Over the past four years there has been a lot of talk about mobile applications and their use in businesses and everyday life. Most of this talk has been quietly pushed aside with only a few people questioning why this “write-off” of mobile applications is occurring.
The main argument I hear for putting mobile apps in the world is “allowing people to work away from their desk”, which, loosely translated means “making people work when they aren’t being paid for it”. The last thing people need or want in this country is more worked. We are already overworked and overstressed with menial issues, why would we want to be overstressed or overworked when we leave work?
Now, I can understand if you travel a lot and need to be connected to the world, but using mobile apps to allow the bosses noose to extend to your home is just stupid. Yeah, mobile applications are cool but it just is not practical. If I am going to write a word document, I am going to sit down in front of a full screen and a full keyboard to do so. If I am away from my desk I am not going to try and write the document on a little Windows Mobile device, I would rather use a pencil and paper.
I think the whole mobility thing needs to be rethought.