Industry Interrupted: Tablets and Smart Phones Poised to Make a Big Impact

摘要

Industrial IT teams are likely to rail against the use of mobile devices, but many equipment makers feel they are fighting against the tide to ignore them. Productivity will ultimately determine which side will win. Apple isn't likely to become a player in harsh industrial environments, but its reach is extending into many factories. Tablets and smart phones are becoming a part of the control and monitoring technologies in a growing number of plants. Whether they're from Apple, the many Android suppliers or other manufacturers, these handheld devices are expected to continue the trend that began when users started toting laptops around. The latest generation of handhelds makes it even easier for operators and technicians to gather data when they're right next to the equipment. Companies that embrace the use of tablets and smart phones feel they're continuing a trend that took off when companies started using Ethernet.