© 2009 VDC Research Group, Inc.
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Figure B
Mapping Users, Environments, and Mobile Requirements
Figure B summarizes each environment in terms of their core users and application
environments and the level of protection required in their mobile computers. Although
VDC is not explicitly recommending rugged or business rugged/durable solutions for
the vast majority of today’s mobile computing users, the high failure rates associated
with many mobile computing deployments suggests that a there is a large number of
users equipped with an inappropriate solution. The consequences of these
deployments are substantially higher ownership costs, poor customer service
performance and lost revenue.
I V. T H E I M P A C T O F TC O : B E HIN D T H E N U M B E R S
TCO is not a standard measurement implemented in mobile deployment evaluations.
According to VDC end user data, only 31.6% of respondents performed a TCO
analysis during their most recent mobile computing deployment. Key reasons for the
lack of TCO analysis is the expense, mistrust of outsider assessment, and lack of
justification.
