RAM Teams for Better Mobile-Enterprise Links

Many people are anxiously awaiting for wireless data systems to swoop down and save—perhaps even define—the mobile computing market. In the meantime, several companies are beginning to form the key alliances and partnerships that will make mobile, wireless data access a reality.

RAM Mobile Data recently announced two cooperative working arrangements that may be important steps towards this goal. On one end, RAM will be teaming with Apple Computer to enable Newton MessagePad owners to perform two-way data communications using RAM’s nationwide wireless network.

Using wireless, RAM and Apple expect people to access their NewtonMail from nearly anywhere in the United States without relying on traditional phone lines. NewtonMail is part of eWorld (offered by Apple Online Services) and provides an electronic mail service.

At the other end of the enterprise, RAM made an unrelated announcement that the company, together with Oracle Corp., will develop products enabling wireless access to Oracle’s databases.

Many companies rely on relational databases—often from Oracle—to form the backbone of their information management strategy. Noting that RAM’s wireless network covers more than 6300 cities and towns in the United States, this promised degree of integration is an important development that will nonetheless need to be accelerated if the future of wireless data is ever expected to meet its early, lofty projections.

RAM expects products related to Oracle access to be announced later in 1994, however the company was non-committal concerning its joint effort with Apple.