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Brian · 11-09-2005, 08:27 PM

There's a very interesting report on convergence by the consulting firm Deloitte titled The trillion dollar challenge: Principles for profitable convergence (PDF). Convergence is happening everywhere. Media Center PCs and next-gen game consoles like Microsoft's XBox 360 and Sony's PS3 will deliver computing, gaming, and home media in a single box. Our mobile devices are providing email, the web, gaming, and portable content in addition to traditional voice and text messaging roles. The iPod started out as a portable music player but continues to become more of a handheld computing platform as contacts, calendars, games, notes, photos and video playback features have been added by the Cupertino computer company. From the report:

Convergence is being driven by three underlying trends. The first is proliferation of digital data, which provides a common base for handling diverse types of information – numbers, words, music, pictures, video, and more – using the same devices, processing techniques, and media. The second is widespread connectivity, which helps bring diverse information together, and extends the value and capabilities of a device beyond its out-of-the-box functionality. The third is continuous advances in technology, from battery life to processor speed.

Convergence is not about cramming as much technology as possible into a device, according to the paper. One of the most important principles of convergence puts the customer first before technology.

Convergence must be driven by customer needs, not technology. It’s easy to get caught up in the amazing things the convergence of technologies can do, but those things only matter when they produce something customers actually want and are willing to pay for.

Mobile computing is entering a new era due to the proliferation of high speed wireless data networks, more powerful and energy efficient mobile processors, better display technologies, more portable content offerings by content providers, and a better mobile web experience as web content and services become optimized for mobile devices. Companies that get convergence right will prosper while those who continue to struggle to find the right balance between technology and meeting their customers' needs will lose out.

Apple, Creative, Dell, HP, Motorola, Palm, Samsung, Sony and many others are all creating converged mobile devices. Which ones are getting mobile convergence right, and which ones aren't? Are devices like the Sony PSP, Palm Treo smartphone, and Creative Zen Vision examples of convergence done right, or do they fall under the jack of all trades, master of none category and put technology before customer needs?

11-09-2005, 08:27 PM	#1
Brian MobileRead Editor Posts: 447 Karma: 84 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Massachusetts Device: Treo 700p, Zodiac2	Editorial: Getting convergence right There's a very interesting report on convergence by the consulting firm Deloitte titled The trillion dollar challenge: Principles for profitable convergence (PDF). Convergence is happening everywhere. Media Center PCs and next-gen game consoles like Microsoft's XBox 360 and Sony's PS3 will deliver computing, gaming, and home media in a single box. Our mobile devices are providing email, the web, gaming, and portable content in addition to traditional voice and text messaging roles. The iPod started out as a portable music player but continues to become more of a handheld computing platform as contacts, calendars, games, notes, photos and video playback features have been added by the Cupertino computer company. From the report: Convergence is being driven by three underlying trends. The first is proliferation of digital data, which provides a common base for handling diverse types of information – numbers, words, music, pictures, video, and more – using the same devices, processing techniques, and media. The second is widespread connectivity, which helps bring diverse information together, and extends the value and capabilities of a device beyond its out-of-the-box functionality. The third is continuous advances in technology, from battery life to processor speed. Convergence is not about cramming as much technology as possible into a device, according to the paper. One of the most important principles of convergence puts the customer first before technology. Convergence must be driven by customer needs, not technology. It’s easy to get caught up in the amazing things the convergence of technologies can do, but those things only matter when they produce something customers actually want and are willing to pay for. Mobile computing is entering a new era due to the proliferation of high speed wireless data networks, more powerful and energy efficient mobile processors, better display technologies, more portable content offerings by content providers, and a better mobile web experience as web content and services become optimized for mobile devices. Companies that get convergence right will prosper while those who continue to struggle to find the right balance between technology and meeting their customers' needs will lose out. Apple, Creative, Dell, HP, Motorola, Palm, Samsung, Sony and many others are all creating converged mobile devices. Which ones are getting mobile convergence right, and which ones aren't? Are devices like the Sony PSP, Palm Treo smartphone, and Creative Zen Vision examples of convergence done right, or do they fall under the jack of all trades, master of none category and put technology before customer needs?