Pervasive Computing For Business

" This book examines the implications of pervasive computing from an operational, legal and ethical perspective, so that current and future e-business managers can make responsible decisions about where, when and how to use this technology"--Provided by publisher.

At the core of this book is the interplay between technological and business innovation and social practice. Although the bene?ts of 50 years of rapid advances in digital telecommunications and computing technology have not bene?ted everyone equally, they have nevertheless transformed almost every aspectofthewaywelive.Oneareawheretechnologyhashada clearimpactis in the way we conduct business. The rate of change that brings about mod- nity has been considerably strengthened by technological advances applied to product manufacturing, distribution, ?nancing, and management, which arguably form the substrate for globalization and consumerism. It is thus no surprise that businesses closely monitor advances in techn- ogy and invest considerable resources in exploring possible new applications and market opportunities. Yet, consumers’ acceptance of new ways of buying and selling depends as much on business and technology as on our society’s culture and the culture of the material environment that de?nes our values, sensibilities, and thus our commitments. Moreover, the rate of technological innovation is such that to the c- sumer, technology implementation is fully opaque.Nonetheless, opportunities to carry out commerce in novel ways also introduce risk to established - cial structures, conventions, and institutions. In modernity, risk management is one of the core functions of society and to be successful in this, societies depend on their trust of experts. Experts take risks on behalf of society and are responsible for evaluating the full extent of a particular set of hazards including those associated with a particular technology.

Provides extensive information about pervasive computing and its implications from various perspectives so that current and future pervasive service providers can make responsible decisions about where, when and how to use this technology.

Following in the footsteps of the web, Web 2.0, and the iPod, Ubiquitous Computing ("UbiComp") is the next game-changing technology. Leading expert Bo Begole, the director of PARC’s UbiComp Center, shows executives, technology managers, and entrepreneurs how to successfully incorporate UbiComp into their own products, services, and strategies. Begole introduces the technologies of UbiComp, shows how they fit together, and identifies the challenges and opportunities they present. Next, he answers the key questions decision-makers and strategists ask most often about UbiComp, including: What is it, why does it matter, and how will it impact my business? What industries will be most affected first? Which parts of my organization will UbiComp change most? What UbiComp solutions should we consider for our internal business processes? How should I position my company for these transformations? What barriers must we overcome and which barriers can we erect for our competitors? What should I build, partner, or buy? What barriers does my company need to overcome to adopt a UbiComp-based business?

"The focus of this book is on the ever increasing capacity of Pervasive context-aware applications that are aiming to develop into context-responsive applications in different application areas"--Provided by publisher.

At the core of this book is the interplay between technological and business innovation and social practice. Although the bene?ts of 50 years of rapid advances in digital telecommunications and computing technology have not bene?ted everyone equally, they have nevertheless transformed almost every aspectofthewaywelive.Oneareawheretechnologyhashada clearimpactis in the way we conduct business. The rate of change that brings about mod- nity has been considerably strengthened by technological advances applied to product manufacturing, distribution, ?nancing, and management, which arguably form the substrate for globalization and consumerism. It is thus no surprise that businesses closely monitor advances in techn- ogy and invest considerable resources in exploring possible new applications and market opportunities. Yet, consumers’ acceptance of new ways of buying and selling depends as much on business and technology as on our society’s culture and the culture of the material environment that de?nes our values, sensibilities, and thus our commitments. Moreover, the rate of technological innovation is such that to the c- sumer, technology implementation is fully opaque.Nonetheless, opportunities to carry out commerce in novel ways also introduce risk to established - cial structures, conventions, and institutions. In modernity, risk management is one of the core functions of society and to be successful in this, societies depend on their trust of experts. Experts take risks on behalf of society and are responsible for evaluating the full extent of a particular set of hazards including those associated with a particular technology.

This book is a guide for the world of Pervasive Computing. It describes a new class of computing devices which are becoming omnipresent in every day life. They make information access and processing easily available for everyone from anywhere at any time. Mobility, wireless connectivity, di- versity, and ease-of-use are the magic keywords of Pervasive Computing. The book covers these front-end devices as well as their operating systems and the back-end infrastructure which integrate these pervasive components into a seamless IT world. A strong emphasis is placed on the underlying technologies and standards applied when building up pervasive solutions. These fundamental topics include commonly used terms such as XML, WAP, UMTS, GPRS, Bluetooth, Jini, transcoding, and cryptography, to mention just a few. Besides a comprehensive state-of-the-art description of the Pervasive Computing technology itself, this book gives an overview of today's real-life applications and accompanying service offerings. M-Commerce, e-Business, networked home, travel, and finance are exciting examples of applied Pervasive Computing.

Following in the footsteps of the web, Web 2.0, and the iPod, Ubiquitous Computing ("UbiComp") is the next game-changing technology. Leading expert Bo Begole, the director of PARC’s UbiComp Center, shows executives, technology managers, and entrepreneurs how to successfully incorporate UbiComp into their own products, services, and strategies. Begole introduces the technologies of UbiComp, shows how they fit together, and identifies the challenges and opportunities they present. Next, he answers the key questions decision-makers and strategists ask most often about UbiComp, including: What is it, why does it matter, and how will it impact my business? What industries will be most affected first? Which parts of my organization will UbiComp change most? What UbiComp solutions should we consider for our internal business processes? How should I position my company for these transformations? What barriers must we overcome and which barriers can we erect for our competitors? What should I build, partner, or buy? What barriers does my company need to overcome to adopt a UbiComp-based business?