Subsequently, in order to have a complete and integrated solution, many specific factors, such as network connectivity, database and knowledge base integration, intranet resources and enterprise-level security must be carefully considered and properly addressed. Even so, the effective handheld business solution goes a step further by linking directly to corporate-level resources such as enterprise resource planning systems, sales force automation tools, manufacturing and planning resources, and more.

Furthermore, an effective handheld business solution should not completely abandon the ways and skill sets of the past, but should allow your teams, at all levels, to leverage their skills, knowledge, and experiences. Implementing an enterprise-level handheld solution should be a constructive process, improving upon the existing infrastructures, not a destructive one that endeavors to summarily replace the existing systems.

The future of the handheld enterprise
The handheld marketplace has rapidly matured to reliably support mission critical enterprise solutions.

Specifically, new hardware advances in many areas open up broad ranges of enterprise-level solutions. For example, the Monarch 6015 and Monarch 6017 product lines provide handheld printing options while the Symbol SPT 1500 and SPT 1700 product lines provide enterprise-level barcode scanning solutions. Furthermore, newer devices on the market, such as the Palm VII (with its complementary Palm.net service) and the Symbol SPT 1733/1734 products, support wireless Internet and wireless LAN functionality for the mobile and occasionally connected enterprise. Additionally, continuing advancements, new product lines, and new technology architectures (such as embedded phones, Bluetooth, and other options) will continue to provide a solid foundation for building large scale enterprise systems.

However, advancements are not limited solely to an increase in hardware options, but in new software and complete personal and corporate solutions. A demanding marketplace has driven rapid enhancements in a number of areas such as usability, speed, size, and form. These areas will continue to improve; offering new alternatives as new development takes place. In particular, advances in wireless technology and the Internet growth have allowed handheld devices to take advantage of greater communication abilities. Therefore, the future holds more complete integration between handhelds and traditional corporate infrastructure, as well as the increasingly prevalent use of wireless and Internet-based technologies.

For example, many of my company's clients have used these hardware options combined with comprehensive software solutions to optimize and facilitate their operations. Field Operator is currently being utilized in natural gas production and compression around the country and internationally and has been responsible for cutting turnaround time on information from eight to 12 weeks to less than 24 hours, with a similarly impressive return on investment figures. Field Operator is pictured in Figure A.