peterdehaas.net

Microsoft is changing the world

 

Oke this is a very bold statement but with the announcements this week it sort of feels this way now more than ever …

On Monday Microsoft announced Microsoft Surface 

Today Microsoft announced the next generation of Windows Phone ..

Windows Phone 8

:

 

I would say Microsoft lives the statement ‘Change the world or go home’ more than ever

Photosynth now available on Windows Phone #wp7nl

 

Photosynth for Windows Phone is the panorama app that makes it easy and fun to capture and share interactive panoramas of the places, people, and events that are important to you. Using the latest in computer vision techniques, Photosynth is the acknowledged leader in mobile panorama creation. It is the only app available on any mobile platform that allows you to capture 360 degrees horizontally and vertically, making a perfect “sphere."

Once you’ve created a Photosynth, you can share it as an interactive panorama experience on Facebook and Twitter (using the free Photosynth.net service) or as a simple image. You can also publish your panoramas to Bing where millions of people will see your panoramas, on Bing Maps and in Bing search results for the places you've captured. And check out our featured list, where we show off the best of what you and your fellow users create and share.

Go and get it here (nl Marletplace)

Bring Your Own … Cloud | #byoc

Gartner Group published a new report on Personal Cloud Services. The most recent developments with devices is that they all come with their own cloud services, like email, pictures, documents, etc.

Personally I love cloud services like Kindle and Netflix which span across almost all devices I typically use

Personal Cloud Services Will Be Integrated in Most Connected Devices by 2013: Gartner

…Speaking at a briefing for technology industry executives in Singapore today, Gartner managing vice president Andrew Johnson said that the emergence of personal clouds reflects the “4S experience”, consumers’ desire to store, synch, stream, and share their content on regardless of device or platform seamlessly. ...

“The shift to the personal cloud will accelerate rapidly in 2012 as consumers learn how to use new services on their devices,” said Mr. Johnson.  “As cloud services become part of people’s lives, device vendors and platform providers must integrate cloud services in order to win customers in 2012 or risk being displaces by those that offer these services. Brands must stretch across multiple devices, platforms and services.”

According to Gartner’s definition, personal cloud allows consumers to seamlessly store, sync, stream and share using multiple connected devices such as smartphones, media tablets, televisions and PCs over the internet. Consumers have begun to adopt cloud-based services as part of their digital ecosystem, thanks to services such as Netflix, Google Apps, Amazon Music, Microsoft SkyDrive and Apple's iCloud. In a personal cloud, a TV show, for example, can be watched, left and resumed across multiple devices.

“The notion of personal cloud is not new, the refinement and diversity of services for consumers is,” said Mr. Johnson.  “Online backup and synchronization companies have been offering personal cloud for years. However, a big change has occurred during the past couple of years, with the growing adoption of mobile and portable devices that have limited internal storage and rely heavily on cloud services. What distinguishes the personal cloud from what came before is its ability to store, synchronize, stream and share as needed allowing consumers greater flexibility in choosing devices and platforms.”

Gartner estimates that consumers will spend approximately US$2.2 trillion on digital technology products and services in 2012, or about 10 percent of the average disposable household income. By 2015, consumers will spend some US$2.8 trillion worldwide on connected devices, the services that run them and content that is transferred through them.

However, according to Gartner, growth is not the only opportunity.

“Inside the spending envelope, market dynamics will collapse some markets while creating others that expand the captured revenue. Providers of consumer devices, services and content must anticipate the risk of sweeping changes to their business models,” said Mr. Johnson. “The personal cloud will force technology providers not only to rethink how they approach markets, but also, more importantly, how they define markets. ‘Emerging’ and ‘mature’ markets are no longer useful market segmentation.”

However, traditional storage will not disappear overnight but will, however, be augmented by the consumer personal cloud.  Gartner predicts that personal cloud will become widely adopted by 2015, but that in 2014 less than 10 percent of consumers will use cloud services as their main storage.

Gartner’s recommendations for technology vendors:

• Make personal cloud services a core part of your development efforts.  Invisible and ubiquitous now, monetize later
• Take the time to educate and evangelize cloud services to consumers. A key to consumer cloud services will be educating people about the role of the cloud, and how new business models such as subscription and streaming services can coexist with existing services they are familiar with.
• Service providers must deliver an invisible content synchronization experience.
• Personal cloud services can’t be tied to one specific device or platform. An invisible experience means it works on anything.
• Failure to protect consumer data, or a lack of service reliability, could lead to a consumer backlash and a co-dependence on local storage, on top of privacy and security concerns.

More information is available in the Gartner report “Consumers and the Personal Cloud". The report and related research is available on Gartner's website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1924714

 

A domainname like bringyourowncloud.com might proof its use some day in a $ 2.8 Trillion market …

Reunited after many years #nokia #lumia800

Yesterday I received a new phone”upgrade”; I switched my SamSung device for a Nokia Lumia 800

And it had been a while since I last used one :

Good to be reunited with Nokia .. by far the coolest phone out there in my humble opinion …

Parool : Thuiswerk moet mkb'ers uit de file lokken

Project Digitale Mobiliteit gaat van start in regio Amsterdam. Microsoft Online Services / BPOS maakt hier een belangrijk onderdeel van uit …

… Honderd Amsterdamse kleine ondernemingen gaan op proef hun personeel een half jaar vanuit huis laten werken. Met subsidie van de overheid krijgen de werknemers thuis snel internet en vergadersoftware.

Wanneer het experiment slaagt, krijgt het navolging in de rest van het land, aldus Kees Verhoeven, directeur van MKB Amsterdam.

De proef, in 36 gemeenten rond Amsterdam, moet uitwijzen of thuiswerken een oplossing tegen de files is. Uit onderzoek is gebleken dat veel kleine ondernemers vooroordelen tegen thuiswerken hebben. Zo denken zij dat de investeringen hiervoor in hardware en software hoog zijn en weinig opleveren.
Volgens de organisatoren van de proef, MKB Nederland en adviesbureau Boer & Croon, bedragen de kosten voor thuiswerksoftware slechts 13 euro per maand per werknemer. Voor dat geld wordt de thuiswerker voorzien van Microsoft-programma's voor e-mail, videovergaderen, tekstverwerken en een agenda. …

Bron: Parool.nl

Meer informatie over digitale mobiliteit :

www.digitalemobiliteit.nl

www.microsoft.nl/digitalemobiliteit

Mobility Solutions for Microsoft Online Services (BPOS)

Access Microsoft Online Services, Exchange Online and SharePoint Online with your smartphone; almost any smartphone that is, including the BlackBerry.

For “pushmail” (email, calendar, contacts, tasks) with Exchange Online there’s a great overview of the different vendors supporting Exchange Active Sync (including Nokia, Apple and SamSung)

… In an increasingly mobile world, more employees need seamless access to more types of communications and collaboration information—including e-mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and shared content—from virtually anywhere, at any time. Microsoft Online Services includes two services which can be accessed through mobile phones: Microsoft Exchange Online and Microsoft SharePoint Online. Both Exchange Online and SharePoint Online can be accessed through a variety of devices: Windows Mobile 6.0+ devices, Exchange ActiveSync devices, and RIM BlackBerry devices.

See solutions for each device type:

• Windows Mobile devices
• Exchange ActiveSync devices
• RIM BlackBerry devices

For detailed information on solutions for each device type, download the Mobility Solutions Description (Word). …

Source: Microsoft Online Services

A wearable Surface Computer … Wow

TED is a super resource to hear, see and experience the vision of tomorrow.

Check out this TED Talk : Pattie Maes & Pranav Mistry: Unveiling the "Sixth Sense," game-changing wearable tech

The technology is just commodity stuff and this could be build at the price of a normal smartphone.You can do stuff like simply project a dialpad on your hand and start dialling a phone number .. awesome !

This puts mobile computing in a totally new perspective …

 

Microsoft Windows: Boy Exposed TVC India

Nice Windows video :

Vodafone to offer Microsoft online services (Reuters)

According to this newsitems, Vodafone has become a BPOS Partner

LONDON (Reuters) - Vodafone, the world's largest mobile phone network operator by revenue, is to offer Microsoft online services to small and medium-sized businesses through the computer, phone and browser, it said on Thursday.

The group said it would sell and manage Microsoft products such as e-mail, calendars, portals, instant messaging and web conferencing tools.

Vodafone said Microsoft Online Services are now available in the United States and would be available in other markets in the first half of 2009.

"The demands on our customers are changing dramatically in today's complex business and economic environment," said Tom Craig, Global Business Services Director of Vodafone Group.

"By combining Vodafone's fixed and mobile communication services with Microsoft Online Services we can provide all the elements of a fully hosted communications solution."

The two companies said they also intended to continue growing the partnership through future collaboration and development.

Source: Vodafone to offer Microsoft online services (Reuters)

Cheat sheet: A quick guide to Microsoft’s mobile announcements

Mary-Jo Foley provides a good overview of Windows Mobile solutions announced at the WMC yesterday:

During a February 16 press conference at the Mobile World Congress show, CEO Steve Ballmer told attendees that the company is making some tweaks to its mobile strategy. The list of what Microsoft didn't end up making at the show is as interesting as what it did.

Continue at source: Cheat sheet: A quick guide to Microsoft’s mobile announcements

You’ve just been tagged : peterdehaas.net

Experimenting a bit with Microsoft Tag. Will put it on a coffeemug or something :-)

 

Microsoft Tag : http://tag.microsoft.com

Verizon chooses Microsoft Live Search over Google and Yahoo

Major win for Microsoft in the field of Internet Search …

… Verizon Communications Inc has chosen Microsoft Corp to provide Internet search services for cell phones, in what is seen as a blow to rivals Google Inc and Yahoo Inc.

Verizon Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg said on Wednesday that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer would announce the deal later in the day at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Seidenberg, speaking at a Citigroup conference, gave no further details.

The deal follows more than a year of speculation on who would become the default mobile search provider for Verizon Wireless, which is set to surpass AT&T Inc as the No. 1 U.S. mobile carrier after it closes its purchase of smaller operator Alltel later this week.

"It's certainly a feather in Microsoft's cap. Tough news for Google and tougher news for Yahoo," CCS Insight analyst John Jackson said of the agreement. …

Source : MSN Money

I have a RedFly

No this is not an aillness ...

The Redfly is an awesome companion to my Palm Treo Pro (or any Windows Mobile device for that matter).

It is basicly a Netbook without storage, powerfull CPU, etc. An “empty” device which connects to you MObile device and acts as a Remote Desktop …

• Battery Life : 9 hrs +
• Possibility to connect external devices via 2xUSB and 1xVGA
• Charge you mobile device via USB

I did notice that the price increased again, that had a discount until last week. As the price is around that of a Netbook I expect they will drop the prices …

The Mobile Application Rush: Is the iPhone Really Leading the Way?

The iPhone is a very good example of software + Services. A connected smartphone with a lot (or shoudl I say a huge number of) local applications. Over 50% of the iPhone users use 11+ apps …

The Apple iPhone’s Application Store is considered an innovative step forward in creating a true convergence device. Although mobile apps are not new, from the T-Mobile G1 to the Blackberry Bold, everyone is hopping on the bandwagon.

But are iPhone owners really interested in mobile applications any more than other Smartphone users, or is it just hype? To find out, I looked at some survey data from Compete’s new Smartphone Intelligence product.

Source: Smartphone Intelligence

• Smartphone owners are more likely to bypass applications altogether: 34% of Smartphone owners have not added an application to their phone, versus just 7% of iPhone users.
• iPhone users are more likely to have added a number of different applications to their device: 72% had more than five applications on their phones, compared to only 23% of other Smartphone owners.

Source: The Mobile Application Rush: Is the iPhone Really Leading the Way?

Vodafone verlaagt snelheid mobiel internet

Ik begrijp hier niets van … De snelheid van internettoegang wordt met een factor 10 verlaagd en de gebruiker zou hier niets van merken ?? Dit lijkt me in deze tijd een tegengestelde beweging …

Telecombedrijf Vodafone gaat de snelheid van zijn mobiele internetaanbod verlagen naar een 'marktconform' niveau van 256 kbps. Nu is dat nog maximaal 3600 kbps.

Volgens woordvoerster Nicole Tuts van het bedrijf geldt de verlaging alleen voor nieuwe klanten en voor abonnees die hun contract verlengen. Bestaande klanten houden de huidige snelheid. De prijs van het abonnement blijft gelijk.

Het bedrijf zegt dat de meeste klanten weinig of niets van de verlaging zullen merken, omdat ze mobiel internet alleen gebruiken om te surfen of hun e-mail te lezen. Dat kan bij de lagere snelheid ook prima. Volgens Tuts bieden Vodafones concurrenten vergelijkbare snelheden aan.

Source: Vodafone verlaagt snelheid mobiel internet

Very cool : Sprint: Plug into Now

This is a very cool site, developed by Sprint. It is sort of the ultimate widgets combined providing a realtime view on what’s happening : NOW …

Kudos to Ben ;-)

BlackBerry and Documents to Go

Dataviz has unveiled a new version of its Documents To Go suite for the BlackBerry which enables users to work with Microsoft Office files on their mobile handset.

Documents To Go Premium edition for BlackBerry is available immediately in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish versions, and supports the viewing, creating and editing of Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, including the newer Office 2007 file formats.

Source: http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2230003/blackberry-gets-documents

Viewing and editting Office 2007 documents on the road. Gets you thinking with all these “SaaS” Office solutions out there doesn’t it. The ability to send / receive documents, having them locally on your device to view / edit / present is a very strong and compelling solution. The power of software and the power of devices (even BlackBerry :-) ) …

iPhone drukt winst T-Mobile Nederland

Interessant die keerzijde van het succes, geen “win-win” situatie

De introductie van de iPhone heeft voor T-Mobile ook een keerzijde. Het telecombedrijf zag het aantal klanten groeien door de veelbesproken telefoon van Apple, maar moest ook meer geld uitgeven om klanten voor de telefoon binnen te halen.

Source: iPhone drukt winst T-Mobile Nederland

New Information Worker Toolkit

This is certainly my week when it comes to the replacement of my toolkit at work.

First I exchanged my smartphone (HTC S730) for the new and o so beautiful Palm Treo Pro . This is really an awesome and very easy to use device. I like it more than the HTC Diamond; all the fancy things don’t work for me somehow … (must be my age)

This is the first Smartphone with PPC I’ve had in a long time, so having a touchscreen again takes some getting used to.

I really like the fact that this phone has it all : 3G, Wifi, GPS you name it.

Palm in The Netherlands is now represented by NOW-Mobile.

 

The second üpgrade I received yesterday was my new Tablet PC, the Lenovo X61T. “Who says Windows Vista doesn’t perform ..? “:-)

It is a small formfactor relative to the 15,4 or 17” laptop but its just the right device for me. Small and super super fast.

Also I’m sticking to the TabletPC formfactor. I’m using a TabletPC formfactor for almost 5 years now I have gone very used to writing on my PC and avoiding printing in almost every situation.

I can’t wait to start dogfooding Windows 7 …

Think outside the (geo)box!

2 weken geleden presenteerde ik op het event Think outside the (geo)box! van GEO Business Nederland :

18 september 2008

Het RGI NedGEOS consortium, een samenwerking tussen universiteiten, kennisinstituten en GeoBusiness Nederland, nodigt u uit voor het seminar ‘Think outside the (geo)box! - Is de geo-sector klaar voor de toekomst?’

Het seminar vindt plaats op donderdag 18 september op de Uithof te Utrecht.

De dag begint met een aantal prikkelende presentaties die de traditionele geo-sector op zijn kop zetten. Welke ontwikkelingen en trends van buiten ons vakgebied komen op ons af en gaan de onderzoeksagenda voor onze sector mede bepalen? Kunnen we hier als geo-bedrijven en geo-onderzoeksinstellingen op inspelen of hebben we de boot al gemist?

 

 

En mijn presentatie :

Microsoft Think Outside The (Geo)Box 18 9 2008 Publish

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: web20 softwareplusservices)

Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Developer Preview

This has been 'hyped'  for quite some time. I will do an install asap and blog something about its functions ..

Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile is an application for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 PocketPCs and Smartphones that allows you to use your Windows Mobile device as a Bluetooth SideShow device. Installation instructions are below. This is a beta release.

... Windows® SideShow™ for Windows Mobile® is an application for Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6 Pocket PCs and Smartphones that allows you to use your Windows Mobile device as a Bluetooth SideShow-compatible device. This enables you to use your phone as an extra window into your PC. You can both access your computer’s information from your Pocket PC or Smartphone, and control the computer through a gadget interface. While the phone is out of range, or when your computer is off, you can continue to view content sent to the phone previously. This makes it easy to send information to the phone that you'll need later on.

The developer preview is an English-only release. ...

Source: MS Downloads

Computable: Coca-Cola lest mobiele dorst

Al eerder berichtte ik over een heel mooi project bij Coca Cola Enterprises waar Microsoft's produkten en diensten een belangrijke rol spelen. Computable heeft nu een NL versie gebpubliceerd.

Een heel mooi voorbeeld van een organisatie die stappen maakt door het implementeren van een up to date platform. Een platform dat geleverd wordt door meerdere leveranciers en dus ook een goede showcase is van interoperabiliteit en last but not least een voorbeeld is van Software + Services.

Coca Cola Enterprises komt van een Lotus Notes en Lotus SameTime platform.

...Coca-Cola Enterprises wil dat alle 75.000 werknemers in 2009 van de nieuwste samenwerkingstechnologieën gebruik maken. De frisdrankfabrikant migreert naar een nieuwe omgeving voor 'groupware en unified communications'.

Coca-Cola Enterprises haalde in 2007 een omzet van 20,9 miljard dollar. Er werken wereldwijd 73.000 mensen. Naast de productie en logistiek van Coca-Cola distribueert het concern andere dranken, zoals Dr. Pepper en Rock Star Energy-drink. "We werken samen met vijf strategische ict-leveranciers", zegt it-directeur Esat Sezer. Hij somt op: Cisco (netwerken spraak, data en video), IBM (hardware en databases), SAP (zakelijke applicaties), Motorola (draadloze apparatuur voor mobiele werknemers) en Microsoft (levert samen met Cisco unified communications en samenwerkingsoplossingen). ...

... Saas

De frisdrankgigant neemt van Microsoft allerlei Saas (Software as a Service)-oplossingen af. Sezer: "We nemen afscheid van de producten Lotus Notes en SameTime. Met Microsoft SaaS voorzien we onze mobiele werknemers van collaborationsoftware waarbij het netwerk van Cisco wordt gebruikt. Denk aan Office Live, Office Communicator, Outlook, SharePoint en Live Meeting voor audioconferencing." De it-directeur sluit niet uit tevens Microsoft CRM Live aan te schaffen. ...

Source: Coca-Cola lest mobiele dorst

Microsoft and RIM to Bring Windows Live Services to BlackBerry Smartphone Customers

This pressrelease was issued by Microsoft this morning. As this relates to to the Windows Live platform, it is primarily aimed at the consumer market.

More and more Microsoft announcement confirm a focus on support for platforms beyond Windows ...

... Microsoft Corp. and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced an agreement to provide Microsoft Windows Live services on BlackBerry^® smartphones. As a result of this collaboration, BlackBerry smartphone customers will enjoy easy mobile access to Windows Live Messenger and an enhanced level of integration between Windows Live Hotmail and the BlackBerry platform.

The integration of Windows Live services into the BlackBerry platform will allow customers who use Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger on their BlackBerry smartphone to benefit from the BlackBerry platform architecture with the ability to communicate in real time using push technology, and an exceptional mobile communications experience. Customers will also be able to seamlessly access their Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Live Messenger account from their BlackBerry smartphone by simply entering their Windows Live e-mail address and password once.

“The BlackBerry platform is respected around the world for providing optimized messaging capabilities, and RIM continues to look for ways to provide customers with a wide range of communications options and the best possible mobile experience,” said Mark Guibert, vice president, Corporate Marketing at RIM. “Our relationship with Microsoft and the addition of Windows Live services to BlackBerry smartphones help us build on that strategy for our customers.” ...

Source : Microsoft and RIM to Bring Windows Live Services to BlackBerry Smartphone Customers

Exchange 2007 and Windows Mobile 6.1 - applying security policies

Over on Jason Lanridge's blog he reports about some new features of Windows Mobile 6.1 in combination with Exchange 2007.

There's now the ability for the admin to manage bluetooth, the camera an the use of applications on the mobile device ...

Nuno has just written an article on the application of the new policies within Windows Mobile 6.1 and Exchange 2007 SP1.

Those policies allow you to do new things like disable the camera, switch on/off bluetooth and even control which applications a user can run.

You can read the blog article HERE

Source: Exchange 2007 and Windows Mobile 6.1 - applying security policies

Two cool Windows Mobile resources

Windows Mobile solutions for work and pleasure ...

...

While you're working:

• Windows Mobile Library. This technical library contains resources that can help you deploy and operate Windows Mobile powered devices.

While you're playing:

• The official Windows Mobile page on Facebook. Discuss, share photos, tell everyone on Facebook you're a Windows Mobile Fan!

...

Source: Windows Mobile Team Blog - Two cool Windows Mobile resources

Apple iPhone and Exchange ActiveSync

Endgadget reports live from the Live from Apple's iPhone SDK press conference

Picture say more than words ...

Flash-concurrent Silverlight op mobieltjes Nokia

Dit is een mooie deal voor het verkrijgen van installed base voor Silverlight ...

... Interactieve webapplicaties worden beter toegankelijk op smartphones van Nokia. Het bedrijf gaat Microsofts Silverlight-platform distribueren op miljoenen toestellen. ...

Source: Flash-concurrent Silverlight op mobieltjes Nokia

Microsoft mobility announcements

Microsoft Corp. and Cbeyond announced a new e-mail service, including support for mobile devices, that is now available as part of a communications package specifically targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). www.microsoft.com / www.cbeyond.com

Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of a technology preview for accessing MSN Direct content on Windows Mobile-based devices. www.microsoft.com

Microsoft Corp. announced that it is releasing a new version of its Windows Live Mobile Developer Program, enabling developers to create mobile versions of its popular Windows Live services that can be built for virtually any mobile phone independent of phone operating system. www.microsoft.com

Microsoft Corp. announced that Sony Ericsson will deliver a new Windows Mobile phone, the XPERIA X1, which blends mobile Web communication and multimedia entertainment, to meet consumer demand for a premium mobile experience for work and play. www.microsoft.com / www.sonyericsson.com

Source: Radicati.com

Mobile IM Adoption Forecast Europe: 2007 To 2013

Interesting statistic. 2013 is a long long time in the future I personally expect the mobile (what is the definition of mobile ?) share of IM to be either bigger than 24% or replaced by a new means of communication all together ...

European mobile operators are launching mobile IM services, with mixed results among the different operators. But by the end of 2013, as many as 24% of mobile consumers will be using mobile IM services. To achieve that number, mobile operators have to get over their fear of brand erosion and SMS revenue cannibalization. Product managers will need to work on device usability, enable SMS interoperability, provide flat-fee IM packages, and market IM services by using Social Computing energy. In the long run, IM and presence services will integrate better with handsets' native applications and other services.

Source: Mobile IM Adoption Forecast Europe: 2007 To 2013
"Niek van Veen"
Date Published: Fri, 18 Jan 2008

IDC: It’s iPhone Day… But Who Wants the iPhone?

Podcast by IDC on the reasons for using and TCO for the iPhone. Too much rational stuff for emaitional buyers :-) ?

IDC and Market Insight Corp. conducted a brief survey of online shoppers of mobile phones to determine consumer interest in the iPhone. Respondents were asked if, and why, they might purchase the iPhone, and how they might use it. According to IDC analysts Shiv Bakhshi and Chris Hazelton, the responses suggest that the cost of acquiring the device — including both the price of the device (sans mobile operator subsidy) and the potential cost of switching carriers — may be an issue.

Source: It’s iPhone Day… But Who Wants the iPhone?
Date Published: Fri, 29 Jun 2007

AppleInsider: Apple working on improved Exchange support for iPhone

Volker posted this piece of information about new developments on iPhone supporting Microsoft Exchange.

Apple is working on improving the iPhone's support of Microsoft's Exchange email platform, which could finally deliver true syncing capabilities, a new company job posting has revealed. The undated listing seeks a "motivated, highly-technical Exchange test/sync engineer with excellent problem solving and communication skills." ... Thus far, the iPhone's official ...

Source: AppleInsider: Apple working on improved Exchange support for iPhone
Volker Weber
Date Published: Thu, 13 Dec 2007

Forrester: The iPhone Is Not Meant For Enterprises

Sure, this is only a matter of time before (an update of) the iPhone will fix the arguments of not deploying this device in Enterprises. Nevertheless Forrester (as have others) put forward a number of arguments. Funny that the same "C-level" executives who have demanded "a BlackBerry" up'till now, are shifting to the iPhone .. what's next ...

A high volume of IT operations professionals have reached out to Forrester over the past few weeks asking if Apple's iPhone should be on their list of internally supported devices. Not surprisingly, they're being challenged by their users to support the iPhone so employees can have their corporate email on the same device that allows them to listen to their favorite tunes and watch the hottest YouTube clips. Unfortunately, there are some limitations with the first generation of the iPhone that should prevent it from being added to enterprises' white list. Here's a top 10 list of reasons why Forrester recommends that IT not support the iPhone and why we don't consider it an enterprise-class mobile device. Despite this, Forrester predicts that the iPhone will find its way into many enterprise environments — if it hasn't already — because C-level executives are buying them and expecting support from IT. It's only a matter of time before the iPhone filters down the corporate pyramid, and IT should have a strategy to handle these requests.

Source: The iPhone Is Not Meant For Enterprises
"Benjamin Gray"
Date Published: Wed, 12 Dec 2007 05:00:00 GMT

Consumers to drive enterprise mobility

Interesting, a consumerisation push ahead ? I can relate to the article that the gap between (old) technology used in companies today vs what is really the latest and greatest is becoming bigger and bigger ...

... Enterprises hoping to maintain tight control over future adoption of mobile technologies should open their minds and embrace the notion that consumer devices will continue to filter their way into the workplace, whether they like it or not, according to some wireless market experts.

Presenters at the Mobile Internet World conference in Boston said Thursday said that the "ship has sailed" when it comes to the continued encroachment of mobile systems designed for consumers in the workplace.

As workers get their hands on new mobile tools that offer them greater ability to integrate their jobs and personal lives, said the industry watchers, they will inevitably employ the systems they find most useful in both settings -- regardless of any corporate efforts to slow or block adoption -- said Zeus Kerravala, a Yankee Group analyst who oversees the firm's infrastructure research and consulting business.

Just as enterprise efforts to stop users from bringing consumer messaging and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications into the office have failed, and many firms have capitulated and allowed people to utilize the tools under certain guidelines, companies will have to allow mass-market mobile technologies to come in the door and try to dictate their use with strong policies, Kerravala said. ...

Consumers to drive enterprise mobility
Fri, 16 Nov 2007

Forrester: 'Overname Cognos is defensieve zet'

Computable haalt een interessante analyse van Forrester Reseach aan. Zowel IBM als SAP zijn reactief ten opzichte van de beweging die ondermeer Oracle en MIcrosoft hebben ingezet. Microsoft´s visie om BI een integraal onderdeel van haar platform te maken ("BI for the masses") slaat enorm aan ...

... De overnames van SAP en IBM, die respectievelijk de bi-leveranciers Business Objects en Cognos kochten, zijn defensieve zetten. Beide bedrijven roepen al jaren dat ze hun bi-portfolios organisch willen laten groeien. Dat zegt Forrester-analist Boris Evelson.

Aangezien SAP en IBM hun business intelligence portfolio's niet snel genoeg organisch kunnen laten groeien, moesten ze toegeven aan de druk van Oracle (met twee top bi-producten van Siebel en Hyperion op zak) en Microsoft (dat na de overname van Proclarity aardig aan kracht heeft gewonnen). De overnames van respectievelijk Business Objects en Cognos zijn hiervan het resultaat. ...

Source: Forrester: 'Overname Cognos is defensieve zet'
Date Published: Tue, 13 Nov 2007

AG: Google mikt op 'open' telefoon

 

... Google onthult binnen twee weken zijn strategie met betrekking tot mobiele telefoons. Kern daarvan is het mobiel beschikbaar maken van toepassingen en diensten op internetniveau. Het middel om dat te bereiken: het geheel openstellen van het mobiele platform voor softwareontwikkelaars. Dat meldt de Wall Street Journal op basis van gesprekken met niet bij name genoemde insiders.

Zelf zal Google nieuwe software en diensten introduceren voor gebruik op mobiele telefoons.

Naar verwachting zullen in ieder geval Google Maps, YouTube en het e-mailprogramma Gmail daar onderdeel van uitmaken.  Overigens bieden slimme telefoons die nu op de markt zijn ook al functies en diensten die Google denkt te brengen. Het meest onderscheidende element in Googles aanpak moet dan ook niet de software  worden, maar het openstellen van het platforms voor software van derden, melden de bronnen van de Wall Street Journal. Op die manier zouden op het mobiele-telefoonplatform van Google op het gebied van het diensten- en vermaakaanbod vergelijkbare ontwikkelingen in gang gezet moeten worden als momenteel op aan internet verbonden pc's plaatsvinden.  ...

Klinkt mooi, zo'n "open" telefoon, maar het is mij onduidelijk wat dit in de praktijk inhoudt. Natuurlijk ben ik bekend met Open Source, maar het lijkt me dat je toch wel een grens zou willen trekken op elementen waar het OS de hardware 'raakt'. Tenslotte is zo'n stuk hardware ontwikkeld om de functionaliteit in het OS te ondersteunen en omgekeerd. Doel van Google is uiteraard haar eigen portfolio en advertising te poorten naar dit kanaal. Ik ook ben heel benieuwd hoe open dit gaat worden en hoe dit bijvoorbeeld in de zakelijke markt opgepakt gaat worden. In dit (nog hypothetische) scenario is alles dynamisch en daarmee ook de support, het security model, etc ...

Source: Google mikt op 'open' telefoon
Author: Automatisering Gids
Date Published: Tue, 30 Oct 2007

Ericsson Develops Mobility Solution Using Microsoft Unified Communications Software

Next to Microsoft's own expansion in the enterprise, the eco system in mobilty and Unified Communications keeps growing :

... Q&A: Urban Gillstrom, president of Ericsson Enterprise, discusses why the company is taking advantage of Microsoft’s unified communications platform to increase enterprise productivity among mobile workers.

Microsoft introduced the future of business communications with the launch of Office Communications Server 2007. More than 50 partners announced services, products and devices that support and enhance Microsoft’s unified communications platform, including global telephony leader Ericsson. PressPass spoke with Urban Gillstrom, president of Ericsson Enterprise, to learn more about the company’s strategy for unified communications and the recently announced Ericsson Enterprise Mobility Gateway, which will be built on the VoIP call management in Office Communications Server and turn the everyday mobile phone into a complete enterprise communications device. ...

Source: Ericsson Develops Mobility Solution Using Microsoft Unified Communications Software
Author: Date Published: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 22:50:00 GMT

Microsoft Introduces New Technology and Collaboration to Accelerate Business Smartphone Adoption

Microsoft keeps adding compelling reasons to speed up the adoption of Windows Mobile powered devices in the enterprise :

... Company adds to world’s fastest-growing mobile operating system with first mobile management server, new service alliance to help meet expanding corporate smartphone needs.

Seeking to catalyze large-scale adoption of mobile smartphones by corporate customers, Microsoft Corp. CEO Steve Ballmer today unveiled several strategic offerings to help people and businesses better embrace mobile technology. The company announced its first dedicated mobile device management server and a strategic new business alliance to complement the growing success of the Microsoft Windows Mobile operating system and help more businesses take advantage of mobile solutions for their employees.

“People expect to be able to do more and more with their mobile phone,” Ballmer said in his keynote address today to the Cellular Technology Industry Association (CTIA) of America. “We’re building on our expertise across servers, operating systems and services to deliver Windows Mobile experiences that bridge the things people want to do at work and at home.”

Responding to customer needs beyond mobile e-mail and calendaring, Microsoft introduced the Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, a new mobile-dedicated server solution that helps companies manage Windows Mobile phones similar to Windows-based laptops and PCs. With Mobile Device Manager, companies can deliver new applications to phones over the air as well as connect people via Mobile VPN (virtual private network) with security-enhanced access to critical data such as expense reports or customer information.

To help more businesses purchase and manage mobile phone deployments, Microsoft announced a strategic alliance with Enterprise Mobile Inc., a new mobile enterprise service company created by Corporate Software founder and PC resale pioneer Mort Rosenthal. Enterprise Mobile will build, deploy and manage custom-made solutions that will work with a variety of mobile operators and phone manufacturers.

Microsoft, AT&T and Samsung also unveiled the Blackjack II, marking more than 30 Windows Mobile phones that have been announced this year. Available later this year exclusively through AT&T for as low as $149.99 (ERP), the Blackjack II is a new Windows Mobile 6 phone featuring GPS that will be updatable to support Mobile Device Manager. The AT&T Tilt and other Windows Mobile 6 smart devices to be introduced by AT&T later this year also will support Mobile Device Manager. Other recently launched phones in the U.S. are the HTC Advantage, Mogul by HTC, Touch by HTC, T-Mobile Wing, and from Verizon Wireless the Samsung SCH i760, Motorola Q Music 9m, SMT5800 and XV6800.

Windows Mobile is expected to be the fastest-growing mobile operating system over the next five years, according to the analyst firm IDC. ^...

Source: Microsoft Introduces New Technology and Collaboration to Accelerate Business Smartphone Adoption
Author: Date Published: Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:30:00 GMT

Greenpeace: "Apple iPhone is ouderwets vies"

"Green IT" lijkt een hot topic te worden ...

Greenpeace heeft de iPhone onderzocht en is tot de conclusie gekomen dat de populaire gadget van Apple vol giftige stoffen zit.

Source: Greenpeace: "Apple iPhone is ouderwets vies"
Author: Automatisering Gids
Date Published: Mon, 15 Oct 2007

AG: Push e-mail populair maar gebruikers toch ontevreden

Interessant onderzoekje in AG. Tevredenheid over push email ... hoe meet je dat ? Ik bedoel in relatie tot wat ?

Het werken met 2 devices is een veelgenoemde klacht. Inderdaad grappig, ik zie heel veel BalckBerry gebruikers inderdaad met 2 devices lopen ...

Uit het feit 1/3 andere oplossingen wil evalueren, maar dat de contractduur van de huidige dienst hen daarvan weerhoudt leid ik af dat BlackBerry gebruikers kijken naar andere opties, iets dat ik vaak bij onze klanten hoor ...

De meerderheid van de grootzakelijke ondernemingen maakt gebruik van push e-mail maar is er niet tevreden over. Dit blijkt uit onderzoek van Exitor, leverancier van onder meer push e-mail.

...

Minder dan de helft van de ondervraagden was 100 procent tevreden over push e-mail. De belangrijkste redenen zijn de hoge investerings- (een duur, vaak tweede apparaat) en gebruikskosten (vooral in het buitenland). Andere redenen voor ontevredenheid zijn de compatibiliteit met andere applicaties en de veiligheid. Opmerkelijk is dat een derde van de mensen die wel tevreden waren toch toegaf andere oplossingen te willen evalueren maar dat de contractduur van de dienst hen daarvan weerhoudt.

De helft van de push e-mailafnemers gebruikt de BlackBerry. Op de tweede plaats komt Windows Mobile met 19,6 procent en als derde de combinatie van de twee met 12,5 procent. (Wilberd Gijzel) ...

Push e-mail populair maar gebruikers toch ontevreden
Automatisering Gids
Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:00:00 GMT

Office Communicator Mobile 2007

What I think is a great asset at Microsoft, is the fact that when new Server Products in the Information Worker space are released, mobility is an integral part of the solution. It is there for Microsoft Exchange 2007, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and ofcourse also for Office Communications Server 2007 ...

Meet Office Communicator Mobile 2007 :

• Office Communicator Mobile (2007 Release)
  Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile is a unified communications client for Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. Communicator Mobile runs on Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 or 6.0 software for Pocket PC and smartphone devices.
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Frequently Asked Questions
  The Communicator Mobile Frequently Asked Questions document provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about Communicator Mobile (2007 release).
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Planning and Deployment Guide
  The Communicator Mobile Planning and Deployment Guide describes server and client requirements and procedures for installing Communicator Mobile.
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Quick Reference Card - Installation and Configuration
  The Communicator Mobile Quick Reference Card for Installation and Configuration describes the minimum tools and procedures required to install and configure Communicator Mobile (2007 release).
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Quick Reference Card - Instant Messaging (IM) and Presence
  The Communicator Mobile Quick Reference Card for Instant Messaging (IM) and Presence describes the most commonly used Communicator Mobile (2007 release) features.
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Release Notes
  The Communicator Mobile release notes document describes known issues about Communicator Mobile (2007 release) and suggested resolutions.
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) Troubleshooting Guide
  The Communicator Mobile Troubleshooting Guide describes the resolutions to issues that some users of Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile encounter under particular circumstances.
  
• Communicator Mobile (2007 Release) User's Guide
  The Communicator Mobile User's Guide describes how to use Communicator Mobile (2007 release) features.

Forrester: Mobile Evolution: Moving Toward An All-Wireless Enterprise

Mobile and wireless strategy and policies becoming a critical priority for some 15% of the organsiations surveyed ...

... Enterprise mobility is an area of much interest and great uncertainty. Thirty-two percent of enterprise respondents to Forrester's Business Data Services Enterprise Network And Telecommunications Survey, North America And Europe, Q1 2007 cite "mobile and wireless strategy and policies" as a priority, with an additional 15% noting that it is a critical priority for their business. As the technologies that make up the mobile infrastructure continue to evolve and the infrastructure itself takes on more moving parts, identifying strategic technologies and avoiding missteps is becoming increasingly difficult. Here we address IT and network operations managers' top questions about what technologies to evaluate and consider in pursuit of providing ubiquitous mobility. ...

Source: Mobile Evolution: Moving Toward An All-Wireless Enterprise
Author: "Chris Silva"
Date originally published: Wed, 19 Sep 2007 04:00:00 GMT

E-mail outage hits some BlackBerry users (AP)

AP - A software glitch shut down e-mail service for some BlackBerry users Friday, and delays were still being felt hours after the problem was fixed.

Source : E-mail outage hits some BlackBerry users (AP)
Date : Sat, 08 Sep 2007 02:29:56 GMT

Gartner: Expect an enterprise iPhone

I've seen these speculations before that Apple's iPhone may support Exchange ActiveSync in the future.

It's a cool device without a doubt, but I don't yet see the benefits of this formfactor as a business device (heavy email usage for example) 

View is very Microsoft Exchange centric... I have no problems with that :-) ...

Analyst firm suggathests that Apple might add enterprise devices or applications to make phone more adaptable, secure.

...

Gartner previously dismissed the idea of iPhones becoming business tools, but the analyst group seems to be warming to the possibility.

"I would expect Apple in the future might see some potential in the enterprise market and maybe have devices for enterprise users, or maybe just add to their phone some of the features which would make the device more reasonable for an enterprise deployment," said Monica Basso, research director at Gartner. "Certainly the support for (the Microsoft synchronization program) ActiveSync is one of these, (as is) independence from the carrier."

Basso said that enterprises' need for flexibility meant different back-end servers would need to be supported, and suggested that a licensing of Microsoft's mobile-synchronization software would make the iPhone more attractive to businesses using the company's Exchange Server messaging software.

"The Exchange e-mail server is the market leader...I would expect in the future it might happen that we see Apple licensing the ActiveSync software to support direct push on their phones, as Nokia and other manufacturers have done," Basso said in an interview on Tuesday. "It is not impossible despite the fact that Apple and Microsoft don't look like partners. There would be some mutual benefits for both of them."...

Source: Gartner: Expect an enterprise iPhone
Author: Date originally published: Tue, 04 Sep 2007 16:47:00 GMT

Gerucht: Microsoft jaagt op Blackberry

 Computable komt vandaag met dit berichtje.

Uiteraard ben ik niet op de hoogte van mogelijke overnamen door Microsoft, maar ik kan me niet voorstellen waarom Microsoft deze overname zou overwegen.

De mobiele propositie van Microsoft is absoluut geijkwaardig aan die van RIM en het winnen van marktaandeel is slechts een kwestie van tijd.

BalckBerry is propriatary technologie, geen Windows Mobile.

Feit is wel dat Microsoft meer dan ooit op overnamepad is ...

Nou ja we zullen maar afwachten ...

Het aandeel van Blackberry-fabrikant Research in Motion zit in de lift na geruchten dat Microsoft het bedrijf op de korrel zou hebben. Beide bedrijven onthouden zich van commentaar.

De recente stijging van de RIM-aandelen wordt door beursanalisten toegeschreven aan speculatie over een mogelijke overname van het Canadese bedrijf door softwaregigant Microsoft, schrijft persbureau Reuters. Aanleiding voor de vermeende jacht van Microsoft op RIM zijn de plannen van Google voor het op de markt brengen van een eigen telefoon.

De overnamegeruchten stuwden de aandelenprijs gisteren op tot een nieuw hoogtepunt van bijna 83 dollar aan de beurs in New York. Het is niet voor het eerst dat beurshandelaren speculeren op de overname van RIM door Microsoft. Beide partijen weigerden een toelichting te geven op de geruchten.

Source: Gerucht: Microsoft jaagt op Blackberry
Author: Date originally published: Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:38:18 GMT

Official Windows Mobile 6 release for the HTC S620

This week HTC Europe released the official Windows Mobile 6 release for the HTC S620. I have been running a beta version for quite some time, but now everyone can upgrade. And let me tell you ... its worth the wait of their slow FTP server ;-)

8/28/2007

Windows Mobile^® 6 upgrade

By upgrading your HTC device to Windows Mobile^® 6 you'll be able to take advantage of the new and improved features that will help you do more when you're on the move.

With Windows Mobile^® 6 you can:

• Stay connected to your e-mail, calendar, and contacts. 
• Find what you need quickly and easily including business listings, maps and directions with Windows Mobile's powerful search and filtering features.
• Get access to corporate networks for data and documents stored on file shares and SharePoint sites.
• Fit your style with a variety of designs ranging from touch screen devices with slide out keyboards to sleek full-keyboard smartphones or compact flip phones.
• Now receive HTML e-mail support, improved security and encryption, greater integration with Microsoft products including direct SharePoint^® intranet access from e-mail links and superior connectivity to Windows Vista^™.

Download : http://member.htc.com/member/DownloadList.aspx

WebEx blog: The Psychology of the Mobile Workforce

Over on the WebEx blog (yes the Office LiveMeeting competitor) I came across a blogpost which referred to an interesting study on the Psychology of the Mobile Workforce. The study is commissioned by Cisco, but that doesn't make it any less interesting :-) ...

... An interesting study commissioned by our parent company, Cisco, takes a look at the psychology of the mobile worker.  The study was actually done in parts of Europe, Africa and Latin America, but the results can surely be interpreted globally. 

It is of course especially important considering the forecast from IDC that shows that mobile workers will account for a full one quarter of the world’s working population by 2009 – just around the corner.

The study, entitled “Understanding and Managing the Mobile Workforce” points to the importance of recruiting the right kinds of personalities, managing them appropriately, and providing them with the best communication resources. Under and over communication can both have a negative impact, mismanagement in general being a major threat to worker productivity and job satisfaction. ...

Source: The Psychology of the Mobile Workforce
Author: CSmith
Date originally published: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:04:19 GMT

Windows Mobile 6: The Better Choice

This paper provides you with a comprehensive overview of Windows Mobile 6 :

Windows Mobile 6

Delivering Great Performance and Value for IT Professionals

With a host of new features and enhancements, Windows Mobile® 6 helps your organization extend prior investments in Microsoft® software, infrastructure, and training. Windows Mobile 6 provides enhanced value for IT professionals in several key areas, including messaging and collaboration, infrastructure interoperability, security features, and platform development.

Download : Windows Mobile 6 paper

Mr. Mobile: Accessing Sharepoint from a Mobile device?

 Jason Langridge gives a short overview of mobile access to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007. Just to be clear on that, its avaible today and is standard in SharePoint, no additional hw/sw required ...

I've had a couple of customers come to me with questions around accessing Sharepoint from a Mobile Device.

Firstly there are two different types of access:

1) Mobile Document Access - this is where you use Exchange 2007 to pass through your request for a specific document to Sharepoint and then provide the document to you without having to VPN into the Corporate Network.  This requires Exchange 2007 and you have to enable the Sharepoint sites that you wish to access on your Client Access Server (Front End).  This solution allows someone outside the corporate network to access a link to a document they have been sent in email without the need for a VPN. 

2) Direct Sharepoint Access - It still scares me that so few customers are aware of the Mobile rendered versions of Sharepoint sites in Sharepoint 2007..... if you go to any Sharepoint site and add a /m to the address (eg. sharepoint.contoso.com/m) it will provide a Mobile friendly Sharepoint site.  You can't post documents but you can browse in a considerably lower bandwidth environment.   

The second issue I've seen is where customers are using protected sites so when you access a Sharepoint site using a PC you get prompted for credentials.  When you then try and access from a Windows mobile device you won't get prompted.

This is because Windows Integrated Authentication is enabled. To prompt for credentials you can disable Windows Integrated Authentication.

[Central Admin]->[Application]->[Authentication Provider]->[Default]->Set Off for “Windows Integrated Authentication” and Set On for “Basic Authentication”.

Source: Accessing Sharepoint from a Mobile device?
Author: jasonlan
Date originally published: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 09:20:24 GMT

Nokia faciliteert Windows Live op zijn smartphones

2e Nokia / Microsoft gerelateerde nieuwtje deze week. Belangrijke samenwerking, Nokia had ook voor Google's spullen kunnen kiezen ... 

Nokia heeft afgesproken om in 11 landen, waaronder Nederland, de Windows Live-webapplicaties van Microsoft te gaan aanbieden op haar mobiele telefoons.

Source: Nokia faciliteert Windows Live op zijn smartphones
Author: Automatisering Gids
Date originally published: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:57:00 GMT

Nokia Introduces Mail for Exchange 2.0

 I didn't know Nokia had such a product ... and now version 2.0 ...

... Nokia's popular Mail for Exchange application, which offers connectivity to Microsoft Exchange servers to some of its Symbian OS/S60 devices, has been updated to version 2.0. ...

Source: Nokia Introduces Mail for Exchange 2.0
Originally published on Mon, 20 Aug 2007 22:30:00 GMT by info@brighthand.com