MobileFrame Blog » Windows Mobile

Announcing Release of MobileFrame version 4.7

Glenn Wickman — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:00:56 +0000

MobileFrame proudly announces version 4.7 of our enterprise mobility platform. With this version, we have added a series of useful new features including:

Database Setup Wizard. This wizard helps users quickly and easily create a new MobileFrame database and set it up for use. It will work with any/all databases supported by MobileFrame including SQL, Oracle and DB2 databases.
Task Version History. When you save a task (a mobile application), an automatic backup of that version will be generated and stored in the database. You can review all versions of your tasks, rollback to a particular version, or export different versions of your task.
Project Publisher. With the new Project Publisher, Administrators can “publish” (export) entire Projects including mobile applications, enterprise data (static and dynamic), mobile workers, etc. This allows Administrators to move projects across servers from development to production and/or create complete backups of their projects.
Desktop Administrator Preferences. Customize the level of access granted to each Business Administrator in the MobileFrame system. With this feature, System Administrators have finely-tuned control over which features each Business Admin can access, from creating tasks to monitoring mobile workers to full administrative privileges.
Restart the MobileFrame Client. In addition to the full suite of Mobile Device Management features previously offered via our Remote Manager tool, Administrators now have the ability to remotely restart the MobileFrame Client on a mobile device – unloading MobileFrame from memory and re-starting just where a mobile worker left off. With this feature, Administrators have an even greater level of control over devices in the field.
Enhanced Step Editor. Administrators can now build applications directly from the Screen Designer – truly drag and drop mobile application development. In addition, users can now add or edit steps from within workflow functions using step drop downs or insert step features – greatly simplifying and error-proofing the organic development process generally used by novice users.
Advanced Photograph Functionality. Our new Change Photo function adds the ability to resize a photograph to specified dimensions and/or add captions to photographs.

MobileFrame’s Product Suites enable businesses to rapidly deploy a variety of mobile applications with a low total cost of ownership and a high return on investment. As always, our patented Smart Architecture™ provides a user friendly point and click desktop that enables novice computer users to easily create, deploy and manage sophisticated mobile applications without the need for costly and time-consuming custom coding typically required in mobile application development.

“MobileFrame’s software continues to surpass all competitive offerings in the market place,” said Lonny Oswalt, MobileFrame’s CEO and President. “There is simply no competitive technology that facilitates 100% Code Free Computing. This release continues to keep MobileFrame at the forefront of enterprise mobility, providing customers the most flexible and comprehensive mobility system in the market.”

For more information, or to obtain a copy of MobileFrame version 4.7, contact your MobileFrame Sales Rep or sales@mobileframe.com.

Mobile Work Order / Dispatch System – Created in 1.5 hours by Me!

Nick Hession — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:55:45 +0000

Here’s round 2 on creating a mobile application and this time instead of a real time meal order taking application, I’ve created a simple Work Order System that includes a Dispatch app and a handheld app. They were both built using MobileFrame and completed in under 2 hours.

Here are the 2 Parts:

Desktop based Work Order Dispatch Application
- Easily Enter
  - Customer Name
  - Address, City, State, Zip
  - Problem Description
  - Quoted Price
  - Technician Dispatched
  - Customer Number
- Instantly dispatch the Work Order to the mobile worker you specified
- Notify the mobile worker with an instant message that they have a new work order

Windows Mobile 6.1 Based Work Order Application
- Receives the dispatched work order
- Allows the Mobile Worker to Select the Job
- Automatically notifies the Dispatcher that the Job has been Accepted via Instant Messenger
- Provides the Mobile Worker the ability to Invoice the customer for parts used on the job (Including the ability to barcode scan the part)
- Enter resolution
- Take Photo of the issue
- Annotate the photo that was taken with damaged areas, etc
- Sketch Damage
- Capture a Voice Note
- Collect Payment
- Capture Customer Signature
- Instantly Create a PDF of the Invoice that was autopopulated with the data collected on the device, then emailed it to the client

In case you don’t believe me take a look at the video of the application below. Mobile Applications and Desktop applications couldn’t be any easier to develop, manage, and support in MobileFrame. If you are interested in learning more contact us today!

Breaking Down The Hype of Code Free Mobile Computing

Lonny Oswalt — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 17:30:40 +0000

The mobile community is littered with companies who claim to be “configurable” with “no coding”, but most are just spinning a web of marketing hype with no real substance. MobileFrame not only holds the patent on 100% Code Free Mobile Computing, but we practice what we preach day in and day out. Our mantra, Custom Mobile Applications with No Custom Programming means exactly that.

In fact we challenge prospective customers to provide their most difficult business processes and mobile application workflows and we’ll automate them in MobileFrame in real-time. All of our sales reps build and demo unique custom mobile applications every day. Our sales reps have no programming knowledge or special capabilities. Our technology was designed to eliminate coding, much like Excel was designed to allow users to manipulate spreadsheets without resorting to writing scripts or SQL queries against a database.

With MobileFrame anything that can be automated using coding tools or SDK’s can be done without requiring any programming knowledge or coding whatsoever. We’ll build the unique custom mobile application from scratch, integrate it to any ODBC backend database, and deploy it to the device live in real-time, and then make changes to the application on-the-fly. Ask any mobile solution provider who offers “configurable applications” to do that in real-time and you’ll see just how quickly the hype turns into excuses. I know there is a lot of skepticism in the market which has been driven by many mobility companies with flawed technology, but at MobileFrame we don’t just tell you, we’ll show you.

Windows Mobile 6.5 compatibility confirmed

Glenn Wickman — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:59:44 +0000

I received an email last week from one of our international partners that included a video of an HTC device running MobileFrame 4.6 (beta) on the Windows Mobile 6.5 OS. Although unconfirmed by MobileFrame Engineering (since we can’t seem to get our hands on a WinMo 6.5 device), the video shows that it’s working great. We didn’t anticipate any issues but it’s nice to see confirmation nonetheless.

Thanks to Xenacom (www.xenacom.com) for sending us their findings!

Insight into eyewear inventories with MobileFrame and RFID technology (Altair Eyewear)

Lonny Oswalt — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:12:52 +0000

Atair Eyewear, a VSP^® Company, selected MobileFrame’s enterprise mobility software to implement RFID-based inventory management across their operations. As a VSP^® Company, Altair has the potential to reach 25,000 independent offices and more than 55 million fully insured lives. VSP’s recent acquisition of Marchon Eyewear extends Altair’s reach even further to include 10,000 optician offices across the country as well as global opportunities. Altair Eyewear supports independent eye care providers with advanced eyewear technologies and distinctive brands including Tommy Bahama^®, Joseph Abboud^®, Sigrid Olsen^®, and Revlon^®.

Altair has already enjoyed great success with MobileFrame’s enterprise mobility software in their distribution center to pick and ship orders, so they were familiar with the configurable nature of the software. The next project on their plate was to use RFID technology to keep an accurate inventory of all eyewear frames on consignment at optician offices around the world. MobileFrame partnered with MSA Systems, Inc. to deliver the hardware, software, training, project management, and support services necessary to install and enable the management of the RFID-enabled inventory management system.

Altair Eyewear uses MobileFrame software in their distribution center to pick frame orders for shipment. Because they are picking orders, Altair needed a device that would allow for hands free scanning – the Motorola RS309 Wearable Ringer/Finger Scanner and the WT4000 Wearable Terminal. Being already familiar with MobileFrame’s ease of use, Altair again turned to MobileFrame for their current project, RFID-enabled inventory management. Previously, doctors who stock these frames had to complete cumbersome Consignment Checklist forms to determine which frames they have in stock, note which are missing and to place orders for new frames. Altair recognized that doctors will sell the frames that offer the path of least resistance; thus by simplifying this process, Altair would gain a significant competitive advantage. Using MobileFrame’s configurable RFID solution, Altair turned a cumbersome checklist into a powerful mobile application.

Although application development tools are commonplace, those tools require costly, time-consuming development to create business applications. Moreover, such business solutions tend to be inflexible, requiring expensive custom programming whenever business processes change. As business processes evolve, MobileFrame’s software provides unparalleled flexibility to create new mobile applications of any degree of complexity and incorporating any mix of business processes. The software then seamlessly deploys the new applications to the field wirelessly “on-the-fly.” With its flexibility and ease of use, MobileFrame’s enterprise mobility software will allow Altair to quickly deploy their inventory management project and make changes as needed, without time-consuming and expensive development efforts.

“MobileFrame’s configurable RFID software is very flexible and quick to fully deploy across any manufacturing operation. Our patented 100% Code Free platform architecture allows cost-effective RFID mobile solutions to be quickly deployed without having to write any code. Implementing RFID technology has never been so easy.” — Lonny Oswalt, CEO of MobileFrame

About Altair Eyewear
Altair Eyewear supports independent eye care providers with advanced eyewear technologies and distinctive brands including Tommy Bahama®, Joseph Abboud®, Sigrid Olsen®, and Revlon®. With nearly 10,000 accounts, Altair is one of the fastest growing frame companies in existence today. As a VSP® Company, Altair has the potential to reach 25,000 independent offices and more than 55 million fully insured lives. VSP’s recent acquisition of Marchon Eyewear extends Altair’s reach even further to include 10,000 optician offices across the country as well as global opportunities. For further information visit our website at www.vsp.com.

About MobileFrame

MobileFrame is the leading provider of Configurable Mobile Applications^TM enterprise software that requires no coding or programming to create, deploy and remotely manage sophisticated mobile applications. With secure SOX compliant instant messaging, remote device control, configuration and management, intelligent networking, remote software updates, prioritized synchronization, automatic device driver recognition and loading all built-in, MobileFrame’s platform significantly streamlines mobile application development, deployment, and administration. MobileFrame eliminates custom programming through an intuitive, user friendly point-and-click graphical user interface, enabling novice computer users to quickly create and deploy custom mobile applications tailored to their business.

MobileFrame’s award-winning Configurable Mobile Applications^TM software platform is an entirely self-contained mobility solution that provides full functionality out-of-the-box, with no custom programming, no third party mobile gateways, synchronization engines or SDK’s required. MobileFrame’s software allows users to capture photographs, voice notes, documents, templates, logos, sketches, digital signatures, bar code scans, magnetic strip read outs, RFID tags, advanced algorithmic functions, and attach them directly into their mobile applications. Applications are stored in a library so administrators can quickly make changes whenever operational requirements change, enabling on-the-spot deployment of a wide variety of mobile applications.

For more information, customers may contact MobileFrame directly at 1-408-885-1200 or visit our website at http://www.mobileframe.com.

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Contact:
Thomas J. Laughlin
MobileFrame LLC
(408) 885-1200
tlaughlin@mobileframe.com