Palm Enterprise Applications

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
About the Author xi
Introduction xiii
Chapter 1 The Palm Computing Platform 1
The Case for Palm Computing 1
The Palm Computing Platform 2
Palm Devices Are Simple 3
Palm Devices Are Portable 4
Palm Devices Are Useful 4
Palm Devices Are Powerful 6
History 6
Before the Palm 6
The Pilot 7
The Palm Computing Platform 8
Diversity in Deployment 9
The Palm Computing Platform Market Today 9
Multiple Platform Vendors 10
Multiple Software Vendors 11
Multiple Desktop Platforms 11
Competition 12
Microsoft Windows CE 12
Microsoft Windows 14
Symbian 15
Dedicated Devices 16
The Palm Computing Platform and the Enterprise 17
Integrating Information 17
Reducing Redundancy 18
Data Mobility 18
Key Points 18
Chapter 2 Hardware 21
Sources 21
Licensees 22
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) 23
Palm, Inc. 24
The Palm III Family 24
The Palm V Family 26
The Palm VII 28
Handspring 28
The Visor 29
The Springboard 30
Symbol 31
SPT 1500 32
SPT 1700 33
TRG 34
QUALCOMM and Kyocera 34
Sony 35
Nokia 35
IBM 36
ePocrates 36
Supra 37
Franklin Covey 37
Comparison 37
Key Points 40
Chapter 3 Software 41
Groupware 42
Personal Information Management 42
Messaging 44
Synchronized Email 45
Real-Time Email 46
Real-Time Messaging 47
Web 48
Connecting to the Web 49
Synchronizing with the Web 49
Clipping the Web 51
The Wireless Application Protocol 52
Electronic Texts 53
Databases 55
Stand-Alone Databases 56
Administration 56
Tivoli 57
Computer Associates 58
Palm 58
Productivity Applications 58
Document Reading 59
Word Processing 59
Spreadsheet 61
Vertical 62
Key Points 62
Chapter 4 Connections 65
Interfaces 66
Serial 66
Infrared 67
Springboard 68
Software 68
Conduits 69
TCP/IP 71
Wired Networks 72
Serial and IrDA 72
Ethernet 73
Modem 74
Wireless Networks 75
Local Networks 77
Campus Networks 78
Wide Area Networks 79
Peripherals 80
Keyboards 80
Bar Code Readers 81
Printers 82
Special-Purpose Devices 82
Key Points 83
Chapter 5 Development Tools 85
Developing for the Palm Computing Platform 86
Memory Management 86
Databases 87
Conduits 88
User Interface 89
Communication 90
Palm Tools 92
Emulator 93
Metrowerks CodeWarrior IDE 94
PRC-Tools 96
Third Party Tools 98
Java 99
NSBasic 101
Pocket Smalltalk 101
Pendragon Forms 102
Satellite Forms 103
Third-Party Libraries 103
On-Device Tools 104
Key Points 104
Chapter 6 Development Practices 107
Why Projects Fail 107
Defining the Application 109
Scenarios 109
Use Cases 112
Prototypes 115
Developing the Application 117
Inception 118
Elaboration 121
Construction 122
Transition 123
Key Points 124
Chapter 7 Custom Development 125
Outsource Vendors 126
Services 126
Relationships 127
Outsource Development 129
Selecting a Vendor 129
Negotiating the Contract 130
Developing the Application 131
Maintaining the Solution 132
Validating Your Application 133
Test Plan and Test Cases 134
Software Defects 135
Key Points 137
Chapter 8 Case Studies 139
Vertical Applications 139
Healthcare 140
Outside Plant Management 143
Inventory 146
Electronic Documentation 147
Retail Point-of-Sale 149
Looking Ahead 151
Key Points 152
Appendix A Palm Computing Web Resources 153
Appendix B Templates for Software Development 161
Glossary 175
Index 181


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