Taking It To The Streets
Exchange Server
Thisis an add-on component to Microsoft Windows Server (included with Small Business Server 2003) which allows shared calendaring, remote e-mail access, calendar and e-mail syncing with PDAs, smartphones, and other collaboration tools. The current version, Microsoft Exchange 2007, can be used with either Outlook 2003 or 2007. To communicate with mobile devices, your server must have Exchange Server and ActiveSync installed and configured. While it does require a dedicated server and IP address as well as some technical setup and administration, it’s a terrific tool for small businesses to stay organized and connected. Microsoft Small Business Server 2003 includes Exchange 2003 and can save considerably on software licensing costs. The advantage of a product such as Exchange is compatibility. Exchange and Outlook have become the standard in the business world and that means you can schedule meetings, organize events and take advantage of other collaboration tools with those outside of your organization as well.
Smartphones and PDAs
Smartphones
Smartphones offer you the advantages of a phone and PDA in one device. Typically attached to a particular cell phone carrier, smartphones come preinstalled with an operating system like Windows Mobile, which allows you to take your Microsoft Office Outlook e-mail, contacts and calendar with you. The BlackBerry is a popular type of smartphone with a proprietary operating system. With smartphones can browse the Internet, sync wirelessly with your desktop Outlook or Exchange server, view files like Word documents using the mobile version of Office, and listen to your music. Smartphones are great if you want it all in one place and like the smaller form factor.
PDAs (personal data assistant)
Need everything except the phone? PDAs provide all the advantages of smartphones without the phone, and typically have more horsepower. PDAs come in many flavors from manufacturers like HP and Palm and many have touch screens. Windows Mobile 6 (standard, professional and classic) is the current version of the Windows mobile operating system, while Palm devices come with their own operating system. If you frequently e-mail, need more applications like Office mobile or GPS and mapping, and want a bigger screen and more full-function keyboard, a PDA is probably the way to go. PDA’s can hold more applications and are not tied to a particular cell phone carrier.
Wireless LAN and Broadband
The difference between these two is sometimes a point of confusion. Wireless local area networks (LANs), now commonplace, allow devices to communicate wirelessly or access the Internet with a wireless router. For example, your home or office may have a wireless LAN and you can find public “hotspots” like those found in Starbucks or at many airports. Wireless broadband uses a cell phone carrier such as Cingular or Verizon, a wireless broadband card provided by the carrier (usually a USB or PC Card device for a notebook or built in to a PDA) and a monthly service contract (typically between $40 and $60 per month). This gives you broadband Internet access basically anywhere you can get a cell phone signal. If you have mobile workers who need access from anywhere without having to locate a “hotspot,” wireless broadband is the way to go.
