Look Back, Moving Forward

By  Susan Nunziata
As we look back at the economic roller-coaster ride that was 2009, we can't help but marvel at the growing influence of mobile and wireless solutions in the enterprise. For every tale we hear about budgets being trimmed and deployments getting delayed in the face of economic hardship, we hear another example of an enterprise that is driven by the economy to accelerate its mobile and wireless initiatives.

These efforts run the gamut in terms of types of deployment and verticals served. We're seeing field service organizations that are moving from legacy solutions and outdated pen-and-paper processes to rugged mobile computers and applications that enable real-time information access -- thereby transforming entire business processes. We're hearing about corporate, healthcare and educational campuses embracing WiFi for everything from data access to asset tracking. And, we're hearing about the influx of mobile devices across all levels of organizations as workers at all levels are recognizing the value of mobility and demanding ways to use it. This is raising heated debate, especially in IT circles, about the benefits and risks of corporate-owned versus individual liable devices, and how organizations can protect  themselves as they meet the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce.

This is being driven, in part, by the sheer number of new smartphones, including the latest Apple iPhone iteration, next generation BlackBerry Storm and Bold, new Android and Windows Mobile device lineups, and of course the Palm Pre. All these devices and operating systems are reshaping our world of work. We'll also be taking a hard look at how enterprises are managing mobile and wireless expenses, the state of their relationships with wireless carriers is like, and what 4G and wireless VoIP will mean for the enterprise, among other topics. We look forward to sharing this and much more with you in the year ahead, and wish you a prosperous and fascinating 2010.