Info on Wireless Knowledge as promised. This QCOM/MSFT JV is targeted at the B2B segment, vs. INSP's B2C focus. WK is signing up the telcos left, right and center as well.
WR webite for more info: wirelessknowledge.com
The Company
Formed in November 1998 and based in San Diego, California, Wireless Knowledge LLC is a joint venture between Microsoft© and QUALCOMM©. Leveraging the collaborative computing and operating system expertise of Microsoft, along with the wireless technology leadership of QUALCOMM, Wireless Knowledge has developed core technology in enabling wireless access to the enterprise environment. The company's mission is to empower business users with personally relevant critical information. Wireless Knowledge delivers compelling wireless applications and services that enable business users to access corporate email, calendar and contacts over any wireless network from any Internet-ready device. The company's products, tools and services rapidly deliver wireless vertical and horizontal applications for corporations, carriers and dot-coms. Offerings include intranet, Web and customer enterprise applications. In addition, the professional services group offers expert application development, network and system engineering, and wireless integration services.
The Market for Wireless Data
According to Gartner Group, the wireless data market is poised for explosive growth and is expected to increase from three million subscribers in 1999 to 36 million subscribers in 2003. This growth addresses the needs of mobile workers to remotely access their critical corporate information such as email, calendar and contacts anytime, anywhere. While wireless data access is common in some vertical markets, wireless data for the business professional has only recently emerged as a viable offering. Cahners In-Stat Group estimates that the number of wireless data users within the enterprise segment will grow to nearly nine million in 2003. Several factors have contributed to the emergence of this market including a growing mobile workforce, improved Internet appliances, data-capable wireless networks and the prevalent use of collaborative applications. These factors are discussed below.
Growing Mobile Workforce. Currently, there are 45 million mobile professionals and the number is growing to an anticipated 67 million by 2002 (Seybold's Outlook). Mobile professionals are defined as employees that are away from the office 20 percent of the time. In addition, mobile workers comprise not only those professionals that travel around the nation or globe, but those that travel within their community, or simply between buildings and meeting rooms. All these mobile workers are inconvenienced when they lose access to their primary desktop ergo their corporate intranet. Whether mobile workers are across the building or across the world they need remote access to critical information including email, calendar and contacts.
Internet Appliances. Appliance manufacturers are meeting the needs of this mobile workforce with feature-rich, Internet-ready PDAs and handsets with browsers. The PDA's and wireless phones introduced over the next few years will have more processing power and larger, denser displays to support wireless data. According to IDC, by 2003, there will be more than 300 million PDAs and more than two billion consumer electronic devices (wireless phones, pages and set-top boxes). By 2004, 70 percent of new wireless phones and 40 percent of new PDAs will use wireless technology for direct access to web content and enterprise networks (GartnerGroup).
Data-Capable Networks. Most major wireless carrier networks are ready to support data this year. Many have already introduced browser-based data services including AT&T, Sprint PCS and Bell Atlantic. AirTouch, GTE and Nextel have regional browser-based services. (The browser distinction connotes support by browser-equipped handsets in lieu of using the handset as a modem for another device). By 2001, wireless data networks are expected to offer megabit data rates. These high-speed, high-bandwidth wireless networks will support and drive development of applications that deliver full-motion video and audio, such as general web surfing and video conferencing.
Collaborative Computing. Corporations are opting for fully integrated, business critical messaging and collaboration platforms to increase productivity and gain a competitive edge. The GartnerGroup forecasts that the collaborative applications market will grow from 75 million in 1999 to 161 million by 2003.
Products and Services
Wireless Knowledge's Revolv service and Workstyle Server extend the reach of industry-standard collaborative computing software such as Microsoft Exchange to virtually any appliance that can access the Internet including wireless phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and laptops. Mobile workers now have real-time, remote access to their corporate email, calendar and contacts without syncing or managing multiple email addresses. This anytime, anywhere access keeps workers in continuous contact with everything they need to effectively manage time, make decisions, and be productive while away from the desktop. Once logged on, filters and default menus ensure that only desired information is presented and in a simple to navigate format ensuring rapid communications and a productive user experience. Information can be accessed effortlessly with a few clicks of the keypad. The Revolv service and Workstyle Server provide users with wireless access to:
Electronic Mail. Users can read, reply, delete and compose email messages. The Revolv service and Workstyle Server make replying to important messages easy by offering a users the ability to respond by placing a voice call right from this interface or selecting a recently used email response.
Calendaring. Users can view calendar and edit appointment details, including location, time and date. Additionally, users can actively manage their integrated schedules from anywhere and improve time management. Others on network also have access to the users latest calendar updates enabling efficient scheduling.
Contacts. Users can manage existing contacts including conduct searches, edit records and input information. Since the information is housed at a central location there is no need to reenter contacts into each mobile device. When accessing the service via a wireless phone, telephone calls to contacts may be placed directly from this interface or via the Reply function on email.
The Workstyle? Server
With the Workstyle Server, enterprises have the option of implementing wireless data capabilities on their premises. This standalone scalable server product is installed at the enterprise behind the firewall and allows users with any Internet-enabled handset to access their corporate data. Based on Internet-standard platforms, the server software offers secure, high-performance, reliable wireless Intranet access via any wireless Internet network. This complete product offering simply installs into the enterprise's existing Microsoft Exchange Server environment - no client software is required. A basic installation for a small organization can have the Workstyle Server up and running in half a day - start to finish including end users up and running with access via wireless devices. Larger organizations with complex topology will require some upfront planning.
Once the Workstyle Server is installed, Wireless Knowledge's professional services group is available to work with enterprise customers to offer development services for custom horizontal and vertical applications. In addition, the group can design and optimize corporate wireless implementations.
The current Workstyle Server release includes support for wireless access to Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 based email, calendar and contacts. The Server supports a broad range of devices equipped with HDML, XML, WML and HTML microbrowsers including Microsoft Mobile Explorer, the dual mode HTML/WML microbrowser. By year-end, the Server will also support Lotus Notes, IMAP, LDAP and POP3 systems. Server administration features include online support tools to manage user accounts, security, database maintenance and account and server diagnostics. Administrative tools are available for both server administration and help desk personnel.
The Revolv Service
The Revolv service enables an enterprise to outsource management of all wireless data services. The Revolv service is provisioned by Wireless Knowledge's Data Center or a carrier's own data center. Similar to the Workstyle Server, all enterprise information resides securely behind the corporate firewall and is accessed via wireless devices. However, with the service model, the data center manages communications between the wireless network and the corporate enterprise by means of secure, dedicated lines.
In addition, the data center accomplishes all formatting and presentation of data to the specific device form factor and screen size regardless if it's a mobile phone, PDA, laptop or PC. |
