There has been much discussion regarding the growth of mobile devices and mobile computing and the effect these technologies will have on how we work. To understand the effect of mobile devices it is important to understand the state of the technology and the implications the current technology has on how we will work over the next few years.
What we see happening:
Most likely, over the next few years, mobile computing will remain a large niche market. The most popular applications for mobile computing will continue to grow, including traditional cell phone use, sending and receiving voice and short character based messages, using mobile devices to manage schedules, accesses tables (e.g. address books, tax tables), and checking in and checking out goods and people. With the small or limited keyboard, small display screen, and slow communication speeds it is highly unlikely people will give up their full size computer and work full time from a mobile device or surf the web using a mobile device. Most likely the Internet will be used as a central technology to integrate mobile devices. For short, time sensitive messages a web site can be configured to send a mobile user a message based on an event e.g. a stock reaching a specific number, a product being shipped from a warehouse, a patients vital signs reaching a specific point, or a product price reaching a specific point. The mobile receiver can instantaneously act on this information sending buy or sell messages back through the Internet. It is unlikely that you will see people surf the Internet and buying products using their mobile device the way they currently use a standard computer.
