Mobile Collaboration Tools Uptake Fueled by Smartphone Surge

By Michael Alexander Mar 18, 2010

Will we look back at 2010 as the year of mobile content management and collaboration? At least two market researchers think so. And to prove it, a number of companies are already in the game with tools that put enterprise collaboration platforms into information workers' pockets.

CXOs Want Mobile Content and Collaboration

2010 is shaping up to become the year of mobile content management and collaboration thanks to the uber-fast uptake of smartphones among information workers and CXOs.

CXOs in particular are looking for mobile content and collaboration tools to put in their pockets. That’s according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan, in which it says "tools that enhance the mobile experience (i.e., such as Web-based collaboration tools) are likely to see increased levels of adoption sooner rather than later."

Meanwhile, "While only 14% percent of information workers across the U.S., Canada and U.K. use smartphones, another 64% would like to," says market researcher Forrester in a new report titled "Collaboration Needs Will Fuel A Smartphone Surge."

"That demand…sets the stage for a surge in the use of personal smartphones for information work," Forrester reports.

No surprise: The smartphone of choice among U.S. CXOs is Research in Motion’s (RIM) BlackBerry followed by Apple’s iPhone, Frost & Sullivan says in its report, “2010 U.S. CXOs' Choice: Mobile Computing Products and Services.”

Who Has Their Hat in the Mobile Game?

What follows in a quick round up is very recent announcements in the mobile content management and collaboration space:

SAP AG (news, site) and Sybase announced earlier this month two new solutions for mobile workers to carry out key business and customer relationship management processes via iPhone and Windows Mobile. Built on the Sybase Unwired Platform, the mobile solutions extend the capabilities of SAP Business Suite applications, including SAP Customer Relationship Management, and also can be customized to tap into a variety of back-end data sources, including databases, Web services, files and any enterprise app that leverages service-oriented architectures.
At Lotusphere in January, IBM (news, site) and RIM (news, site) introduced the BlackBerry Client for IBM’s Lotus Quickr team collaboration software, and a new version of the BlackBerry Client for IBM Lotus Connections, its social networking software designed specifically for businesses. The new clients join Lotus Sametime, Domino and Symphony on BlackBerry phones. The new BlackBerry client for IBM Lotus Quickr will let users navigate their enterprises' Quickr libraries, folders and files. It also connects to the BlackBerry email app and Documents to Go suite for editing Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. The BlackBerry client for Lotus Connections has been updated to include the ability to work with the software's profiles, communities, bookmarks, activities and blogs.
Last week, Box.net (news, site) introduced the idea of cloud content management for mobile platforms, devices and apps everywhere. Box iPhone app 2.0 is a new iPhone app that lets you post, view and reply to comments around any file or folder on Box.net, making it possible to exchange ideas and share feedback.
Quickoffice (news, site), developer of one of the most popular mobile office suites around, has a new iPhone app called Quickoffice Connect Mobile Suite that enables you to create and edit Microsoft Word and Excel files on-the-go and save them to MobileMe, Dropbox, Google Docs and Box.net accounts.
Beta testing began last week for HyperOffice’s HyperSynch (news, site) software, which automatically taps into corporate networks, updating and synchronizing desktop email, contacts, calendars, documents, projects, tasks and notes with the wide range of smartphones carried by users of HyperOffice — including the iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, Windows Mobile among other wireless devices. HyperSynch supports bi-directional synchronization between mobile devices and desktops, plus backup and restore capabilities for contacts, calendars, tasks and notes, using multiple protocols, including SyncML, ActiveSync, OMA, IMAP. SMS, XML and WSDL. The push engine supports TCP/IP, CTP and CMS to Microsoft Outlook and other email clients. It registers and provisions devices and services, including billing and account management systems.

SNAPPS (news, site), a long-time IBM Advanced Business Partner, just introduced SnappFiles a free iPhone app that delivers secure access and collaboration on docs stored in IBM Lotus Quickr and Filenet P8 Enterprise CMS systems. IBM Enterprise content management solutions such as IBM Content Manager and Lotus Connections Files will be supported as of next month, the company says.

Take a look at this video to see a demo of SnappFiles in action: