Author: Denny

Mobile technology has completely altered the commuter experience

From comfort to convenience, smartphones have greatly improved the communication between transit and rider.

The majority of commuters using public transit have smartphones with them, and bus, subway, and train system authorities know this and are increasingly catering to mobile technology and the many cost effective opportunities that it provides.

Transit riders aren’t just using their cell phones to let people know about delays along their routes.

In fact, communication is only a small fraction of what mobile technology brings to today’s commuters. From mobile ticketing to WiFi enabled stations, many transit authorities have worked these devices into the actual use of their transportation services. Over the last few years, this has grown to the point of being commonplace, so that many commuters have come to expect and rely upon the mobile friendly services that make the experience more convenient.

Mobile technology has helped to remove some of the unnecessary inconveniences previously linked with public transit.

Mobile Technology - Public Transit - SubwayMobile ticketing has become a growing trend in public transit, for instance. One example, among many, is the mTicket app from the MBTW (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), which made it possible for riders to be able to buy fare no matter where they are or what time it is. That app was first launched back in 2012, and many other transit authorities have offered their riders similar types of experience.

For those that have not yet implemented m-ticketing, mobile payments have become an option. This way, instead of purchasing a type of ticket over a smartphone, it is possible to pay for fare directly out of a debit or credit card account by way of different types of tech such as near field communication (NFC), or QR code scans.

Transit systems around the world are offering riders ways to know when their next bus or train will arrive, which can help to ease the struggle of waiting. From Antwerp to the United States, commuters can use apps or scan QR codes on bus stop signs to better understand the schedule in real time.  In fact, it has also recently been revealed that Apple Maps will be including transit information for large cities, in its upcoming update.

Even entertainment for passing the time throughout the journey has become a factor. While apps offer a great way to enjoy games, social media, and other amusing time-killers (particularly when the transit system offers free WiFi connectivity), some systems have also introduced digital libraries, where QR codes can be scanned on the walls of busses and trains in order to gain access to public domain ebooks.

Of course, the team at Mogix power banks has pointed out that this makes it even more important that commuters always keep their mobile technology batteries charged, as these riders depend on the gadgets for their transit fare, wallets, information, and entertainment every day.

CEO John Chen unwavering in BlackBerry smartphone profitability goal

He believes that the enterprise security features will set these handsets apart from the competition.

CEO John Chen has revealed that he is still pursuing his goal of returning BlackBerry smartphone sales to profitability, despite the fact that the company has only just managed to escape from the brink of complete disaster.

It is Chen’s belief that the mobile security in the company’s handsets are head and shoulders over other manufacturers.

Chen explained that when it comes to mobile security, there simply isn’t any comparison to a BlackBerry smartphone He said that they offer far greater security features on enterprise devices than is available on any other manufacturer’s gadgets. The CEO also went on to state that the smartphones made by BlackBerry function as a jumping off point for the company to be able to market its other broad range of security options.

While the company can secure Android and iPhone devices, Chen says that there is nothing like a BlackBerry smartphone.

Blackberry Smartphone - Profitability GoalThe CEO explained that Android smartphones and iPhones can have their mobile security levels enhanced through BlackBerry technology, but that when it comes down to it, the highest level of protection is available through one of the company’s own handsets. This belief helps to explain why Chen has chosen to adhere to his intentions of moving forward within the device business in order to focus on other components of the mobile industry.

He also explained that the U.S. Army is continuing with “rolling out all BlackBerry,” and he added that if he should “tell them there are no more phones, I lose that account. The question is how do you make phones profitable at the volume those people represent?”

During the most recent quarterly earnings announcement, the handset maker from Windsor, Canada, revealed that it had 1.6 million devices within that span of time. Though this number is certainly only the smallest sliver of the mobile technology market as a whole (Apple’s equivalent figure was 61.2 million), it does help to show that the BlackBerry smartphone does appear to be hanging in there when compared to previous recent quarters.