talkandroid.com - Samsung has announced that they will be customizing phones for their corporate clients including Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and FedEx. According to The Korea Times, Samsung "believes its smartphone solutions reached a level sophisticated enough to serve corporate clients." For each of the aforementioned companies, Samsung will tailor the experience specifically.
An official explained that the company is exploring new ventures because of the pressure to maintain its growth. Another official said that "selling just smartphones and tablets can't guarantee margin sustainability. The B2B business will give us a good chance to get into mobile device management." BlackBerry was considered the go-to for corporate mobility but Samsung is challenging that with its Knox mobile security solution. It is unknown whether or not Samsung will expand this to other large companies as well.

mobileworldlive.com - MasterCard has struck a deal with Ogone, which manages online and mobile payments for thousands of merchants around the world, a move the credit card giant hopes will push the take-up of MasterPass, its digital platform.
The collaboration initially covers Belgium, Netherlands, France, UK, Germany and Spain, followed by other countries in Ogone's footprint at an unspecified later date.
The deal gives MasterPass a potential market of "tens of thousands of merchants", said the announcement.
MasterPass enables users to make purchases from smartphones, tablets and PCs without having to enter detailed shipping and card information each time.
However, MasterCard's platform will initially be available for e-commerce and will only later be available for physical payments at the point-of-sale via technologies such as NFC and QR codes.

mobileworldlive.com - Tablets will account for almost 50 per cent of the total PC market (desktops, notebooks and tablets) next year, according to analyst house Canalys, driven by the success of Android-derived operating systems.
Canalys estimated tablet shipments accounted for 40 per cent of PC shipments in Q3 2013, less than half a million units behind global notebook shipments. Demand for tablets is set to grow, with Canalys forecasting 285 million units to ship in 2014, growing to 396 million units in 2017.
canalys tablets
The forecasts are not a huge surprise, given rival analyst firm IDC claimed in September that tablets will start overtaking the PC segment in Q4 2013.
Canalys expects Apple and Samsung to keep ahead of their competitors in the medium term, but warned there could be challenges for both vendors as competition in the tablet market continues to heat up.
"With the cost and time-to-market advantages afforded by their Chinese supply chain, small-to-micro brand vendors are eating up tablet market share," commented Shanghai-based Canalys analyst James Wang.
"Vendors such as Nextbook in the United States, and Onda and Teclast in the People's Republic of China ship more units than some of the major international top tier vendors in their home countries. The rise of small-to-micro brand vendors has proved that there is a demand for entry-level Android tablets in every country and in every region. Vendors such as Acer, Asus, HP, and Lenovo have all entered the price war, with entry-level products at sub-$150 price points. With vastly different cost structures these vendors will continue to find it extremely challenging to keep pace with local competitors, especially in APAC and Latin America."
In terms of software, Canalys expects Android to continue dominating the tablet operating system market, taking 65 per cent share in 2014 with 185 million units (and enjoying a 32 per cent share of the total PC market).
As for the overall PC market next year, Canalys predicts "a flurry of acquisitions, mergers, and failures as PC hardware vendors of all sizes struggle to maintain their desktop and notebook business while attempting to capitalise on a tablet market that will see great volumes driving limited value,"

mobileworldlive.com - Global demand for 4G LTE services is growing at such a pace that GSMA Intelligence forecasts the one billion connections milestone will now be hit by 2017, up to a year earlier than previously expected.
By that time, predict the number crunchers, nearly 500 LTE networks are forecast to be in service across 128 countries, roughly double the number of live LTE networks today. And the superfast mobile broadband technology will account for about one in eight of the more than eight billion total mobile connections forecast by that point, up from 176 million LTE connections at the end of 2013.
While the US currently accounts for almost half (46 per cent) of global LTE connections today (thanks to major investment by AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile US and Verizon Wireless), Asia is expected to account for almost half (47 per cent) the base by 2017, fuelled by 4G launches in the world's two largest mobile markets - China and India.
The good news for operators is that GSMA Intelligence claims LTE users typically consume 1.5GB of data per month, almost twice the average amount consumed by non-LTE users. This will contribute to an uplift in ARPU (average revenue per user) for carriers; the analysts cite operators in developing markets who have noted that LTE users can generate ARPU seven to 20 times greater than non-LTE users, while operators in developed economies have found that LTE can generate an ARPU uplift ranging from 10 to 40 per cent.
With 20 per cent of the global population already within LTE network coverage range, GSMA Intelligence expects LTE networks to be available to half of the world's population by 2017. Such growth, claims the analyst house, is evidence that the migration to 4G is happening considerably faster than the earlier migration from 2G to 3G.

informationweek.com - The basic design of tablets -- a nondescript black slab -- hasn't changed much since the debut of the Apple iPad in 2010. But tablet technology is rapidly evolving, and there's been market segmentation. Several categories have emerged over the past four years: mini tablets with screens that measure from 7 inches to 8 inches diagonally; larger tablets with 9- to 11-inch screens; and hybrid devices that function as both tablet and laptop. One might also include phablets -- cellphone/tablet hybrids with 5- to 6-inch screens -- as a fourth category, although these devices qualify more as oversized smartphones than true tablets.
However you slice it, the tablet has emerged as a unique genre of mobile device, one that has become hugely popular with consumers and businesses alike. In fact, tablets are expected to outsell laptop computers by a three- to-one margin by 2017, predicts NPD DisplaySearch. According to IDC, Apple and Samsung were the top two tablet vendors in the third quarter of 2013, with 29.6% and 20.4% of the global market share, respectively. Those numbers are expected to change quickly, however, as so-called "white box tablets," typically low-cost slates running variants of Android, gain popularity worldwide.
White-box tablets probably won't make anyone's Best Of list, however. "These low-cost Android-based products make tablets available to a wider market of consumers, which is good. However, many use cheap parts and non-Google-approved versions of Android that can result in an unsatisfactory customer experience, limited usage, and very little engagement with the ecosystem," said IDC research director Tom Mainelli in a statement.
So what makes a great tablet? Light weight and long battery life are two key characteristics, obviously, as well as processing power and a well-stocked app store. Affordability matters too, but super-cheap slates aren't worth it, particularly in the workplace where tablets and tablet/laptop hybrids are increasingly replacing laptops.
It looks as if no single operating system will dominate tablets, with Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems all finding their niche. For instance, the 7-inch Amazon Kindle Fire HDX and the 10.6-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 2, both technically tablets, appeal to different types of user.
Our Best Tablets of 2013 slideshow takes a variety of factors into consideration, including size, usability, price, availability of applications, and compatibility with existing enterprise systems. If you think we slighted a tablet you like, or if you disagree with some of our picks, let us know in the comments section.

qrcodepress.com - The workplace is much different than it used to be, largely due to the consumerization of IT phenomenon and the Internet of Everything trend - both of which are encouraging employees to leverage mobile devices for more activities than ever before. While embracing bring your own device (BYOD) and other mobile trends can help support a remote workfoce and augment the way colleagues and customers communicate, launching the endeavors inefficiently can result in significant performance and security challenges.
A new Workshare study of more than 5,000 employees around the world revealed that the new mobile mentality is encouraging 81 percent of respondents to access critical documents outside of the workplace. Unfortunately, nearly three-quarters of individuals have not been authorized by decision-makers to do so, which has created unforeseen complications and vulnerabilities.
"Businesses can no longer ignore mobility trends. Instead, they must find ways to meet their needs, while meeting strict security demands," said Anthony Foy, CEO of Workshare.
The survey found that approximately 62 percent of respondents use personal smartphones, tablets and other devices for work-related purposes. If decision-makers want their BYOD programs and use of sophisticated phone system features to not introduce unnecessary complications, they must develop innovative strategies that take new business activities, processes and philosophies into account.
The Dawn of a New Daymobility BYOD
A separate Citrix study highlighted similar findings, revealing that BYOD initiatives are becoming the norm, as 71 percent of companies are now allowing or accommodating the use of personal smartphones and tablets for corporate tasks. Unfortunately, 76 percent of these organizations said that more than 100 unidentified gadgets access critical resources every day. This proliferation of unauthorized or unrecognized devices suggests that companies need a new plan.
Before organizations can fully embrace the mobile philosophy, executives must understand how their employees currently work and what they demand in the future. This insight can be extremely helpful to a company that is not sure which mobile route will be the most effective. Analyzing the workforce's mentality can also reduce the chances that individuals will breach any best practices.
"By 2015, most very large enterprises will have to provide more structured and formalized support for employees who elect to use personal mobile devices for work - including smartphones and tablet PCs," said Brownlee Thomas of Forrester Research, according to Workshare.
After recognizing how individuals prefer to work, organizations should establish some form of governance to keep processes in line with long-term performance metrics and objectives. This may mean allowing only certain teams to work remotely or supporting a finite number of devices in the workplace. Executives need to embrace the methods that work best for their companies to keep risk to a minimum without introducing performance or experience issues.
In the coming years, the rapid development of mobile devices will continue to affect the way businesses collaborate and function. Forward-thinking decision-makers must recognize these monumental changes and plan for them accordingly if they want to remain competitive and efficient.

journalgazette.net - Most mobile phone users have never heard of Tizen. Neither have car owners or anyone with a fridge.
Samsung Electronics Co. wants to change that.
The South Korean electronics giant is in a quiet push to make its Tizen operating system a part of the technology lexicon as familiar as Google's Android or Apple's iOS. Its ambition doesn't stop there.
Samsung sees the software in your car, fridge and television too.
The first developer conference in Asia for Tizen wrapped up earlier this month after a two-day run, bringing together app developers and Tizen backers from Samsung, Intel and mobile operators.
Samsung did not announce a Tizen phone, but it made a pitch for developers to create apps for the mobile operating system that is yet to be seen in the market.
Samsung promised to give out around $4 million cash to the creators of the best Tizen apps.
Samsung supplied about one third of the smartphones sold worldwide in the third quarter, nearly all of them running on Google's Android. Its early bet on Google's free-of-charge operating system served Samsung well and the company's rise to top smartphone seller also helped Android become the most used mobile platform in the world. According to Localytics, 63 percent of all Android mobile devices in use are made by Samsung.
But while Samsung was wildly successful with selling its Galaxy phones and tablets, it had little success in locking Galaxy device users into music, messaging and other Samsung services.
Google, however, benefited from more people using its search service, Google Play app and other Google mobile applications on Galaxy smartphones. Owners of Galaxy devices remain for the most part a slave to Google's Android update schedule and its rules.
About nine in every 10 smartphone users are tied to either Google's Android or Apple's iPhone ecosystems, generating profit for Google and Apple every time they purchase a game or application on their smartphone.
That is partly why Samsung wants to expand its control beyond hardware to software, by building its own mobile operating system.
"With only hardware, its influence is limited," said Kang Yeen-kyu, an associate research fellow at state-run Korea Information Society Development Institute. "Samsung's goal is to establish an ecosystem centered on Samsung."
The consolidation of global technology companies in the last few years reflects such trends. Apple has always made its own operating system for the iPhone. Google Inc. acquired Motorola Mobility in 2011 and Microsoft Corp. announced in September its plan to buy Nokia Corp., leaving Samsung the only major player in the smartphone market that does not make its own operating system.

cnet.com - Want a better camera on your Android device? Google does, too.
For that reason, the company has overhauled the mobile OS's plumbing. Google has built deep into Android support for two higher-end photography features -- raw image formats and burst mode -- and could expose those features so that programmers could tap into them, the company said.
Evidence of raw and burst-mode photos in the Android source code surfaced earlier in November, but Google has now commented on the technology. Specifically, spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said the support is now present in Android's hardware abstraction layer (HAL), the part of the operating system that handles communications with a mobile device's actual hardware.
"Android's latest camera HAL (hardware abstraction layer) and framework supports raw and burst-mode photography," Scigliano said. "We will expose a developer API [application programming interface] in a future release to expose more of the HAL functionality."
An API means that programmers would be able to use the abilities in their own software. Google already uses burst mode on the Nexus 5 smartphone's HDR+ mode, capturing multiple photos in rapid succession and merging them into a single high-dynamic range photo.
Hardware still matters a lot for a smartphone's photographic capabilities. But a better software foundation could mean Google's mobile OS becomes more competitive, especially if programmers choose to tap into the full data that Android makes available.

tgdaily.com - The consumerization of IT has reached a maturation state in key markets forcing smartphone OEMs to incorporate security and advanced enterprise features into mobile device hardware and software.
Recently, ABI Research published a report titled "iOS 7 and Windows Phone 8 for Enterprise," which examines how the iOS 7 software update will impact enterprise adoption of iPhones, and how current and future iterations of Windows Phone can accelerate business adoption of Microsoft's mobility platform.
"There was a lot of excitement with the release of iOS 7, especially in the enterprise where Apple included features enterprises were longing for," Senior analyst Jason McNicol comments.
"Some of those features, however, were not terribly innovative when compared to the services offered by the EMM/MDM market, while other enhancements have relatively limited functionality. Despite the positive market buzz, iOS7 enterprise features are unlikely to increase its enterprise presence. Plenty of market opportunity remains, especially for a company like Microsoft."
New enterprise features in the iOS 7 release include: advanced VPP control, open-in management, managed applications, single sign-on capability, per app VPN, and enhanced EMM/MDM vendor functionality.
ABI Research has forecast the adoption of iPhone and Windows Phone by region and by vertical. Apple iPhone subscribers will maintain 18% market penetration for the foreseeable future, whereas Microsoft should see market penetration increase to 6% by 2018.
Commenting on the industry vertical data, McNicol notes, "When looking at adoption trends in specific regions, we see areas where Windows Phone stands to gain significantly. For example, Windows Phone consumer adoption has been very strong in Europe. As demonstrated by the Apple and Android platforms, a growing base of consumers is a key driver for expansion into the enterprise."
Practice Director Dan Shey added, "Surprisingly, there are quite a few similarities between Apple and Microsoft allowing for a good comparison of the two platforms. While Apple has a significant lead over Microsoft, Microsoft is learning from Apple. If Microsoft keeps its promises for enterprise features expansion, we expect it to gain market share among mobile business customers."

itnewsafrica.com - Decision makers in business may have to consider more than one policy or measure in their future BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) strategies. According to a report by Juniper Research, by the year 2018 there is expected to be more than 1 billion employee-owned mobile devices in the enterprise.
This figure represents approximately 35% of the total installed base of consumer-owned tablets and smartphones. Technology executives have referred to an IDC statistic which claims that by the year 2020, third platform technologies (mobile, cloud, social and big data) will make up 80% of all IT spending compared with 20% in 2011.
The adoption of mobile technology in Africa warrants consideration of what experts have called 'three absolutes' - technology must be manageable, secure and reliable.
Juniper's report Mobile Security: BYOD, mCommerce, Consumer & Enterprise 2013 - 2018, has found that whilst organisations can benefit from BYOD, employee satisfaction and productivity being two advantages, there is a very real threat from unprotected employee mobile devices.
Businesses should view mobile devices as "just another endpoint" and formulate actions and steps to mitigate the challenges and the risks of managing a multi-platform environment, suggests the research company.
While the mobile security market is being driven by the enterprise market segment, with BYOD and mobile device management being strategic influencers, Juniper predicts growth in revenue for security software - "approaching 40% of the global mobile security sales revenue by the end of 2018."

mobileworldlive.com - Yota Devices will launch its high-profile dual-screen and Android-based YotaPhone at a Moscow event on 4 December.
The launch comes just under a year after the privately-held firm unveiled the dual-screen smartphone concept, which has a full-colour liquid crystal display (LCD) on one side and an electronic paper display (EPD) on the other. The device won a Best of CES Award at this year's event in Las Vegas.
The EPD, said Yota Devices at the time of the concept launch, "is the user's personal space for receiving notifications, linking to social media, reading content-rich news or displaying favourite pictures".
Yota Devices boasts an international team of software and hardware engineers and experts come from Russia, the US and Finland.

mobileworldlive.com - Only a quarter of developing markets have introduced Mobile Number Portability (MNP) to date, according to our research, while only a further 15 per cent are known to be implementing MNP in the future. This suggests that about 60 per cent of regulators in the developing world have either decided against introducing MNP, or have made no progress to date.
Mobile number portability allows subscribers to switch operators while retaining ('porting') their existing number. Regulators implementing MNP usually do so with the aim of reducing the 'barriers to switching' for consumers, which in turn can stimulate market competition and in some cases serve to reduce the power of a dominant player.
Many of the largest developing markets have already implemented MNP, including in India, Brazil, Nigeria, Turkey, Mexico and South Africa. China - the world's largest mobile market - plans to do so in 2014. However, there is an apparent lack of enthusiasm for MNP in many markets across Asia and Africa. Regulators in markets such as the Maldives and Uganda decided against MNP after consultations concluded that implementation would be too costly. In addition, MNP is not applicable in the 8 per cent of developing markets that support only one operator.

mobileworldlive.com - Orange is close to selling its Dominican Republic unit to Altice, a Luxembourg-based cable and telecoms private equity firm, in a deal that could raise in excess of 1 billion for the French telecoms group.
According to a Bloomberg source, an agreement could be announced as soon as this week.
Orange Dominicana is the second-largest mobile operator in the Republic behind America Movil's Claro.
Orange has 3.3 million subscribers versus Claro's 4.6 million, according to Q3 2013 figures compiled by GSMA Intelligence.
Sales at Orange's Dominican unit topped 450 million in 2012.
Speaking at an investor conference in Barcelona last week, Stephane Richard (pictured), Orange CEO, said the sale of the Dominican Republic business would be at a price "significantly over" 1 billion.
Orange, which put its Dominican Republic business up for sale earlier this year, claims to have attracted multiple bids for the asset.
Other groups said to have expressed interest include Digicel, owned by Denis O'Brien, the Irish billionaire, and Cable & Wireless Communications, the UK-listed telecoms group.
Altice owns and operates various cable, mobile, internet and data-centre companies across Europe and the Indian Ocean region
It's also the biggest shareholder in France's largest cable operator Numericable, which held an IPO this month.

mobileworldlive.com - A report from Korea's ET News, alleging LG had started to shift some resources away from smartphones to smart TVs, has been branded "completely false" by the South Korean manufacturer.
"We are more committed than ever to making the LG brand a major player in the mobile space and we think our products this year speak for themselves," said LG in a statement.
LG told Mobile World Live that it challenged ET News on the story's facts. And because the news outlet couldn't back up its claims, adds LG, the article was removed from the ET News website.
Mobile World Live last week described the media report as surprising given that LG's devices unit has turned in a number of profitable quarters in recent years.
And through the company's recently-launched G2, plus its association with Google for the Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 - and early support for LTE - LG has managed to secure a strong foothold in the premium smartphone market.

businessinsider.com - This year will mark a major milestone for tablets and their influence on Internet retailers. We believe tablets will draw even with smartphones, and account for 50% of the total value of U.S. retail sales made over mobile devices.
How is it that tablets are beginning to overtake the smartphone for retail, despite the fact that there are fewer tablets than smartphones in consumer hands? It turns out tablets are perfect devices for "lean-back," or power shopping sessions. Their large screens make it easy to pinch-to-zoom for detailed product views, browse the Web, and search. Average order values, retail traffic, and conversion rates are higher on tablets, helping them punch above their weight class.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we take stock of the explosion in tablet-based e-commerce, analyze the best data available on tablet shopper behavior and how it's different from the behavior of smartphone owners. We also explore why retailers have lagged in creating tablet-friendly shopping experiences for their users, despite allocating budgets to ad campaigns meant to be viewed on tablets.

businessinsider.com - I sold my iPad about four months ago.
It was the third-generation iPad, the first one Apple made with its super-sharp Retina display. But a little over a year after I bought it, I realized I wasn't using it at all. It just sat on my nightstand with a dead battery.
I can't give you one big reason why I had stopped using my iPad. It was a mix of things. The iPad isn't a great device to write on (yes, even with one of those nice Logitech keyboard cover things), and I do a lot of writing both for my job and in my personal time. My old iPad was also too heavy and bulky for extended use when reading or watching video, two of the most common tasks on a tablet.
This year, Apple released the perfect iPad, or at least the perfect one for me. It's the iPad Mini with Retina display. I've had it for a week and I'm already using it more than my iPhone. In seven short days, the iPad Mini has become my device of choice for everything but my job.
What It Does
At a glance, the this year's iPad Mini looks nearly identical to the one Apple launched last year. It comes in two new colors - space gray and white - and is slightly heavier and thicker. That extra bulk is because Apple had to cram in a bigger battery to fuel the power-hungry Retina display while still maintaining the same 10-hour battery life we're used to enjoying on the iPad.
The weight gain is negligible though. The new Mini weighs 0.73 pounds versus the 0.68 pounds last year's model weighs. That's a trade off I'm willing to make to get a Retina display. On the inside, the iPad Mini has Apple's newest mobile processor called the A7, which is also found in the iPhone 5S and iPad Air. On paper, the iPad Mini is pretty much the same machine performance-wise as its big brother the iPad Air. And you're getting all that performance for $100 off and in a much more manageable size.
Why It Works
My biggest complaint with the original iPad Mini was its weak display. Go ahead. Call me a snoot. But after years of living in a pixel-free world, the old iPad Mini's screen looked too grainy for me to properly enjoy it. It's the primary reason why I thought Google's new Nexus 7 was better than the iPad Mini this summer.
But as anyone who even pays moderate attention to the tech world knows, things change quickly. The new iPad Mini's upgrades are so significant that I now think it's the best tablet out there.
The iPad's biggest advantage over the competition is its app selection. As good as its two biggest rivals, the Kindle Fire HDX and Nexus 7, may be, those devices simply don't have as many good tablet-optimized apps as the iPad does. The Google Play Store for Android apps is full of great software, but most of it is designed for smaller screen smartphones. Developers are much more active on the iPad, which means you can get versions of your favorite apps that take full advantage of 8-inch+ screens.
The Mini's form-factor strikes the perfect balance of portability and extra screen real estate. It's big enough for casual reading on the couch or in bed, but small enough for me to throw in my bag and catch up on articles in my Instapaper queue on my subway ride to work. I'm glad I no longer have to squint at my tiny iPhone 5 screen on the train anymore.
The Bad Stuff
It's not all gravy.
If you want an iPad Mini, it starts at $399 for the 16 GB, WiFi model. For me, 16 GB is enough since I don't store a lot of video and music on the device. But I imagine most people will want at least the 32 GB model, which costs $499. That's significantly more expensive than the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire HDX, which both start at $229.
If you want an affordable smaller tablet, the iPad Mini is the wrong choice. But if you want the best smaller tablet, the iPad Mini is your only choice.
My only other complaint with the iPad Mini is iOS 7, the newly redesigned operating system for iPhones and iPads. iOS 7 doesn't do a good job at taking advantage of the extra screen space on tablets, so there are a lot of open gaps throughout the system of menus and features like the drop-down notifications center. I'd like to see Apple do more with iOS 7 on the iPad, perhaps add side-by-side app multitasking like Samsung and Microsoft do with their tablets.
Conclusion
The iPad Mini promises a lot. It has the same processing power and excellent battery life as the larger iPad Air, but manages to pull all that off in a smaller, more portable, and more attractive package. If the price doesn't scare you off, I think it's the best tablet you can buy right now.

businessinsider.com - Banks compete vigorously to differentiate themselves in order to gain greater market share and enlarge their deposit base. That's why mobile has becomes so important. It's the next battleground for consumers, and banks are rolling out the latest and greatest smartphone apps and mobile site features to gain an edge on the competition.
The banks that establish a reputation for mobile innovation now may benefit in the future from greater market share and more engaged - and high-margin - customers.
In a recent report from BI Intelligence, we take a look at some banking app pioneers and cutting-edge features, detail the competition to develop the best mobile banking tools, examine mobile banking's growth spurt, and analyze consumer adoption behavior and barriers.

talkandroid.com - LG will be getting into the processor game pretty soon, as rumors are swirling regarding a new processor from the manufacturer called "Odin."
It was originally thought that LG's L2 would feature Odin, but instead offered a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 CPU.
Now, DigitalTimes is reporting that LG has said that Odin has two versions. One has a quad-core processor clocked at 2.2GHz and has an ARM Mali-T604 GPU, and the other has eight cores with ARM's Mali-T760 GPU. The SoCs are currently being tested, but an announcement date is not mentioned.

mobileworldlive.com - At last, competition is hotting up in the UK for high-speed mobile connectivity. The mobile industry passed a milestone on August 29 when O2 and Vodafone switched on their 4G networks, nine months after EE fired the starting gun.
To the casual observer, this is a development aimed squarely at consumers. Films, sport and music feature heavily in mainstream advertising campaigns, with business use getting less attention.
But behind the scenes, these competitors are working diligently to educate enterprises and small-business owners about the potential of the latest technology.
"We are trying to have a conversation where customers can get their heads around the sort of changes in business outcomes that can be achieved as a result of 4G, and I think that is where it is really brought to life," says Ben Dowd, business director for O2 UK.
This sentiment is echoed by Gerry McQuade, head of business for EE. "Since we launched, we've done a lot of 'seeding' with our customers, just letting them try it, and they are leading a lot of the thinking. They get the high speed, they get the story around mobility, but when it comes to how it applies to their business, they are coming forward with ideas," he says.
According to a recent study from Vodafone UK, 86 per cent of business leaders believe 4G will improve productivity by providing a genuine "in-office" experience wherever they are, with 41 per cent planning to start using it in the next 12 months.
4G is, or at least will be, used to power applications, falling roughly into two camps: general business applications, which are common across industry sectors, and services specific to vertical markets.
In both cases, it is the ability to provide staff with faster access to large amounts of up-to-date information, wherever they are, that is the feature giving 4G an edge over existing mobile networks.
"You can imagine situations where the sales team prepares PowerPoint slides and the details they need before they go out to a customer, with everything saved on a computer. There are a huge number of issues with that - continuity of information, the security risk of data held on laptops - whereas with 4G we can provide access to that information quickly," says Jonathan Kini, head of enterprise commercial marketing at Vodafone UK.
A popular use of 4G is to provide high-speed connectivity to remote sites without the deployment challenges associated with fixed-line services. This is proving popular with industry sectors, such as construction, where a fast set-up is a key consideration and in sectors, such as professional services, where teams often work from customer sites.
And the ability for businesses, from small and medium-sized enterprises through to multinational corporations, to make more use of video is also a key benefit of 4G. "What we've spoken to a lot of our customers about is how 4G can provide a lot of that human contact through videoconferencing. People feel like they can actually be in many places at once," says Kini.
In addition to person-to-person, video can also be used for remote monitoring and for field maintenance applications.
It is not just the private sector that can benefit from the adoption of 4G; public services can also be modernised and transformed, with an all-important eye on efficiency.
In the healthcare sector, 4G can be used to enable staff to access patient information securely in the field, while emergency crews can use video to share real-time information with hospital-based teams to improve the quality of service delivered to patients.
Video can also play an important role for the other emergency services, for example with police able to monitor public-order issues more effectively with a fast set-up time and fire crews able to stream information to control rooms to aid with situation assessments; all the time improving the safety of the officers in the field.
EE is working with London's Air Ambulance, which is using 4G to deliver information to its various vehicles and to feed information back to hospitals so that the correct staff are available on arrival.
"It's a really interesting case, but it's actually a variation of 'how do I get real-time heavyweight information backwards and forward to people out on the road, in a way that I couldn't do with 2G or 3G'," says McQuade.
O2's Dowd is equally positive about the potential benefits for the public sector. "There's quite a big drive to get up to speed with the 21st century. We can really make a difference and encourage competition in that space, so we can deliver better services, more cost effectively, for the public sector and UK plc," he says.
But as much as the market for 4G is now open to competition among the operators, there are still a number of issues for enterprises to take into account, not least that coverage is not yet pervasive, with Dowd taking a conservative view that "4G will start to become quite big in the second half of next year".
"I think ultimately where we want to get to is to create ubiquitous coverage, so the customer can access the services that they need, when they need them, to make their lives easier," he says.
Vodafone's Kini notes that whatever the benefits of 4G, it actually forms part of a raft of connectivity tools available to enterprises. "It's about what the customer wants and how they can maximise their outcomes - being more connected to their people, better connected to their customers and creating the most agile business they can," he says.
And EE's McQuade adds that, while 4G is an important enabler for enterprises, "it's not the only thing that is changing and driving their thinking".
The consumerisation of corporate IT, with smartphones and tablets becoming common tools throughout organisations, and apps transforming the way that such devices are used, is also playing an important role in the transformation.
"There is a question about the scale of transformation it enables for businesses because there aren't any large businesses that don't have legacy systems that this is going to change," he says.

talkandroid.com - Organizations are adjusting their infrastructure to support availability and productivity, regardless of where the employee is located. And this holds true for the sales force as well. This infographic by Qvidian illustrates the rise of the mobile worker.

cbronline.com - Mobile efforts led to 10% gain in employee productivity, finds IBM report.
An overwhelming 90% of organisations across the globe are planning to either up or maintain their investments in mobile technologies up to 2015, a new IBM study revealed.
The report noted that about half of the organisations reported gains of more than 10% in employee productivity owing to their mobile efforts.
Of the overall mobile strategy leaders surveyed, about 73% reported considerable returns on their mobile investments, while 81% said mobile has essentially modified their business procedures.
IBM's Kevin Custis said that mobile is quickly emerging as a transformational game changer in business that will drive new levels of innovation and interactions.
"It is far too limiting to define mobility simply as a device or a channel for transactions," Custis said.
"The organisations that come out ahead will be the ones that prioritise mobile and redefine its use to drive a new set of business expectations and user experiences."
According to report, 20% of businesses consider that they have a better mobile strategy than their industry peers, while 44% of them foresee their mobility policy to be in advance to their peers by 2016.
Integrating mobile apps with existing systems tops the list of mobile challenges facing organisations, followed by executing end-to-end mobile security solutions for devices and apps (53%) and responding to modifications in technology and mobile devices in a practical time period (51%).
Around 70% of survey respondents portrayed themselves as efficient in areas including tackling structured and unstructured mobile data, managing massive volumes of data, studying mobile data and shaping the business from the findings of the data.
Just 37% of non-business leaders are equipped to deal with such issues.
Faster customer response time was considered to be a key benefit of using mobile, at 58%, while 78% of firms said they plan to boost their investment in employees' capability to work outside the workplace.
Seventy percent of respondents have successfully assured interoperability with other systems, by taking advantage of APIs for external or cloud-provided data services, and offering service-oriented architecture as well as sharing information among systems/devices.
Of the overall surveyed, 79% of them reported that their businesses have implemented well-documented policies for employees using mobile devices.
About 37% of banking respondents surveyed reported that their organisation has implemented a BYOD approach, while 66% confirmed the adoption of BYOD.

ababj.com - Although still in its infancy, paying bills on mobile devices is primed to grow rapidly. Already more than 12.5 million Americans use mobile bill pay, according to research by Javelin Strategy & Research.
The first wave of consumers is typically pulling out a smartphone or tablet to pay, and mobile bill payments are primed for rapid growth.
Javelin estimates Americans pay $2.1 trillion annually to pay seven bills that are central to a consumer's day-to-day living and form the foundation for a deeper borrowing relationship: major credit cards usable anywhere, store-branded credit cards, utility bills, mobile phone bills, mortgages, vehicle loans, and student loans.
More than 140 million Americans are ripe for mobile bill payments, with one-third representing new users of bill payments at their bank or credit union. Javelin created an 11-point analysis of what consumers' desire when paying bills, and compared it against the competitive landscape based on consumers' perceptions of the capabilities of financial institutions, billers and third-party players.
"A wide range of companies have much to gain if they can stand out among mobile bill-payment providers. That starts with financial institutions that want to be the centerpiece of customer payments and jolt flat-lining growth in online bill payment, and billers that are seeking more efficient ways to collect payments and maintain direct contact with customers," says Mark Schwanhausser, director of Omnichannel Financial Services at Javelin Strategy & Research. "But it also extends to bill-payment innovators such as Bill.com, Check, Doxo, Manilla, Simplee, Volly, and Zumbox that are seeking to gain a foothold in a huge market ripe for disruption, as well as companies serving the underbanked, mobile wallet providers, and technology vendors."
The company's report sizes the current flow of dollars through the bill-payment market, including the breakdown of online, mobile, and offline payments. The report provides an 11-point analysis of what consumers desire when paying their bills, identifies banks with market-leading adoption, and maps out strategies for upgrading and marketing the bill-payment process.

pcadvisor.co.uk - Android smartphone makers are beefing up the security on their phones in order to grab a slice of the lucrative enterprise mobile market.
Android OEMs such as Samsung, HTC, Huawei, LG, Motorola and ZTE are ready to take on Apple's iPhone and bang the final nail in the BlackBerry coffin.
According to a new report from ABI Research Android smartphone OEMs are taking advantage of a solid presence among consumers and mobile business users to drive more business entity smartphone purchases and expand use in the enterprise.
ABI Research predicts that shipment revenues from Android smartphones used by mobile business customers will grow from $54 billion in 2013 to over $92 billion globally by the end of 2018. See: Google Android smartphone reviews
ABI Research analyzed Android OEM enterprise features and market presence to provide mobile business customer adoption forecasts for six OEMs including.
"Despite a significant presence among employees in the workplace, businesses have not allowed or have limited the access of Android devices to enterprise applications and systems," comments senior analyst, Jason McNicol.
"Fearing loss of this large, high-margin market segment, Android OEMs have taken it upon themselves to close these security threats by making Android devices more enterprise ready."
A mobile device is considered enterprise ready when OS embedded features such as device encryption and VPN connectivity can be enabled by enterprise mobility vendors.
An example includes Samsung KNOX which comes pre-installed on Galaxy S4 smartphones, but requires an enterprise mobility vendor such as Citrix or AirWatch to turn the features on.
Practice director Dan Shey adds, "Despite the shortcomings associated with Android, OEMs are leveraging the open platform and using key partnerships to provide not only enhanced security features, but a valuable user experience in enterprise ready devices.
"Samsung is the clear leader but other OEMs, like LG and its GATE solution, have made great advances in their strategies to capture share of the enterprise device market."

itweb.co.za - Even though the majority of large enterprises believe mobile to be the greatest factor in organisational competitiveness, most still lack a formal mobile strategy.
This is according to a global survey commissioned by Citrix across Europe and the BRICS countries, which shows that 80% of enterprises believe mobile will boost their competitiveness, while 41% do not have a formal mobile strategy.
Commissioned to produce a snapshot of mobility across the globe, the Citrix "Mobility in Business" report polled 1 700 senior IT decision-makers across 17 countries. Respondents were asked about the advantages and challenges of implementing mobile initiatives, their current policies towards mobile devices, and the impact consumerisation of IT is having on their businesses.
Ad hoc implementations
Analysing the findings, Michael Church, enterprise manager at Citrix SA, says, in most cases, the shift towards a mobile enterprise emerges in a gradual, ad hoc manner through limited initiatives such as mobile e-mail and remote access.
He explains that, often, organisations are unable to support multiple mobile applications and devices; they have unfit legacy systems; and they don't have the knowledge on how to implement a formal enterprise mobility policy.
"However, recent Citrix research shows that although 41% of organisations in the BRICS countries admit to being without a formal mobile strategy, 12.5% expect to have one in place within a year," says Church.
He believes it is critical for enterprises to have a mobile strategy in place, as compliance, data protection and privacy concerns are the top considerations for any organisation using enterprise mobility.
"In previous decades, IT had the luxury of end-to-end control of endpoints, networks, servers, applications and data. Not so much anymore. Security architectures haven't been updated to reflect this reality. The practice of 'secure everything equally and hope for the best' just doesn't cut it," says Church.
He adds that IT needs to ensure it can retain overall governance as an influx of consumer devices enters the workplace - by centralising data and, ultimately, focusing on data and applications rather than devices.
Remaining compliant
Church also notes that with a strategic enterprise mobility policy, organisations can easily ensure business information is available when and where it is needed, while remaining compliant. With organisations constantly requiring access to business apps and services, mobility enables people to access the service of their choice from any operating system and any device, he points out.
With the ability to cut costs and realise full productivity, organisations can now achieve maximum profitability, he stresses.
"For many CIOs, mobility is about technology and process, but it is much more than that. Mobility can contribute to greater work-life harmony and, ultimately, better living. It is as much about reassessing the workforce culture as it is about technology," Church says.
"For businesses, mobility is a tremendous opportunity to empower more people in places that aren't their regular workplace. Implemented effectively, a mobility solution can have a profound impact on people's working lives, allowing them to deal with the disruptions they face every day, from caring for a sick child, to more significant issues such as the impact of global politics on businesses."
Across the BRICS countries, organisations reported an average of three main barriers preventing formal support for mobile initiatives: a lack of ability to support multiple mobile applications (40%), unfit legacy systems (36.25%), and a lack of strategy on how employees should best implement mobility (35.5%).
Unidentified computing devices
According to the report, 55% of BRICS organisations are concerned about the number of unidentified computing devices accessing their business networks. This includes desktops, laptops, notebooks, netbooks, ultrabooks, smartphones and tablets that are not provisioned by an IT department and are, therefore, unknown. Worldwide, organisations report an average of 425 such connections every day, with the highest figures from businesses in Brazil (994), Canada (649) and Japan (618).
The research also reveals that an increasing number of enterprises around the world are embracing open source platforms. Android was by far the most popular mobile platform, according to respondents in the BRICS countries, with 80% saying they supported or were planning to support it.
The second and third most popular were Windows 8 (65%) and Apple iOS (45%). The BlackBerry platform received support from 26% of respondents. Looking at the adoption of such platforms, 81% of respondents reported an increase in the use of Android within their organisations, followed by Windows 8 (57%), Apple iOS (51%), Windows Mobile (37%) and BlackBerry (19%).

cio.com - Let's face it, you're a thief.
At some point in your life, you swiped something from a previous employer -- business contacts, source code, staplers -- and used it for personal gain, perhaps as a sacrificial, competitive offering to your next employer or to help kick-start your own business. Fact remains, the stuff wasn't yours.
But it's so simple, you say, especially in these early days of BYOD. It's easier than ever to whip out your smartphone and record a strategic meeting, take a screen shot of a document or photo of a whiteboard, copy and paste company information contained in an email to a personal cloud storage service, shoot off untraceable text messages, and other violations of the eighth of The 10 Commandments.
With BYOD, you don't even have to employ multiple devices or stealthily use a thumb drive like the techies in the geek cult classic "Office Space," or stupidly create an electronic paper trail by forwarding corporate email to a personal email account. Rather, you can do all your pillaging from the safety and comfort of your cubicle with little chance of getting caught.

josic.com - Just a few years ago, if you wanted to read articles, play games or shop online, you did it while plastered in a seat, with a laptop or desktop computer in front of you. Times have changed radically.
In today's anywhere-and-anytime digital world, the idea of stationary computing seems downright quaint. We use our mobile devices in checkout lines, at stop lights, while jogging and - to the detriment of our safety - even while driving. It's a mobile world, and we're conditioned to look down at our smartphones during every spare moment.
In the years ahead, we can expect this type of activity to accelerate, just as it has in 2013.
So what's driving rapid growth in mobile? One primary factor is consumer behavior.
According to a study released in September by Pew Research, 63-percent of U.S. cell phone owners use their phone to go online. With 91-percent of Americans now owning cell phones, that means more than half of U.S. adults are cell phone Internet users. But here's the key fact - the percentage of cell phone owners who use their devices to go online has doubled in the last four years.
That's not the only striking statistic revealed by the Pew report. As of September, 2013, one-third of cell phone users in the U.S. use their phone as their primary method of accessing the Internet. Mobile technologist Jason Hope says we can "expect this trend to continue, as more and more users migrate to mobile devices for Web browsing, gaming, shopping and other services. The refinement of mobile technology has resulted in improved user experience, and that has encouraged more people to choose mobile devices as their primary option for online activity."
According to a report by BI Intelligence, 2013 has seen mobile usage hit its all-time peak, with U.S. consumers spending 20-percent of their online time on mobile devices. That rate is up from just four-percent in 2009 - an astounding jump by any measure. BI Intelligence also points out that tablet shipments have spiked 83-percent in 2013. Contrast that with desktop shipments, which have seen a double-digit loss. That statistic is telling, and is evidence of a radical shift. The report also points out that mobile growth on major social networking sites such as Facebook and Pinterest has continued to surge, and that mobile advertising is nearing half of Facebook's ad revenue. Additionally one-quarter of search queries are now coming from mobile devices and there has also been a huge spike in mobile credit card processing.
Data compiled by Cisco also points to sustained growth in mobile. Cisco points out that global mobile traffic increased at a rate of 70-percent last year alone. Even more impressively, all mobile traffic from last year was greater than all Internet traffic combined 12 years ago. Several factors are driving this explosive growth. Faster connection speeds are allowing users to download video with the same speed and ease they would see at home on residential broadband. This enhanced speed has improved functionality and end user experience, and is partially responsible for smartphone owners using their devices almost twice as much in 2012, from a data consumption standpoint. Cisco predicts that by the end of 2013, the number of mobile-connected devices will be greater than the number of people on the planet. They also predict that in five years, mobile traffic from tablets alone will exceed all mobile traffic from 2012 - further evidence of a potentially transformational shift.
In 2013, expansion in developing markets has continued to drive overall mobile growth. Countries such as India and Brazil, which have seen dramatic spikes in cell phone ownership, have lead the way. While close to two-thirds of Europeans and North Americans regularly access the Internet, that number is far, far lower in high-growth areas such as Africa, according to the International Telecommunications Union, a United Nations agency. This trend will certainly continue, as rates of mobile device ownership and Internet access continue to rise in the developing world.
The ITU also predicts there will be 6.8 billion mobile subscriptions in place by the end of 2013. The ITU points out that mobile broadband is less expensive than fixed broadband. Cost, therefore, has been a significant growth driver in the mobile market, particularly in the developing world.
Looking at the data, it's clear mobile growth in 2013 has continued to follow a pattern that is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future. With cell phones and tablets becoming more deeply integrated in our lives, and with cost barriers coming down for untapped markets, we can expect the mobile market to continue to set growth records. Mobile computing is becoming the default option for many of us, and that trend is likely to persist.

mobileworldlive.com - Shipment revenue from Android smartphones used by "mobile business customers" will grow to more than $92 billion globally by the end of 2018 from $54 billion in 2013, as device makers look to drive purchases in this market, according to ABI Research.
According to the research firm, despite a "significant" presence among employees, businesses have not allowed or limited the access of Android devices to enterprise applications and systems.
"Fearing loss of this large, high-margin market segment, Android OEMs have taken it upon themselves to close these security threats by making Android devices more enterprise ready," said senior analyst, Jason McNicol.
The analyst firm said a mobile device is considered "enterprise ready" when embedded features such as encryption and VPN connectivity can be enabled by enterprise mobility vendors.
"Despite the shortcomings associated with Android, OEMs are leveraging the open platform and using key partnerships to provide not only enhanced security features, but a valuable user experience in enterprise ready devices," added practice director Dan Shey.

mobileworldlive.com - Tier one mobile operators believe Wi-Fi offload will provide 22 per cent of all additional data capacity during 2013 and 2014, according to a report published by the Wireless Broadband Alliance.
The research found that by 2018, Wi-Fi offload will continue to make a similar contribution (20 per cent of additional mobile data capacity), with another 21 per cent coming from small cells integrated with Wi-Fi.
Data offload currently accounts for an average of 20 per cent of a mobile operator's data traffic but this rises to 80 per cent in densely populated areas such as transport hubs and cafes. Offload levels in homes and businesses are between 50 and 60 per cent.
Just over half of the 197 respondents - the majority of which were operators (either mobile or fixed operators, as well as wireless ISPs and pure-play Wi-Fi providers) - said they are more confident about investing in Wi-Fi to supplement cellular networks than they were a year ago.
This confidence is attributed to an increase in hotspot deployments and more ambitious business plans from some operators. Maravedis-Rethink, the research company that compiled the research, forecast that 10.8 million hotspots will be deployed in 2018, compared to 5.2 million in 2012.
Of the respondents planning to launch a next-generation hotspot network, data offload was cited as the most pressing driver for investment.
The European Commission recommended in August that more spectrum be set aside for Wi-Fi to ease pressure on 3G and 4G networks.
Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, has also warned there will be a growing demand for Wi-Fi capacity with it becoming "increasingly difficult" to find significant amounts of additional spectrum that can be fully cleared for Wi-Fi and mobile broadband.
In February, Cisco forecast a 13-fold growth in mobile data between 2012 and 2017, with 46 per cent of traffic offloaded to fixed or Wi-Fi networks by 2017 compared with 33 per cent in 2012.

datamation.com - They had a nice run, but flip and feature phones are well on their way to becoming endangered species.
Smartphones are more popular than ever, making up a slim majority of total mobile phone sales, according to new data from Gartner. During the third quarter of 2013 (3Q13), smartphones "reached their highest share to date" with 55 percent of all mobile phone sales, said the research group.
Worldwide, buyers snapped up 250.2 million smartphones during 3Q13, a whopping 45.8 percent gain from the same period a year ago. In total, vendors sold 455.6 million phones during 3Q13, a 5.7 percent year-over-year gain. Gartner predicts that overall mobile phone sales will reach 1.81 billion units this year, an increase of 3.4 percent over 2012.
Gartner's Anshul Gupta, a principal research analyst, noted that feature phone sales "continued to decline and the decrease was more pronounced in markets where the average selling price (ASP) for feature phones was much closer to the ASP affordable smartphones."
As a result, demand for feature phones is cratering in China and Latin America, where "users rushed to replace their old models with smartphones." In Asia-Pacific, the smartphone segment notched a hefty 77.3 percent increase.
In some markets, the biggest threat to smartphones is mini tablets, suggested Gupta. "We will see several new tablets enter the market for the holiday season, and we expect consumers in mature markets will favor the purchase of smaller-sized tablets over the replacement of their older smartphones."
Smaller slates (generally 8 inches and below) are fueling the current the tablet craze. Earlier this year, IDC revised its 2013 worldwide tablet forecast from 172.4 million units to 190.9 million based on the growing demand for devices like the Apple iPad mini, Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire.
Android is the most popular smartphone operating system (OS) by far. Google's mobile OS powered 205 million smartphones sold during 3Q13 and accounted for 81.9 percent of the smartphone market. Apple iOS captured 12.1 percent of the market on sales of 30 million iPhones.
"However, the winner of this quarter is Microsoft, which grew 123 percent," stated Gupta. The software giant, which is in the process of acquiring Nokia's handset business, picked up 3.6 percent of the market with 8.9 million Windows Phone devices sold.
Samsung is the smartphone vendor to beat with sales of 80.3 million units and 32.1 percent of the market. Apple ranked second with 12.1 percent and Chinese PC maker Lenovo followed with a 5.1 percent share of the market.

informationweek.com - Mobile devices have reshaped the employee-IT relationship and how we work with tools like Google Docs. Brace yourself for big changes over the next five years.
"My office is where my device is."
Over the next few years, this is how users will more and more feel when it comes to work. We expect connectivity anytime, anywhere, with the devices that suit our tasks, location, and time. Mobility, hoteling, social software, and personal cloud will continue to change how and where we work.
These trends have already caught some businesses by surprise, such as the multitude who sought out new mobile device management products once employees started dropping BlackBerry handsets for iPhones and Samsung Galaxys. Some companies are still catching up, yet to define mobility plans, even though their employees are using smartphones and tablets for work. To avoid being caught by similar surprises in coming years, organizations that are planning new facilities or that intend to restructure existing ones will need to consider how technology will impact their workspaces.
Because consumers today have access to so much technology, they expect to have the same options of quality and choice at work. Surprising as it might seem in this economy, some desirable job applicants have actually begun to base employment decisions in part on whether the employer will let them use the devices they want.
As a result, services and applications that we access through our personal devices are changing the way we work, either directly or indirectly. What will it mean for IT if employees who want to take advantage of Google Now decide to forward all corporate email to a Gmail account? Many of us will have location-based services turned on in our devices by 2017. What will it mean for businesses if Google, Apple, and Microsoft have every square inch of our offices mapped out? What if an employee's corporate health plan draws data directly from his or her wearable devices, increasing or decreasing the employee's premium according to his or her health levels?
This much is clear: Mobile is the biggest technology factor driving changes in our workspaces and behavior. Smartphones and tablets allow us to have computing power on the go. As these devices continue to proliferate and evolve, users will create personal digital ecosystems of interconnected devices. These users, both professional and consumer, will work across multiple screens and locations. Wireless video will enable the ability to usurp a screen or surface for short-term use. Wireless charging will replace wired power connectors for all but the largest devices. All-day performance on devices will become the norm.
However, today's focus on devices is being replaced by a shift toward the personal cloud. Devices will synchronize and share not just data but ultimately transactions -- they will work together as a single workspace. Tasks will be handed off between devices and the cloud. IT's primary role will be to provide a place for devices to connect and securely access corporate resources. IT will be asked to provide guidance, not to control devices.
Trends such as the personal cloud further empower knowledge workers with an even higher flexibility than mobility first granted. Online storage, browser-based apps, and real-time editing open the door to the opportunity to work anytime, anywhere.
When it comes down to designing workplaces that will keep pace with coming years' tech changes, companies should focus on employee activities, not roles. To facilitate this, businesses should structure goals around four primary concepts: personal productivity, collaboration, employee acquisition and retention, and cost and risk management.
Regarding personal productivity, mobile devices and personal clouds are only some of the forces at work. Employee workflows are also changing as more offices provide quiet workspaces, and as high-resolution displays equipped for complex data tasks become more readily available. Many IT departments are learning how to manage diverse device environments, and this diversity will increase as consumers create multidevice ecosystems that extend into their work. Concepts such as "bring your own app" (BYOA) and products that offer real-time cocreating and coediting among remote workers will also impact personal productivity over the next five years.
Businesses can foster workplace collaboration by providing purpose-free, generic "thinking" areas in open-plan spaces; these encourage workers to do their thinking in the presence of others, rather than alone. If companies provide more common areas than are strictly necessary, such as multiple cafeterias or places to read, then employees will feel more encouraged to leave confined spaces. Vertical spaces such as whiteboards and screens should be close to the office's collaborative "neighborhood" in order to promote interaction with content and a "shared mind" around ideas. Digital collaboration will also exert an impact through trends such as online hangouts and the proliferation of content-creation tools that facilitate sharing and coauthoring, such as Google Docs.
For many companies, employee acquisition and retention will be driven by the ability to position technology as a part of a workspace that enhances the quality of life at work. This includes not only accommodating consumerization trends such as those mentioned above, but also providing amenities that help employees be more productive while in the office, such as noise-isolating headphones. Companies vying for top talent will also need to stretch these amenities into nontech categories, such as on-premises gyms and childcare, or flexible work times and office access.
Implications for cost and risk management are numerous. Some efforts might involve employee fitness programs that monitor wearable tech to lower health benefit costs, for example. Others will concentrate on integrating devices and building logins to a single IT system, which will help monitor device and data loss. These systems will also know user patterns and try to serve user needs, such as automatically scheduling travel time based on empirical observations.
The nature of work will be different in five years and so will much of the next-generation workforce. Generation Y will tend to be more involved in communities, more effective in working in teams, and more likely to use IT for relationship building and social networking. As a result of the class of devices we see coming to market today, Gartner expects that by 2016 more words will be typed on glass than on mechanical keyboards. Devices will get smarter and so will buildings, both of which will interact with how people work and how organizations secure assets.

informationweek.com - Our world is definitely moving to a more mobile and flexible one. Nearly everyone is carrying a super computer in their pockets that allows them to access the world's knowledge and capture their lives as it passes wherever they go. We are living in an age where people carry their phones with them more frequently than their wallets or even pocket change. It makes sense than that in this mobile world, our smartphones have become the prime target for a mobile payment system.
Google was one of the few that introduced the ability to send payments using their mobile devices by linking credit cards through a service called Google Wallet. Using secure technology and systems, Google envisioned that people will one day no longer need to carry their wallets at all. The smartphone would be the only shopping tool they need, turning it into a credit card in of itself.
Unfortunately, people had some problems with having a massive data accumulation company like Google handling mobile payments and credit card details. That is why people asked for an alternative. In response to this, carriers have taken the opportunity to use this idea to their advantage.
At the current time, we already entrust a form of mobile payments to the carriers. We have been able to pay certain things by passing on the bill to the carrier temporarily. The carrier would then collect later on along with your monthly bill for your mobile. It is a system that is limited, but it works. The carriers sought to widen this reach.
Enter Isis, the mobile payments system that takes advantage of the ideas presented by Google Wallet, but this time it is backed by the carriers of the mobile devices that we carry every day. The integration of the payment system with the carrier system provides better security and definitely a wider reach in the US than Google Wallet.
Not only do Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile support this product, but vendors are working hard to entice customers to keep using the system. Coca Cola is offering free drinks through certain vending machines if you used Isis to make your payment. If you decided to link Amex's Serve digital wallet with Isis and make payments, you are entitled up to 20% credit back on certain purchases. The service has also been certified for use with big name vendors such as Macy's, Walgreen's, Radio Shack, Jamba Juice, etc.
While Isis is definitely making its way into the market with a big strut, it still requires a bit of work to get started. For one thing, it only works right now with smartphones that feature NFC communication. Still, not all NFC enabled devices will be able to make use of the service.
Another factor is the smartphone must be certified first and the user must apply for a specialized and upgraded SIM card with enhanced security features to ensure a safer mobile payment experience. You also need explicit approval from your card providers to use the card with the Isis payment system. Will Isis succeed where others have failed to gain traction?

scotsman.com - BEING forced to switch off your smartphone or tablet for take-off and landing will soon be ­history for passengers under plans announced by air safety authorities.
It would mean travellers in Europe being allowed to have uninterrupted use of their electronic gadgets, as long as they remain in non-transmitting or receiving "flight mode".
The move, announced by the European Aviation Safety Agency (Easa), is expected to be introduced within months.
The agency said it "recognises the wide proliferation of personal electronic devices and the wish of the travelling public to use them everywhere".
However, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) yesterday dismissed reports that the change would happen by Christmas as "unlikely".
Airlines interested in relaxing the restriction are understood to include easyJet, Scotland's biggest airline, and British Airways, which operates the country's busiest route to Heathrow.
Virgin Atlantic, which competes with BA between Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Heathrow, is also understood to be keen, along with Monarch Airlines.
Passengers are currently banned from using electronic equipment, which also includes e-readers, MP3 players and iPods, while aircraft are taxi-ing, taking off and ­landing.
Airlines permit their use once planes reach cruising height so long as the devices remain in "safe mode".
Some carriers outside Europe allow passengers to make calls on their mobiles, while others provide wi-fi on board, such as Norwegian on its Edinburgh-Oslo flights.
Easa said it would publish guidance within two weeks for European airlines to extend electronic device use to all phases of flights. However, bulkier equipment, such as laptops, would remain banned during take-off and landing.
Easa executive director Patrick Ky said: "This is a major step in the process of expanding the freedom to use personal electronic devices on-board aircraft without compromise in safety."
A CAA spokesman said: "Electronic devices are now a major part of many people's lives, and naturally passengers want to use them when they fly.
"We therefore welcome the decision by Easa to ease restrictions on the use of portable electronic devices.
"Guidance from Easa, expected by the end of November, will mean that once an airline has completed an assessment, passengers will normally be able to use their devices in 'flight mode' during all phases of flight.
"We will be working closely with UK airlines as they implement the new arrangements."
Easa said it was also looking at ways of permitting passengers to make calls on their mobiles "in the long term".
A spokeswoman said: "The aim of the agency is to ensure safe and harmonised use of personal electronic devices on board aircraft operated by European airlines."
An easyJet spokeswoman said: "We are aware of Easa's decision and will now work closely with the CAA to evaluate its ­options." Monarch Airlines chief executive Iain Rawlinson said: "Pending the outcome of industry testing and CAA approval, Monarch expects to undertake its own tests and implement changes to policies."
A British Airways spokesman said: "As a UK carrier, we are regulated by the CAA and we will continue to liaise with them."
A Virgin Atlantic spokesman said: "We will be carefully assessing the guidance before adapting any safety procedures."
No explosions but restrictions are still in place
It was once feared that mobile phones could trigger explosions in filling stations and disrupt life-saving hospital equipment, but their use is still restricted in such places as a precaution and to avoid disturbing patients.
The United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, which represents oil firms, said there had been no confirmed cases of mobiles igniting petrol vapour on forecourts, despite "widespread but unsubstantiated reports".
However, it said their use was "actively discouraged" to prevent people being distracted while filling vehicles or crossing busy forecourts.
Medical watchdogs said some equipment could be affected by electromagnetic interference from mobiles "under certain circumstances".
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has recommended hospitals devise rules to minimise the risk rather than impose a blanket ban. The agency said mobiles should not be used in intensive therapy units, special care baby units or where patients are attached to complex devices "as any effect on such equipment could be extremely detrimental to patient care".

businessinsider.com - Location-based marketing blurs the line between the digital and physical world. To drive foot traffic and sales at bricks-and-mortar stores, marketers target shoppers on their devices.
To do that though, marketers need to effectively identify and utilize consumers' locations. New services are giving people a much better incentive to share where they are, while new technologies are emerging to make location-based marketing a more exact science.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we look at the three of the primary types of location-based marketing approaches: geofencing, geoconquesting, and geoaudiencing, each of which uses location somewhat differently. We also look at some the latest and most effective location-based apps that are giving consumers' good reason to share their location.

wired.com - The growing proliferation of BYOD programs is putting anytime-anywhere access to company information, tools and applications in the hands of more employees than ever before. A Gartner study of CIOs shows that by 2017, employees in 50 percent of companies will be bringing their own mobile devices to work.
While the BYOD movement has been revolutionary for companies, a closer look at enterprise mobility programs is uncovering a major bottleneck - mobile inequality - to realizing BYOD's full potential. The inequalities are emerging in many ways.
Mobility as an Executive Perk
A recent Visage study on enterprise mobile consumption found that companies with BYOD programs are spending significantly more on plans for executives than those for other employees, even though executive usage was significantly less (graph below). For example, plans for CEOs were two- and-a-half times more expensive than plans for director- and manager-level employees even though CEOs were averaging lower usage rates for both voice and data, and sending roughly half the number of texts.
BYOD on the Employee Dime
Employees are expected to provide their own smartphone with no reimbursement, and rely on stipends and expense programs, which cover only a percentage of their work-related costs. To make the situation worse, some companies have complicated and confusing reimbursement plans that ultimately guarantee cost savings because a certain percentage of employees are too busy to deal with the paperwork.
We've even seen some companies paying for mobile devices for current employees, but not for new ones. There is also a growing mentality around completely off-setting the enterprise's hardware infrastructure cost of tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices on employees and only have the company cover bandwidth and voice services.
At what point does an employee say, "I'm tired of paying for my company's bandwidth and infrastructure?"

broadwayworld.com - The 8 th Annual Runzheimer International Total Employee Mobility (TEM) Benchmarking Report shows that companies using outsourced mobile device services spend 47 percent less than companies who manage their programs internally. The report also reveals that 67 percent of companies do not outsource their mobile device management program.
The cost decrease illustrates the performance efficiency thatoutsourced mobile device program management can bring to a company through policy enforcement, implemented security procedures related to mobile apps and lost or stolen devices, and optimized provider plans that create the most efficient mobile program.
Additional key report findings include:
30 percent of companies expect to decrease the number of company-provided mobile devices, indicating a shift towards higher use of personal cell phones.
The average direct spend per mobile device increased 29 percent over the prior year of the survey.
The 2012 Total Employee Mobility Benchmarking Report, in its eighth edition, is published by Runzheimer International, the global leader in workforce mobility programs. It covers key areas of employee mobility including Business Vehicles, Business Travel, Mobile Device Management, Domestic Relocation and International Assignments.
"Outsourcing the management of a company's mobile devices provides them with access to expertise that can put them at the forefront of today's ever-evolving mobile technologies," said President and CEO of Runzheimer International Greg Harper. "While cost savings are important, they are a by-product of a larger mobility strategy that ensures the right policies, security processes and mobile devices are in place to enable growth."
The TEM Benchmarking Report provides valuable insights on employee mobility and how organizations manage a mobile workforce. Companies that participate in the survey receive a complimentary copy of the report. To review the complete benchmark findings for mobile device programs, watch the webinar. To participate in the 9th annual survey, contact Runzheimer International.
About Runzheimer International
Founded in 1933, Runzheimer International serves 60 percent of the Fortune 500 and numerous government agencies. Recognized for providing innovative solutions relating to Total Employee Mobility, Runzheimer is the global leader in workforce mobility programs including business vehicles, business travel, routing and logistics, employee relocation and compensation, and mobile device expense management. For more information, visit runzheimer.com or follow @Runzheimer.

smartgridnews.com - Utilities have specific needs in a mobile workforce management (MWFM) solution. In addition to providing workers with data and assigning them jobs, MWFM must be robust enough to handle the stress of emergency situations and integrate into other back end systems.
MWFM solutions challenge utilities a number of ways:
· Budgeting
· Finding, evaluating, and choosing vendors
· Deployment and testing time for IT staff
· Changing processes regarding how business is done
· Training workers in the field and in the home office
· Finding ways to integrate into other back end systems and legacy systems.
Those challenges only increase when considering new mobile devices. With the emergence of tablets, utilities have yet another form factor to evaluate. Utilities today use a variety of methods to communicate with their field forces: radios, truck-mounted laptops, and specialized handheld devices. Probably the most surprising takeaway from our research is that those utilities that have already started their MWFM programs appear to have a healthier appetite for spending on mobile devices than we had expected to find. Considered within the context of utilities' focus on Distribution Optimization, that makes a lot of sense.

online.wsj.com - Survey reveals changing employee mobility behavior is transforming the future of business communications solutions
RingCentral, Inc. (NYSE:RNG), a leading provider of cloud business communications solutions, today announced the release of a survey, "Workforce BYOD Rises Dramatically," conducted by Dimensional Research, which reveals that today's mobile-savvy workers, especially millennials, are cutting the "corporate cord" and ushering in a new era of business communications.
"Mobility and BYOD are fundamentally changing business communications by allowing employees to communicate about work matters when, where and how they want -- even during personal time," said David Berman, President at RingCentral. "Mobile devices are turning into true business tools and are transforming the workplace as a whole, from shifting traditional business hours to changing how employees interact via voice, video, text and other business applications. We believe that all these changes are making legacy on-premise phone systems obsolete as they do not meet modern business needs."
Dimensional Research conducted the online survey on behalf of RingCentral in October 2013. The research firm questioned 309 independent sources responsible for purchasing and/or using business phone systems about challenges with current communications systems, bring your own device (BYOD), and other related topics.

businessinsider.com - Samsung has 32% of the global smartphone market, followed by Apple, which has 12%, according to the latest research report from Gartner.
While Samsung's market share has remained flat over the last year, Apple has lost a bit. Apple had 14% of the global smartphone market for the same quarter in 2012.
However, both companies sold many more phones than they did a year ago for the same quarter. Samsung sold more than 80 million smartphones and Apple sold more than 30 million. According to Gartner, the growth in smartphone sales comes mostly from Asia, where smartphone costs are getting so low that they don't cost much more than regular feature phones.
Meanwhile, Google's Android operating system powers more than 80% of all smartphones today, Gartner says.

theinformationdaily.com - Speaking at EHI Live in Birmingham, Guy said "to become a paperless NHS by 2018, we need to be able to work differently", and the use of mobile applications is a huge advancement in this goal.
Mobile technology has the ability to revolutionise patient safety and productivity within a hospital, where it will be more cost efficient.
Guy argues that "doctors and nurses need to have the right tools for the job" which ultimately is about being mobile, "you need to have the information that you need at your fingertips".
Eradicating communication delays through mobile patient management applications, means that people can be seen much quicker, and ultimately discharged from hospital a lot faster.
However, "trusts have been under a lot of pressure to save money", which leads to lack of investment into mobile applications and technology.

businessinsider.com - Android has hit a new milestone of popularity: it now owns 81% of the world smartphone market, according to a new market research report from IDC.
That's not a huge jump. It was knocking on the door of 80% market share last quarter, when it hit 79.3 percent. But the growing dominance of Android is still impressive, especially considering that the smartphone market as a whole grew wildly, up 40 percentage points over Q3 2012, IDC says.
In Q3 2013, people worldwide bought 261 million smartphones and 212 million were Android, IDC said. Apple sold nearly 34 million iPhones.
Not surprisingly, the low-cost Android phone is why Android is so popular. But the irony is that most Android phone makers except Samsung are struggling to get a measurable bite of this huge pie. IDC notes:
Samsung accounted for 39.9% of all Android shipments for the quarter, while the rest of the vendors either saw single-digit market share or, in the case of the majority of vendors, market share of less than 1%.

ciol.com - Infonetics Research released excerpts from its latest Service Provider Deep Packet Inspection Products report, which tracks deep packet inspection (DPI) software solutions and related hardware deployed in wireless and fixed-line networks.
"As devices become more sophisticated, subscribers are using more bandwidth-intensive services such as video, and that trend will only intensify as operators roll out their LTE networks," notes Shira Levine, directing analyst for service enablement and subscriber intelligence at Infonetics Research. "This is driving investment in DPI, often in conjunction with adjacent functionality such as policy, analytics, and real-time charging, to better monetize that usage and create more compelling offerings for the customer."

midsizeinsider.com - Finding definitive ways to transform a business can be a difficult task, especially considering the sheer number of technological advances available to midsize businesses these days. New research on the topic of mobility provides some guidance in this regard, proving that a vast majority of businesses consider mobility a top priority now and for the immediate future.
Mobility Is a Priority
A new study about mobile business by market research company Vanson Bourne, commissioned by Citrix, collected data from over 1,700 senior IT decision makers from around the world. Unsurprisingly, the study found that a vast majority of businesses are embracing mobility; what is surprising, however, is the sheer number of businesses - about 63 percent - that believe embracing mobility is the single greatest factor to increase their competitiveness.
As staff writer Nathan Eddy detailed in a recent eWeek article, businesses have seen the power of mobility and are actively working toward that end. Currently, 48 percent of businesses are utilizing mobile device management programs, and 47 percent are using mobile application management programs. Additionally, 40 percent of businesses are considering using virtualization to bring Windows apps and desktop to mobile users.
The bring-your-own-device (BYOD) movement is proving to be much more than just a trend, with 71 percent of businesses allowing or encouraging the use of personal devices for business purposes. BYOD is also happening across mobile OS borders, with most businesses supporting or planning to support both iOS, Android devices, Windows 8 and BlackBerry OS. Overall, the top mobile initiatives are the development of mobile apps, the adoption of file sharing and collaborative tools and the improvement of network access and performance. Currently, organizations are focused most on measuring the impact that mobility has in their workplace.
Embracing the Mobile Trend by Overcoming Barriers
The overall point of the study is perfectly clear: Any business that has yet to embrace mobility is at risk of falling behind its competitors. This is especially true for midsize businesses, which are just large enough to naturally stifle the open communication inherent in small businesses. On the contrary, midsize businesses also have an advantage due to the fact that their size allows them to consider large-scale mobility options that may not be available to smaller counterparts.
No new paradigm is without its roadblocks, and these barriers can be significant. The study reported that security remained the top obstacle for mobility because additional access points inevitably make any system less secure. IT management will be required to take the lead in the preparation of systems for the eventuality of a truly mobile workforce. As the study found, over half of businesses are already adjusting their management schemes to better account for a mobile workforce; IT needs to do the same when it comes to network security.
There are two other obstacles that fall within IT's purview: Legacy systems, which cannot handle mobility, were noted by 37 percent of respondents as a barrier to true mobility; and the support of multiple mobile operating systems was noted as a barrier by 36 percent of respondents. IT managers need to understand that as the benefits of mobility become clearer to upper management, the responsibility for building a working solution that does not put the company's information at risk is going to fall on them. Regardless of a business' current mobility situation, IT managers should consider the implications of mobile business now.
In the end, even the smallest competitive advantage can tip the scales in favor of a midsize business due to the razor-thin margins that most of these companies run on. This study is just the latest reminder that the workforce of the next generation will be truly mobile, and businesses that find out early how to tap into that potential stand to reap some significant competitive gains.

businessinsider.com - Location-based marketing blurs the line between the digital and physical world. To drive foot traffic and sales at bricks-and-mortar stores, marketers target shoppers on their devices.
To do that though, marketers need to effectively identify and utilize consumers' locations. New services are giving people a much better incentive to share where they are, while new technologies are emerging to make location-based marketing a more exact science.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we look at the three of the primary types of location-based marketing approaches: geofencing, geoconquesting, and geoaudiencing, each of which uses location somewhat differently. We also look at some the latest and most effective location-based apps that are giving consumers' good reason to share their location.

pcadvisor.co.uk - Market research firm IDC today released the latest version of its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, which provides data and insights into smartphone market share and shipments for all of the major mobile platforms. (IDC is a sister company of IDG, CIO.com's publisher.)
The most recent numbers are for the third quarter of 2013, and they show impressive gains for Android and Windows Phone. Android for the first time broke the 80 percent global market share mark (81 percent) on 211.6 million devices shipped in Q3 2013, up from 74.9 percent share on 139.9 million devices shipped in Q3 2012, according to IDC. Cheaper, low-end smartphones and large smartphones, or "phablets," are helping to fuel Android's growth, according to IDC.
Microsoft's Windows Phone platform also made notable market share gains in the quarter; Microsoft increased its global Windows Phone share by 80 percent, up to 3.6 percent of the total market in Q3 2013 from 2.0 percent of the market in Q3 2012, IDC says. Windows Phone shipments also more than doubled year over year, with 9.5 million devices shipped in Q3 2013, or a 156 percent increase over the the 3.7 million devices it shipped in Q3 2012.
These Windows Phone numbers are particularly impressive, even though the OS still has a relatively small percentage of the overall market. Nokia is fueling the charge; 93.2 percent of all the Windows Phone smartphones shipped during Q3 2013 were Nokia devices, according to IDC. The increase could bode well for the future of a platform that has not seen any significant market share gains during the past couple of years.
The overall smartphone market also increased by 39.9 percent year over year, according to IDC, which suggests no signs of decreased demand for smartphones in the future.
Even though Apple increased its total shipment volume of iOS devices by more than 25 percent, its global market share actually dropped in the quarter. iOS market share dropped 10 percent from 14.4 in Q3 2012 to 12.9 in the same quarter of 2013. Worth noting though is the launch of two new iPhones shortly after the close of the quarter, which are sure to drastically boost Apple's Q4 2013 shipment numbers. (In just the first weekend following the launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Apple sold more than 9 million devices.)
IDC attributes Android's massive gains to the wide range of device prices, which makes Android more suitable for emerging markets. The average smartphone price dropped 12.5 percent in Q3 2013, according to IDC. In response to the demand for more affordable smartphones, Apple released the iPhone 5c, which is designed to be a more affordable - though definitely not cheap - iOS option, so that device should also boost Apple in the following quarters.
Finally, and not surprisingly, BlackBerry's numbers dropped across the board in Q3 2013. BlackBerry's total device shipments dropped from 7.7 million in Q3 2012 to 4.5 million in Q3 2013, a decrease of 41.6 percent, according to IDC. The company's global market share is now 1.7 percent, down from 4.1 percent year over year, and less than half of Windows Phone's current global share.

mobileworldlive.com - Hungry consumers wanting a burger and fries from McDonald's in France will be able to jump the queue if they use their phone to place an order.
The chain is to offer ordering via an app or online in most of the fast food giant's branches across the country before the end of this year, according to Le Figaro.
Following a trial at 80 branches, McDonald's will offer its ordering services at 1,200 out of 1,300 outlets across the country.
Some branches are already taking nearly 30 per cent of their turnover through the new terminals.
While the user places an order via smartphone or PC, actual payment is made via credit card or PayPal in the restaurant. Users will either pay at a conventional terminal or a dedicated one where they scan a QR code with their phone or input a code number into their device.
In addition, there is a dedicated counter for the user to collect their food, giving them an opportunity to jump any queues in the outlet.

mobileworldlive.com - The iPad mini, equipped with a high-resolution "Retina" display, is now available to order from the Apple online store with prices starting at $399.
Supplies of the new device may well be limited. Philip Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing, hinted as much when he said "we're working hard to get as many as we can in the hands of our customers".
Rhoda Alexander, director of tablet research at IHS electronics and media, is quoted in the UK's Daily Telegraph as saying the supply of the Retina Mini is going to be "ridiculously tight in the fourth quarter".
The quiet launch of the new device comes after numerous reports of supply problems surrounding the LCD display (manufactured by LG Display and Sharp). Analysts had not expected the new tablet to be available until the end of November.
Already available on the iPad Air 9.7-inch screen, the Retina display brings all the pixels from that device (2048×1536) to the 7.9-inch screen of the new iPad mini.
"The response to iPad Air has been incredible, and we're excited for customers to experience the new iPad mini with Retina display," purred Schiller.
The 16GB Wi-Fi model carriers a suggested retail price of $399, going up to $499 (32GB), $599 (64GB) and $699 (128GB).
The Wi-Fi+cellular models start at $529 (16GB), rising to $629 (32GB), $729 (64GB) and $829 (128GB).
The Retina display version of the iPad mini is powered by a 64-bit A7 chip (which also powers the new iPhone 5s). It offers up to four times faster CPU performance and up to eight times faster graphics performance than the previous generation iPad mini.

techradar.com - With the numbers of mobile office workers continuing to rise, and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) taking hold, building the perfect remote office is now a commercial imperative few small businesses can ignore.
Sean Suematsu, European Document Scanning Solutions Director at Canon Europe, comments: "With mobile working and connectivity to cloud services on the rise, organisations are looking for ways to ensure their business processes can cope with the demands of employees working more remotely and making use of smart devices.

hngn.com - Intel has reportedly acquired the digital education startup Kno in an attempt to expand its business in creating a digital environment for classrooms.
Kno is an education startup company that started out in the hardware market then transformed into the software by creating apps that would allow students to read the interactive versions of already existing digitized textbooks.
Intel, the largest semiconductor chip maker in the world, is acquiring an education company such as Kno for several reasons. First one is the fact that Intel Capital was among the laundry list investors of Kno. The former had been able to raise some $73.4 million in funding from the day it was founded in 2009. Eventually, they led their Series C round in 2011 considering the fact that in the $37.5 million round, the company's investment amounted to $20 million.
In its official site, Intel has published the meaty details of its acquisition. Its latest venture in Kno will boost the company's global digital content library to reach titles by more than 225,000 in the higher education and K-12 series through its already existing partnerships with 75 established educational publishers. Moreover, the Kno platform is designed to cater to administrators and teachers, providing them with the necessary tools that would enable them to easily assign, manage, and monitor their digitized learning content and assessments. With their partnership, they can help teachers create innovative classroom environments and personalized learning encounters that would lead to every student's success.
According to TechCrunch, while the deal pricing is still undisclosed, it is somehow confirmed that the Kno team will be joining Intel after the acquisition. One exception however is co-founder and CEO Osman Rashid. It's still unclear at this point what his plans are when he finally makes an exit.
Unknown to many, Intel actually has an education business. The company has decided to focus on international growth as opposed to Rashid's push to continue focusing on the North American side. This move by Intel is quite timely in the sense that it is building education tablets and plans to take on Google and Apple in the classroom.

businesskorea.co.kr - Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are waging an all-out war to take initiative in global mobile standards.
With the mobile phone-related business sectors of the two companies emerging as their major growth engines, Samsung and LG Electronics are focusing on the development of their own mobile ecosystems. To dominate the global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) market, they are concentrating all their competences into establishing an ecosystem for mobile platforms, wireless charging, and wireless communications.
Samsung, LG Intend to Develop Own Mobile Platforms
According to industry sources on November 10, the two Korean Android device manufacturers are aiming at the development of their own mobile platforms.
Samsung is intensifying its efforts to diversify its mobile platform with open source Linux-based operating system Tizen that was developed by Intel and members of the Tizen Association. This phenomenon shows that the Korean tech giant is trying to become independent of Google's Android platform.
Led by Samsung and Intel, the Tizen Association is composed of 18 members including SK Telecom, KT, LG U+, NTT DoCoMo, Vodafone, Panasonic, Orange, Sprint, Fujitsu, and Huawei.
In particular, Samsung is spurring the development of the world's first Tizen-based smartphone. At first, the firm planned its launch before the end of the year. However, the Tizen phone is likely to be introduced in the first half of 2014 because of the company's attempts to diversify applications.
Choi Jong-deok, Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics & Co-chair of the Tizen Technical Steering Group, will be the keynote speaker at the Tizen Developer Summit Korea 2013, which will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul from November 11 to 12. He will talk about Tizen OS and the present conditions of product development.
LG is also making an effort to diversify its OS offerings with Linux-based platform webOS and the free web browser Firefox developed by Mozilla. webOS is an open source Linux-based operating system acquired from Hewlett-Packard early this year.
In October, the second largest Android smartphone maker showcased the first-ever Firefox smartphone in Brazil, called the Fireweb. It is also planning to unveil a webOS-based smart TV in 2014.
Intense Competition in Wireless Charging, Wireless Communications
Both companies are also vying to develop wireless charging technologies for smartphones. Currently, mobile devices are mostly charged using wires plugged into a wall socket. However, the industry expects that wireless charging will become popular within 5 years.
LG is a key member of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) that was developed ten years ago. It is necessary for any smartphones using WPC's magnetic inductive charging technology to get a Qi certification issued by the consortium. For inductive electrical power transfer, a power transmission pad and a mobile device should be held at a distance of 1-2cm from each other. The wireless charging method is 90 percent more efficient than using a charger.
The Korean mobile phone manufacturer is also a pioneer in the field of Korean wireless charging for smartphones. In May 2012, LG released smartphones featuring magnetic inductive charging, including the Optimus LTE2, the Optimus G Pro, the Nexus 4, and the Revolution.
Meanwhile, Samsung is working on the development and standardization of a magnetic resonance-based wireless charging technology for its future smartphones. In resonance charging, two copper coils are used. One coil attached to a charger is the sending unit, while the other coil attached to the smartphone is the receiver. With both coils tuned to the same electromagnetic frequency, the energy produced from one coil is transferred to the other. The efficiency of resonance charging is lower than that of magnetic inductive charging, but the former can transmit power at a greater distance.
Samsung Electronics is leading the commercialization of the magnetic resonance-based wireless charging method by establishing the Alliance for Wireless Power in May 2012 in partnership with Qualcomm and others. LG and Pantech joined the alliance in the first half of this year, and are planning to use this method with their mobile devices in the future.
The influence of Samsung and LG is also increasing in the global near field communications device market. For instance, 25% of Bluetooth phones shipped so far this year were produced by the two firms. In particular, LG is expected to take the lead in the future development and direction of Bluetooth technologies, in light of its joining of the Bluetooth Special Interest Group in July for the first time as a Korean company.

maximumpc.com - When it comes to Android, mobile users are mostly living in Samsung's galaxy, with relatively few venturing off with other device makers. Based on the latest data from Localytics, Samsung has a 63 percent share of all Android mobile devices, leaving the competition to fight for the remaining 37 percent. Samsung's closest competitor in the Android space is HTC, which lays claim to just 6.5 percent of the market.
After HTC, it's LG with 5.9 percent, Sony with 5.6 percent, and Motorola with 5 percent. All the rest collectively account for the remaining 13.5 percent. At this rate, it won't be long until Samsung controls the aggregate of all other manufacturers by a ratio of 2-to-1.

techcrunch.com - Watching my two-year-old nephew Dashiel interact with his mother's iPad made me realize that he was born into an era unlike any in history. As he grows up his expectations about how information should be presented and processed, and how interfaces should respond, will be profoundly different from how we experience technology today.
Mobile is now the channel of choice for everyone, but even those of us who use technology with great alacrity are still digital immigrants. Dashiel represents a new age: the Mobile Born - a generation of kids that have been raised while literally gnawing on the equivalent of a supercomputer - otherwise known as mom's smartphone.
This fact will have a dramatic impact on how companies, consumers and society as a whole manage and view technology.
A New Enterprise
It's hard to believe, but only a few years ago technology in the workplace was a top-down affair. The IT department decided what hardware got deployed, which applications were used and how business practices got enforced.
Then a tiny crack in the IT blockade broke open when C-suite executives, enamored by the stylish, functional and intuitive iPhone, trotted these devices into enterprises and told IT, "Make this work." IT, accustomed to telling users "no," had no choice but to listen, and they effectively gave rise to the BYOD trend we've seen explode since the iPhone launched in 2007.
Today, companies are not just allowing smartphones, but many are embracing mobility and transforming their business practices and work arrangements and driving new levels of productivity and value creation through mobility: MobileIron is leading the charge in the enterprise mobility management space; Bitglass is delivering transparent data security; Averail is creating a content management solution for smartphones and tablets; Lookout is making the post-PC era safer for everyone; and Mobile Helix is securing the enterprise mobile web.
These changes are the essence of the mobile-first movement, but they will give way to a new and more dynamic process as the mobile-born users enter the workforce.
The mobile-born generation will drive a radical rethinking of office productivity. Fast-forward a few years and we'll see a new workplace with workstations akin to air traffic control centers powered by multiple touch-, swipe- and voice-enabled devices, allowing workers to visualize and manipulate information tactically, driving the adoption of new user-interfaces and fundamental changes in software and hardware. Think the new FOX newsroom, just without the "fair and balanced" reporting.
The way we interact with colleagues or business partners will change as we move to a mobile enterprise environment. We're beginning to see new companies focused on augmented memory. Refresh, for instance, has created a dossier to put an end to small talk for your next business meeting. A nice-to-have now, but as the mobile-born mature, these services will become a must-have.
But this is just the beginning. It's hardly far-fetched to imagine companies that exist and are run entirely in the cloud by a de-territorialized mobile workforce. Already we carry much of our day job's office communications, data, colleagues, customers and products around in our pockets. This trend will only accelerate as the mobile-born found their own companies around entirely new expectations for organizational structures and workforce optimization.
A Shift In Consumer Engagement
As the mobile-born generation grows up, other unforeseen expectations will need to be met.
Watch any 12-year-old do homework and you'll see that the notion of the "second-screen" is already a passé concept - TV, laptop, smartphone, iPod and tablet combine into a multi-layered information gathering and communications experience.
When the mobile-born reach their teenage years, their ability to process information and levels of interactivity will go far beyond what's possible today, and their shift in consumption habits - right down to the way in which they watch TV - will only continue. Fifteen years from now, we may reach the "nth-screen," as multiple screens may not only be watched but worn, while cameras capture, record and broadcast live conversations across the room and around the world.
As a result, we're already seeing a new wave of companies whose DNA is 100 percent mobile. Kik, for instance, was born of the need for a cross-platform messaging tool on mobile devices. Kik was never resident on the desktop and is a perfect example of the frictionless communication that the mobile-born will come to expect.
But by the time Dashiel is behind the wheel, his expectations for seamless, safe communications will need to be solved well beyond what's possible today. If he's in a thread in Kik and has to hop in the car, he's going to want to stay in that message. This will require messaging technology embedded directly into the infrastructure of cars to become the norm just like radios and then CD players once were. And God forbid he's ever in an accident, companies like Snapsheet will ensure the insurance-claim process is as simple as it can be.
What Will The Mobile-Born Future Look Like?
Today, the expectation is that everyone has a high-bandwidth connection to the Internet. The future of the mobile-born is that on steroids, and entrepreneurs will rise to the need, seize the opportunity and start creating solutions for things yet to be imagined.
The clear winner in this future will be the Internet of Things. The mobile-born will expect everything to be software-driven, have rich functionality and be network-aware - Nest being a pioneering company in this new direction.
At the other end of the spectrum, my nephew's grandmother laments the decline of interpersonal communication. No one's writing letters anymore and people aren't talking face-to-face as frequently. She's right. But for Dashiel, a mobile-mediated reality will be all he knows.

huffingtonpost.com - As mobile technology continues to steal the spotlight in K-12 classroom methodology, certain areas of study tend to be gravitating towards the trends more strongly. Last week an Education Market Research report found that 28 percent of class time for math-based courses is spent using digital tools or interacting with digital content. The report goes on to outline a strong shift towards digital teaching methods for math since 2009. While students' positive response is one of the reasons mobile technology is rapidly gaining speed, EMR's report says that educator enjoyment of the technology is also a contributing factor to its snowballing implementation.
The conversation about the benefits of mobile technology for students is constant but should there also be a discussion about educator preference? It seems the debate is always student-centric but for these students to excel, teachers need to thrive too. This means administrative plans beyond simply purchasing mobile devices, or implementing bring-your-device policies, that include teacher empowerment of the technology.
Mobile technology has potential to change the student-teacher dynamic for the better but only if implemented correctly. Here are a few ways I think all teachers can benefit from smart mobile technology use:
Higher engagement levels. At least at the outset, use of mobile technology in K-12 classrooms will mean more students are interested in the class material. It remains to be seen what will happen once the novelty effect wears off, but perhaps by then mobile learning will be even more advanced than it is today, capturing students' attention in new ways. Part of the interest in mobile learning from students' perspectives is the flashy, fun element but the bigger attraction is empowerment. Lessons leave the blackboard and take place at the desk, giving students more control over it. Higher engagement from K-12 students who use mobile technology is a direct result of a feeling of ownership on the part of the student, whether perceived or not.
Convenient progress tracking. Mobile education applications keep electronic records of where students succeed and where they need more help. This provides a great service to teachers who lack the time and resources to create customized learning plans based on student work profiles (though there are certainly some teachers who do put in this time, painstakingly). When students learn through mobile technology, teachers benefit from the convenient reporting. There is no guesswork on what skills need sharpening, particularly in areas like math. If an entire class population is struggling with a skill, the technology reporting signals to the teacher that the topic needs to be revisited. On the flip side, excess time is not spent on topic areas that are already learned.
Less paperwork. Mobile learning gives copy machines a break and amounts to less paperwork for teachers. Instead of students waiting for an in-class assignment to be graded and then redone, mobile applications allow immediate opportunities to try again. This is a practical perk of mobile learning but one that makes the teaching AND learning process less cumbersome. In addition to less loose papers, mobile technology limits the amount of textbooks and other hard class materials that need to be carried around and stored in classrooms.
Anything that makes educators' jobs a little easier, without sacrificing student achievement, benefits K-12 learning as a whole. The discussion of mobile technology in classrooms as it relates to students is vital but the teaching aspect matters a lot too. Schools need to provide resources for teachers to feel comfortable teaching though in mobile technology formats. This needs to happen in order for educators to really notice the positive impact it makes on their jobs.
In what ways will mobile technology positively change the teaching profession?

talkandroid.com - AT&T is continuing to broaden it's LTE horizons by recently bringing the technology to 14 new markets, which makes the number of overall markets to a total of 461. While AT&T is still catching up with Verizon, the new places on AT&T's list include some fairly small towns. They should be done with their 4G LTE rollout by next summer, meaning if you currently have AT&T's 3G service and don't yet have 4G LTE access, you will within the next 8-10 months. You can find a list of the new places on AT&T's 4G LTE list after the break.

mobileworldlive.com - Samsung used its analyst event in Seoul today to talk up plans to boost its dominance of the device market, while also introducing the phrase 'fonblet' to the mobile industry.
J.K. Shin, co-chief executive and head of the firm's mobile business, was quoted by Reuters as saying "we are ready for the next step... We have technologies ready to bring new innovation into the market soon. At the same time, we'll leverage our Galaxy brand, distribution channel and global networks".
Referencing a presentation given at the event, Shin said Samsung expects to ship more than 100 million Galaxy S and Note devices in 2013.
Samsung is a runaway leader in the smartphone market, but remains second to Apple in tablets. To that end, Shin's presentation said the company is focused on "achieving the tablet number one spot". He noted that the firm will ship more than 40 million tablets this year (having already shipped 17.6 million in the first half of this year) and expects the sector to see "strong growth": Samsung expects the overall tablet market to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent between 2013 and 2017, while the 10-inch+ tablet market will grow at a CAGR of 20 per cent.
According to IDC figures, Samsung had a 20.4 per cent tablet share during Q3 versus Apple's 29.6 per cent.
The South Korean supplier is also looking to bring "fully-foldable" screens to market in 2015. The screen tech, believes Samsung, could be used in both tablets and smartphones, as well as wearable technology.
fonbletMeanwhile Samsung's Shin also raised eyebrows by dubbing its new Note 3 device a 'fonblet.' While these large-screen smartphones have previously been known by the team 'phablet' (a moniker that also hasn't been universally well accepted), Shin said such fonblets offer "optimised multitasking platforms on large displays".

infoworld.com - Mobile management vendors like Good Technology and MobileIron are increasing efforts to pitch Android and iOS as alternatives to BlackBerry, thanks to improved security and management tools.
On Monday, BlackBerry announced it had abandoned plans to sell itself and will instead take a US$1 billion loan from a consortium involving shareholder Fairfax Financial Holdings. The company is also getting a new leader in former Sybase CEO John Chen, who joins the company as chairman and interim CEO. Although the deal buys BlackBerry more time and a CEO who knows enterprise mobility, it still faces many challenges and CIOs need to plan for all possibilities. IT faces additional pressure from employees who want to use a wider variety of devices.
Competitors are pouncing on the uncertainties around BlackBerry. "BlackBerry's decision to remain a public company increases the uncertainty their customers feel. It is accelerating the need to develop long-term mobility strategies that account for new mobile platforms," said Jeff McGrath, senior director of product marketing at Good Technology.
Good recently launched consultancy services aimed at enterprises that want to migrate. The company's core offering is Good for Enterprise, which secures email and browser access with Common Criteria EAL-4+ certification and FIPS 140-2 validated encryption for iOS and Android. The platform is compatible with Windows Phone, as well.
Competitor MobileIron also wants a piece of the pie, and today it announced a release of its Android package. The company has worked with Divide, previously Enterproid, to offer native email, contacts and calendar functions. All content is encrypted and stored in a secure container on the mobile device. It too now has FIPS 140-2 validated encryption, MobileIron said. MobileIron has also integrated its management software with Samsung Electronics' Knox platform, and in September announced support for IBM's Notes Traveler client for Android, for which IBM released APIs for MDM vendors to use.
Good Technology and MobileIron aren't the only vendors that offer software to help replace BlackBerry smartphones. Other providers include Absolute, AirWatch, Apperian, BoxTone, Centrify, Citrix Systems, Fiberlink, Fixmo, Samsung, SAP, and Soti. And BlackBerry's own BlackBerry Enterprise Service (BES) 10 now can manage iOS and Android devices. In fact, BlackBerry isn't giving up without a fight. It is still a "brand with enormous potential -- but it's going to take time, discipline and tough decisions to reclaim our success," Chen said in statement on Monday.
And although the competition has improved, replacing BlackBerry's integrated device management functionality and excellent security is a tall order. The company is still the gold standard when it comes to mobile security, said Ovum analyst Richard Absalom. Depending on the level of security needed, different measures are required, from regular mobile device management to platforms that can separate enterprise apps from the rest of the OS, said Leif-Olof Wallin, a research vice president at Gartner.

itproportal.com - We already use mobile phones for a wide range of tasks, from playing games to booking holidays, arranging dates to making videos. However, very soon, we will also be using our mobiles in shops, cafés and taxis to pay for, and accept payments for, various goods and services.
The simplicity and intuitiveness of mobile payments is a major reason why more and more small to medium sized business are taking advantage of this new technology. Mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) is such a game-changer because our smartphones and tablet devices already contain within them the core technology required to accept credit and debit card payments.
By combining these everyday devices with an app and a card reader, almost anyone can begin to accept card payments.
Due to this ease of use, mPOS is growing fast and as a result, companies such as SumUp are proving a disruptive force in established payments industries. This isn't just hyperbole. According to Gartner, the value of global mobile payment transactions will be £146.3 billion in 2013, up 44 per cent from 2012. As the mobile payments market continues to grow, the more established companies in this field will find their market share shrinking.
Traditional card terminal manufacturers are seeing profit margins squeezed by the affordability and convenience which mPOS technology offers. Traditional card acceptance units are not only static but the contracts are usually quite rigid. Merchants often have to pay high rental fees for a minimum of 12 or 24 months.
mPOS providers are capitalising on this lack of flexibility by providing a more attractive deal for small and medium businesses. The contracts mPOS companies offer tend to be very flexible, appealing to seasonal operators, pop-ups and merchants on the go.
The waves of disruption created by mPOS companies go further than card terminal manufacturers. mPOS companies are also changing the point-of-sale hardware industry. Smartphones and tablets, when combined with an app, contain the core tech required for users to have a cash register interface on their screen.
Coupled with a cash drawer and receipt printer, something some mPOS companies are already offering, the merchant has all the hardware he or she needs to set up shop.
This whole package has the potential to save merchants hundreds or even thousands of pounds each year. For small to medium sized businesses seeking to move away from only accepting cash payments or from dealing with the hassles of traditional tills, the mPOS solution is increasingly becoming an attractive and affordable all-in-one package.
Hardware aside, some mPOS, including SumUp, are now approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This means that they can, in effect, act as acquiring banks. By cutting out the middle man, complex paperwork could soon be a thing of the past. This benefits merchants and business owners and also makes the on-boarding process highly scalable.
It also allows respective mPOS companies to take on tens of thousands of merchants per month, providing them with all they need to be able to accept card payments and run and grow their business.
As retailers become more aware of the benefits, and subsequently adopt mPOS systems, the established payments industry will be further disrupted. Unless the traditional players up their game within the next few years or so, they could find themselves out of business.

businessinsider.com - In the United States alone, health spending places the domestic health care industry among the five or six largest economies in the world.
To lower skyrocketing costs, consumers and the health care industry are looking at a variety of solutions. Increasingly, apps and mobile devices that allow consumers to take charge of their own treatment are seen as ways to start bringing down costs. They are taking health care out of hospitals and doctor's offices, and putting more power in consumer hands.
In a recent report, BI Intelligence explores this already sizable market and suggests there's a huge opportunity for mobile applications and customized, purpose-built devices.
There are already roughly 100,000 health applications available in major app stores, and the top 10 mobile health applications generate up to 4 million free and 300,000 paid daily downloads. Consumer adoption of mobile health apps will proceed apace.

eweek.com - The family locator services market is the largest segment for people-monitoring and safety solutions based on GPS-enabled smartphones.
The number of users of smartphone-based workforce management services in Europe and North America is forecasted to grow from 0.8 million in 2012 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21 percent to reach nearly 2.5 million by 2018, bolstered by strong growth from the health IT sector, according to a report from Berg Insight.
Family locator services is the largest segment for people-monitoring and safety solutions based on GPS-enabled smartphones or dedicated cellular and GPS locator devices.
"Many parents have discovered free and low-cost apps that can turn a smartphone into a locator device that enable monitoring of family members such as children or elderly," André Malm, senior analyst at Berg Insight, said in a statement. "Companies and organizations in many parts of the world are also gradually adopting lone worker protection solutions to comply with occupational safety regulations and reduce employee insurance costs."
Malm added that lone worker protection services often rely on dedicated GPS location devices featuring alarm buttons and "man down" detection sensors. Berg estimated that there were 30 million active users of family locator and location-sharing apps in Europe and North America at the end of the second quarter of 2013.
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Device vendors are also addressing the growing market for systems that assist seniors living at home or in care homes. These systems are often called telecare systems or social alarms in Europe and Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) in North America.
Dedicated location devices can be better suited than smartphones for some people-locator services, for instance, those that address the needs of people caring for persons suffering from medical conditions such as cognitive limitations, epilepsy and cardiac problems.
The company estimated that there are now 6 million users of first-generation telecare systems connected to wireline networks in Europe and North America.
The report also noted the next-generation wearable telecare devices with cellular connectivity are now being launched, and predicted that these devices would be better suited for seniors that are becoming increasingly active.
The overall North American health care information technology (HCIT) market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4 percent to reach $31.3 billion by 2017 from $21.9 billion in 2012.The United States accounted for the highest share--72.6 percent--of the North America health care IT market and is expected to reach $22.6 billion in by 2017, as compared to $15.9 billion in 2012.

gadgets.ndtv.com - Samsung is now reportedly rolling out the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean for its flagship smartphone of 2012, the Galaxy S III (GT-I9300).
According to a report by Sam Mobile, the South Korean major skipped the Android 4.2 update for the Galaxy S III and the device was still running the dated Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, so the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update was long overdue. The Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update has been first rolled out to Galaxy S III users in Ireland (Vodafone), a roll-out to other countries and carriers can be expected to follow soon after.
As per the report, the update is available both OTA (over the air) and via the company's Kies software. Notably, the update brings Galaxy Gear support, Samsung's first wearable tech device, making the S III the fourth device to sport that functionality after Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition and Samsung Galaxy S4, as previously reported.
The report has also detailed changes in Samsung Galaxy S III after the Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update, such as Galaxy Gear support; core UI elements updated, now similar to Galaxy S4; new Samsung keyboard; updated GPU drivers; new lockscreen with multiple widgets and improved ripple effect; new Screen modes (like Galaxy S4); Daydream; Driving mode; new actionable notifications; new move to SD card feature; additions in notification centre; revamped settings UI and new Camera mode with Sound and Shoot.
The new Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update for Galaxy S III also reportedly introduces new Samsung apps like calculator, contacts, gallery and music apps; Samsung apps now can work in full screen mode and revamped S-Voice (similar to the Galaxy S4).
Recently, a report indicated that Samsung was planning an Android 4.3 update for its top of the line smartphones soon. The Samsung Galaxy S4 and Galaxy S III are already receiving Android 4.3 Jelly Bean update, next in-line is the Galaxy Note II which is expected to get the new Jelly Bean iteration by the end of November, or early December, as per report.

talkandroid.com - I remember when I bought my first Android phone, the original DROID. I grabbed it the day it was launched, and at that time, I knew Android was going to be pretty special. But I never thought it would grow as fast as it did. It's pretty mind boggling when you think about it. Back in September, Sundar Pichai announced there were a total of 1 billion Android activations. That was achieved in a little over 5 years.
According to Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, no other technology grew as fast. The closest would be Facebook and iOS. Facebook achieved 1 billion users, but it took them nearly 9 years to do it. iOS hasn't even hit 1 billion yet. They are sitting at roughly 700 million after nearly 6 years.
One thing to keep in mind is Google+, which didn't make this infographic. Google+ is now a little over 2 years old and already has over 540 million active users. This is a faster pace than Android, so we are likely to see a new crowned king by early 2015.

mobilecommercepress.com - You are most likely already aware that mobile technology is significantly changing people's lives. You see people using their smartphones for everything from checking the weather to booking a restaurant reservation to buying airplane tickets. The good news is that mobile technology also has great potential for small business owners. To stay ahead of your competition, you must adopt mobile marketing strategies. The following tips and techniques will help you with this process.
Develop and maintain a mobile-optimized website.
Do you get frustrated with mobile web browsing because many websites are not optimized for viewing on a mobile device? It is easy to assume that a code that works well for desktop computer websites will translate seamlessly to mobile devices, but this simply isn't true.
Not only is the format for mobile devices (i.e., smartphones, tablets) not the same as desktop computers, but also people are not using mobile devices for the same tasks. For example, people are much more likely to pull up GPS information on their phones than on their computers. Therefore, brick and mortar businesses need to have a prominent GPS tab on their mobile websites. If you don't have the internal knowledge to design a mobile-optimized website, don't be afraid to hire outside help.
Stay on top of the newest technology.
One of the most important mobile marketing strategies for small businesses is to stay well informed. You gain a significant edge over your competition simply by keeping up with the times. New technology can transform an entire market in a very short time. For example, Pinterest didn't exist four years ago. Now it's a top traffic source for many companies, particularly in the fashion, food, and art industries. Keeping up with all of these changes can be difficult, but it is critical for success in this digital age.
Think about developing an app.Mobile Marketing
Creating and maintaining a high-quality app is relatively inexpensive. Many mobile users love to download apps from their favorite brands. You may even be one of these people. Offering a customized app for your small business raises the mobile marketing experience to an entirely new level. Since the number of options for app features is endless, the potential and possibilities for any app are expansive, with something for everyone.
Many businesses find that including a feedback option within their apps is an asset for their companies. Providing the opportunity for and encouraging customer feedback helps build credibility and meaningful relationships with your customers.
Some small business owners are concerned about soliciting feedback because they are afraid of the consequences of negative feedback. The bottom line is that every bit of customer input is valuable, even when it is not positive. Negative feedback is a great way for companies to let their stellar customer service shine through with top-notch listening skills and a willingness to turn a wrong into a right.
Offer multiple options for social sharing.
Many small businesses find mobile marketing strategies effective because it is so easy for their customers to share information. It is time-consuming and not very convenient to copy large amounts of information by hand or pass along a postcard or flier through the mail. You make it easy for your potential and existing customers to share the content they love simply by clicking a button on a website or app. Don't forget to include multiple social media sharing buttons as well as an option for sharing via email. Take the time to research the social media that your target audience uses most often. Rather than installing every possible social media button, stick to the preferences of your customer base.
Consider using email and text message campaigns.
In a digital world that makes new options available every day, don't forget tried and true marketing techniques such as email campaigns. With more mobile users checking email on their smartphones, emails can be a great option for mobile marketing. Make sure that all your campaigns are mobile-friendly and include content (i.e., links, videos) that is mobile-optimized. In case customers are interested in calling directly, include a phone number in your contact information. As text messaging becomes more prevalent, many small businesses are also using this method to reach their customers.

digitaljournal.com - According to a new market research report, "Bring-your-own-device Market [Enterprise Mobility; Consumerization of IT; Mobile Device Management (MDM); Mobile Application Management; Telecom Expense Management] - Global Advancements, Business Models, Market Forecasts & Analysis (2012 - 2017)", published by MarketsandMarkets, the total BYOD and Enterprise Mobility market is expected to reach $181.39 Billion by 2017 with a CAGR of 15.17%.
Browse 144 market tables spread through 385 pages and in-depth TOC on "Bring Your Own Device Market - Global Advancements, Business Models, Market Forecasts & Analysis (2012 - 2017)".
Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.
BYOD and Enterprise Mobility concept is getting huge traction in the technology market nowadays. This is one of the hot topic in the market after cloud computing. The reason behind the market growth is that, enterprises are going mobile and they need to be in touch with their mobile workforce anytime anywhere. Companies are getting instant return in terms of visibility, time management, cost saving, and positive work environment.
Employees are using their own devices such as smart phones, tablets, and laptops, for the official work to be connected with the enterprise network anytime, anywhere. Thus Bring-your-own-device phenomenon is entering enterprise IT, and will change the way users and organizations address the network security concerns.
Employees want to use the device which they would like to use. The organization is not forcing them to do so. BYOD and Enterprise Mobility is allowing them to use the same. There are software and security vendors which are helping the companies to provide an environment where employees can connect their devices to the enterprise network without having any security related issues and this is driving the growth of the BYOD and enterprise mobility market.
Global Bring Your Own Device Market is expected to grow from $67.21 billion in 2011 to $181.39 billion by 2017, at an estimated CAGR of 15.17% from 2012 to 2017.
North America commanded the largest share; i.e., 36.10% of the overall managed BYOD & Enterprise Mobility Market in 2011 at $24.26 billion; and is expected to reach $58.60 billion by 2017, at a CAGR of 12.9% from 2012 to 2017.
In addition to market sizes and forecasts, the report also provides a detailed analysis of the market trends and factors influencing market growth, offering in-depth geographic analysis of the BYOD & Enterprise Mobility Market in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle East & Africa. The report draws the competitive landscape of the bring-your-own-device market, providing an in-depth comparative analysis of the technological and marketing strategies. The key players are adopting in order to gain an edge over their competitors.

mobilebloom.com - A lot of phones with multitouch capacitive screens allow you to purchase a third party smart stylus to use in connection with their displays. Obviously, applications and operations are limited, but phones like the Galaxy Note 3, which delivers an accompanying smart stylus S Pen out-of-the-box, provide multiple multitasking and productivity enhancements. Not every smartphone manufacturer that introduces a technology makes that technology better year after year, but that is exactly what has happened with the Galaxy Note 3 S Pen.
You can purchase the Samsung Galaxy Note III at a reduced price tag stating at $199.
The Galaxy Note 3 is a large third generation tablet/smartphone with a very powerful and capable hardware package and a lot of attractive features. But concerning the S Pen specifically, the integration with the large 5.70 inch display on the handset makes the Galaxy Note 3 arguably the best all-around big-screen smartphone. Many people who have used a Galaxy Note 3 think of the S Pen as basically using the five functions which are shown when the Air Command pop-up appears.
And those five applications, Action Memo, Scrapbooker, Screen Write, S Finder and Pen Window, are all excellent. But there is also Easy Clip, which lets you quickly and simply click and capture small parts and sections of your display to share via several different popular services. You can also use the S Pen to allow you to input text in your own, natural handwriting. This is preferable to the keyboard for some people, and after a little work, the Galaxy Note 3 and smart stylus interpret your handwriting extremely well.
The Air View feature of the Galaxy S4 is also present, enabling you to get preview information by simply hovering above an item or icon on your display. You can view progress, get a blurb of information, preview items and web sites, dial numbers and images, and perform multiple functions with this feature. Galaxy S Note uses the S Pen to create a handy note taking feature, and you can even include voice memos, video, images and more than simply text.
And the Easy Chart application employs the multitouch, capacitive touchscreen and smart stylus to allow you to rapidly and easily create professional looking bar graphs, line and pie charts and other displays. Illustrations and Idea Sketches allow you to add multiple shapes, clip art, and cool images to your display, and then use the S Pen to customize them. Those are just a few of the many S Pen features the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone provides, and the Verizon version recently received a retail price reduction at select online retailers.

mobileworldlive.com - Fairfax Financial is facing an uphill battle to find backers for its $4.7 billion preliminary takeover bid for BlackBerry, according to a number of media reports. The company has until 5pm today to come up with a bid.
A number of leading banks have decided not to finance the bid, according to separate reports in Bloomberg and Reuters.
Fairfax has been trying to attract support from backers since it signed a preliminary takeover agreement on 23 September.
If Fairfax fails to deliver then it leaves the door open to rival bidders. A potentially strong rival bid is emerging, following talks between Cerberus Capital Management; BlackBerry co-founders Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin; and Qualcomm.
Cerberus and the BlackBerry co-founders had previously considered solo bids.
Qualcomm's interest has been piqued by the security technology owned by BlackBerry subsidiary Certicom, which is used by corporate and government clients, it is thought.
If Fairfax cannot pull together its bid by today then it has a number of options. It can ask for more time, take its offer off the table or return with different terms.
Today (4 November) is also the deadline for rival bids to come forward.
A plethora of tech firms have been linked with BlackBerry in recent weeks but firm interest has been more elusive. Those linked include Cisco, Facebook, Google, Lenovo, SAP and former Apple CEO John Sculley.
However, it is unclear how many will formally express their interest with a bid.

businessinsider.com - Banks compete vigorously to differentiate themselves in order to gain greater market share and enlarge their deposit base. That's why mobile has becomes so important. It's the next battleground for consumers, and banks are rolling out the latest and greatest smartphone apps and mobile site features to gain an edge on the competition.
The banks that establish a reputation for mobile innovation now may benefit in the future from greater market share and more engaged - and high-margin - customers.
In a recent report from BI Intelligence, we take a look at some banking app pioneers and cutting-edge features, detail the competition to develop the best mobile banking tools, examine mobile banking's growth spurt, and analyze consumer adoption behavior and barriers.

talkandroid.com - Android 4.4 brings a major change to NFC payments that could finally be the kick in the butt that Google Wallet needs. Kit Kat brings support for Host Card Emulation (HCE), which means any Android NFC device could be used for mobile payments without needing access to a secure element. With HCE any app can emulate an ISO/IEC 7816 smart card that use the contactless ISO/IEC 14443-4 (ISO-DEP) protocol for transmission.
What does all of this mean in a nutshell? This means it can work on any device on any mobile carrier. Not only that, third party apps can manage payment information in the cloud or on the device. Of course, devices will need Android 4.4 for this to work, and it remains to be seen how long it will take for most of the popular devices to get the update. It will take some time, but it could just be what the doctor ordered for Google Wallet to finally succeed.

mobileworldlive.com - Google's Android operating system accounted for 81 per cent of the smartphones shipped globally in Q3 2013, according to Strategy Analytics.
The performance, which was an all-time high for the OS, was achieved by taking market share mainly from Apple's iOS and BlackBerry, said the study.
Meanwhile, albeit on a smaller scale, Microsoft Windows Phone doubled its market share from two per cent to four per cent. It shipped on more than 10 million smartphones in the third quarter.
The research firm said total global shipments were 251 million in Q3 2013, a figure it first published earlier this week when it also said Huawei had nabbed the number three spot in the smartphone market.
BlackBerry was a loser, with its platform market share dropping from four per cent to one per cent.
Apple also lost some share to Android at the lower end of the market although further losses are unlikely because of the launch of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, which should help Apple regain share in Q4 2013.

cnet.com - The competition is starting to encroach on Apple's sacred ground of customer satisfaction.
The iPad maker has routinely emphasized the feel-good aspect of its product lines, against a more strictly econometric view of the world. A case in point:
"We are not solely focused on unit share as I've said many times, but we're focused on usage in customer's side, the loyalty and other things that are very important to us," Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company's fourth quarter earning call Monday.
So far that focus has worked out well for Apple, but the ground underneath that worldview may have just shifted, if only just a little.
In a J.D. Power Tablet Satisfaction Study released Thursday, archrival Samsung achieved the highest score (835), followed closely by Apple (833). The results mirrored the strengths of the two companies. Samsung, whose Galaxy Tab 3 came out just this summer, had strong marks for the cost of its tablets, and Apple scored well in performance and ease of operation.
Kindle Fire maker Amazon, meanwhile, wasn't so terribly far behind (826) in J.D. Power's overall tablet rankings, staying ahead of the study's average score (821).
Samsung was the only manufacturer to improve across all five factors -- performance, ease of use, physical design, tablet features, and cost -- since the previous reporting period in April, according to J.D. Power. The survey was fielded between March and August among 3,375 tablet owners who have had their current device for less than a year.

news.idg.no - African business people are increasingly dependent on mobile devices but don't necessarily feel they need security software, according to a survey of 1,776 African professionals conducted by the Africa Business Panel and released Wednesday.
African business people are increasingly dependent on mobile devices but don't necessarily feel they need security software, according to a survey of 1,776 African professionals conducted by the Africa Business Panel and released Wednesday.
The African business community is rapidly adopting the use of mobile devices, according to the survey. Of those polled, 54 percent use laptops, 38 percent have tablets and 60 percent use smartphones while only 26 percent use desktop computers. Meanwhile, however, only 46 percent of tablet users, 44 percent of smartphone users and 87 percent of the laptop users have security software installed on their devices.
Though McAfee, Microsoft, Kaspersky and AVG/Grisoft software tops the list of security programs used by those respondents who do use security packages, more than 30 percent of the business people surveyed said they feel that having comprehensive security software is expensive or unnecessary. Other reasons given for not using security software are that it is too complicated or that it interferes with users online activities.
"Antivirus is a dynamic industry and those not using it risk compromising their systems," said the Computer Information Systems Specialist at Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Austin Odia. "Individuals risk compromising credit card and bank information when hacked."
Smartphone OSes including Apple's IOS and Android are not widely known to be targets for virus attacks, which is why some mobile users may feel they do not need antivirus software, Odia added.
"As for the cost being expensive, I disagree," Odia said. "The tablet or PC will cost from $500 and the antivirus is like $50 per year subscription. I do not think that is expensive at all."
The survey also found that of the those who have a smartphone, most use a Samsung device (30 percent), followed by Blackberry (22 percent), iPhone (19 percent) and a Nokia device (11 percent). HTC has a 6 percent market share among those polled, while Sony Ericsson has 2 percent. Fifty percent of the smartphones used by those polled are based on Android, 22 percent are based on Apple's iOS (iPhones), while Windows phones are used by 7 percent. Other devices are used by 21 percent of those polled.
About 87 percent of those surveyed said they are highly dependent on communication technology to carry out daily tasks, compared to 15 percent who said they are somewhat dependent on communications tech and to only 2 percent who said they were not dependent on the technology at all.
Most respondents expect a strong increase in the use of smartphones over the next few years. This view is backed up by an analysis Wednesday from Strategy Analytics that reports global smartphone shipments grew 45 percent annually to reach a record 251 million units in the third quarter of 2013. Samsung captured a 35 percent share of all smartphone shipments worldwide, followed by Apple, while Huawei jumped into third place in the rankings, according to the report.

mobileworldlive.com - Orange augmented its own-brand device range, stating that this is "in response to customer demand for sophisticated smartphones at a more accessible price".
It will offer two new devices: Yumo, the second 4G device in its Orange range, initially in Spain and Romania; and Hiro, "one of Orange's most affordable Android smartphones yet", in France, Spain, Slovakia and Romania.
In a statement, the company extolled the success of its previous own-brand devices, stating that "Orange smartphones are one of the fastest growing brands sold by Orange across its footprint".
"This summer, the Orange Daytona smartphone sold 50 per cent more than any other phones sold by Orange in Spain, whether feature phones or smartphones, outselling all other mobile brands. Likewise, the Orange Nivo was the best-selling smartphone in Romania, driving a significant jump in smartphone adoption in the country," it said.
Yves Maitre, EVP of Mobile Mutimedia and Devices for the operator, said: "Our customers are clearly telling us that they want the best smartphone experience, but that value for money is increasingly important."
The 4G-enabled Yumo has a 5-inch HD screen, 8MP camera, 8GB of onboard storage, and is powered by a 1.2GHz dualcore processor.
The low-cost Hiro has a 4.3-inch screen, a 5MP camera, and is powered by a 1.3GHz dualcore processor.
Pricing details will be announced with local availability.
The company has not said who its manufacturer partner is for the devices.

businessinsider.com - Analysts have gone from trumpeting the tablet market's upward trajectory to wringing their hands over a too-soon slowdown in growth. Granted, the disappointing iPad sales so far in 2013 and the slowing of the overall tablet market make it look like consumer interest is waning.
But digging deeper, we find that the launch of a a new iPad in time for the holiday season is likely to boost sales before year-end. And attention focused on the iPad will also buoy lower-priced tablets, and help the overall market grow nicely.
In a new report from BI Intelligence, we break down the three-year-old tablet market and look at the latest trends in adoption and market growth, finding that tablet uptake will continue rising at a robust pace. The most significant misreading of the tablet market has been to forget that tablets had the fastest ramp-up of any computing device in history, so a pullback was all but inevitable. As more tablets gain traction at the lower-end of the market, however, there's no question tablet penetration will keep rising.

qrcodepress.com - If you had asked tech companies 20 years ago if security was a simple and easy affair, they would have laughed at you. Yet now, in the modern age of smartphones, tablets and 'Bring Your Own Device' (BYOD), the history of business tech security seems rather quaint. Smartphones may save workers an average of 88 minutes a day, according to USA Today, but they also pose a significant security risk for companies.
MDM vs. MAM
To address this concern, most corporations have instituted some sort of Mobile Device Management (MDM), allowing them to wipe a phone if it is stolen or lost. Device owners are not too happy with this level of control, however, prompting the implementation of more granular controls in the form of Mobile Application Management (MAM) systems.
MAM allows for a more detailed approach to devices, letting companies screen particular apps for use on work-related devices. It also gives companies control at the application level. MAM improves security and lessens the need for a full system wipe - the only option through traditional MDM systems.
Enterprise Mobility Management
The next level of security in the BYOD world is a combination of MDM and MAM, known as Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM). EMM is the best of both worlds, allowing a company's IT department to partition a users device into two separate areas - one for work, and one for personal use. The company can control what is installed and what goes on in the work partition, and can even wipe it remotely if necessary, all while leaving the personal side alone.
This is excellent news for BYOD users who were uncomfortable with the level of access MDM gave employers to their personal information, yet still wanted to use their own device. Companies get the security they want, and employees get the privacy and device choice they demand.Mobile Management bring your own device
Enterprise Mobility by BlackBerry
One of the biggest contenders in the EMM arena is the Canadian company BlackBerry. The Enterprise Mobility by BlackBerry service gives companies the ability to exercise EMM controls over all major device manufacturers, including iOS, Android and of course, BlackBerry. This is a pretty significant move for the BlackBerry, who many had ruled out as a contender in the future smartphone market.
One of the largest advantages BlackBerry has against its competitors, says Information Week, is the fact that most companies already have a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies, to be exact. Businesses need only upgrade to the latest version, BES 10, to use the Enterprise Mobility Service. BlackBerry is already known as the most secure mobile platform on the market. It is a simple step for most companies to make the leap to using BlackBerry for all their EMM needs.
According to BlackBerry, its Enterprise Service 10 is the only option that allows companies to manage all users through a single management console and a single platform.
The Next Level of Security
The need of employees and corporations to embrace and integrate a security solution has never been greater. It appears that EMM technologies are just what the doctor ordered, and BlackBerry has positioned itself to take full advantage of this shift. How successful the company will be in its efforts to rule the EMM market remains to be seen, but the odds appear to be in its favor.
Juha DeGraw
Juha moved to the U.S. from Finland to study mobile gaming technology. When he is not tooling around with SMS platforms, he is writing about the changing tech landscape in the U.S.

sys-con.com - The last few years have seen an explosion in the demand for enterprise mobile solutions. This movement has been clearly reflected in the rapid evolution of the enterprise mobile platform ecosystems. From mobile device management (MDM) to enterprise mobile middleware technologies, the industry has produced a large number of technology platforms aiming to address the different needs of the mobile enterprise. Despite of the rapid growth of the enterprise mobile space, the industry remains without good solutions for addressing what, arguably, can be seen as the most important challenge of the current generation of enterprise mobile solutions: mobilizing business data.
The reasoning behind my argument is very simple. The current generation of enterprise mobile apps is, by and large, focused on creating mobile representations of existing enterprise business processes. The majority of these business processes are tied to on-premise or SaaS line of business systems. While mobilizing some of those business processes can be seen as trivial, the introduction of mobile consumers introduces a number of risks from an enterprise perspective on such diverse areas as data privacy, performance or security.
We Are Great at Sharing Files but Are Bad at Sharing Data
Email, calendar and file sharing have been the focus of the first generation of enterprise mobile solutions. From Citrix's ShareFile Box to the recent Microsoft SkyDrive Pro, the industry has seen a plethora of solutions that enable secure document sharing on mobile devices.
Despite the importance of file sharing, it is important to realize that it's only a small element of enterprise mobile data. A large percentage of enterprise mobile apps are required to access business data from on-premise or SaaS-based systems using mechanisms that can be abstracted via files or documents. Sadly, as an industry, the enterprise mobile technology ecosystem hasn't produced the equivalent of enterprise file sharing technologies but for business data.
MDM Is Not a Solution
Mobile device management (MDM) has become a common element of enterprise mobile infrastructures. As an attempt to differentiate in an overly crowded market, MDM vendors often claim to provide the infrastructure for securely mobilizing business data. While that statement might be true in some very specific scenarios, it is far from being a generalization. MDM platforms can certainly secure business data in some very constrained scenarios but they typically don't provide the infrastructure for mobile developers to interact with data living on corporate systems. This type of solutions require a more specialized infrastructure that is outside the domain of MDM platforms.
Mobile Business Data Needs New Security and Privacy Models
Enabling access to mobile business data from mobile devices introduces new security threats to organizations in areas that fall outside the domain of traditional enterprise security packages. While most security threats in the traditional enterprises fall under the spectrum of antivirus or secure networking platforms, these technologies are just starting to understand the DNA of security vulnerabilities in mobile applications.
These security risks get exponentially more complex when we factor in access to corporate data from mobile applications. In order to address these challenges, organizations should embrace mobile-first security techniques such as multi-factor authentication, mobile data encryption or contextual threat analysis that are designed with mobile applications as a first class citizen.
Accessing Mobile Business Data in Real Time
Enterprise mobile applications often require real-time access to data stored in corporate systems whether they are hosted on-premise or in SaaS systems. This requirement often translates into serious challenges for line-of-business systems that are not optimized for mobile consumers requesting information on real-time basics.
To enable real-time access to business data from mobile applications, enterprises should provide mobile-optimized interfaces to broker the communication between mobile apps and corporate systems. By mobile optimized, we refer to capabilities such as support for multi-factor authentication, friendly to concurrency, contextually aware, message throttling, support for offline communication models among other essential elements of enterprise mobile solutions.
Storing Transient Business Data in Device
In addition to accessing information in real time from business systems, enterprise mobile apps often are required to manipulate the data directly from the mobile apps or operate completely offline. Consuming business data in this fashion poses well-known challenges to enterprises in areas such as data privacy and security.
In order to enable "data in device" scenarios, enterprise mobile solutions should provide the mechanisms to secure the target business data in a form that can only be consumed in the context of a specific user session within a specific application. In addition, this type of pattern is typically recommended to rapidly changing not overly sensitive data that can become irrelevant after a certain period of time.
Distributing Mobile Business Events
Business data is not only access from mobile applications to on-demand basics. In some scenarios, enterprise mobile apps need to receive business data in the form of notifications or events triggered by line-of-business systems. While push notifications is a typical event-based pattern for distributing information to heterogeneous mobile applications, enterprise mobile solutions often require additional mechanisms that address some of the security and information consumptions patterns in the enterprise.
To address those scenarios, organizations need to establish the infrastructure for mobile applications to securely subscribe to events that can be published from line-of-business systems. These types of patterns will ease the burden of optimizing traditional corporate systems to support direct access from a large number of mobile consumers.
Caching Mobile Business Data
Despite the requirements for accessing business data in real time from connected devices, it's important to realize that the majority of traditional enterprise systems are not equipped to support the performance requirements of mobile consumers. To address this limitation, enterprise mobile infrastructures often rely on more modern data storage mechanisms to temporarily cache business data so that it can be available to enterprise mobile applications.
Even though the business data caching can introduce additional back-end infrastructure, it minimizes the impact on traditional corporate systems from both the development and operational standpoint
Business Data is Not Mobile: We Need Context
Mobile applications are a richer and also fundamentally different consumer of business data than traditional line-of-business applications. In addition to the aforementioned requirements about data privacy or performance, mobile business data takes a different connotation when based on the location, frequency of access, wireless network, etc.
Extending traditional business data living in corporate systems with contextual elements will not only maximize the efficiency and richness of enterprise mobile applications that need to consume those business data sets, but will automatically mitigate some of the security and privacy risks mentioned in previous sections. While the effort of contextualizing business data might seem daunting at first glance, it can be a great enabler for brand new mobile-first business capabilities
Summary
Enabling robust mechanisms for consuming business data is one of the most complex aspects of mobile solutions in the enterprise. While solutions like MDM have provided effective capabilities for securely managing devices and files, business data access remains a very challenging scenario for most enterprise mobile solutions. To address that challenge, organizations need to enable mobile-first security and data distribution models that efficiently integrate line of business systems and mobile consumers

ttgasia.com - A RECENT TripAdvisor study has found that most hoteliers are not meeting their customer' mobile expectations even though travellers are now attached to their mobile devices more than ever.
According to the TripAdvisor TripBarometer Mobile and Social survey, 87 per cent and 88 per cent of travellers around the world and in Asia respectively use their mobile devices on the go.
Yet almost one-third of hoteliers around the world are not dishing up additional mobile content for users.
Some 39 per cent of travellers internationally want mobile-friendly sites, which are currently offered only by 37 per cent of hoteliers globally and 27 per cent in Asia. Location-specific deals and special offers for mobile users are in demand at 24 and 27 per cent respectively, but the number of hotels in Asia providing these make up only a woeful five per cent and 15 per cent.
However, TripBarometer reported that this situation is likely to improve in the coming year. While only 36 per cent of hoteliers internationally are prioritising mobile marketing this year, 53 per cent plan on expanding mobile offerings in 2014.
Asian hoteliers are the most likely bunch to ramp up mobile offerings in 2014, (66 per cent), including mobile booking functionality (30 per cent), mobile-friendly websites (26 per cent) and mobile-specific special offers (15 per cent).
Hoteliers are doing better in terms of engagement on the social media front, with 82 per cent of hotels internationally and 84 per cent in Asia interacting with current and potential guests. Facebook and Twitter are the most popular platforms. In the coming year, 55 per cent of hoteliers internationally and 58 per cent in Asia intend to invest more in social media in 2014.
Julio Bruno, global vice president of sales, TripAdvisor for Business, said: "TripBarometer findings revealed that there are opportunities for hospitality businesses to provide value at various points throughout a traveller's journey. Businesses should engage with potential and current guests on mobile and social media to interact with them in real time through special offers and apps that are popular with travellers. Ultimately, mobile is the direct link to travellers on the go."