From: John Paul, Consultant IT director and executive coach, Consulteast
Sir – Has the iPad changed the world of mobile working or has it just helped us change our minds?
As an IT manager who for many years saw Apple products as annoying things beloved by graphic designers, it took me a little while to come round to the iPad. But as a peripatetic consultant I wonder how I managed without it and go for days now without turning the laptop on.
For some time, the web and 3G networks promised the ‘anything-anywhere’ world but for the mobile worker there were a couple of issues to contend with. Boot time and battery life are key factors; the first must be very short and the second long. The iPad was the first device with a decent screen to deliver this which made it a game changer.
Technology must make life easier if it is to be of value and as IT professionals we must be prepared to follow what works and not get precious about it. Security and other concerns must be addressed but not used as an excuse to hang onto control and personal views about providers. We need to shift to securing the data rather the device in the new world and embrace the new solutions that enable this.
As John Maynard Keynes famously said, “When the facts change, I change my mind; what you do, sir?”
