More on Convergence and Handheld Computers

In an earlier posting I discussed the converging technologies available on handheld computers. However, convergence is not only happening in the hardware arena. When you design a mobile software solution for use on a handheld computer, you have the opportunity of converging multiple databases and database applications into one mobile application on the handheld. Let me explain:

You may have a "work order" application that you want available on your field service team's handhelds. In this single mobile application you may want to include data from several different internal database applications.

-a work order management application
-an inventory application
-a shipping application
-time sheets
-CRM system
-GIS system
-Accounting application for invoicing
-product catalogs

This is "convergence" at the software level. Mobile solutions can be as simple, or as powerful as you want them to be.