Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Mobile Devices

Google buys Divide and moves Android into the enterprise

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Up until now, Android really didn't play nice in the enterprise space because it was difficult to manage through an MDM. Manufacturers (like Knox from Samsung) had to build their own enterprise security and management features. Google is set to change that with its acquisition of Divide.

Divide was an Mobile Device Management service provided from the cloud (MDM as a service) and allowed organizations of all sizes to manage the mobile devices of their employees to ensure corporate security rules are followed. What kind of polices? Think lock screen rules, app restrictions, ability to locate and wipe a missing device, etc.

Divide's solution supports both Android and IOS.

This can only mean a more enterprise oriented Android is on the way.

Blackberry launches cloud based Mobile Device Management

technologyEdward Kiledjian
BES_10.png

Unless you work in IT for a medium to large sized company, this article really won't interest you.  

Even my grandmother knows that Blackberry is doomed as a device manufacturer. As it attempts to recreate itself as a services company, we are seeing some interested moves (the failed BBM for Android and IOS) and now they enter the cloud based Mobile Device Management field trying to convince companies with BYOD policies to give them a chance.

Blackberry calls its service Enterprise Mobility Management which is a cloud hosted (and rebranded) Blackberry Enterprise Server. 

Like its Fusion device management server, it supports Blackberry 10, Android and IOS devices.

 I think the idea of offering BES in the cloud is sound as it simplifies device management for overwhelmed and overworked IT support personnel. Cloud means no need for local license management, no need for on premise servers, no backup concerns and no worries about disaster recovery. All of these headaches are solved through a stable and predictable monthly fee. So far so good. 

Looking at the performance issued they experiences with BBM for Android (which forced them to pull the plug), you have to wonder how reliable the service will be. Once you commit to this service through Blackberry, you success or fail based on their performance and uptime.

You can read their full press release here.

Say hello to the world's smallest cell phone

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Smaller is usually better but take a look at the world's smallest cell phone from Willcom, doesn't it look like a dolls accessory?

I'm guessing you won't be using this to snap pictures or play games but I'm sure someone somewhere on our big blue marbel may be looking for this type of diminutive device. The phone comes in white, black or pink and can be had for a cheap $380 in Japan.

Nexus 4 in stock and available at FIDO

technologyEdward Kiledjian

Fido is my cell phone provider and I am happy to see that the Nexus 4 is now back in stock and available to all FIDO customers (current and new).

When I wrote this article: 

  • I did not see the Nexus 4 on the main Rogers webpage yet.
  • I did not see the Nexus 4 on the main Bell webpage yet.
  • I did not see the Nexus 4 on the main Telus webpage yet.
  • I did see it on the main Videotron webpage.
  • I did see it on the Wind Mobile webpage. 

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Review of the Google Nexus 4

technologyEdward Kiledjian

I recently had the opportunity to play with the incredibly in demand and very hard to get Google Nexus 4 phone and wanted to share my point of view. This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive review but rather a quick summary of the positives and negatives.

There is a reason why the Google Nexus 4 is sold out in most Google Play stores around the world. It is a great phone at an incredibly competitive price.

The device

The Google Nexus 4 is a solid  and well built device that won’t disappoint. The front is very resilient Corning Gorilla Glass 2 and the back is a nice soft touch plastic. The entire kit feels rock solid and well built.  Inside you’ll find a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor (better GPU/CPU than the Samsung Galaxy SIII), with 2 GB of RAM and full RGB strip IPS Plus screen.

The Google Vanilla experience

Each Android manufacturer adds its own secret sauce to its devices like multiview, updated apps, hand-written note app, but nothing compares to the upgradability of a stock Google branded phone. The Nexus 4 comes with a vanilla version of Android 4.2. Since it’s a Google device, you can expect updates for many years to come (unlike other manufacturer devices that get updates up to 1 year late and some that never get updates at all). In my book, Nexus devices (phones and tablets) are the only way to go.

The negatives

There is no denying that the Nexus is a wonderful phone but it does have some flaws. And some of these flaws are enough to make this device a no-go for me: 

  • Disappointing camera – Unfortunately the Nexus comes with a plain old run of the mill 8 MP camera. I tested it out and was disappointed. My iPhone 4s often took much sharper pictures. When comparing the Nexus 4 pictures to those of an iPhone 5, the difference is glaring. The Iphone 5’s 8MP sensor, optics and software deliver a more realistic and enjoyable pictures.
  • Storage – The Nexus comes in 8GB and 16GB varieties and I am convinced this was a cost control decision. With some podcasts, apps and light data, I can fill up a 16 GB device in no time. This is an even bigger problem when you realize the Nexus 4 doesn’t support SD or Micro-SD cards.
  • Connectivity – Officially the Nexus 4 only supports HSDPA. We have heard stories from non-US users who have been able to trick the phone to an AWS band LTE network but this can be turned off by Google at any time via a software update. I can’t imagine buying any new device today without LTE. 
  • Battery - No user replaceable battery. With normal use, I can kill my smartphone's battery mid-day and being able to simply replace it is a really nice feature. I carry around a Mophie Juicepack Air on my iphone with adds weight and makes the device much bulkier.

Should you get it?

That depends on what you are looking for in a phone. This is a fantastic phone and is perfect for most users. Unfortunately I find its shortcomings too important to ignore and I won’t be plunking down money to buy this device. I am hopeful that Google’s next device will address these issue and make me buy it the day it is released. 

I am trying to get my hands on a Samsung Note 2 for testing purposes. The more I think about the concept of a phablet, the more I like it. When I get a chance to "play" with the Samsung Note 2, i'll report back.