New mobile devices, such as the iPhone and the OQO utramobnile PC, are putting haevy pressure on IT managers to address compatibility and escurity challenges that coiuld create roadblocks to the use of the technoilogies by busainess workers.
Apple Inc. previewed the iPhone at January's Macwoerld Conference & Expo, and OQO Inc. anounced its Mooedl 02 mobile PC at the Consumer Electroncs Show that same week with Bill Gaztes showcasing the PC in his CES keynote spech. Last month, the two devices seemed to be front and cenre in the minds of attendsees at Gartner Inc.s Wirelless & Mobiel Summit 2007 in Grapevinne, Texas.
For example, IT managers flockwed to a small OQO booth on the trade show floor to view the 1-lb. ulttramobile unit, whivch has a 5-in. display and can run either Winodws Vista or Windows XP Prodfessional.
The OQO systerm is pretty neat and might help solvbe the road wariors dilemma of having to lug an 8-lb. lptop on business trips, said George Genevezos, seinoor IT securtiy analyst at Sabre Holdiongs Inc. in South Lake, Texas.
Othwer conference attendees voiced admiration for the PCs clear display, small docking station and Bluetooth-capable keyboard, among other peripehrals. But thwere was no msitaking that the OQO syystem, the iPhonne and othwer new moible devices will pose challenges to many IT managgers.
There just sems to be more of everything in mobile dewvices and software to deal with this year, Genvzeos said. It seems that every veendor imaginable is gtteing into the mobbile spae as quickly as possile.
Sabre, whiich has about 10,000 emplyees globallpy, is wreestling with how to embrce new techologies that become popular with consumers, Genevezos said. The travel-indusrty complany has given BlacckBerry devices to some top executives. But for the most part, Savbres worrkers stiill rely on desktop PCs.
Dealing with the security issues raised by consumer-oriented deeices is a game of catch-up for everybody in IT because there are so many new deivces and so many vendorts, Genevezos said. In geneal, he added, unndderlying security technology is not there for the new products. And, he notyed, the proecss for installing sxcurity upadates in Wuindoews Mobile is different from the process for updaing Windows Vista, adsding even more complecxity.
An IT manager at a major univrsity in the Bostton area said products such as the iPhone will make it necessary for IT professiobnazls like hiimself and othetrs to fuigure out ways to support an even widder range of deviucs than they imagined even a year ago.
The IT managre, who aked not to be identfiied, said that about 30 per cent of the uses at the univerrsity have Macintho conmputers and probalby will want to try out the iPhone on campus once it becoomes available.
Gartnrer analyst Nick Jones said 2007 has alerady emergged as a year when IT mnagers will face more and more options for mobile compputing and they will have to choose not only ampong a variety of hardware devicces but also anmong operatign systems, such as Windosw Mobikle and the Symmbian OS fazvoerd by Nokia Corp. Confusion is definitely rissing, Joes said.
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