Windows 8 – the Resurrection of Microsoft as a Mobile Giant?

Image Credit: Joe Klamar/Getty Images

For years I have watched Microsoft complacently sit back and let their foothold on the mobile market slip away. Mobile innovation from Microsoft has been conspicuously absent for the past 5 years. If it were not for the rugged space I suspect Windows Mobile would have already gone the way of Palm – a slow agonizing death. And even the rugged mobile space is asking the question “When will you support Android?”

Windows 8 is Microsoft’s last chance to resurrect Microsoft as a long-term viable mobile player enabling Microsoft to recapture marketshare.

Potential Windows Phone 8 Impacts on Business

1. Built-in Development Community, Tools and Resources
Microsoft has a built-in community to develop and deploy applications. Microsoft has the resources and community to promote and encourage development of applications. The tight integration of Windows 8 and Windows 8 Phone will be an attractive choice for CIOs and IT Managers who are looking to fully integrate mobile devices and internal systems.

2. Unique UI 
Windows 8 Phone provides a very unique and functional user interface.  Unlike Android where each manufacturer’s implementation is so varied you wonder if you have the same OS installed.

Microsoft wisely signed licensing agreements with Apple for some of the mobile technologies in their development of WP8. This offers some protection to the device manufacturers. I’m sure manufacturers will consider this as they watch the Samsung vs. Apple court battles continue.

3. Opportunity to Earn a Piece of the Rugged Market
I know that many rugged mobile device users are clamoring for a better device experience. They are tired of wrestling with a needle-sized stylus to enter data and an OS that hasn’t been significantly updated for 5 years. Many are even reconsidering the rugged versus consumer grade ROI argument in light of providing a more fluid way of collecting and recording information in the field. I have also noticed a culture characteristic that has underlined some purchasing decisions. This may seem petty but a reality, many rugged mobile device users I’ve talked to want the iOS experience but they see the iPhone as a “preppy, costly, elite user” mobile device. They see the Android as a blue collar, affordable mobile device option that could play very nicely for Windows Phone 8 adoption.

4. Built-in Printing
This could be the Trojan Horse for Windows 8 Phone business and field service adoption. Printing in the field from an iPhone or Android is a three-ring circus. The hoops you have to jump through to print in the field is largely dependent upon third party intermediaries or full connection to a wireless network.  If Windows 8 Phone provides direct printing this will serve as a dark horse feature that will help the adoption especially in the service sector.

5. Tablet Form Factor
Can you say Coup de Tat? The Surface, scheduled for release Oct. 26th, could be the device that accelerates Microsoft’s recapture of lost ground in the mobile space. Many people want the larger form factor provided by a tablet device. I’ve especially noted this in the field service industries where they want a mobile device that accommodates fat, grubby, man-sized fingers and a full set of mobile functionality.  Add the dual functionality of switching between Windows 8 and traditional Windows mode and Microsoft has provided nice transitional step for many potential users. This coupled with the promise of easier mobile printing could kick the door wide open for Windows 8.

The field is ripe for Microsoft to recapture its place as major mobility contender. Question is will Windows 8 have enough punch to excite mobile users and resurrect the sleeping giant?

Jody Sedrick

Enterprise Mobility Strategist, Follow me on Twitter: @jodysedrick and @zenewareinc

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Zenware

IBM bans Siri - loose lips a security risks

A new wrinkle was introduced in the BYOD argument today as IBM announced they are banning use of SIRI in its networks viewing SIRI as a potential security risk.

Where's the rub?

Siri captures your voice input and sends the data to Apple's servers in North Carolina where it processes the voice inputs to send the query results back to the device. It is unclear who has access to this information and for how long.  IBM is concerned that anyone with access to these servers could glean information from these transmissions.

While IBM is prohibiting the use of Siri within their networks what happens when an IBM employee is off campus? They still have access to Siri.

I've noticed  a greater concern about BYOD the past couple of months. This puts a new wrinkle in the BYOD argument.  While on the surface BYOD seems a great idea with the promise of greater employee productivity, IT costs being shifted to employees and worker satisfaction. There are significant risks that are bubbling to the surface that companies are have ing to address with stronger BYOD policies.

IBM's banning Siri highlights the criticality of protecting company data. It is imperative that companies establish BYOD policies that address company needs and provide clear acceptable policies for a personal device. IBM is finding this balance is a  little difficult to manage  and in the end zipping the lips of Siri. 

I'm curious to see what other BYOD policy changes are coming down the pike.

Jody Sedrick

Follow me on Twitter: @jodysedrick and @zenewareinc

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Goggle Shows Off New "Augmented Reality" Glasses

Since the launch of SIRI by Apple I have been intrigued, enamored and excited about the reality, power and true possibility of  interacting with my mobile device in a more natural and integrated manner.

Google's unveiling of their new prototype digital glasses on Google+ yesterday takes interaction with your device to the next level. While the augmented reality glasses are still in testing mode the interactive capabilities are exciting and astounding. 

The Google+ page featured a 2-1/2 minute video shot from the perspective of wearing the glasses shows wearer going through a typical day walking through the streets of New York. 

While this seems like a great tool, and yes I'll buy when available, I wondered how many new You Tube videos will go viral with people walking into fountains, walls or stepping into traffic distracted by a constant visual stream of data.  In answer to this one person who used the glasses reported: “They let technology get out of your way. If I want to take a picture I don’t have to reach into my pocket and take out my phone; I just press a button at the top of the glasses and that’s it.”


Exciting technolog to say the least.

The military has been experimenting with augmented reality technology for years.  Companies like Tanagram Partners out of Chicago are developing very progressive technology - Head Mounted Display Augmented Realty gear to feed critical data between soldiers and the command center. A myriad of data can be fed to the soldiers including city layout, building blueprints, highlight members of your team and more.


NASA also announced their efforts to implement Augmented Reality technology to train pilots, astronauts and other aviation professionals to handle challenging flight situations like fog and inclement weather.

On the commercial side, Nokia has been developing Point and Find technologies that allow smart phone users to take a photo of a landmark. The photo combined with GPS coordinate data immediately identifies the landmark and feeds information to the user about the landmark and surrounding area. (Kevin Benedict talks about this in his mobile interview series) 

I see significant personal and commercial uses for Google's augmented reality technology. Just yesterday, while navigating through Salt Lake, I would have loved to receive navigation cues fed to my Oakley Sunglasses so I didn't have to look down at Google Maps on my iPhone.  


How about service reps managing service calls? They could have "next appointment reminders" flash on their screen notifying them of their next appointment. He could acknowledge the reminder and be navigated to their next stop with visual cues. If they are running late the service tech could give a verbal command to initiate a call to the customer.  All while keeping their hands safely on the wheel. 


Think of the information you could feed customers when they look at QR Code incorporated in to an ad, poster or banner. You could dynamically feed the customer information based on their selections. The opportunities are endless.

The challenge is humans can quickly be overwhelmed by too much data. AR implementations on the consumer side will have to be conducted in a way that make us more efficient, is accessible but unobtrusive and keeps everyone safe in process.


I'd love to hear how you see AR Glasses being used both on a personal and commercial level.


The question now,  how long do I have to wait before I can buy my new Augmented Reality Glasses?

Jody Sedrick

Follow me on Twitter: @jodysedrick and @zenewareinc

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