As mobile devices creep into the enterprise, IT professionals are faced with a documentation and remote support gap due to the hassles of getting information off the mobile platform. Heck, mobile devices have been a pain for me whenever I've had to write stories on mobile devices for the exact same reason.
Soti.net out of Ontario, Canada offers their Pocket Controller software that lets you connect to your Windows Mobile device via locally connected Active Sync or via wired or wireless TCP/IP connection. I'm playing with the stand alone Pro version for screen shots, and video of mobile applications, but the Enterprise version goes way beyond a simple demo tool. With the ability to connect remotely over a WWAN or WLAN connection; the corporate help desk now has parity with desktops in remote control capabilities for guiding mobile users through complex setups or procedures.
I've been up on my soap box over the last couple years about how mobile devices are arriving in the enterprise. I've also harped on how this started with personal mobile devices sneaking in just like how PC's did in the 80's. What our readers keep reminding us about is that just because of device is used in an enterprise does NOT make it Enterprise Ready. Details like remote support of users in the field has been largely ignored by almost all the mobile carriers and handset manufacturers; so imagine my excitement when the Microsoft Unified Communications Group did a CoMo (Communicator Mobile 2007) demo at their Redmond, Washington campus using the SOTI product.
Not only is Pocket Controller a way to duplicate the Windows Mobile screen onto a PC for training and demos, but it also provides an easy way to get crystal clear screen shots (instead of a camera), video recordings of a procedure on the mobile device (instead of a camcorder), registry editing, printing, mass file upload/download, and remote control over the network.
*NOTE: in order to get Voice Command working with a bluetooth headset, you MUST do a registry edit for several types of mobile devices like my T-Mobile DASH.
Anyway, here's some screen shots taken off my DASH:
http://www.soti.net/
Customer Support:
support@soti.net
Sales and Marketing:
sales@soti.net
Enterprise\Volume Pricing:
sales@soti.net
Telephone:
+1 888 624 9828 (Toll Free from US & Canada Only)
+1 905 624 9828
Fax:
+1 905 624 3242
Address:
SOTI Inc.
29-5155 Spectrum Way,
Mississauga,
Ontario,
Canada, L4W 5A1
Posted by Brian Chee on November 15, 2007 09:52 AM
