Hi Iain, I agree on your points: - a matter of screensize: (how much scrolling do you accept compared to "fits all on the screen" on a monitor, or can you read micro-fonts) - a matter of data volume: as I commented on the blog about "new databses", there may be a workaround to offload data to some local intermediate storage. - a matter of "how to key your data in" Let me illustrate it: would someone prefer to work on a desk the size of 50 * 50 cm if he can have a large one to do the day-to-day job?

Mobile applications can be an excellent solution for mobile propblems. But please let's not convert all full blown desktop applications to mobile application. It may be nice to buy a car insurance using your mobile device, but we should not force the back office team of the insurance company to do their work on smartphone eight hour per day!

Although I did recently use my smartphone to RDP to our server, in order to RDP to a customer's server in order to do an install overnight. It would have been easier to boot up the laptop and do it from there, but I was having fun seeing what I could do from a phone... Question, when is a mobile device NOT a mobile device? A smartphone or other small form factor device, probably is. But if it's got a bluetooth keyboard, and a display adaptor for your TV? Is a laptop mobile when talking about mobile apps? What about an ipad or windows tablet (particularly the one with the clicky attachment keyboard)?

Sometimes I even wonder if my smartphone is a mobile device, since battery seems to be empty most of the time. Something that needs to be on a charger most of the time isn't very mobile.

Latest news is that RIM has set for unveil of BlackBerry 10 on January 30th, the company disclosed another of their prized products – the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10. This new characteristic packed product is RIM’s enterprise mobility management solution. This new service assists in device management, mobile apps management and the security of the BlackBerry Smartphone’s. Now the BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 can offer support to Android and iOS devices. An only console is used to manage even multiple devices. The BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 permits an organization to manage their apps without having to do it manually every time for every device. It can be used for several purposes with different devices. It can easily manage both, the corporate-owned and personally-owned device on any platform, hence providing complete control of all devices. The BlackBerry Balance technology enables safe separation of work and personal applications and data. Key Features for BlackBerry 10 Smartphone’s with BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10: · Uses the BlackBerry Balance technology for secure separation of work and personal applications. · Support for seamless and secure access to work email, content and secure connectivity to “behind the firewall” applications and data. · A dedicated app store for corporate apps - BlackBerry World for Work, which can help manage apps used by the employees. Administrators can use this to install mandatory apps on all devices. · An intuitive enterprise enrollment process for employees that offers a self-service console, and centralized control of assignable profiles. · Rich management controls for securing and managing work profiles including hierarchical group management with Active Directory integration support for customizable administrative roles with granular capabilities. While business analysts claim it to be an optimal solution because of its less cost of ownership in an organization, the users appear to be quite satisfied with the manageability and simple to use UI. The active customers would get a free license trade up program at http://blackBerry.com/licensetradeup, which is valid till December 31, 2013 while new users can avail the limited 60 days free trial. RIM appears to be improving their products to match the race. Their current activities such as the Port-a-thons are directed at getting the developers as well as clients interested in their products.