Craig's Corner: The Wireless World

The Wireless World
Wireless is the word and there's no doubt about it. Having just returned from the CTIA Wireless Trade show (www.CTIA.org) I saw a wonderful display of new products all aimed at the mobility sector. Product displays included the Apple iPad, Motorola cell phones, RIM’s latest Blackberry devices, Google Android devices, Palm, and even Samsung 3D televisions. Yes, the 3D televisions are really very cool. No 3D glasses necessary.

However, my real goal is to understand where mobility technology is going and how best to serve our distribution customers. And clearly there are some very appealing and significant moves.

First, mobile technology is moving away from Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. I think that is great because we find that system is not as reliable or easy to use as the old Palm system.

So where is mobility going? It’s going to devices based on Google’s Android operating system. This system is free, reliable, based on Linux and now just beginning to show a wide range of products. Soon, of course, you will see Solid Route Accounting incorporating this technology.

What may surprise some is that Apple with its iPhone and iPad is not the leader nor is it a long term contender because the operating system is closed. Consequently software developers need approval for their applications while equipment manufacturers cannot compete directly with Apple.

Another possible contender, Microsoft’s Windows Mobile is also likely to fail. Not only does Windows Mobile suffer from slow operations and some bugs, but it too is not free. To their credit, Microsoft recognizes this so they are re-writing their system. This means it will take time to see the results.

Another contender is RIM’s Blackberry. In this respect the system is reliable and used by business. So, this is clearly a contender to replace Palm and Windows Mobile. Clearly, they are aggressive and successful marketers. Yet their weakness is that software developers also need approval while manufacturers do not compete at the equipment development level.

The final contender is Google’s Android operating system. At the CTIA Wireless Trade Show, we saw many equipment and software developers in competition to product devices, software, and services. Further, this operating system is free and reliable.

I think the future is quite favourable for Google Android with their cadre of developers to compete with RIM Blackberry. Hmm. Both are tough contenders.

From my point of view, I think our clients will be winning either way and we look forward to embracing these new technologies. As always we will seek to bridge these technological changes so our clients can continue to realize the benefits from their investment.

Around Solid
Over the past several months we have certified our mobile sales system on several new devices. These include the Opticon H19, the HP IPAQ 211, Janam XM66, and currently the Motorola MC75 series. In all cases, these computers are from reputable manufacturer and run on Windows Mobile. While we’ve been able to find reliable results, they are just not as reliable or responsive as the Janam XP30 running on Palm OS. This means our clients face slightly higher support costs while not really getting any more productivity. Yet, as you saw above, it appears that is changing and soon you should see us working with new systems.

Upcoming Events
As our client group has been expanding, we’ll now be travelling to meet them. This includes visits to clients in Toronto and Montreal, Canada and Georgetown, Guyana. When visiting, we’ll look to see our systems in operation, meet with the people using the systems, and looking for feedback and ideas on how to improve our system. We’ll also be on the lookout for new ideas, so please, bring them on.

About Solid’s Growth and Change
Over the past few months, we’ve taken on several new partners. Solid Route Accounting™ - Infor FACTS Edition is undertaking its maiden voyage in concert with a client in Canton, Ohio. This client, a $100 million dollar, 85 year old candy and tobacco distributor recently implemented our system to modernize their sales team. More information will be released soon.

Earlier, we saw the first version of Solid Route Accounting – Eyewear Genetics Edition released. This system provides some very specialized inventory counting techniques for the company Eyewear Genetics. Look for more on this later.

We’re also working with another ERP system vendor which should soon see yet another tight integration.

Taken together, this means Solid Route Accounting is now represented by a sales force of over 39 people across North America, the Caribbean, and South America.

Thank you to all of our clients and our staff for making this possible. We appreciate your business and the trust you have placed in us.

Sincerely,

S. Craig Fisher, President & CEO

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