Several factors need to be addressed for software applications to be mobilized: connectivity, power/performance management, offline data management and deployment across multiple platforms.

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from Intel Corp.

What is the problem?
Computer users are increasingly embracing notebook PCs, tablets, PDAs and cellular smart phones. These users need their business applications to function on the road as well as in their offices. Many browser or client/server-based applications require a persistent network connection. However, the reliable, continuous network connections enjoyed by stationary office workers are not always available to mobile users who often roam between hotspots. Companies are recognizing the potential for mobilized software to increase employee productivity. Critical to the realization of this potential, however, are applications designed to handle the realities of the mobile computing environment. Several factors need to be addressed for their software applications to be mobilized: connectivity, power/performance management, offline data management and deployment across multiple platforms.

Why is it important?
As wireless infrastructures become a standardized commodity and users increasingly turn to mobile platforms, software developers are facing rising user dissatisfaction with applications that were not designed to work in a mobile environment. Sometimes, mobile users will choose to be where they cannot connect (e.g., remote areas, secure locations, airlines), and mobile users also must deal with intermittent wireless connections when they do want to be online. ®Mobilized® software is designed to help insulate users from network dependencies by moving server-based application functions and data to the client. Mobilized software benefits stationary, wired users, too. These users enjoy greater application availability, because they're less affected by network outages, and faster application performance, because they're less affected by network latency. Many enterprise IT departments are discovering, as well, that mobilized software enables more effective management-and even reduction of-network traffic, while supporting more users and more solutions.

What is the solution?
To efficiently support mobile and stationary users, applications must be enhanced or even completely rearchitected.