Top 10 mobile tips of 2006

Review our most popular mobile technical tips of 2006 from our stable of mobile experts; Lisa Phifer, Craig Mathias, Daniel Taylor, Kevin Beaver and Robbie Harrell.

1. Wireless laptop evolution
2. A look at 4G cellular
3. In-building wireless: Making the case
4. 3G wireless: The long and winding road
5. Airline security: Checking your laptop
6. Cellular bill management: Getting policies under control
7. The Pocket PC -- really
8. Trimming mobile telecomm costs with Skype
9. What to do when a laptop is lost or stolen
10. Mobile client security

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2. Wireless laptop evolution by Lisa Phifer
   If you're cycling out older laptops or deploying a whole new fleet you need to read this. In this feature column, Lisa Phifer explores the technologies and wireless interfaces you should consider when you purchase your next laptop.

3. A look at 4G cellular by Craig Mathias
   4G is getting a lot of buzz lately, and in this column Craig Mathias tells us why. He examines how the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) defines 4G, explains why the ITU's definition may be misleading, and offers his own interpretation.

4. In-building wireless, Part 1: Making the case by Daniel Taylor
   Poor on-campus cellular coverage is a common problem. Dropped calls, weak signals and workers standing by the nearest window are commonplace in many businesses. Given this challenge, the question is what role the enterprise IT department should play in finding a solution. In this tip, Daniel Taylor explores whether telephony over Wi-Fi is mature enough for large-scale enterprise deployments. @30450

5. 3G wireless: The long and winding road by Lisa Phifer
   To understand 3G and how 3G networks can benefit your organizations mobility strategy you must first understand its evolution. In this tip, Lisa Phifer sorts out the cellular alphabet soup and looks at the complex history behind today's 3G wireless.

6. Airline security: Checking your laptop by Craig Mathias
   Recent events have airlines issuing new rules governing carry-on items. New mandates now force us to check our laptops as baggage. Here, Craig Mathias looks at some things we need to be aware of before we check our laptops and what we need to do to prepare it as "baggage."

7. Cellular bill management: Getting policies under control by Daniel Taylor
   In Part I of this series, Daniel Taylor talks about the ways in which telecom managers can set focused and attainable objectives for getting corporate cellular purchasing under control. This is important because the underlying policy – defining how cellular telephony is purchased – is the thing that really needs to be fixed. This second part focuses on the combination of strength and finesse that are required to get cellular policies under control.

8. The Pocket PC -- really by Craig Mathias
   The physical attributes of mobile devices are particularly important to mobile road warriors. In this tip, Craig Mathias discusses the possibilities of having a fully functional PC but with a PDA form factor.

9. Trimming mobile telecomm costs with Skype by Lisa Phifer
   Many mobile workers now use Internet VoIP services like Skype, while on the road, without racking up huge long distance bills. But should enterprises permit or even embrace Skype use by mobile workers? Here are some factors to consider.

10. What to do when a laptop is lost or stolen by Kevin Beaver
    There are a few key steps to take if one of your corporate laptops is lost or stolen. These measures will help you respond rather than react, and they will get you back on the road to recovery, minimizing any future worries.

11. Mobile client security by Robbie Harrell
    As more companies employ a mobile workforce, security becomes a critical factor. Organizations are no longer looking for access mechanisms; they are looking for ways to secure the data over the multitudes of access options. In this tip, Robbie Harrell explores the secure access options available for mobile devices such as PDAs.

View all our tip categories including -- mobile trends, mobile security, mobile innovations and managing the mobile workforce -- on this mobile tip index page.