Information Builders is the first major supplier to bring business intelligence (BI) power to mobile workers.
A mobile version of its WebFocus Active Reports software allows on-the-move workers to view and, more importantly, interact with reports, make calculations or create charts on their smartphones.
Unlike other solutions, users don’t need to install plug-ins or custom software on their devices, and special servers and web services aren’t required.
“Delivering BI to a mobile device is not new,” says Information Builders chief executive Gerald Cohen. “What’s new is that with this latest innovation around Active Reports, we have taken the technology from a push form of simply sending information, to an interactive form where users can drill down on data, visualise it, and make decisions based on real-time data.”
A few weeks ago Cognos announced plans to sell its BI software for Blackberries next year, but this requires intervention from IT administrators. Business Objects is also working on a mobile prototype.
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