Mobile Computing: The Web Via My Handheld
Increasingly, I find myself relying less and less on my trusty laptop for routine info lookup or to respond to rapid-fire emails, due in whole to the acquisition of a new Treo. This lighter, faster, more nimble feeling has lasted well beyond the honeymoon phase of a new gadget purchase. I am convinced that handheld computing will become a very real business channel over the next few years.
Consider for a moment the things you do online regularly: search for information, look up phone numbers, maps and addresses, banking, shopping, FedEx tracking, and perhaps even blogging. Yes, you may spend time playing games or just plain surfing, but increasingly we are moving real life-management tasks online from medical claims to bill-pay.
One appeal of handheld computing is that it finally offers the flexibility to perform life-management tasks in the pockets of downtime that we would prefer to put to good use. Waiting in line at the DMV - log into bill pay and send off that cell phone payment, order flowers for grandma and double check that the client received their FedEx package today.
Companies who have invested significant resources in functional web tools to help customers find information, make purchases or perform self-service tasks are wise to start looking at handheld computing as a serious opportunity. The trend toward wireless devices with Internet browsing eliminate the need for installing software and can instead leverage existing web functionality within a more handheld sensitive user interface (bandwidth, graphics, layout, script).
Companies can use the handheld medium to reach out to consumers with practical, useful living tools that generate appreciation, loyalty and even love.
Handheld computing is more fluid, more spontaneous, more impulsive.
On the train, I can immediately surf to the URL on the poster that catches my eye. In the airport I can snag the white paper that I am reading about in my trade magazine. After work, I can look up a great cocktail place near the restaurant I am headed to.
Aren't ideas for using mobile computing just buzzing around your head right now?
There are plenty of handheld friendly sites for technocrats, but I am interested in finding handheld-friendly sites for life management. Hey, if T.G.I. Fridays can feed the wireless user, and Dollar Rent A Car lets them create or modify reservations then surely there are other inspiring uses of handheld computing out there.
On my practical wishlist: UPS tracking, eBay auction monitoring, quick shopping for peapod and borders (for pickups), various takeout joints and banking.
On my practical/useful list:
Blogger Mobile
TVGuide
MSN Mobile
FedEx Mobile
American Airlines To Go
Amazon
What's on your list? What's on your wish list?
Consider for a moment the things you do online regularly: search for information, look up phone numbers, maps and addresses, banking, shopping, FedEx tracking, and perhaps even blogging. Yes, you may spend time playing games or just plain surfing, but increasingly we are moving real life-management tasks online from medical claims to bill-pay.
One appeal of handheld computing is that it finally offers the flexibility to perform life-management tasks in the pockets of downtime that we would prefer to put to good use. Waiting in line at the DMV - log into bill pay and send off that cell phone payment, order flowers for grandma and double check that the client received their FedEx package today.
Companies who have invested significant resources in functional web tools to help customers find information, make purchases or perform self-service tasks are wise to start looking at handheld computing as a serious opportunity. The trend toward wireless devices with Internet browsing eliminate the need for installing software and can instead leverage existing web functionality within a more handheld sensitive user interface (bandwidth, graphics, layout, script).
Companies can use the handheld medium to reach out to consumers with practical, useful living tools that generate appreciation, loyalty and even love.
Handheld computing is more fluid, more spontaneous, more impulsive.
On the train, I can immediately surf to the URL on the poster that catches my eye. In the airport I can snag the white paper that I am reading about in my trade magazine. After work, I can look up a great cocktail place near the restaurant I am headed to.
Aren't ideas for using mobile computing just buzzing around your head right now?
There are plenty of handheld friendly sites for technocrats, but I am interested in finding handheld-friendly sites for life management. Hey, if T.G.I. Fridays can feed the wireless user, and Dollar Rent A Car lets them create or modify reservations then surely there are other inspiring uses of handheld computing out there.
On my practical wishlist: UPS tracking, eBay auction monitoring, quick shopping for peapod and borders (for pickups), various takeout joints and banking.
On my practical/useful list:
Blogger Mobile
TVGuide
MSN Mobile
FedEx Mobile
American Airlines To Go
Amazon
What's on your list? What's on your wish list?
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