorities for mobilizing business processes? Which ones first, second, third?
How many people will be using these mobile applications?
What are the roles and responsibilities of the mobile users?
What are the expected ROIs?
What is the desired timeline?
Do you have business process diagrams developed for these solutions? If so, can we review prior to our meeting?
What is your one to three year roadmap for enterprise mobility?
What backend applications or ERPs are involved?
What are your preferred integration strategies?
Do you have existing mobile enterprise solutions? If so, please describe.
What are your mobile device or smartphone preferences?
Do you want to buy an off the shelf mobile solution, develop one in-house, or contract for a custom mobile solution?

I look forward to your thoughts on how to improve this list.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict

Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly – August 12, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends.

You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html.

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T-Mobile USA announced another quarter of customer defections, saying its total customers served declined by 93,000 in the second quarter compared with 77,000 net customer losses in the first quarter of this year. Its positive spin is that customers using 3G-capable smartphones continued to increase significantly in the second quarter, driving data ARPU (average revenue per user) to account for 25 percent of the company's total ARPU.

http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/t-mobile-loses-more-subscribers-2q-data-revenues-bright-spot/2010-08-05?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal

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As of July 2010 the App Store offers over 225,000 applications optimized for Apple's iOS platform, including 11,000 expressly optimized for the computing giant's iPad tablet. App Store downloads now top 5 billion--free applications represent 81 percent of iOS downloads according to data released in late June by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, who adds iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users presently download over 16.6 million apps each day.

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/app-store-adds-try-you-buy-section/2010-08-06?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal
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ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

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The US is projected to add more mobile subscriptions (about 80 million) than any other developed nation with mobile revenue surpassing all fixed line services by end of 2015, according to a new report from Pyramid Research.

http://telecoms.cbronline.com/news/us-mobile-revenue-to-exceed-all-fixed-line-services-by-2015-pyramid_040810
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SAP AG has announced the completion of its acquisition of Sybase, a partner and a market leader in managing, analyzing, and mobilizing business information. Through this transaction, SAP intends to accelerate the reach of SAP solutions across mobile platforms and drive forward the realization of SAP's in-memory computing vision.

http://www.sys-con.com/node/1489651

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A new Nielsen survey shows that only 42 percent of BlackBerry owners want their next phone to be a BlackBerry, while 89 percent of iPhone owners and 71 percent of Android owners plan to stick with those platforms.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704017904575409331541948418.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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I have been invited to join popular mobility blogger Gil Bouhnick, the Director of Mobile Solutions at ClickSoftware, to speak at an upcoming webinar entitled, 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid when Selecting and Implementing a Mobility Solution. I don't know where that title came from, as I have made at least a hundred costly mistakes all by myself.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-happens-when-you-schedule-2.html

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Android devices accounted for 27 percent of U.S. smartphone sales during the first half of 2010 according to data issued this week by The Nielsen Company, four percentage points higher than the iPhone--Android now makes up 13 percent of the U.S. smartphone market as a whole, trailing Research In Motion's BlackBerry (35 percent), iPhone (28 percent) and Microsoft's Windows Mobile (15 percent, down from 27 percent only a year ago).

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/android-wins-battle-iphone-still-winning-war/2010-08-05

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Vendors of smartphones shipped a total of 63 million units in the second quarter of 2010, compared to 41.9 million units in the same period a year ago. For H1, vendors shipped a total of 118.3 million units, up 54 percent from the 76.8 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

http://www.telecompaper.com/news/article.aspx?cid=750019

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AT&T Inc. said Friday it doesn't expect to suffer a "material negative impact" from the end of its exclusive arrangements to carry handsets, including its lucrative deal for Apple’s iPhone.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703309704575413672727878934.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews

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Evidence continues to mount to support expectations that Apple's iPhone 4 will finally launch on Verizon this coming January.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/mobile/08/09/iphone.verizon.wired/index.html?hpt=T2

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Revenues from mobile data in the United States jumped six percent in the second quarter from the previous quarter and climbed 22 percent from the year ago period, according to fresh data from Chetan Sharma Consulting. In the second quarter alone, revenues for mobile data eclipsed $13.2 billion.

http://www.rcrwireless.com/article/20100810/CONTENT_MOBILE_MARKETING/100819994/us-consumers-double-their-mobile-data-traffic-consumption-in-six

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I have found that in some industries and markets, mobile applications for smartphones or rugged handheld computers just won't cut it, at least on their own. In heavy construction, utilities, environmental services, disaster relief, inspection and assessment and on blueprint and map intensive jobs, handheld mobile devices simply have screens that are too small to be effective.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/mobile-companion-applications.html

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Research in Motion has agreed to install a server in Saudi Arabia that will allow that country’s authorities to monitor data on BlackBerry devices.

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/rim-reaches-saudi-deal-over-blackberry-ban-8882

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Sybase, Inc., an SAP company and industry leader in enterprise and mobile software, today announced that partners around the world are successfully launching innovative mobile applications on the Sybase Unwired Platform, the industry’s leading mobile enterprise application platform.

http://www.sunherald.com/2010/08/09/2391759_sybase-and-sap-partners-launch.html

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Samsung Electronics’ share of the global smartphone market is small but growing, says a report from a U.S. based research firm.

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2924392

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Nokia maintained its lead in the smartphone market, shipping 24 million units in the second quarter. Despite its failure to launch a successful smartphone in recent years, Nokia controlled 38.1 percent of the smartphone market, IDC said.

http://iblogauto.com/2010/08/10/nokia-rim-control-smartphone-market-despite-dip-idc/

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Global market for enterprise mobility is projected to exceed US $168.8 billion by the year 2015. Growing acceptance from large as well as small and medium businesses, and introduction of sophisticated mobile devices and novel mobility solutions are likely to fuel market growth in the next few years.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/enterprise/mobility/prweb4370204.htm

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• Read the latest Mobile Expert Interviews at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-interview-series.html

• Watch the latest Video Comments from Kevin Benedict on enterprise mobility and M2M subjects at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-video-comments.html

• Watch the latest Mobile Expert Videos at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-video-series.html

• I would invite those interested in enterprise mobility to join the SAP Enterprise Mobility group at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

***************************************************
Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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http://www.clicksoftware.com/e86e075b-4fca-44c9-bfeb-4efcc978f416/knowledge-center-white-papers-delivery.htm

Mobile Companion Applications

I have found that in some industries and markets, mobile applications for smartphones or rugged handheld computers just won't cut it, at least on their own. In heavy construction, utilities, environmental services, disaster relief, inspection and assessment and on blueprint and map intensive jobs, handheld mobile devices simply have screens that are too small to be effective. In these work environments Panasonic Toughbooks and other ruggedized laptops and Tablet PCs seem to be the better fit due to their bigger displays. However, there are also cases where companies want both mobile applications for handheld devices and laptop applications that work together. This category of applications is called "mobile companion" applications.

Mobile companion apps are smaller versions of the laptop or Tablet PC application that are specifically designed for use on a handheld mobile device. In many cases an engineer has a mounted Toughbook in the cab of the truck, but when he/she leaves the truck they want the ability to interact with the data, collect data, receive alerts, query a database, and fill out forms all on the smartphone using a version of the application designed for smaller screens.

When the engineer returns to the truck, any edits or additions to the data captured on the mobile handheld device is already updated on the laptop. The bigger displays on the laptops and Tablet PCs can show maps, blueprints, CAD drawings, etc., and the integrated data from the "companion" application.

SAP's co-Innovation Partner, Syclo has coined the phrase "mobile companion" application to describe the coupling of laptops and handheld devices that work together, but have different screen sizes and application designs.

***************************************************

Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 11, 2010

Mobility, M2M and LinkedIn

A participant in a LinkedIin group I was reading today listed his requirements for an M2M (machine-to-machine) solution. He was asking the group for recommendations as to how to select and implement an M2M solution (for more information on M2M read M2M News Weekly). Other participants in the group added their advice and comments until there was a long list of recommending vendors, solutions, strategies, etc. I was impressed.

Social networking and social media tools can be used very effectively today if you know how to use them. I thought back a few years to how questions like this would be posted in the past. Often you would spend weeks creating an RFI that you would send out to a long list of vendors that you found in the back of an industry trade magazine. The responses were then reviewed and RFPs were sent to a subset of the respondents. You would receive responses in the mail over the next few weeks. The entire process could take months.

Today, you can post 12 questions to a special interest group on LinkedIn, SAP Community Network or other online discussion groups and the ideas, recommendations and links to other resource sites come pouring in within minutes.

The person that posted the questions about M2M had additional advantages. He could see the profile of each person responding. He could see where they worked and review their background. He could ask additional questions and could ask for clarification. All of the answers were public, so other peers could also review and debate the merits of various answers. These public responses have a way of encouraging honest and thoughtful answers. The whole world can read and critique them.

Public discussions on subjects like M2M also educate the industry. Everyone benefits from reading the questions and answers that are posted. It is group think. It is group education. It is group advancement.

Group discussions on subjects like M2M also have a way of sorting out vendors. It is a fact that an M2M vendor could be very competent, but if they don't participate in public forums, they lose their industry standing and thought leadership roles simply because they aren't present and participating.

Companies like Clicksoftware in the enterprise mobility space, however, are active conversationalists in discussion groups like SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin, general enterprise mobility groups, SAP user groups and through sharing their knowledge through blogging.

Today it is not enough to have good R & D, technology, funding, partnerships, marketing and sales channels. Companies must share their knowledge and participate in the industry's education and conversation. Some companies have learned this lesson and are active contributors, while others today are fading from view, not because their products are not good, but because they are not participating in the industry's conversations.

***************************************************
Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly – August 5, 2010

Kevin's Mobility News Weekly is an online newsletter that is made up of the most interesting news and articles related to enterprise mobility that I run across each week. I am specifically targeting information that reflects market numbers and trends.

You can read archived versions of the newsletter here - http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-mobility-news-weekly.html.

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SAP AG announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sybase, Inc. Sybase survives the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAP America, U.S. operating subsidiary of SAP.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SAP-Completes-Acquisition-of-prnews-532143970.html?x=0&.v=1

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About 200,000 smartphones and other devices based on Google's Android operating system are sold every day, CEO Eric Schmidt said on Wednesday, underscoring the strong challenge to rivals like Apple's iPhone. The world's No.1 search engine is hunting for new revenue opportunities as growth in its core Internet business slows and as new technologies like smartphones and social networking services transform the way consumers access the Web.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE6736A520100805

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I recently recorded a video comment on the subject of The Next Steps to Business Process Automation - Mobility. This segment is very interesting to me as it covers developments and extensions to business processes in two different directions, 1) automating company mailrooms, and 2) by mobilizing business processes.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/07/extending-business-processes-two.html

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Barnes & Noble Inc., put itself up for sale Tuesday, succumbing to pressure from shareholder activists as digital books erode the traditional business of the nation's largest bookstore chain. The New York based company said a falling stock prompted its board to consider all "strategic alternatives, including a possible sale."

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704499604575407700632505956.html

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Research In Motion today announced updates to BlackBerry App World, the official application store for BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry App World now supports new payment options, includes enhanced discovery and search features, and introduces a new user identification system called BlackBerry ID.

http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/press-releases/rim-announces-blackberry-app-world-updates?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal#ixzz0vBFZ7XsM

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ClickSoftware is an SAP mobility partner and the leading provider of automated workforce management and optimization solutions for every size of service business. This newsletter is sponsored in part by ClickSoftware - http://www.clicksoftware.com/.

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Saudi Arabia ordered a ban of BlackBerry services starting Friday, the latest government to threaten phone maker Research In Motion Ltd. over access to customer data. The announcement came hours after RIM executives hosted an event in New York to drum up fanfare for the Canadian company's latest smartphone, the BlackBerry Torch 9800.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703545604575407210000869420.html

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Database software maker Sybase Inc. booked a 20 percent jump in second quarter earnings Monday, helped by improving sales. Revenue climbed 9 percent to $302 million, beating the average estimate of $296.6 million.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Sybase-posts-20-percent-jump-apf-3363756769.html?x=0&.v=1

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While Windows Phone 7 sounds intriguing as a platform for iPhone type applications, you will unlikely be able to migrate your existing Windows Mobile applications forward. Let’s have a look at the laundry list of the have nots.

http://dotnetref.blogspot.com/2010/06/windows-phone-7-haves-and-have-nots.html
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I have been invited to join popular mobility blogger Gil Bouhnick, the Director of Mobile Solutions at ClickSoftware, to speak at an upcoming webinar entitled, 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid when Selecting and Implementing a Mobility Solution. I don't know where that title came from, as I have made at least a hundred costly mistakes all by myself.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/what-happens-when-you-schedule-2.html

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Despite earlier reports to the contrary, Android Market watcher AndroLib says there aren’t 100,000 applications available in the store – yet. However, 100,000 apps have been submitted to Android Market since its public debut, up from approximately 5,000 in June 2009.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/30/android-market-100000/

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Nokia has released its results for second quarter, 2010. They reveal a 40 percent slump in profits to €227 million, compared to €380 million a year ago. On a slightly brighter note, the company increased its share of the smartphone market by one percent to 41 percent in the quarter, having sold 24 million smartphones.

http://www.mobilemarketingmagazine.com/content/nokia-profits-slump-while-smartphone-share-rises

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Research In Motion unveiled the much hyped BlackBerry Torch 9800 on Tuesday, a new touch-screen BlackBerry smartphone with a pull out keyboard and a significantly updated operating system that is designed to compete with the likes of the iPhone and Android smartphones.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/03/technology/new_blackberry/index.htm?hpt=T2

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AT&T has been a long time supporter of Windows Mobile by carrying a variety of devices over the years in the US. Now they are claiming they will be the premier carrier for the forthcoming platform from Microsoft.

http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/07/att_to_be_premi.html;jsessionid=PQJ3B1MOIRRVBQE1GHPSKHWATMY32JVN?cid=nl_IW_daily_2010-07-29_h

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Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, a water and electric utility serving 65,000 customers, has recently implemented a new mobile inventory application from Syclo on Motorola MC9090 devices to streamline processes for its storerooms, water processing plant and service center.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/windows-mobile-and-windows-embedded.html

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CVS Caremark Corp., a pharmacy health care provider headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, announced the release of a free iPhone application that lets iPhone users access the company's drug information data base.

http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2010/07/cvs_caremark_la.html

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Americans are spending more on electronics like iPads and flat-screen televisions and less on durable goods like furniture, washing machines and lawn mowers, according to government data released Tuesday. The shift reflects a change in priorities for American consumers

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703545604575407580208239338.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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There are more than 1,200 health, healthcare and medical apps in the Android Market, according to Chris Thorman, of research firm Software Advice. That's far less than the 6,000 such apps (and counting) available for the iPhone, but Android was barely in the discussion a year ago.

http://www.fiercemobilehealthcare.com/story/android-makes-inroads-healthcare-app-market/2010-07-27

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Physician adoption of smartphones is experiencing exponential growth, according to a new study from Spyglass Consulting Group. The report reveals 94 percent of physicians are using smartphones to communicate, manage personal and business workflows, and access medical information. This represents a 60 percent increase from Spyglass' findings in a similar study published in November 2006.

http://healthcareitnews.com/news/physician-uptake-smartphones-grows-leaps

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AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, the biggest U.S. mobile carriers, are planning a venture to displace credit and debit cards with smartphones, posing a new threat to Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/industries/techtelecom/stories/DN-MobileWallet_03bus.ART0.State.Edition1.293e5cb.html

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M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile and wireless devices are increasingly impacting enterprise asset management, field services, e-Readers, healthcare and many other areas. I invite you to read the latest news on M2M here.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/kevins-m2m-news-weekly-august-4-2010.html

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Of the four key Motorola business segments, only the company's enterprise mobility segment experienced growth, with sales of $1.9 billion, up ten percent compared to a year ago.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2367149,00.asp

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According to International Data Group, the global mobile phone market has continued to improve through the second quarter of 2010 and this has been driven primarily through smartphones.

http://www.techeye.net/mobile/global-mobile-phone-market-does-well-in-q2

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Growth in the global cell phone market was set to slow slightly to 12 percent in the quarter to September, but there were no signs of a major slowdown, research firm Strategy Analytics said on Friday. Cell phone market volumes grew 13 percent in the second quarter, it added, boosted by demand for cheap models in emerging markets and for high-end phones in mature regions.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/business/article579030.ece/Cellphone-sales-to-grow-12-

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The worldwide mobile phone market continued to show signs of improvement during the second quarter of 2010, driven primarily by smartphone vendors and companies outside the top five leaders worldwide. According to the International Data Corporation , mobile phone vendors shipped a total of 317.5 million units during the second quarter of 2010, up 14.5 percent from the 277.2 million units shipped during the second quarter of 2009. For the first half of 2010, vendors shipped a total of 620.6 million units, up 18.5 percent from the 523.5 million units shipped during the first half of 2009.

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100729007221&newsLang=en

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Android made up a whopping 33 percent of all smartphones sold in the second quarter of 2010. Trailing close behind is Canada based Research In Motion, and in third place, Apple’s iPhone, at 22 percent.

http://erictric.com/2010/08/04/google-android-now-leads-smartphone-market/

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• Read the latest Mobile Expert Interviews at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-interview-series.html

• Watch the latest Video Comments from Kevin Benedict on enterprise mobility and M2M subjects at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/kevins-video-comments.html

• Watch the latest Mobile Expert Videos at: http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/mobile-expert-video-series.html

• I would invite those interested in enterprise mobility to join the SAP Enterprise Mobility group at: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

***************************************************
Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
Phone +1 208-991-4410
twitter @krbenedict
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

***************************************************

Kevin’s M2M News Weekly – August 4, 2010

Welcome to Kevin's M2M News Weekly. This is an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices that I read each week. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.

You can read archived editions of Kevin's M2M News Weekly at http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/p/m2m.html.

Also check out Kevin’s Mobility News Weekly and Kevin’s Enterprise Mobility Blog.

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In the past two years, M2M applications have become one of the most talked about topics in the wireless industry. More than 50 billion machines worldwide that could be connected via M2M technologies are seen as a great opportunity to trigger new hype for mobile communication.

http://www.gm862.com/en/discover/market-intelligence/m2m-expertise/infineon-technologies-partner-for-the-m2m-industry.php
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Numerex Corp. a single source provider of secure M2M products and services announced that it has inked agreements with global telecom infrastructure providers and wireless network operators. This will expand the reach of its network and application service platform on a global scale.

http://dns.tmcnet.com/topics/internet-security/articles/93600-numerex-intros-its-global-gateway-secure-m2m-service.htm

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ABI Research forecast earlier this year that the mobile M2M connectivity market will grow from 58 million connections globally in 2008 to approximately 225 million in 2014, a compound annual growth rate of about 25 percent.

http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35424:telcos-look-to-m2m&catid=69&Itemid=58

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Most of the time when we think of RFID we think of fixed mounted systems in warehouses, manufacturing environments and in transportation and logistics processes. However, there are also mobile environments where RFID and M2M systems are needed. These can be used on just about any kind of jobsite where there isn't an easily available IT infrastructure and Internet connectivity.

http://mobileenterprisestrategies.blogspot.com/2010/08/enterprise-asset-management-rfid-and.html

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Water management has come under the spotlight in South Africa as the government has embarked on a project to “green” its rivers as part of its strategic business plan for 2010 and has contracted local specialist wireless M2M communications solutions provider, Beyond Wireless, to provide a water quality monitoring solution.

http://www.instrumentation.co.za/news.aspx?pklnewsid=36238

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M2M networking for remote device management is now already well advanced across all major industry sectors, according to a new survey of early adopters just published by Harbor Research Inc.

http://lifestyletom.com/path/rao10925686113ros/roin59012539361

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Worldwide, wireless, wireline, and satellite networks developed significantly in the last twenty years, setting the stage for M2M applications and equipment to utilize these existing networks. Used for logistical tracking, telemetry, remote monitoring, geo fencing, security, and scientific monitoring, M2M communications provide benefits for industries ranging from agriculture to retail, driving the satellite M2M industry over the next five to seven years.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/frost--sullivan-diverse-industrial-applications-drive-the-world-satellite-machine-to-machine-communications-market-99541064.html

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Research firm Berg Insight has released its own findings into the uptake of smart meters in Europe, claiming that the installed base of electricity meters will grow by around 17.9 percent between 2009 and 2015 to reach a total number of around 111.4 million.

http://www.eweekeurope.co.uk/news/europe-will-have-100-million-smart-meters-by-2014-8641

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Nissan is working with AT&T to provide M2M like connectivity for digital services for the company's all-electric LEAF automobile. Nissan intends to include the Internet, smartphone connectivity and navigation into the base price of the car.

http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/nissan-working-t-connected-car/2010-08-02
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World satellite M2M communications market earned revenues of $726 million in 2009 and is estimated to reach $1.9 billion in 2016, according to market research company Frost & Sullivan analysis. The market observer said that the US is dominating the world satellite M2M communications market, with a 62 percent share, while the Asia-Pacific region is expected to experience maximum growth in terms of regional share in the long term.

http://telecoms.cbronline.com/news/m2m-communications-market-revenues-to-reach-19bn-in-2016-frost-sullivan_020810

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Sprint’s Business Markets Group continued to make a strong contribution to the company's quarterly performance, finishing the second quarter with strong sales of M2M solutions, an increased demand for Sprint 4G phones by businesses, and an increasing number of third-party endorsements that validate the unit's continued momentum.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sprints-business-markets-group-bmg-continues-to-emerge-as-b2b-market-leader-2010-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp

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There's a new generation of wireless medical sensors mounted on an adhesive strip. The so-called smart Band-Aid can call a doctor and transmit all kinds of physiological information when it detects a problem.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128877308

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Machine to machine communications via wireless methods will be the real growth platform of the coming decade," says Jack Plunkett. "Nanotechnology will plan a big role in these devices that will be assisting automatic controls and gathering data from billions of spots in the near future."

http://newsblaze.com/story/2010080411363600001.bw/topstory.html

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The world’s satellite M2M communications market is presently experiencing exponential growth, as companies are seeking to raise productivity and reduce their costs at the same time. M2M hardware and equipment have been continuously reducing in both size and cost during the last five years.

http://satellite.tmcnet.com/topics/satellite/articles/93916-world-satellite-machine-to-machine-m2m-communications-market.htm

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AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA are exploring a joint venture to develop a mobile-payment service that uses cellphones, people familiar with the matter said Monday, seeking to break into what is expected to be a fast-growing market. The unlikely alliance of three rival national wireless carriers will use Discover Financial Services to process payments and Barclays PLC as bank partner, the people said.

http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748704271804575405292841532412.html

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Some of the nation's largest vending machine operators have begun to deploy technologies such as credit card readers and sales tracking devices that are standard in supermarkets but only now are showing up in machines that dispense candy bars, potato chips and soda pop.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703314904575399433475732258.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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Investors rewarded Sierra Wireless, Inc. Friday, after it released surprisingly strong second-quarter results and bullish guidance. On Nasdaq Friday, Sierra was up $1.12, or 14.8 percent, to $8.70 on 916,000 shares. Sierra, which makes wireless technology for mobile devices, reported second quarter revenue of $159.1 million, beating analyst estimates of $157 million, and a record for the period. The record second quarter revenue was driven by demand for the company's M2M wireless products, namely an embedded wireless device for Barnes and Noble's Nook eReader. M2M sales, which comprise roughly half the company's revenue, were up 50 percent to $83.6 million from $54.6 million in the same quarter of 2009. However, sales were down 5 percent from the first quarter, when the Nook was launched.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100730-714280.html

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As consumers, we watch the major carriers hash it out over red and blue maps, network speeds, and data plans—all in hopes of getting into our pocketbooks. But behind the scenes in the M2M marketplace a less public battle is brewing among carriers - who will take the lead in the space?

http://www.connectedworldmag.com/latestNews.aspx?id=NEWS100803151547960

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry
Analyst CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro
Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

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Enterprise Asset Management, RFID and M2M

Most of the time when we think of RFID we think of fixed mounted systems in warehouses, manufacturing environments and in transportation and logistics processes. However, there are also mobile environments where RFID and M2M (machine to machine) systems are needed. These can be just about any kind of jobsite where there isn't an easily available IT infrastructure and Internet connectivity.

Andy Neil from Antronics Ltd sent me an overview of a solution he recently delivered. It involves implementing a mobile RFID/M2M/GPS solution on remote sites where there is construction and roadwork.

I have seen projects like this where high value tools and equipment are kept in storage, and when they are removed the RFID tags activate an RFID system that monitors their movement and reports their location. Since there is not an existing network available in these remote areas, M2M or wireless embedded mobile devices automatically send the captured RFID to a server over wireless networks.

I believe there will be an increasing convergence between M2M and enterprise mobility. Companies like SAP co-innovation mobility partner Syclo focus on materials management, enterprise asset management and plant maintenance. All of these areas have big requirements for M2M and embedded mobile devices and enterprise mobility applications. It would be a natural fit.

***************************************************
Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

What Happens When You Schedule 2 Opinionated Mobility Bloggers for the Same Webinar?

I have been invited to join popular mobility blogger Gil Bouhnick, the Director of Mobile Solutions at ClickSoftware, to speak at an upcoming webinar entitled, 10 Costly Mistakes to Avoid when Selecting and Implementing a Mobility Solution. I don't know where that title came from as I have made at least a hundred costly mistakes all by myself.

Time / Date: Tuesday, 31st August 8am PST / 11am EST / 16.00 GMT

Research firm IDC predicts that some 1.2 billion workers will be using mobile enterprise tools by 2011, representing roughly a third of the total global workforce (Feb 2010). Some of these are almost exclusively mobile, whereas some will only occasionally use mobile enterprise tools. Whatever the case, there are very few who would argue against the fact that investing in mobility has the potential to raise productivity, accessibility and visibility.

However, as many have already discovered, selecting and deploying a mobile solution is complex and brings many challenges and considerations. Scalability, integration, device selection, wireless communications, security, working environments, ‘buy-in’ from the users and so the list goes on. Along with the huge rewards a mobile solution can bring, lie many risk and potential pitfalls.

I invite you to join Gil and I - register here.

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst
CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410
Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.

Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded Handheld OS is Alive and Well

Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, a water and electric utility serving 65,000 customers, has recently implemented a new mobile inventory application from Syclo on Motorola MC9090 devices to streamline processes for its storerooms, water processing plant and service center.

Kansas City Board of Public Utilities list benefits as follows:

More reliable off-line capabilities
Improved security and better error tracking
Drastic improvement in cycle count processes
Easy integration to PeopleSoft and other backend systems

I believe it is important for people and vendors in the enterprise mobility space to recognize that nearly all rugged and industrial grade mobile handhelds are still using Microsoft operating systems such as Windows Mobile 6.5 or the upcoming Windows Embedded Handheld OS. The excerpt above highlights the fact that large numbers of mobile devices (and mobile applications) continue to be deployed outside of the Apple, Android and BlackBerry device markets.

Look at the numbers of industrial grade mobile handheld devices sold each year by Psion Teklogix, Trimble, Motorola, Intermec and others. These numbers demonstrate that this remains a sizeable market.

This morning I received an email from a mobile software company called Acando, in the Nordic market. They were excited to share that they had recently closed a deal with over 5,000 users to implement a Windows Mobile based, paperless orders-to-cash process and traceable SLA (service level agreement) compliance solution. Again, this demonstrates that there are many large opportunities for Microsoft based mobile enterprise applications.

Motorola MC990

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Kevin Benedict, SAP Mentor, SAP Top Contributor, Mobile and M2M Industry Analyst

CEO/Principal Consultant, Netcentric Strategies LLC
Phone +1 208-991-4410

Join SAP Enterprise Mobility on Linkedin - http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=2823585&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Full Disclosure: I am an independent mobility consultant, mobility analyst, writer and Web 2.0 marketing professional. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.