Persuasive Reasons Drive IBM's Pervasive Computing.
Issue: June 17, 1999
By William Fellows
IBM Corp reckons it will be able to address up to 50% of the market for pervasive computing devices which is expected to reach $100bn to $120bn by 2003, from under $10bn today. That's persuasive computing. By pervasive computing, IBM means the ubiquitous use of technology in new devices and everyday appliances which are also connected to the internet. IBM's partners include Sharp in Japan for PDAs, Nokia for cell phones and France Telecom for screen phones.
IBM pervasive computing honcho Mark Bregman explains that the proliferation devices connected to the internet will means a huge increase in the number of transactions. It estimates that by 2003 as many as half of the devices connected to the internet will not by PCs by 2003, from cars to cell phones, household appliances to vending machines.
It is already committed to deliver Java software late this year which will enables applications developed for one platform to run on another and has just made available profile serving software on its web site enabling developers to create services which personalize content, translate protocols and document formats. IBM believes the Java software will lead to the creation of a class of applications which it calls web intermediaries.
Bregman told Merrill Lynch & Co analysts that it will shortly announce a MobileNet Connect for building applications on the Palm Pilot. In doing so it will join other heavyweight traffic driving a path to Palm Pilot which includes Sun Microsystems Inc's mobile and low-end Java efforts. Bregman says nomadic document management is another opportunity. It's also working with Sun on auto manufacturers to create standard technologies for use in driver info and car entertainment systems. In addition to widely-previewed household appliances IBM's also going to put a Notes ID file on a smart card to make it secure for mobile applications. Its MQSeries software is being extended with MQLite and other flavors to support secure messaging, Java and XML
