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Editorial
(October
28, 2001)
From
Publisher and Managing Editor's
Desk...
Fall Comdex as a Showcase for
Mobile/Wireless Technology
In the past, Fall Comdex was the show
where new innovative technologies in the computer industry were
showcased. In fact, vendors furiously work to demonstrate their hot
new products at this show. This year, with September 11, 2001 events
still in our minds, it was not business as usual. Crowds were
thinner and vendors were not encroaching upon each other's space on
the floor. With almost two weeks over, it is time to make some
comments on the Fall Comdex In Las Vegas this year.
- Comdex & Wireless -
While most marketing communications leaders agree that the Fall
Comdex is undoubtedly the most important event in information
technology arena, it is still not considered the most popular
show in wireless and mobile computing. Comdex's eMobility event
is gaining ground and acceptance but it still is considered
IT-oriented. Wireless IT show by CTIA held during September
every year and telecommunications shows like SuperComm attract
more attention among wireless and mobile computing vendors and
professionals, it appears. Unfortunately, wireless and
telecommunications vendors feel uncomfortable in IT surroundings
and do not get same undivided attention at Comdex. If consumer
devices is your main focus, you go to CES show in Las Vegas in
January. Nonetheless, Comdex is where the IT professionals try
to go the most and it really is a good venue to make an impact
among IT decision-makers.
- Devices - There were a
number of handheld devices like Handspring's Treo and Nokia's
9290 that were making a point of convergence of PDA and
phone-based devices. Pocket PC was trying to make a different
point - that compatibility with various incarnations of
Microsoft Windows OSes is still important. We are left with the
impression that Nokia, Handspring and Palm are still going after
the consumer and the business professional. These devices are
not headed towards the enterprise except for e-mail and
voice-mail communications. Any meaningful enterprise application
(we mean operational business application) demands to show a
fair bit of data on the screen and requires a reasonable amount
of input which none of these devices support. Second comment on
devices is that handheld devices are still evolving and are
still not mature. IT professionals should allow for thorough
testing, some heartburns and sell patience to their user
population. We are on the first phase of the adoption curve and
maturization cycle. You can review the experiences of David
Berlind on ZDNet site to get his perspective when he tried to
use these devices with present day network infrastructure - not
very pretty.
- Telematics - We are
impressed with DaimlerChrysler's experiment with InfoFueling -
"Fillerup with wireless Data". This is a concept
that combines Telematics and wireless LAN integration, using gas
station as a hot spot. The DriveBy InfoFuelling system involves
sending data (e.g. road maps, directions, music or video)
without actually stopping and getting out of the car. Data is
transferred as cars pass by this info kiosk (a transceiver site,
some e-commerce application software and content). The hot spot
that DaimlerChrysler showed was based on 802.11a standard that
allows 54 Mbps wireless LAN speed - future speeds at 100 Mbps
can be supported at slightly reduced distances from the kiosk.
Please review our proposal in our editorial
of August 2001 to get our views on this type of technology.
We want to applaud DaimlerChrysler for this technology
initiative and we think this should move at highway speed in due
course, if not fly.
- Bluetooth - Cambridge
Silicon Radio made some announcements that are indicating a
trend towards lower Bluetooth chip costs and this technology
supporting 80.11b and 802.11a standards in a complimenting and
supporting role. We have come to the conclusion that Bluetooth
is getting some bite and will start showing up in new products
in 2002 onwards.
- Wireless Networks - Comdex
is the wrong spot to make wireless wide area network
announcements. Wireless LANs do show up at Comdex and are now
gaining ground as components of integrated wireless LAN/WAN
networks in a small but gradually-increasing way. Of course,
eMobility conference sessions gave realistic assessment of
migration towards 2.5G and 3G networks. GPRS seems to be winning
as an interim standard with both Verizon, AT&T and Cingular
pushing their initiatives to boost up the network capacity and
speed. Other providers like Bell Mobility in Canada are pursuing
1xRTT CDMA path. We welcome this competition and dual network
approach. GSM/GPRS strategy is more pragmatic and affordable for
most network providers who can utilize within existing spectrum
licenses. 1xRTT CDMA is more efficient network technology from
spectrum utilization perspective but would cost more.
- MobileIP - Mobile IP
(version 6) where you can take your IP address with you wherever
you go has an Interesting future but a lot has still to be done
by the industry before enterprises and carriers can start
implementing it. We do not agree with Amin of AT& T that is
about 2 years away. We also do not agree that 3G will be
implemented with Mobile IPv6. IPv6 will take longer than that in
fixed line environment. o how can wireless networks be ahead of
it. Therefore, enterprise network designers need not worry about
MobileIP during the next twelve months. However, wireless
network providers need to start thinking and do careful planning
to set themselves up for it in future. You can do your long term
planning without it.
- Wireless Security: It did
get enough attention at the Fall Comdex and rightly so. Go to Kelly
McCoulf's coverage of this topic at key3media site.
For your comments, click
here.
Chander
Dhawan - Your Site's Principal Consultant and Publisher
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