In such a tough economic times the mobile computing services are being perceived as the major source of increasing productivity and enjoy economies of scale. Many organisations (especially small businesses and medium sized businesses, SMBs) prefer mobile computing services, like business laptops, over desktop PCs because these add to the flexibility and adaptability of the business.

Access Markets International (AMI) has conducted a research and concluded that nearly half of small businesses and about nine-tenths of medium-sized businesses employ workers who need to travel for their work at least four to five times per month. Whilst travelling the workers need to a have a suitable mobile computing solution, like being supplied with the Sony Vaio VGN-Z21WN/B business laptop, for instance. This way the workers can work seamlessly irrespective of their location. SMBs believe that the mobile computing services can contribute a lot in enhancing the productivity in more places. AMI expects a rise in the demand for mobile computing services in the next five years. It expects the US SMB mobility market to grow from $1.8 billion to $2.6 billion by the end of 2013. SMBs are willing to spend on portable PCs, conferencing services and smartphones-solutions even in the times of recession as these services are deemed as critical for smooth business operations.

According to AMI analyst Chad Henry, “Mobile data access will enable agility and quicker response times – critical factors in today’s environment. Our research shows while layoffs are on the rise, SMBs will hold on to their rainmakers and will continue to provide them with tools that help them deliver business. Even though travel has increased in the past couple of years, firms will begin to reign in unnecessary travel in this economy and look to technology solutions, like conferencing, to pick up the slack.”

Tags for this article: mobile, Laptops, netbooks

The One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) is actively getting involved in donating laptops to children in developing countries every day, but this project is not exempted from the economic crisis. Indeed, the worldwide recession has affected OLPC too and forced the OLPC founder to restructure and streamline its process. Recently OLPC has cut off 32 employees from its staff as a part of its streamlining process and the rest of the officials are bearing with salary cuts.

OLPC is focusing on the development of a $100 XO laptop for children in developing countries. But now the commercial vendors too have introduced their portable computing machines at a nearly equally competitive price. For prices as low as £160, the Asus Eee PC 701 4G was already nipping at the XO laptop’s heels, but with a new wave of netbooks approaching the $100 range, things look much more difficult for OLPC. This naturally makes OLPC face tough economic times, especially at this time of recession. However, the OLPC founder Nicholas Negroponte says, “OLPC will be dedicated to bringing the cost of the laptop down to Zero for the Least Developed Countries — the $0 Laptop.” This is a very bold goal set by the OLPC team.

The last year was full of struggles for OLPC. OLPC’s top three executives resigned as they felt that the OLPC is getting more interested in laptop distribution instead of economic development. Still, Negroponte believes that the OLPC has ability to keep donating laptops in the developing nations. He says, “The future brings with it some uncertainty, some difficulty, but also the excitement that comes with the rededication to a cause, and a new path that will allow us to realize the moral purpose of OLPC.”