4 Gotcha’s of Mobile Computing
Chuck Virtu CTN Virtual Chief Technology Officer

With the near ubiquitous availability of wireless connectivity, the promise of mobile workers “staying connected” seems to be the best productivity tool for businesses trying to maximize the efficiency of their out of office workforce. Whether deploying a Blackberry or a laptop, there are a few gotcha’s that need to be considered.

Portable Equipment Breaks-
Whether it is a Blackberry getting wet (amazing how many get dropped into “pools”) or a laptop with a crushed screen, mobile devices need to be handled with care. Plans need to be in place to get the mobile worker running again.

Data Synchronization is Critical-
Especially for laptops, there needs to be a process to backup data on the mobile device. Even PDAs are not immune as evidenced by the recent outage and near loss of all data to SideKick users due to a Microsoft server issue. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10368709-56.html Even the big boys are not immune.

Lost devices mean loss of sensitive data-
Everyone has been inundated with the threat of Identity theft…tech bad guys hacking into servers and making off with secret data is the plot of many movies. While technical risks are very real, the majority of identity theft is no more technical than a bad guy stealing a laptop with sensitive data on it. You need to be aware of what data is being exposed with mobile devices and have a plan to protect it.

All the data – All the time – Just can’t read it!!-
Blackberries are great mobile devices, until you try to read a large spreadsheet. Thinking of a netbook? The extra weight is a tradeoff for a “real” screen and keyboard, however netbooks often have oddly proportioned screens that can make viewing a bit cumbersome. Be sure to try out the programs on the device you are considering.

Should you give up trying? Not at all, mobile computing is a fantastic way to gain productivity. If you are considering implementing mobile computing let us know…CTN would be glad to discuss your ideas and make suggestions based on our experience.

Tags: Blue Bell, CTN Solutions, Information systems, IT, IT management, Mobile Computing, NetCare

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 18th, 2009 at 5:59 pm and is filed under CTN Virtual CTO. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.