Category: Industry Innovations

Trucks Trusted To Transport Towards Tough Timelines

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66 Trucks trusted to transport towards tough timelines

The consumption of goods, especially in cities, is making urban transport more complex. This is being driven by shorter cycles for seasonal goods, growth in web-based shopping, and higher expectations on short delivery times. Mailboxes serve fewer and fewer letters. Post-offices are closing down and trucks seem to be the worst urban parking violators around.

Transport needs are shifting as internet shopping grows and businesses delivery needs become more and more complex. We now order our weekly groceries online and have them delivered to our door. We pick up parcels at a variety of locations in our neighborhood, depending on the shipping company or the type of goods. The cycles for seasonal goods are getting shorter too as urban retailers push to have as little stock as possible due to expensive floor-space.

Allowing for high-accuracy tracking through networked packages opens up for a number of benefits. Delivery expectations can be set to very specific timing windows. Delivery addresses can be changed en-route without manual intervention. Urban businesses can reduce the inefficiencies from excess waiting times for goods and spare parts. If we know exactly where the package is, we can also make more efficient delivery decisions.

A greater variety of distribution points in cities will lead to smaller vehicles for intracity delivery. The modern postal vehicle is too small and was optimized for the delivery of letters and small packages. They also occupy too much space wherever they stop. Networked vehicles tightly coupled to re-loading centers outside urban centers and package distribution points represent a vital development area.

Here are my predictions for the future of networked goods delivery:
* Real-time tracking capabilities will emerge for e-commerce goods scheduled for urban delivery
* Intelligent delivery points will support flexible pick-up since the best location can vary from order to delivery
* Smaller connected trucks provide a link between packages and the overall tracking system.

Powerful Personal Productivity Platform

Peter LinderLeave a comment
© Peter Linder 2014 – All Rights Reserved
© Peter Linder 2014 – All Rights Reserved

For many people, the latte-paced economy is a reality. Managing a work-life balance today is about combining work at home and in the office. And as the workforce becomes even more mobile, this model will change even further. So what can we learn from global road warriors who fly more often than they take the bus, are constantly juggling their current business, and as they develop, are moving deeper into the Networked Society?

Four fantastic 4G friends have emerged as necessary connectivity companions to ensure that work is about context rather than a specific location. 4G-enabled smartphones and tablets handle the daily information exchange while high-capacity batteries ensure that devices do not run out of energy during the day. Finally a Wi-Fi router guarantees that laptops and Wi-Fi only tablets can be connected en route. These four devices provide a connectivity extension well beyond the laptop and are likely to grow in importance for a broader workforce.

Personal time management has become one of our most valuable skills. So how do you schedule so that your most important task of the day is done when your energy and inspiration levels are at their peak? How do you deal with the daily information flow? If you still think in 8-hour workdays and schedule meetings for a full 60 minutes then you might struggle to handle new priorities. Days divided into 16 half-hour or 32, 15-minute segments might be a new approach to test.

Most of us struggle already with information overload in the form if mail, social media interactions and prioritization. Complex personal file systems and to-do list are growing faster than execution, and the resulting missed news is a symptom that you need better tools. The advancement in mobile productivity applications, such as Right Inbox, Buffer, Fantastical,Carrot, all open up new opportunities

My predictions for the future of personal productivity are:

* Mobile devices will be central to productivity gains
* Our work will move into tailored mobile applications
* Workdays divided into 32 quarters beat those divided into 10 hours in most professions
* The professional connectivity need will spread to include wearables

Airlines Are Advancing Airborne Adventures

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© Peter Linder 2013 – All rights reserved
© Peter Linder 2013 – All rights reserved

An important part of city life starts and ends with air travel. In the US, 642 million passengers flew on 8.4 million domestic flights during 2012. So how can network technology go from a gate-to gate experience to an enhanced door-to-door experience?

Frequent flyers have embraced electronic boarding passes to make their lives easier. Less frequent travelers might not appreciate this new technology but surcharges by low cost airlines for paper tickets and paper boarding passes have converted both types of travelers. We are now beginning to get more refined flight information on-line: notification of delays, progress on stand-by lists and alternative options. This means less work for the screen at the gate and more information in your palm about your trip.

Wi-Fi is widespread in lounges at airports and in the waiting areas inside the terminals. However, few are accessible without a special access code or even at all in the check-in area. As so much information is collected at the booking and required en route, the addition of effortless airport coverage is the next big thing off the plane. Who wouldn’t like to check the box for “Device connectivity at airports en route” when booking a trip?

The entertainment screen in the chair in front of you has been an integrated part of the flying experience for decades. It’s about to get seriously challenged by the tablets most travelers bring on board. The only aspect missing is network capacity on board to support streaming entertainment services. Investing more in network capacity and less on commercial rights and video/DVD/Blu-ray players on board is a mainstream trend.

Last but not least, the networked flight attendant will be updated in the air about the impact of any weather-related delays, mechanical problems or slot times. Tablets and super-sized smartphones are becoming the new work horse to serve you better as you approach the end of your flight. Will I make my connection? Will I need any support for expedited rush between terminals? How long is the immigration line? Am I re-booked on a new flight already?

My predictions for the future of networked aviation are:

– The journey towards connecting airports, planes and passengers is in its infancy and represents the single most important source of adding values to air travel.
– Our smartphones will remain the key touch point for updates on day of travel, and will take over as the primary booking tools for trips.
– Our tablets will become the new personal entertainment screen as soon as satellite capacity allows for streaming during flights.
– Integrating taxi/bus/metro transport with networked aviation will extend the gate-to-gate experience all the way to a door-to-door experience.

Perfect Parking – Predict Places & Power-up Porsches

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60. Perfect parking procedures

A growing challenge in the cities is how to meet its citizen’s parking needs. Users expect navigation support to help them find parking spots close to their destination. With the growth of hybrid and electrical cars, the demand for powered parking spots will grow in urban areas. But what role do networks and smartphones play in this scenario?

Today, information about available parking spots is first displayed at the entry to a garage. With enhanced navigation support en route, the next step is to extend this type of information for empty parking spots. The value to society and citizens from finding a parking spot instantly will come in terms of time saved and reduced emissions. A networked parking lot or garage has the capability to make its available spots accessible to cars nearby. Checking-in a few minutes prior to arrival can soon be a reality.

The transition to electrical and hybrid cars is essential to reduce emissions in urban areas. Integrating electrical/hybrid car charging into urban parking is the next, natural step for dedicated electronic vehicle (EV) parking spots. Distributing charging locations to natural parking spots can make at-home and at-work parking a reality.

With the population growing in major urban areas, parking will continue to be a scarce resource. Efficient use of parking is relevant in urban centers but so is commuter parking – where multi-modal travelers switch to public transportation. With multi-modal travelling apps, different information about public transportation can be linked and extended to include private transportation. The adventure of parking cars in urban centers could soon be history, at least insofar as it is possible to serve the needs with existing parking spots.

My predictions for the future of networked parking are:
– Navigation support will be extended from best routes to also include parking.
– Location-based technology will allow nearby cars to check-in to a parking spot prior to arrival to reduce traffic load from “parking finding”.
– Dedicated EV parking spots will allow charging while “cityzens” are at work.

Where Will Worlds’ Wireless Workers Work?

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58 Where Will Worlds Wireless Workers Work - 1610 edited

Work has forever been a task associated with a distinct location – the workplace. Many professions, dependent on a phone and PC as primary tools, have changed allowing the possibility to work from alternative locations like the home. The service-centric professional life in the city and widespread availability of tablets and smartphones allow for many tasks to be executed wherever you are. So, how prepared are you for the “here-office” reality?

The services and sales sectors have embraced mobile devices extensively. Initially, the applications have been e-mail and interaction-centric. However, the mobilization of existing online service and sales processes is reshaping what “cityzens” will work with – and where they will work – in the future. Remote access to e-mail was a revolution, and now we are about to enter the next one.

The office is becoming more and more mobile. Expensive floor space in urban areas calls for a continued reduction in office space per employee. Many professions require work to be executed at clients’ locations. Lengthy urban commutes represent valuable work or leisure time, which could be used more efficiently. The sum of all these factors is pushing work out of both the office and the home to ever newer locations.

This evolution makes ubiquitous coverage and capacity a central question in the city. The professional applications and evolving use cases represent the largest untapped potential that network enhancements can serve. “Cityzens” will take it for granted. Employees need it to drive productivity, and the urban society cannot develop up to its potential without it.

My predictions for the future of the “here-office” are:

– More and more work tasks will be executed outside the office and home locations.
– The mobile working standard for a globetrotting salesperson today will penetrate more and more service sectors in the city.
– Increased coverage and capacity for a mobile-device-centric working environment will be vital for societal development in the city.
– The combination of HSPA (urban/suburban coverage), LTE (urban capacity) and Wi-Fi (device availability) will shape the future wireless access networks.

Residents’ Real Restaurant Rewards

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57 Residents real restaurant rewards

Restaurants are an important part of social life in the city, where stressed “cityzens” frequently choose an outing instead of cooking at home. Having Wi-Fi in the restaurant and social media “likes” are just as important as the menu for attracting visitors. So, what is essential for owners to consider as they take their concepts toward into a networked environment?

Many restaurant visits are decided at the last minute – usually as you are walking past a place that looks interesting. You know the neighborhood where you live, but you might be open to suggestions for places that are close to where you are. It is therefore central for restaurants to expand their attraction power beyond what we see physically to what we can see on our screens.

In many cases we know where to go, we just need to book a table. We might have difficulties in selecting an exact time in advance. We are also reluctant to take the 30-40 minute wait upon arrival. In this respect, it would be preferable to be able to secure a table on short notice by making the booking through a mobile app and then enjoying an aperitif elsewhere.

As the lifetime of menus becomes shorter and shorter, restaurants are keen on promoting their chosen ingredients in an effort to assist guests in the decision-making process. And with the trend at restaurants moving towards ‘Menu of the Day’ the next innovation will be to exploit tablet menus in close collaboration with what is going on in the kitchen during preparation.

Credit cards have been basic currency in restaurants for a long time. But mobile payments are moving in and opening up the doors for follow-up promotions for your next visit. Being able to monitor payments, owners can track how their online marketing is paying off. The current restaurant infrastructure for Wi-Fi and payment systems can be outsourced, and owners can focus on their new dining experience.

My predictions for the future of networked restaurants are as follows:

– Multiple restaurant processes (marketing, booking, menus and payments) can be re-engineered for a better dining experience.
– Wi-Fi for visitors is just one step toward the networked restaurant, where the following steps are more mission-critical and tied to the restaurants’ own operational processes.
– Restaurants will require highly reliable networks to realize their potential beyond what a typical restaurant Wi-Fi network delivers.