A 2011 Gartner report describes context-aware computing as a game-changing opportunity for enterprises to improve both productivity and profits. Context-aware computing is about making applications and content more relevant to a user's context, e.g., when and where the user is, thereby improving user experience. For instance, a coupon delivered to a user at a wrong time or at a wrong location is considered a nuisance. On the contrary, receiving a timely, usable coupon before purchasing a merchandise is a treat. Context-aware computing is not a new concept, but the ongoing mobile revolution makes it both necessary and feasible. 1. Necessary because the mobile phone display is small and information must be delivered with much higher relevance and precision to meet user needs. 2. Feasible because small, light-weight mobile devices allow users to almost always carry them around, and much can be learned via a phone about its user's habits and states.
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