One problem that I frequently encounter is presenting non-x86

software to a large group. Crowding around a mobile device to examine features and functionality with a group of larger than a few people is

impossible – and if you use online meeting webinar services, you need something to show that little mobile device screen on your x86 monitor. The

solution? Emulators, Simulators, and Display Software.

With a little help from a few software applications designed to present the

screens of mobile devices, this problem is solved. This does beg the question “how do you present software designed to present software on a mobile

device?” – perhaps that’s another thread!

Emulators and Simulators

Emulators and simulators use software to mimic

hardware. They are typically small in disk space and resource consumption, and they are normally transportable so you can save an image or copy of a

device configuration and install it on multiple machines within your sales force. They also save the expense and complexity of using physical

devices.

RIM (Research in Motion), makers of the Blackberry device, publish a

great emulator complete with skins for all of their devices. These skins make it possible to show any Blackberry hardware running your software, and

all of the buttons and system applications work as they would on a physical device. You can even specify a virtual carrier, set signal strength, and

demonstrate an incoming phone call! That’ll spice up your demo! Get the RIM Blackberry simulators

href=”http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/downloads/simulators.jsp”>here.

Microsoft provides Windows Mobile emulators that work with or

without Visual Studio. Simulators images are provided for every different language version of the OS. You can download the emulator images

href=”http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=38C46AA8-1DD7-426F-A913-4F370A65A582&displaylang=en”>here.

width=”72″ alt=”wm6emulator” id=”image18″ src=”http://www.softwaresalesengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/wm6emulator.thumbnail.JPG” />

Demonstration Software

Software is also available to help solve the very specific problem of demonstrating applications on a

mobile device. These products allow the display of a mobile device screen on an x86 monitor. From this point, the screen capture can be shared

through a projector, large monitor, or over a webinar.

The Windows Mobile Developer Powertools includes an Activesync remote display utility with no client side

configuration necessary. Microsoft released a Pocket PC powertoy called the remote display control which operated in a client server architecture – as

near as I can tell, this tool has been replaced by the Activesync tool.

A third-party application called

href=”http://www.soti.net/default.asp?Cmd=Products&SubCmd=PCPro”>Pocket Controller from SOTI.net is my personal

favorite – it uses an activesync-connected windows mobile device but allows a very quick skin chooser – I can immediately switch between different

device skins to present the devices my clients are looking for – which adds a personal impact to my presentations.

In

Conclusion…

Even with screen capture utilities and simulators / emulators, showing a live device screen is complicated at best.Â

The potential for trouble during your live demo must be weighed – as always – with the potential impact. For most products, I would say that a

prepackaged or canned demo is the most technically desirable, minimizing the potential for a technical failure – but when the sales team or customer

demands it, these utilities are indespensible!