TABLE OF CONTENTS What would be the "killer app" for next-generation mobile computing? Considering the heterogeneity of mobile wireless technologies, it is understandable that people in different interest groups would have a different answer. In fact, any party who has made a significant investment in a wireless network infrastructure should find a way to take advantage of it. To this end, we identify three key factors that will shape future applications of mobile computing.
Dramatic increase of data rate in various wireless networks
Continuous deployment of wide area wireless networks
Evident trend of convergence between heterogeneous wireless networks
Taking these factors into account, we selected seven categories of mobile applications that are likely to proliferate in the next several years and have presented an extensive discussion of these applications. In the broad domain of location-aware mobile computing, a variety of wireless location sensing techniques and systems were introduced, followed by a general analysis of the design of a location-based system coupled with introductions to some commercial localization systems for asset and people positioning and tracking, inventory management, wireless site survey, and even wireless intrusion detection systems. Indeed, wireless localization has become a key building block for existing and future mobile applications.
Mobile messaging as an alternative to voice communication has become a phenomenal success in Asia and Europe. In parallel with the increasing popularity of SMS, EMS, and MMS in 2.5G and 3G cellular systems, mobile instant messaging that provides presence service and enhanced means of communication has begun to gain...
