The business challenges that we hear most often from device manufacturers are:

Competition and Differentiation: "There are so many devices on the market ... and new ones coming out every day! How do we differentiate our products?"   Declining Margins: "Our margins have been driving into the ground ... how can we add more value to our hardware?"   Old Inventory: "We've got some great new products coming, but we still have a ton of old inventory!"

Do you agree, or do you have other challenges? We would to hear your thoughts on this - please tell us!

Solutions

With each new generation of wireless device, they become less 'communicator' and more 'OS platform'. Most device manufacturers have now established developer relations programs to court and support 3rd party applications providers and content providers.

Outr.Net has participated in a number of success stories in which custom solutions have enabled significant sales into enterprise accounts. In some cases, these applications highlighted the features and helped accelerate the rollout of next-generation devices, but in other cases, these custom applications helped move significant quantities of previous-generation devices which had evolved into 'reliable workhorses'.

Of course, there's more to all this than just writing software ...

The release of a new OS-based communicator is more complicated than ever before. Not only do communications features need to be characterized and qualified, but now SDKs need to be tested, applications need to be certified, and in some cases new data networks need to be characterized. Outr.Net has been engaged by device manufacturers to support a variety of these technical projects, so that internal resources could remain focused on core functionality of the device.

Example: A device manufacturer needed help characterizing a new convergent device on a new GSM/GPRS network. Outr.Net worked with both the device manufacturer and network provider, and developed tools to test and provide feedback on network performance and reliability.   Example: Outr.Net has been engaged by major device manufacturers to assist internal development teams in developing certification programs, testing SDKs, and providing feedback on how their products compare with competitive devices from the 3rd party perspective.

The sales team for an OS-based communicator now has a more complex job too. Not only do the communications features of the new device need to be represented, but also the potential of the device as customized for different vertical markets. Outr.Net has been engaged by device manufacturers to develop a variety of tools that enable the sales force to sell more effectively.

Example: A large device manufacturer needed help streamlining their seed program for executives at major enterprise accounts. Outr.Net developed a 'Pilot' application which provides an orientation, FAQs, and automates the manual processes for 'pop-up' notification and user surveys.   Example: The sales team for a new communicator with a high-resolution display was trying to demonstrate the capabilities of the device for markets in which this display would be most valuable, such as security, real estate, medical and field service. Outr.Net developed an 'Imaging' application which is now being used by the sales team to demonstrate how their device can search for, download and display images for various vertical markets.

Of course, once any project is underway, it's all about executing - arriving at real-world, maintenance-free solutions as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Example: A device manufacturer developed a strategic alliance with a travel information provider, and needed an application developed as quickly as possible for a tradeshow. Outr.Net developed and delivered the application on budget and ahead of schedule.   Example: A device manufacturer and a computer manufacturer teamed up to pursue a wireless systems opportunity with a state government. Outr.Net was selected to develop the application, and delivered it on budget and on schedule.

In short, Outr.Net does much more than just develop software. We provide technical and business support at every stage, from sales support to network testing to real-world production solutions.


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