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Laptops lose ground as mobile devices of choice [Bangkok Post, Thailand](Bangkok Post (Thailand) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) March 15--The rapid rise in sales of smartphones and tablet computers is stimulating further mobility among workers, some of whom are abandoning their laptops for smaller devices. A survey by iPass Mobile Workforce showed 65% of 3,500 respondents in 1,100 enterprises globally owned tablets, with 27% using them for work. Of the participants, 49% came from North America, 35% from Europe and 10% from Asia-Pacific including Thailand. The survey also found that if mobile employees could select a device of choice, 49% chose a smartphone and 20% selected a tablet. Significantly, only 27% selected a laptop as their first choice, down from 37% a year earlier. The survey also found a generation gap in mobile users -- but not the one most people would have expected. Employees aged over 35 years old reported feeling more productive when working outside the office, while younger respondents said they felt most productive when working in the office. The survey also showed that only 57% of mobile workers were satisfied with their mobile operators' network coverage, and only 46% with network speed. It said that 59% of mobile workers used WiFi on their smartphones at least one hour per day. Steven Wastie, senior vice-president for marketing and product management of iPass, said the use of tablets and smartphones in enterprises was being driven by the growth of cloud-based applications coinciding with more affordable prices. "User experience and economics are driving this mobile phenomenon to expand on a professional and personal level," he said. John Gallagher, the manager of iPass, said tablets and smartphones were being used in the workplace whether companies like it or not. Companies need to adapt and have policies and security procedures in place; otherwise there are security and privacy issues that could affect the company with information not secured outside of the office. The report also said mobile workers with smartphones or tablets worked harder and longer hours than those who did not own one. In the United States, the average mobile worker puts in 240 more hours each year than the average American worker. That works out to six more weeks of productivity. To see more of the Bangkok Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bangkokpost.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, Bangkok Post, Thailand Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544) |