T2.3 Hardware & Software

With the use of Mobile Commerce rapidly expanding, small businesses need to keep up with beneficial hardware and software to keep themselves going in the global market. Outdated hardware and software can put businesses at a competitive disadvantage. Luckily, there are a lot of ways for businesses to expand their use of Mobile Commerce. Speech-Recognition Technology is a system that expands M-Commerce specifically in dealing with customer service. Customers are able to interact with live agents through the use of their own voice without hitting a keypad. This technology is also beneficial for conducting business without access to a keyboard, like when traveling. Digital Cameras have become a type of hardware used to expand Mobile Commerce. These cameras, unlike film cameras, allow businesses the opportunity of taking photos or videos anywhere, anytime, then simply uploading to a computer or device, and sharing them. If someone within a business is missing a meeting, photos or videos as forms of information can be sent to them to keep them up to speed. Digital cameras are also affordable for small businesses, barely ever costing more than 250 dollars. Optical Character Recognition Readers - OCR readers are used to convert handwritten or hard copy documents into digital data to be shared within a business, or to the public. Handwritten financial statements such as balance sheets can be scanned and put write into the computer, saving lots of time. These documents can be scanned and shared from anywhere at any time. E-Books are another way that businesses are expanding their use of M-Commerce. Magazine companies that take part in the iPad magazine app are offering their businesses to customers with access to magazines anywhere. Stores like Home Depot are using design lookbooks available online for anyone internet or WiFi connection to access. Businesses have their information right online for anyone to see whenever they want. Portable Computers are becoming a popular, useful trend within M-Commerce. Tablets specifically are a very useful tool for conducting business. The touch screen technology on tablets is great for doing business in places where a keyboard cannot be used, such as on an airplane. Tablets are said to improve worker productivity by being able to conduct business anywhere using a portable, durable computer.