B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

Wireless Technologies 373
to information, or simply enhancing communication throughout the
enterprise.
Several key questions are immediately evident:
• What are the specific goals of mobilization?
• Which business processes are candidates for mobilization?
• Who in the company will take ownership of the initiative?
• Is there support from upper management?
Essential questions for implementing B2B mobile models
As always, when focusing further on a new technology, pertinent
questions start to surface. Any company implementing B2B mobile
models should consider the following questions:
1. How well do the bundled applications work in a small handheld form
factor? If the handheld is too hard to use or if the applications are
difficult to see on a small screen, the device may look useful in a
demonstration but will fail in regular everyday use.
2. Has the battery life been sacrificed for extra features? Battery power
is a vital factor and any device that offers unnecessary applications
will require the user to carry additional batteries or be tied to a
power outlet, directly impacting mobility. Note that in remote areas
there may be only limited access to batteries and recharging facilities.
3. Are users willing to pay for bundled features they may not need?
According to the detractors of Microsft's PocketPC, users are given
little choice in this matter.
4. Will the operating system appeal to developers? Earlier versions of
Windows CE (Compact Edition) encountered problems in this area,
and without a large community of developers creating new
applications, Windows CE became a metaphorical 'island in a stream'.
5. Are expansion options available for the handheld? For example, Palm
users can choose multiple expansion technologies, enabling over
500 expansion options, with more on the way every day.
This debate between suppliers of operating systems and various
vendors illustrates just one of the many issues corporate IT departments
need to grapple with in implementing mobile business solutions. Gaining