A company called LightSquared has invested billions of dollars in building a national network of satellites and tens of thousands of antennas that could make broadband Internet access available anywhere. They’ve also upset the National Agricultural Aviation Association, the Department of Homeland Security, GPS manufacturers, and every soccer mom with a Garmin. READ MORE
Whether it’s a stand-alone unit or built into a smartphone, GPS navigation can be a reliable tool to help get from point A to point B without getting lost. For a mobile businessperson, a GPS unit could mean the difference between getting to an important meeting on time or sauntering in 30 minutes late and blowing the deal before you shake hands. Many of us already know the advantage GPS technology brings: voice and visual turn-by-turn instructions, built-in maps for all of North America, and the ability to immediately get you back on track towards your destination in case you veer off-course. But what you might not appreciate are the millions of “points of interest” (POIs) (pronounced “poys,” which rhymes with “boys”), which includes access to surrounding establishments such as restaurants, hotels, bank machines, gas stations, and the like. Every GPS offers these POIs, regardless of the manufacturer and model. Not just for consumers POIs can help a mobile worker find relevant locations with the push of a button. “GPS points of interest have long allowed drivers to more easily navigate to their favorite restaurants or shopping outlets, but now POIs are becoming increasingly valuable for business use,” says Tom Murray, vice president of market development for TomTom, the maker of GPS navigation systems. Say, for example, the client you’re entertaining says she has a hankering for Thai food for your lunch meeting. Many GPS units not only show nearby eateries but they’re often broken down into nationality or food type (such as vegetarian). Carly Baltes, spokesperson for Garmin International, another GPS manufacturer, says POIs can help cut travel time and save your business money. “Our devices come preloaded with more than six million points of interest, so whether a user is looking for the closest gas station, a new restaurant downtown or an airport in another city, our hefty POI database… helps drivers reach their destination effortlessly,” she says. Nathan Dyer, senior analyst for enterprise mobility at the Boston, Mass.-based Yankee Group, says POIs can also help provide a level of familiarity and comfort for the traveler. “The business traveler might feel isolated from the new city they’re in world, but smartphones and GPS devices can help limit that feeling,” says Dyer. “Location-based services can help you plan itineraries, get from one meeting to another, find your favorite coffee shop or look up the address of an old friend — basically making you feel connected to the world while in a new environment.” Advanced features GPS unit manufacturers are taking POIs one step further by letting you customize and share relevant points of interest. “TomTom’s proprietary Map Share feature empowers drivers to create their own customized POIs dedicated to everything from a business partner’s headquarters to the site of an upcoming industry tradeshow,” explains Murray. “In fact, Map Share lets road warriors generate POIs and make them available to others online via TomTom Home. This ability to share customized POIs with colleagues is tremendously valuable when many workers need to reach the same destination.” On a related note, Garmin offers something called “POI Loader.” “This free software for your computer allows users to update their compatible Garmin device with the latest restaurants, retail outlets and more, plus users can also configure proximity alerts that will provide visual and audio alerts when you’re within a certain distance of a POI,” says Baltes. Business opportunities, too On the flipside, POIs can also help a budding business to become “seen” by millions of GPS units. “So long as you proactively and dynamically maintain a relationship with POI data owners, and update your info often, you can take advantage of GPS technology to help your business,” says Carmi Levy of AR Communications, a Toronto technology marketing communications firm. “Creating a POI for your business makes it easier to connect with people who are in your neighborhood and can take advantage of your services or products,” Levy says. “Basically, the more you can communicate with people nearby the more likely they’ll come to your store.”
Briefcase road warriors are on the rise. Business travel volume went up more than four percent in 2004 and is expected to rise quickly over the next few years, according to a survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association of America. The report found that roughly three out of four of these travelers believed that using the latest technology was more efficient than physically traveling, but only one out of three believed remote meetings were more effective than face-to-face correspondence. The wisest business people combine personal meetings with the latest technology. And there are many new and affordable ways to facilitate a constant connection to your clients. Files from afar Assuming your laptop isn’t your main computer, carrying it abroad can be a hassle. Necessary files must be transferred from the desktop computer to the laptop. Furthermore, after returning home, new files must be transferred back to the primary computer. The process increases the chances of mistakes, such as deleting a perfectly good file or having duplicate documents. A growing alternative is using remote computer access, which allows you to use any computer to reach necessary files on the office desktop or laptop. The documents can be edited and moved just as they could at the office. The method also can be used to access your files from home. There are several remote computer access services including Go To My PC, Symantec PCAnywhere, and LapLink. Getting lost Washington D.C., Tokyo, and other world capitals were given winding, labyrinthine roads to help prevent invaders. Even a seasoned traveler needs more than a map to get to his or her location quickly and safely. Once limited to high-end cars, GPS, or global positioning systems, are now available as handheld directional devices. The GPS uses an always-on satellite to track your position, find your desired location and give directions on how to get there. Many show maps that rival Google, Yahoo! and other PC services. For instance, the Mio H610 Personal GPS, due out November 2006, sees your location and suggests restaurants, bathrooms and other necessities. It can be set to walking directions or writing directions. Other similar devices are offered by Garmin, and Magellan. Getting the message It is important to keep tabs on home while garnering new business abroad and, today, many cell phones can be used worldwide. An international phone must be multi-band, meaning that it is compatible with the different cell phone systems in each country. Your cell phone provider can recommend a multi-band phone or tell you if you currently have one. Light international traveling may just require renting a phone for the trip. Cellular Abroad and other services allow you to order a phone before traveling and use it for the duration of the trip. A last simple option is using a callback service likeGlobal Phone. The company will connect you to the desired number after going through their operating system, but at a much cheaper cost.
Beyond budget, it’s usually the biggest decision you’ll need to make when buying a personal digital assistant for your business: should you use the Palm operating system or the Windows-based Pocket PC technology? “While they’re similar devices to a degree these days, it boils down to what you want out of a PDA and how easily it’ll plug into business needs,” says analyst Michael Gartenberg, of New York-based Jupiter Research. “On one hand, Pocket PC is very compatible with [Microsoft] Outlook and Exchange, but the Palm OS tends to be simpler and more user-friendly.” Before deciding which PDA system to deploy at your company, another factor to consider is “what the third-party application support is for each platform and how it relates to your business,” says Bob O’Donnell, IDC’s Program VP for Clients and Displays. This common operating system debate has grown a bit more complicated for a few reasons. Palm now gives its customers the choice of operating system for their signature device — the Treo. Microsoft, which now refers to its software as Windows Mobile, offers two versions: one for Pocket PC-based PDAs with a touch-screen interface and another for button-based smartphones, such as the Motorola Q. It doesn’t need to be confusing, however, if you consider both the Palm and Pocket PC each has its share of pros and cons. The following provides a brief look at what these are for both PDA types: Why buy a Palm OS device? With ten years of experience under its belt, not only has Palm created a time-tested operating system, but along with this comes a dedicated community of developers. In fact, those who use one of the many Palm OS-based PDAs can choose from more than 28,000 downloadable programs for their handheld device. And many prefer the Palm for its clean and simple (and thus intuitive) icon-based interface. “Palm has a legacy of applications available for it, and for many users, the graffiti interface is an easy way for them to enter data,” says O’Donnell. Palm OS-based digital assistants are also ideal for those businesses on a tight budget since you can pick up one, such as the palm Z22, for less than $100. If you want more features, consider the Palm TE2 ($199) with Bluetooth and an expandable SecureDigital (SD) memory slot. The Palm TX ($299) offers both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. For $399, the Palm LifeDrive includes a 4GB hard drive, integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Finally, the Palm Treo 650 or 700, which is also a cell phone, can be found for $199 to $499, depending on the carrier and length of commitment. You can tell which operating system is used by the product name: the Palm Treo 700p uses the Palm OS, while the 700w uses the — you guessed it — Windows Mobile v.5.0 platform. Why buy a Pocket PC device? Pocket PC-based products are ideal for business for several reasons. Windows Mobile 5.0 devices communicate directly with Microsoft Exchange Server and Small Business Server, so businesses can use Outlook Mobile — without requiring the management of an additional e-mail server and related costs (thus saving money and time). Plus, what this means for Pocket PCs with phone functionality, is BlackBerry-like “push e-mail,” so messages are sent to the portable device as soon as they’re received instead of having to log onto the Net to “pull” them down. As with other Windows Mobile-based devices, this push e-mail solution enables compatible devices to connect directly with Microsoft Exchange Server and Small Business Server. Microsoft’s Direct Push Technology also gives customers up-to-the-minute access to all of their Outlook information, such as e-mail, calendar, contacts and tasks. “For the same reason the BlackBerry is so successful, people want access to e-mail at any time, without booting their PC,” says ‘O’Donnell. “It’s a huge benefit for the business.” Pocket PCs sync well with desktop PCs running Windows XP. The look and feel of the Windows-based PDA will be familiar to PC Windows users. For the most part, Pocket PCs are also more powerful than their Palm OS counterparts. This extra computing power is perfect for multimedia, such as digital audio, photos, video and Web surfing via Pocket Internet Explorer. “While the Palm OS tends to be simpler and easier to use, Pocket PCs offer more functionality, and as a result, they’re more capable machines,” says Gartenberg. While generally pricier than Palm OS-based PDAs (Pocket PCs start at about $200 for an entry-level model), Pocket PC machines come from more vendors, namely: Asus, Casio, Dell, Garmin, Gateway, HP, Toshiba, and ViewSonic.
Spoils Admit it: you already think that as personal transportation goes, a Hummer is a little overeager. And you haven’t even seen Tim Hildabrand’s yet. Hildabrand’s four-door, open-top Hummer (Is it a car? Is it a truck? Is it NORAD?) is, shall we say, accessorized. “This is the ultimate vehicle for accessories,” says the 42-year-old founder of New Dimensions Ltd., in Santa Clara, Calif. New Dimensions sells car parts, which explains at least part of Hildabrand’s obsession. And we weren’t aiming to explain the rest — we just wanted to look inside his cab. Among the highlights: A Garmin GPS III Plus ($400), hooked to a laptop with street atlas software and an external antenna. “You type in an address, and — boom — it tells you how to get where you want to go,” Hildabrand says. A $400 Valentine One radar detector. An Audiovox mobile phone ($150) and Audiovox Hands Free Kit ($199), which he secures to the car’s dashboard with an HR Auto-Comfort bracket ($30). The Hummer also sports a Larsen Kulglass external antenna ($40) — separate from the one for the GPS — “that boosts your reception while in the car.” Hildabrand admits that his setup trades safety for productivity. “Right now there are more distractions in cars than ever,” he says. “People are watching screens, pushing buttons, and running off the road.” Of course, running off the road is the point of a Hummer. But even Hildabrand would prefer not to hit anything on the way. The Inc Life The Adrenaline Junkie and You Sleep, the Final Frontier Hoop Dreams Tom Ritchey’s Garage Making the Travelers’ Century Club, Times Two Frank Tucker’s Downtime Club Fed This is Not Your Father’s Hummer The Suitable Throne Please e-mail your comments to editors@inc.com.
