At Op911.net we love new practices of technology. If the technology exists to make things faster, easier and more secure, we are there. One tool that is changing at breakneck speed is the common cell phone. The cell phone has seen rapid changes ever since the first smart phones emerged. At the current state of the art, we have phones that can do many functions. Try cell phone, push to talk, image exchange, photographic camera, video camera, voice dictation, even video playback all on one handheld device. With the addition of higher speed mobile networks, we have a massive amount of functionality waiting to be used and put into a operating procedure.
Let's look at one of the new uses of cell phones, accessing secure databases remotely. To access remote data on a cell phone, there are usually two choices:
1. Use the built in browser interface on a web phone.
2. Use an application built for the particular phone. Could be a windows CE application.
For our first example, we are using method #1. In southern California there are police agencies experimenting with accesing police records with their blackberry phones. The database, called coplink http://www.coplinkconnect.com/ is used to store police records from multiple agencies. The officers use the built in browser to access a data warehouse that is searchable by the field officer, using their blackberry. Now a officer walking a beat can pull his phone out, type a drivers license name and date. Within seconds records are displayed on the cop's phone.
If you know computer technology, a few thoughts probably come to mind. You probably wonder if this is secure, is the data going over the internet, and can the blackberry device get a virus.
If you are a police officer, you might be thinking is this something I'd use or just call dispatch to have them run the check. Whatever the case, I know the method is secure and seems to be useful by some of the people testing it. And it seems that applications like this are growing in public safety.
What does the future hold for cell phones? If you look at the newest phones, we have camera capabilities integrated into a fully functional wireless computer. The newest phones can easily send photos to a email list. Ever hear the term, "a photograph is worth a thousand words"? Well the new cell phones can communicate visually with your team.
What is a cell phone computer not good at? There a few jobs where the small screen just doesn't work for people. Need to enable CBT video training? You are better off with a tablet or laptop computer. Need to do onsite reading of technical manuals? Again you need a bigger screen than cell phone computers have. But the future has promise. Small eyeglass screens and head mounted displays could be used for future cell phones displays. Also keep in mind most cell phones have limited bandwidth for data, even though carriers offer new EVDO technology. Most laptop computers can get much higer data rates using 802.11 and other ultra speed RF links. If you need to push video to your people, a laptop with 802.11 connections is the only way to go. Same goes with GPS. If you need accurate GPS location information, the phone alone may not provide good GPS status. The GPS chipsets in cell phones are not accurate and as reliable as other GPS units. Instead of using the phones GPS, you may need a real GPS to do the job and provide accurate location tracking.
It's common knowledge that some cell phones are better at voice communications than as a computer. This mostly came from the blackberry phone that is great as a wireless computer but not so great as a cell phone. The newer phones break the barrier and perform well as both phone and computer.
For smart phones there are two choices, blackberyy or Windows phone. The new blackberry curve is the lightest, smallest BlackBerry with an improved full QWERTY keyboard and now WITH A CAMERA built in! Rugged and extremely useful, blackberrys are one of the top choices for public safety workers and emergency technicians. Why do cops, firefighters and such love blackberrys? Push to talk! Also you can PIN messages to other blackberry users, giving some degree of privacy as PIN messages don't get stored on your email server.
If you want to go with Microsoft, you have Windows Mobile 6. Mobile 6 is the new windows smart phone software. Want HTML email? Want to enable your employees? Try out a windows smart phone.
The cell phone is a integral part of your business. Keep your options open when buying your staff a new phone. Imagine the possibilities with new ways of communicating. When it comes to business, any edge over the competition is great, and with public safety, it's the key info that might mean life or death.
