Time waits for no one, especially in the fast-paced global marketplace where important transactions are made by the second. Mobile phones have been the best thing for business, making the entire world accessible anytime and anywhere.
Business professionals are always searching for new ways to gain the much-needed competitive edge in today's world of commerce, says Eric Anderbjörk, Senior Sales Manager, Nokia Enterprise Solutions Middle East and Africa.
"In parallel, the world is also witnessing technological breakthroughs at a rapid pace, and businesses are heavily investing in technology to enhance their productivity. Mobile telephony has managed to provide appropriate solutions to those two realities combined, as businesses today are increasingly becoming mobile and business executives are spending more time away from their office desks," he says.
Smartphones that integrate features and functionalities of both mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are gaining popularity especially among business users in the region and across the globe. In fact, with the integration of computing functions, their need will increase manifold.
According to a report by JupiterResearch, a division of the Jupitermedia Corporation, consumers prefer to carry a single integrated device compared to several devices. The report forecasted that smartphones would grow at an annual rate of 28 per cent through 2009, accounting for 9.3 per cent of handsets sold in 2009.
Third Generation (3G) wireless services, which will be part of the mainstream soon, will also enable high-speed internet access, data transfer and other multimedia capabilities, including video streaming and video calls on mobile phones. This will definitely open a world of possibilities in terms of business applications.
Broadband speed
According to C.H. Lee, President, LG Electronics Gulf FZE, "HSDPA (high speed downlink packet access) is the next step in the evolution of GSM. It will bring broadband speeds to mobile networks. It is the only 3G technology offering simultaneous voice and high-speed data connections that will enable us to provide a host of innovative multimedia services for consumers and businesses.
"The expectation in the industry is that all 3G W-CDMA operators will adopt HSDPA and HSUPA because of the high value it provides for end users at a marginal incremental cost. The high download speeds offered by HSDPA will greatly enhance a wide range of mobile services, from Web browsing to video downloads."
As this technology continues to evolve, mobile phone manufacturers are also creating handsets with features and solutions that appeal to business users. "Phones that support push e-mail and Wi-Fi and have large memory storage, megapixel cameras, Arabisation and PC sync, TV-out, business card scanners and document viewers, are popular with business users in the UAE," says Sandeep Saighal, Sr. Manager Sales and Marketing, Telecommunication Division, Samsung Gulf Electronics.
"In addition to standard features on smartphones, such as push e-mail capability and the ability to browse and edit different types of files formats on a handset, we're also seeing innovations that are driven by the business user," says Harout Bedrossian, Product Marketing Manager, Motorola (Middle East, Africa, Turkey).
Motorola's latest and most advanced smartphone has features that ensure high productivity. It has a clamshell design and a clear flip-cover that allows users to view messages and personal data without lifting the cover. Other features include a high-resolution, two-megapixel camera, built-in FM radio and an enhanced Real Media player. An interesting feature that will appeal to business users is the business card scanning features.
"The MOTOMING A1200, enables the user to store a range of key contacts without having to manually add them. Using the Linux operating system for its smartphones, including this model, protects our users from handset viruses," says Bedrossian. The phone is in line with the company's commitment to seamless mobility and providing a mobile office allowing consumers to connect with any device wherever they are.
Nokia also has cutting-edge devices and solutions that suit the needs of businesspeople on the move in its Eseries range (E70, E61, E60, and E50). "These devices improve productivity and ensure greater team collaboration and faster responsiveness, thanks to a multitude of features, with associated advanced technology including 3G, advanced voice features, and push e-mail, which supports a multitude of mobile business e-mail solutions, such as Nokia Intellisync Mobile Suite, BlackBerry Connect and GoodLink," says Anderbjörk.
Nokia E60, E61 and E70 include a variety of GSM frequencies and 3G (WCDMA) cellular network support for seamless roaming across different countries, as well as a range of local connectivity options such as WLAN, Bluetooth and Infrared and are USB 2.0 compatible.
Business-efficient features
Nokia's Eseries devices offer several business-efficient features. With the Avaya one-X Mobile Edition application, businesses can combine their employees' fixed-lines with their mobile phones, and communication costs are reduced with mobile ‘least-cost' routing.
Nokia also provides Intellisync's Wireless E-mail solution that connects the Eseries devices to popular mail servers virtually everywhere. For instance, the E61 device supports various corporate mobile e-mail solutions, such as BlackBerry Connect and Seven Always-On Mail. The Eseries phones are equipped with a Symbian operating system, which allows for extensive connectivity options, to stay connected on the move.
"A businessperson can receive a slide show presentation, edit it and send it back to coworkers, all while waiting for the elevator before going for lunch, with a high-performance device such as the E61," says Anderbjörk.
Samsung also has phones for executives on the move, says Saighal. The I300, Samsung's first smartphone with a built-in 3GB HDD, has features such as GSM tri-band, GPRS (Class 10), 1.3-megapixel built-in camera, Windows Mobile for Smartphone Edition, a music player that supports multiple formats, video playback, recording and messaging, jog disc navigation, independent voice recognition, instant messaging, a micro SD memory expansion slot and a Bluetooth stereo, among other features.
Samsung's I750 is a PDA that comes with features, including a business card scanner and Wi-Fi, GSM/GPRS/Edge, 65K touch-screen TFT LCD (2.4-inch QVGA), Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition, PIM/e-mail client/Outlook sync, a document viewer, smart dialer, speakerphone, two-megapixel camera, Bluetooth stereo and TV-out support (PAL/NTSC). A QWERTY smartphone I320 comes with a 1.3-megapixel camera and has full Arabisation and Web surfing features. It also has a multi document viewer, one-click attachment viewer, GSM/ GPRS/Edge support, PIM/MS push e-mail, music player, Bluetooth stereo and printing support, among a host of other features.
Sony Ericsson is another brand that has phones aimed at the business user. The P990, Wi-Fi-enabled UMTS smartphone, offers features including push e-mail, video calling, high bandwidth multimedia downloads and the ability to browse the Internet with full HTML pages. It also has a business card scanner and a two-megapixel digital camera with autofocus and video.
Another phone that will appeal to an executive on the move is Sony Ericsson's M600, an UMTS-enabled device that offers push e-mail, internet access and document viewing features.
BlackBerry arrives
Business users also have the option of using the widely popular BlackBerry. Etisalat and Rim (Research in Motion) have jointly launched the widely accepted and popular BlackBerry wireless platform in the UAE. Etisalat has also tied up with Emitac Mobile Solutions, a Dubai-based mobile systems integrator and provider of wireless handheld business solutions, to help them deliver, support and sell in the UAE.
Etisalat will initially offer BlackBerry's 8700g and the 7290 handsets. These devices will offer support for e-mail, phone, SMS, internet, organiser and corporate data applications. The quad band devices will operate on Etisalat's GSM/GPRS network, with more than 100 global roaming relationships in 40 countries.
In a press release marking the launch, Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat, said, "Results from the pilot testing show that the market in the UAE is ready for BlackBerry.
"We are confident that the BlackBerry solution we offer - handheld devices, software, wireless services and on-site professional services - will all be embraced by the corporate and technology markets. BlackBerry from Etisalat will address the serious business needs of the UAE's high-powered and very mobile corporate workforce."
