i-Pad and smartphones to overtake PCs for web access

Paul Boughton
Skillfair.com, the UK online market place representing 10,000 consultants, predicts a dramatic change in working practices in the consultancy sector as a direct result of the advent of Apple’s i-Pad and other intuitive mobile devices. 

Earlier this year, Gartner predicted that by 2013 mobile phones will overtake PCs as the common most web access device worldwide. Skillfair anticipates that this will undoubtedly alter how consultants operate and the services they deliver to clients, particularly given the intuitive nature of the latest devices and low-cost entry prices.

Skillfair MD Gill Hunt said: "The portability, flexibility and design appeal of the i-Pad is already garnering a huge following.  In terms of the consultancy sector, the potential applications are tremendous across multiple vertical sectors. Clearly we anticipate early adopters and innovators in the more technologically advanced sectors, such as IT, but the general consumer appeal and ease of use of these new devices will engender widespread use across a broad range of industries.  You only have to start to use a little imagination to envisage the possibilities."

Mobile devices have been around for some time, but with the advent of Apple’s i-Pad, enhancements to the latest i-Phone releases plus rival devices and technologies such as Google Android and Dell’s Shear, working on the go is fast becoming the norm rather than the exception. 

Below are just a few ways in which consultancy services may change:

• Turnaround times for projects and work delivered will shorten, with applications such as videoconferencing on the move (potentially using the new front-facing camera in the latest i-Phone release)
• Voice to email applications will enable HR consultants to voice record their notes from an interview and have these immediately emailed to the client for review
• i-Phone scanner applications enable trainers to scan flipchart notes and store these immediately in electronic format, speeding up the reporting and analysis post-session
• Engineering consultants can use i-Pad applications to walk around a client site and reference 3D designs and rendered images to make quick decisions on design choices

Dr Hunt continued: "Consultants have always been eager to adopt technologies that enable them to improve service levels to clients, but we are truly entering a new chapter with affordable, easy-to-use devices.  We are eager to see how our consultants apply these technologies in their various sectors."

For more information, visit www.skillfair.co.uk

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