Choosing mobile devices for business 

When it comes to mobile devices for the enterprise, it's less about ringtones and wallpaper and more about increasing productivity. This article discusses the tips for choosing mobile devices for enterprises.

Ruggedness and stability

First and foremost, if you intend to obtain a handheld PDA, you should examine the ruggedness and stability of the device. Although you probably don't need military-grade equipment, it should be built to withstand a range of environments and situations associated with your work.

Security

You can't discuss enterprise gadgets without touching on the subject of security. The information you keep inside the PDA (and PC and notebook) is more valuable than the machine itself. For a PC or notebook, you can and should protect the data with on-the-fly disk encryption software. Unfortunately, handheld PDAs don't have access to that kind of security..yet. So you must find the right security software for your PDA.

Compatibility

A major concern for IT managers is the issue of compatibility. If you field hundreds, or even thousands of pocket PCs, you need to be able to exchange information seamlessly between them. Take time to research on this when you choose the PDA.

Accessories

Another aspect that you should pay attention to is the availability of accessories. You are not just buying a PDA, you are probably buying a whole system. So get the system that can grow as you grow, in other words scalable. For example if you don't need GPS now you probably would later. So choose a device that comes with many accessories that are freely available if you choose to upgrade or add new features later.

Connectivity

To be useful these days the handheld PDA should be able to communicate with other gadgets and the Internet either via Bluetooth, WiFi, Infrared etc.

The purpose of this article is not to suggest any specific make or model of a PDA. Whether its a Palm, Pocket PC, Smart Phone etc, just think of the above aspects before you choose one.