Palm Enterprise Applications (Wiley Tech Brief S.) - Softcover

Rischpater, Ray

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471393797 ISBN 13: 9780471393795

Verlag: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2000

Inhaltsangabe

Prepare for the next generation of Palm Enterprise Applications and discover how they'll impact a business. Palm enterprise applications are developing at a rapid rate. Not only are special versions of the Palm being designed for the enterprise space, but Palm is also producing a line of enterprise market related products. With the dramatic increase in corporate use of Palm enterprise applications, this book should becomes a necessity for anyone who needs to understand the technology and how it will impact their business on a daily basis. It provides an overview of personal digital technologies, a brief history of Palm computing, descriptions of the products and services available, and examples of different Palm Enterprise Applications available. Readers will also gain a glimpse at where the technology is headed

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

RAY RISCHPATER is a freelance consultant and writer. He has written extensively for such publications as Handheld Systems, CQ VHF, and Apple's Develop. Rischpater is also the author of Wireless Web Development and the coauthor of Advanced Palm Programming: Professional Developer's Guide (Wiley). Previously, he worked with Fortune 500 companies developing handheld applications, as well as contributing to the first handheld Web browser for both the Newton and Magic Cap platforms.

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Chapter 1: The Palm Computing Platform

The mobile computing paradigm is poised to revolutionize business. Today's handheld computers bring data from the point of origin through the corporate network to the point of use. One mobile computing platform, the Palm Computing platform, is the undisputed leader. Developed by Palm, Inc., the Palm Computing platform powers over 6 million handheld computers from several hardware manufacturers. Used by professionals in all industries, the Palm Computing platform provides mobile workers with instant access to corporate data.

In this chapter, I'll show you what makes the Palm Computing platform different from what has come before, and why it deserves a place in your enterprise. I'll start by explaining why mobile computers are relevant to your business, whether you're working in a Fortune 500 company or your garage. After reviewing the Palm Computing platform's capabilities, I'll recap the history of handheld computing in the enterprise, and then look at the Palm Computing platform in detail. Finally, I'll close with a discussion of the three most important things the Palm Computing platform can bring to your business.

The Case for Palm Computing

Traditionally, portable computing-even "mobile computing"-has really meant using a laptop computer someplace other than in your office. Many professionals now use a laptop computer regularly in locations outside their office, such as in a lab, at a client's office, or in the field. For most users, this is an awkward proposition at best. Laptops are bulky, expensive, powerhungry beasts that impose the desktop mindset (posture, keyboard, mouse, screen, and applications) on a mobile user. The vision of the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is what mobile computing is truly about. With a PDA, your information is in the palm of your hand. This appliance is small, easy to operate, and relatively inexpensive (in comparison to laptop or desktop computers).

The current trend in computing economics-Moore's Law-is that a computer's processing power is becoming smaller and cheaper over time. Named after Gordon Moore, this law isn't a law in the traditional sense, but an observation that has held true for over forty years in the electronics industry: computing capacities per unit dollar double every eighteen months.

This trend has driven a high adoption rate for end-user computing in the enterprise. The ongoing revolution in electronics makes the vision of the PDA reality. As you read this, this trend is continuing, bringing computing power from the enterprise desktop to the enterprise worker in the field.

The Palm Computing Platform

The Palm Computing device is a humble thing. It is simple. In today's world of "gigathings" (multi-gigabyte drives, near-gigahertz clock speeds, and hundreds of megabytes of memory) it appears downright primitive...

Small, with one of the slowest CPUs on the handheld computing market and a meager handful of megabytes of memory, this puny device has won the hearts and minds of millions of users. Just how can that be?

Palm Devices Are Simple

Central to the philosophy of Palm Computing is simplicity. Users find Palm devices easy to operate and understand. These applications are designed from the ground up to be useful for mobile users, making access to information quick and convenient.

How the Palm Computing platform helps you keep your schedule provides an excellent example. Figure 1.1 shows a screen from a Palm Computing device viewing a daily calendar. Both screens resemble familiar tools like a day planner, but Palm Computing doesn't embellish these with confusing nonsense or frills that interfere with what you're trying to accomplish.

This simplicity is pervasive throughout the Palm Computing applications from both Palm, Inc. and the third-party manufacturers and developers that have made the platform a success.

The device is not only simple, but makes managing information simple. Whether on the go or at your computer, accessing or editing information is easy. The Palm Computing platform brought true data synchronization to the handheld market (more about that in the section "History," later in the chapter). A person's contact information on your desktop computer is on your handheld; it's as simple as that. When information changes, all you need to do is drop your device in a cradle and push a button.

Synchronization on the Palm Computing platform is unprecedented in its simplicity. As a process, you simply drop your Palm in its cradle, which is connected to your desktop PC, and push the button on the cradle. Behind the scenes, your Palm device and desktop computer synchronize data in all its databases, making sure both the Palm device and computer have identical copies of all information. Throughout this book, I'll refer to this process as synchronization, although, as you'll see, you can also synchronize via modem, Ethernet, and even wirelessly.

This simplicity translates to ease-of-use in the enterprise. Unlike many hand-held devices, training costs are lower, because new users learn how to use the device and its applications quickly. The applications are easy to use, the interface intuitive, and operations simple. In fact, while all devices and applications come with manuals, few are read, because users can quickly intuit how things work. This ease of use and ease of access fosters a positive relationship between the device and users, making new users eager to use the device and easing adoption in many environments.

Palm Devices Are Portable

For a portable computer to be truly useful, it must be convenient to carry and use while mobile. While this may seem obvious, almost every mobile computing manufacturer has forgotten this at one point or another. You need only heft a full laptop case or attempt to use your laptop standing up to realize this.

Unlike traditional mobile computers--laptops, clamshell devices, or slates--Palm Computing devices are so portable their users often wear them. While for some, this conjures up images of MIT students wearing elaborate heads-up displays and handheld keyboards, the fact is that most Palm Computing users carry their devices everywhere, in purses, pockets, belts, or briefcases.

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: John Wiley & Sons Inc
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2000
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0471393797
• ISBN 13: 9780471393795
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 208
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar