Rugged and Mobile Trends for 2012 – 8. Android Takes Over!

18 01 2012
Android is now a player in the Rugged Market

Android is now a player in the Rugged Market

We’ve already seen Android take the smart phone world by storm, with Android now outselling even iPhone in that market (although I didn’t see anyone using a non iPhone or Blackberry handset on my recent trip to the USA…funny??)

Anyway what is clear is that Android has got a few things right and we’re now seeing the first Android Rugged PDA’s hit the market in earnest. 

Android still has a long way to go in our view in becoming a true line of business OS, but if your business has the expertise and support then it becomes a real contender to the 99% Microsoft environment we have had in the rugged market for years.

With Pidion and Motorola now having devices running the open source OS and rumours about many others including Trimble, and Honeywell there is no doubt that the rugged hardware manufacturers are just starting to take Android seriously, whilst the nature of the cloud way we develop solutions will look for cheaper, more agnostic and open handsets too.

2012 will be a landmark year for Rugged android Hardware which will see it get through a lot of its teething problems and become a new choice when selecting hardware.

 www.ruggedandmobile.com


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Rugged and Mobile Trends for 2012 – 7. Cloud Services Take Off

17 01 2012
More Rugged and Mobile Solutions will move into the Cloud

More Rugged and Mobile Solutions will move into the Cloud

Trend 7 in our Rugged and Mobile trends for 2012 looks at the software and solutions world.  We’re seeing a lot of change in this area and are still trying to work out an ever-changing environment and demand for solutions.

With 4G (See last post) set to launch on 2012, applications will become more connected by nature anyway, but as we saw in the broadband and general IP market, as speeds increase the shift back to thin client computing will increase giving rise to all manner of cloud based services taking over from the traditional Handset based Windows Mobile written solutions.

Other pressures that will create more demand for cloud based services are the continued down pressure from smaller businesses with less money, businesses that simply do not have the IT or solutions expertise will be able to compte better by buying an off the shelf cloud based service.  However larger companies who have recognised that they need to fall back on something more bespoke can still do so by tailoring and using cloud solution API’s (Which all cloud solutions should have to be called cloud) along with a some extra tinkering from the vendor.

We also think that the adoption of Android in our market will drive a market where development expertise is now starting to become fragmented.  We’re already seeing demand for Android in the Rugged Market with sure footed Linux/Unix based businesses wanting devices that run a more familiar platform for them.

I think we’ll see a major shift to cloud based services in the rugged market this year and all I will say is watch this space!

www.ruggedandmobile.com


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Rugged and Mobile Trends for 2012 – 6. 4G and increased Data Speed

16 01 2012
4G Pilotsand aluanches in 2012

4G Pilotsand aluanches in 2012

Quick one this morning!

Continuing our top 10 rugged and mobile trends for 2012, with 4G being piloted already and officially launched in 2012 this will not only bring better speeds to the mobile networks but a more secure and robust technology too and we’re all going to lap it up, soaking it into new super data driven solutions!

OK, so we’re a little slower in the Rugged Handheld market than the crazy smartphone one but I think as 4G becomes the norm everywhere we’ll see the first 4G equipment arrive this year in our market.  This will not only drive more connected, data driven, on demand solutions for businesses but it will allow for a better connected solution too which will bring a lot of opportunities to solutions providers and businesses alike.

www.ruggedandmobile.com


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Rugged and Mobile Trends for 2012 – 5. Bell Curves flatten, choice becomes infinite!

13 01 2012
Rugged Market Bell Curves will flatten

Rugged Market Bell Curves will flatten

We’ve seen bell curves flatten in most markets, non less than in music and the car sector and I think we’ll see an acceleration of devices hit the rugged Market in 2012.  We already have 3 or 4 new manufacturers per week contact us about selling their wares and we’ve seen so many rugged Handhelds and barcode scanners hit the market in the past 12 months and this trend will rise as the East sees opportunity in the West and as new opportunities open up for new products that fit needs more specifically.

I think larger companies are going to have to accept less, because the wealth will be shared between more devices on offer, customers will need good resellers who can steer them through the choice and hopefully have tested and be able to advise on most devices and resellers will adopt some new strategies which will align them ever more closer to their customers in the quest for service differentiation and complexity simplification.

2012 will see a plethora of new Rugged devices hit the market but it will also be key for customers to see a genuine, transparent and knowledgable guidance through the ever increasing choice or Rugged Kit they see.

www.ruggedandmobile.com


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Rugged and Mobile Trends for 2012 – 4. Rugged Expertise, Passion and Service Required!

12 01 2012
Rugged PDA Repair - When it all goes wrong it's essential to have the right service in place

Rugged PDA Repair - When it all goes wrong it's essential to have the right service in place

We’re seeing gap re-open in the field but it’s not going to be filled with technology, but service, knowledge and expertise will be key.  The rugged Market serves the line of business customers who know how important their mobile, data capture solutions are to their business.  These custoemrs will seek out the resellers who not only show they have what it takes on paper, but also can continually deminstrate their value.

Exeprtise must be freely given, Service must be at the core of everything you do and customers will expect more and more but will reward dedicated resellers who put the clients business and services first.

The harwdare is almost becoming the element that is replaceable, after all with bell curves flattening out in all markets as an endless stream of alternative devices hit the market it will force customers to choose the right provider and everything else will fall in to place.

www.ruggedandmobile.com


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