As seen in...

Syware solves problem of sometimes-connected wireless databases

Syware claims to have solved the problem of real-time, interactive access to remote databases by users of wireless mobile devices such as handhelds, tablets, and laptops. Syware's mEnable 2.0 software is said to allow users to reliably run database applications on mobile devices and directly connect to remote-hosted ODBC-enabled databases, independent of connection persistence.

According to Syware, mEnable 2.0 accomplishes this by defining two modes for wireless data-driven applications:
• Sometimes connected mode -- When the network is available, devices read from and write directly to the enterprise server. When coverage is lost, they work locally. When coverage is restored, the device and server databases are synchronized and the devices resume working directly with data on the server.

• Always connected mode -- Devices have continuous, real-time access to server data. This allows interaction with large, complex databases that are normally beyond the capability of a wireless handheld device.
The mobile applications used with mEnable 2.0 are developed with Syware's Visual CE forms and database development tools.

According to Syware, the alternative to its dual-mode approach is a web browser-based application. However, Syware claims that programming equivalent dual-mode capabilities using Pocket PC based web browsers would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Pocket Internet Explorer does not afford the same flexibility and is slow, and alternatives like JavaScript are also slow and significantly more complicated, the company says.

mEnable 2.0 runs on any LAN, WAN, or Internet connection using the TCP/IP protocol. The network can be based on local Ethernet, Internet protocol, 802.11 wireless LAN, or Bluetooth for short-range wireless, in conjunction with a cell phone's long-range capabilities. mEnable 2.0 supports the full spectrum of mobile Windows-based PCs, including handhelds, tablets, laptops running Windows CE, 9x, 2000, NT, XP, and XP Embedded.

The software is expected to ship during Q3 2004. It is priced at $499 for the mEnable SDK plus 10 run-time licenses. The mEnable SDK packaged with 100 run-times is $1999.

www.syware.com