workday

Editor's Corner

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 20:01:40 -0400

I received a press release this morning about wireless operators offering child-tracking capabilities via the mobile phone. For example, the second largest mobile operator, Verizon Wireless, offers Chaperone, which uses GPS capabilities to alert parents as to their child's location. Disney Mobile is right behind, readying to launch a similar service and Sprint Nextel has already put a personal tracking service on the product list.

The thing is, none of these services are really new. Big corporations have been using very similar GPS technologies for years to track product through development cycles, mobile employees on the road, the location of service trucks and actual worker productivity to ensure that every minute of the workday is being used for work.

What is new is that corporate enterprise computing is finding its way into the everyday life of the consumer. And yes, who doesn't want to know where their child is when they're out of sight? Yet, on the other hand, such technologies can have a boomerang impact--it can erode trust and it can undercut personal responsibility achievements, in both the work and the family scenario.

I know I don't want to be tracked like a piece of inventory moving through a warehouse, and I don't think my oldest daughter would want me to tag and track her every movement through her phone.

The idea of not having to learn personal responsibility and some of the hard lessons that come with making judgment mistakes is a bit scary in terms of a person's development. It's a slippery slope that I really hope we all take it very slowly. -Judy

How to get the wireless service users need

Sun, 21 May 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Keeping up with what telcom vendors are offering--whether it's new devices for the mobile road warrior or new features and functionalities through service plans--is a big task for today's tech leaders. And the advancements in networks is making the job harder every day. Here's a detailed look at where 3G technology is today, what the various vendors are pushing out, and what they're offering in terms of plans and pricing.

It's a great easy way to get a good look at the wireless mobility options for your users and determine which is the most economical and productive, option for your enterprise. The emerging services will prove useful to business professionals whose workday requires a steady and secure connection to data and messaging applications. Article

Editor's Corner

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 20:01:40 -0400

Ever since the dawn of the beeper device, which lets people communicate wherever and whenever, I've had the sneaking suspicion that ubiquitous access was not far off. The emerging communications technologies we all use today in our very mobile lives prove the point. While we can still claim the cell phone was off, the beeper was off or IM was turned off, there will soon come a day when there won't be any excuse for not answering a message or returning a call as the person reaching out will know exactly where we were and what we were doing.

It's called "presence technology," and it's bringing us all closer to the Big Brother syndrome, but this time on the workplace rather than government level. Once companies move to a unified messaging platform the capabilities to know exactly what an employee is doing at any time no matter where they are could very easily become reality. And while I can see the business benefits to having such access and information, I can also see the danger point of losing privacy during our workday.

As a recent article at CIO Insight points out, there is a lot of discussion and planning about expectations and employee education head before the next wave of communications hits the enterprise. - Judy

Editor's Corner

Sun, 08 Jan 2006 19:01:40 -0500

What's most interesting to me is the demand for such services during food break time. I mean, aren't we connected enough at this point? The daily commute is now work time thanks to phones and car PCs, while home networks let us catch up or get ahead at night or on weekends. Now grabbing a cup of coffee and chatting with a colleague is quickly changing into just another work space, and what was once considered a break from the work grind is going away.

I'm not a sociologist, but I think we all need to take a break during the workday. I used to enjoy sitting and actually talking to another person for 15 minutes, hopefully about something other than work. Now I fear I'll soon be sitting among others who are either talking into headsets, typing onto keyboards or accessing email on handhelds during the walk to the nearest Starbucks. Sure wireless technologies are clearly a big boon for business, but there's cause to wonder about the impact to social human development and interaction. - Judy