Originally Posted by Kevin Beck, Workforce Anywhere
In previous posts we’ve written a lot about how Windows 8 will bring a new user interface to PC and mobile device users. But Windows 8 also introduces many features designed to help IT professionals better manage and protect their enterprise information. One of the more interesting tools IT industry watchers are talking about in this area is Windows To Go. Read more
When modern workers move from smartphone to desk phone to IM to email to conferencing—and from desktop to laptop to tablet and back to smartphone again—the conversation can get a bit muddled. But since each medium offers unique capabilities and strengths, none is likely to disappear in the short term. And the BYOD trend—whether contained, discouraged, or cultivated in your organization—surely adds more complexity. Read more
There are at least two sides to every story, right? In the tale of the rise of the tablet, there are end-users on one side, just trying to get their work done or have some fun. On the other side: IT, the boardroom, and anyone else concerned with securing enterprise assets—notably, networks and data.
While the saga unfolds, and while you make decisions about how your organization will respond, here are five trends, issues or predictions you’ll want to keep an eye on. Read more
A recent IDC survey revealed that the majority of enterprises, across most global industry segments, are embracing tablets and mobile devices as a way to augment and improve their employees’ productivity.
The IDC Mobile Benchmark Study reveals what enterprises are thinking and doing about mobile device policies, tablet adoption, and the costs and practices involved with developing apps for them. Read more
Originally Posted by Doug Drinkwater, TabTimes
The bring-your-own device (BYOD) trend has been seen by many as another way in which enterprises can use tablets and smartphones while cutting costs, but a new report has cast doubt over that theory, while also suggesting tablets could one day replace laptops.
Mobile expense management company Xigo commissioned telecom industry association CCMI to carry out the study, which found that only 9% of businesses have been able to cut expenditure by deploying some kind of BYOD program.
Another 67% saw no difference with expenditure, while 24% somehow saw an increase in spending after putting a BYOD plan in place. More than half of enterprises (60%) are still in charge of purchasing, managing and securing smartphones and tablets for their employees, while also paying the monthly network fees.
The fact that tablet adoption is on the rise may seem like old news to the tech-savvy, but the fact that the market has grown at such a rapid pace is still somewhat surprising as compared with the adoption rate of other technologies. We thought it might be interesting to take a quick look at how tablet adoption is expected to impact different workplace-related industry segments. Read more
Originally posted by Todd R. Weiss, computerworld.com
The rapid-fire spread of mobile devices being used by enterprise employees can be a huge boon for businesses in productivity and customer service gains, but those advantages don’t come without a price.
The inherent flexibility and freedom to get business done anywhere, anytime, also makes it much harder to maintain the security and control of corporate data when employees are accessing and storing business information on their smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. And the rush of new devices never seems to end, making it hard to stay out in front of innovations.
Enterprises must plan now for the mobile devices of the future that they don’t even know of yet,” says Kevin Benedict, principal analyst at Netcentric Strategies LLC in Boise, Idaho. “So you build an infrastructure that says it doesn’t care what devices are on the end of it and you have a framework that you just plug into.”
Getting there isn’t easy, however. One approach that can make implementing a mobile workforce easier — or at least consistent — is through mobile device management (MDM) strategies that can help enterprises address all related mobile issues in a top-to-bottom approach.
Among the challenges that an MDM strategy can help with: Which mobile devices to support, whether to allow employees to choose and bring their own devices into work, and how to handle security for mobile devices, including whether to have remote data wiping capabilities for lost or stolen devices.
