1. 1 of 2 This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. © 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Mobile devices are computers small enough to carry in your pocket. Increasingly, they combine telephone functionality with limited computer capabilities. Mobile devices operate wirelessly, and synchronize wirelessly with a server or synchronize with a connection to your main computer. This guide provides general information about mobile devices. Learn what they can do, how they compare to desktop and laptop computers, and how you can use them in your daily work at Microsoft. Why Mobile? We usually assume that where computers are concerned, smaller is better. But a small size is not in itself a virtue. The virtue of a small size lies in the mobility it provides. And mobility allows us to expand our ideas about the workspace, and about the possibilities for being productive. That’s why information workers are going mobile. Mobile devices enable us to communicate and collaborate in environments that were previously unavailable. They free us from the traditional workspace, making it possible to maintain progress on work projects even when we are away from our main computers. Mobile devices must make do with less, but they have other advantages. They can be taken anywhere at any time; they can help you stay in contact when you are out of the office; and despite their size, they can still do many things that desktops and laptops do. The challenges of mobile devices lie mostly in their processing power, screen size, and smaller data-entry methods. The main thing to keep in mind about mobile devices is that they aren’t meant to replace desktop and laptop computers. They are meant to supplement them. Mobile Device Versus Desktop or Laptop The benefits of large devices are well understood: Desktops and laptops contain many hardware features and applications, not to mention processing power, RAM, and storage space. Their semi-permanent locations mean they can remain plugged in and operate almost indefinitely. Pocket PC Phone EditionWindows Smartphone Common Mobile Devices There are two general types of mobile device: Pocket PCs with phone functionality, and cell phones with computer functionality. An example of the first type is the Pocket PC Phone Edition; an example of the second type is the Windows Smartphone.

2. 2 of 2 This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. © 2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Mobile Devices and Work The most valuable use of a mobile device is in accessing information while traveling. This table shows common examples of such use. BenefitScenario E-Mail AccessYou are traveling between work sites and need information. With your mobile device, you can use e-mail while waiting to board a plane, while riding a shuttle, or while getting food at a cafeteria. Line-of- Business Applications You are away on business and need an internal company tool to help with your work. With your mobile device, you can install such tools, as well as set yourself up to receive important notifications. Access to Calendars and Tasks You are in an unfamiliar building for a meeting, but you have forgotten the meeting location and time. With your mobile device, you can access your calendar and tasks list to come up with the information. Access to Address Book and Contacts You need a co-worker’s contact data, but you are away from your office. With your mobile device, you can access the Global Address List and your Outlook Contacts list. Access to Pocket Office Programs You are off-site and have received Office documents in e-mail that need your input. With your mobile device, you can access the message, open the attachment, edit the documents, and mail them back. Web AccessYou are off-site and need information on the Web. With your mobile device, you can browse the Web and look up weather conditions, traffic reports, industry news, and so on. You are never without Web access.