Mobile computing remains a relatively new technology, and thus is not widely available and affordable to all businesses. Australian telecommunications companies such as Telstra and Optus are introducing devices such as Blackberry and Bluetooth into the market, as advances in software and hardware continue. Companies such as Microsoft and Intel must continually work to improve and develop the technologies available to ensure the financial investment made by companies is considered to be beneficial, and will outweigh any risk. Mobile computing is still undergoing rapid development, with new products appearing regularly. To ensure businesses are getting the most for their financial investment, the developers and connection providers must continue to provide cost effective options for the early adopters of this technology.
It is recognised that the initial outlay for mobile computing technology is significant, however Egan (2003) asserts that the return on investment (ROI) will be seen in the short term, particularly through increased efficiency. Mobile computing allows users to be productive for a greater period of time during the working week, particularly for those on the move. “For better or worse, the days of being tethered to your desk by cables and cords are gone. Mobile devices ranging from smart phones and PDAs to wireless enabled laptops are changing the way the world works.� Mobile technology is still relatively new, however a survey conducted by Optimize magazine indicated that nearly two-thirds of 100 business-technology professionals questioned say that mobile technology has had a positive impact on their business, inspiring innovation or the improved exchange of ideas (Ewalt, 2004).
Douglas Dedo of the Microsoft Corporation asserts that the total cost of ownership (TCO), when done early in the development process will see benefits of lower expansion costs, reduced error rates, lower employee costs and increased employee retention. Mobile computers offer many new options, however there are difficulties to consider. Generally, wireless laptops cost 50% to 100% more than their desktop counterparts. Laptops are also harder to upgrade most proprietary hardware components that limit future options (McKimmy, 2003). The cost of setup for mobile computing varies depending on the number of employees, and the hardware required. The maintenance of these systems remains a concern for early adopters, as does security. Service providers must work to overcome these problems, and have priced systems and services to accommodate the needs of the range of mobile users. For this reason, Telstra charge only for the data sent and received, rather than the time spent dialed in. Intel suggest that the start-up costs for wireless local area networks (WLANs) can be a little as $US20,000 for a small business (32 users), up to over $US400,000 for a larger corporation (800 users).
The initial investment in this technology remains risky, as the market is rapidly changing and improving. Devices such as PDAs, smart phones and wireless laptops, along with the necessary peripherals should be easily upgraded to ensure businesses can remain current and effective. Further adoption of mobile computing should see the initial cost of investment for businesses fall, as the products become readily available and widely used.
Dedo, D. 2001. Windows Mobile: Mobile Devices in the Enterprise http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/business/whitepapers/devicesinenterprise.mspx (accessed August 11, 2004).
Dedo, D. 2004. The Return on Your Mobility Investment: Microsoft Corporation http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/a/5/1a572c42-10b5-469d-9acb-cedd2e634985/MobileDevices_ROI.doc (accessed August 11, 2004).
Egan, B. 2003. Mobile Competency: Making the Case for Wireless Mobility Investment http://download.microsoft.com/download/1/a/5/1a572c42_10b5-469d-9acb-cedd2eb (accessed August 11, 2004 from ProQuest: multiple databases).
Ewalt, D.M. 2004 Behind the Numbers: The Pros and Cons of Wireless Connectivity. Informationweek.com http://web6.epnet.com.gateway.library.qut.edu.au/externalframe.asp? (accessed August 11, 2004).
Intel Information Technology White Papers. 2003. Deploying Wireless LANs. One size does not fit all. http://www.intel.com/business/bss/infrastructure/wireless/deployment/ deploy_wlan.pdf (accessed September 9, 2004).
Emma Hanson 08:34, 29 Oct 2004 (EST)
