Mobile Computing

3^rd Presentation Paper

Joe Farrar

Wikipedia defines Mobile Computing as “a generic term describing your ability to use technology 'un-tethered', that is not physically connected, or in remote or mobile (non static) environments.” And as I sit here in downtown Madison doing my laundry and writing this paper, connected to the laundry mat’s free wireless internet, I realize that the age of mobile computing is truly upon us.

Only a few years ago during the internet boom, I can remember seeing far flung advertisements trumpeting an information age in which humanity was set free to roam the earth continually plugged into the “information superhighway.” I also remember thinking that my super fast Pentium II PC and its 56k modem required the sum total of all the bandwidth my phone line provided just to load simple web pages and pop up ads while being anything but mobile. I wondered just how anyone would be able to surf the net without being plugged into a phone line. More importantly, why would anyone lug that heavy laptop with them everywhere? I really wasn’t that thrilled to sit at home and wait for a web page to slowly appear, much less wait in public for that webpage to load slowly. But that was then and this is now. All of those obstacles have been over come. Broadband has allowed for a faster internet and more enjoyable surfing. Wifi has negated the need for a hard line. Laptops and other computing devices have become smaller and very portable.

From a consumer perspective, the realization that you can now be mobile and connected at the same time is an empowering one. I am no longer required to sit in front of a desktop all day to perform tasks that I can now perform from anywhere with a wireless connection. I can check my email, interact with colleagues, participate in distance education, write a blog and even work while away from home. This shift from stationary computing to mobile is a trend that many consumers have picked up very quickly. As I look around, I can see two other people currently working on their laptops. Additionally, while logging into the laundry mat’s wifi network, my laptop detected no less than seven other wireless networks both secure and unsecured in range of my laptop. This serves to prove the point that consumers understand and are using this technology.

However, the speed at which this technology is being adopted by consumers is demanding that both traditional brick and mortar business and online businesses develop new strategies to leverage this technology. I hate to come back to it, but the iphone does a good job of this in that it allows for the global knowledge available on the internet to be delivered on a local scale.

As mobile computing technology evolves, I would expect to see smart devices aware of their location changing the way marketing is preformed and content is delivered. In addition to revolutionizing the way promotions and marketing functions are performed, there are also opportunities for this new technology to enhance existing business processes. For example, I can see this technology supercharging an outside sales force by connecting it to its back office processes, thereby improving customer satisfaction and the overall efficiency of the sales process.

I also think that mobile computing could be a huge competitive advantage for companies looking to cut costs and willing to look at telecommuting as an option for employees. I know this first hand because, for a time earlier this year, my wife was able to telecommute while working in her chosen profession as an attorney only needing an internet connection and our laptop. Being able to work from anywhere with a wifi hotspot helped her to work with attorneys across the country and to access voluminous documents being housed in various locations through an internet-based database. To break up the monotony of being at home day in and day out, she would sometimes work from a coffee shop overlooking Lake Mendota.

Aside from the positives of mobile computing, there is also a growing need for individuals and businesses to be more secure with their computing devices. It seems that almost every week there is news of how a stolen laptop has compromised the personal information of consumers and business. As these devices become smaller and more portable, it also makes those devices easier for some nefarious character to walk off with. The networks that these devices rely upon are also at risk from a number of threats. These threats range from something as simple as having someone “piggy back” or steal wireless internet to having an organizations entire network compromised by hackers.

There are solutions to these problems for both consumers and companies. First off, attention to personal devices needs to become second nature to consumers. Something as simple as making sure your laptop is within eyesight can save a lot of headaches in the long run. Also, organizations need to proactively formulate strategies to prevent the loss of data and instill contingencies in order to react if and when their network becomes compromised. Keeping abreast of emerging threats and knowing how to handle them as the technology changes is important to consider.

In conclusion, it is my feeling that mobile computing holds the promise of changing the way people and companies work. However, the bright future comes with a price to be paid in commonsense and vigilance on the part of those who use these technologies.