7 Reasons to Use AirWatch for Mobile Device Management | CIO
Insider email
7 Reasons to Use AirWatch for Mobile Device Management
More like this
on IDG Answers
Many enterprises use AirWatch systems to manage mobile devices on an individual, group and company level all at once. From configuration to monitoring to support, here are seven reasons why AirWatch ranks among the MDM leaders.
Use commas to separate multiple email addresses
technology, while still in its infancy, has come a long way in the last few years. Letting employees and associates use mobile devices has become a critical factor to a company's success, which explains the explosion of interest in MDM systems.
To that end, many of the largest companies use AirWatch on a global scale to stem the tide of mobile devices that are flooding their networks.
Headquartered in Atlanta,
has been in the MDM business since 2003 with one goal in mind—helping companies focus on using mobile technology rather than the complexities of managing it.
When your business is ready to take mobile asset management seriously, AirWatch is definitely worth a test drive.The company designed its MDM platform to be multi-tenant, highly scalable and integrated with existing enterprise systems, regardless of whether they are on-site or in the cloud.
AirWatch also supports all major mobile players—Apple iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Phone—out of the box.
Finally, many customers will tell you they use the product because they find it intuitive.Case Study:
With the top motivator in mobility today being ROI and employee preference, it's safe to say the
era is here to stay.
Let's take a look at how big businesses are using AirWatch to protect their mobile assets and data.
1. Activation.
Whether you adopt a
or issue corporate liable devices, the process for protecting those devices is the same, and it begins with enrolling the device into a MDM system.
AirWatch lets associates activate devices in one simple step, without the need for iTunes, or any such software, in your environment.
Activation begins with a simple email or SMS to the user's mobile device. This provides them with a provisioning URL, a login and an activation code.
(If using SMS, a batch import file can be applied.)
From there, a simple challenge and response message takes place on the device.
As each user visits the URL provided, the device is placed into a default location group.
This lets administrators place each device into geographic or organizational subgroups.
This, in turn, allowing AirWatch to push the appropriate profile for each device based on which group in whic employees in one country can be grouped together, for example, to ensure that they comply with that country's specific privacy laws.
A profile is added to the device, and the process is complete.
Once enrolled in the AirWatch console, your company's admins can easily make changes, insure compliance and monitor the device by using the Web-based console.
2. Enrollment.
AirWatch's device enrollment process begins with the device staging procedure, which lets IT administrators quickly stage a device with the proper configuration and prepare it for deployment.
This process can also be used for bulk enrollments that involve large-scale mobile device deployment.
All devices, regardless of the number being deployed, require directory-based user authentication that in turn uses AD, LDAP, SAML or any token-based authentication system. This adds the first layer of device security.
This is also where all users of the device are required to read and comply with your company's own .
This provides both added accountability and visibility to your company's policies and deters those associates from exclaiming "I didn't know" when policies are not adhered to.
The entire enrollment process can have as many or as few restrictions as your business needs—from blocking device types, platforms type or version types to checking for jailbroken systems.
You can easily deny certain device types from accessing your systems and networks.
3. Security.
Even the most basic MDM systems can require the device to be password-protected, but businesses serious about mobile device security will need to adjust the complexity of certain passcodes based on which business group uses the device.
AirWatch provides the ability to configure the passcode complexity but, also, to adjust password length and add lock and wipe rules.
The security features of AirWatch extend past the passcode method of providing security and mandate encryption on the devices storage cards.
This secures all data being stored on and transmitted to a device and, by providing local data backup, adds an element of data loss prevention.
It also provides functionality to lock down a device to the point that users are unable to use just about any devices features, up to and including Web browsers and apps loaded on the device.
Administrators can also apply rules that provide compliance enforcement, including automated responses when a device is lost or stolen.
Admittedly, applying many of these features would render a mobile device little more than a flip-phone.
However, certain business groups may require such an aggressive policy, and AirWatch lets you leverage those features accordingly.
4. Device Management.
Once deployed, devices can be easily managed.
You can update each device configuration profile, for a whole group or the whole enterprise.
You can send a request to the device to request information, lock the device, or, when necessary, wipe it of all data remotely.
If you're retiring or decommissioning the device, you can quickly un-enroll that device using the Admin console.
Finally, you can set up custom queries at custom intervals in order to report on any device information.
5. Configuration.
As stated, all devices enrolled in the AirWatch system can be configured remotely.
Immediately out of the box, administrators can distribute documents between devices on the system using the "Content Locker" feature.
Admins can configure device settings or user credentials allowing, in the process allowing access to certain resources on your network.
These configurations can be specific to the group or individual device certificates.
Furthermore, each device can contain as many accounts as needed to facilitate access to businesses corporate email, calendars, contacts or even Wi-Fi and VPN networks.
Finally, all approved apps can be controlled using the AirWatch Custom App Catalog, which lets you distribute and manage internal and external business apps.
6. Monitoring.
Once your devices have been enrolled into AirWatch, with user groups configured and apps distributed, you'll want to track and view device information in real time.
AirWatch includes interactive dashboards and Web portlets for this purpose.
Visibility and access are tightly controlled, as your system administrator can configure what data is collected and who can view it.
Admins, and end users, can also receive alerts triggered by specific events, which can include just about anything related to the device, such as memory space capacity or the addition/deletion of applications.
Alerts can be received via email or a notification from the AirWatch dashboard.
This gives senior IT management team the ability to use their own mobile devices to receive reports about employees' mobile device use.
7. Support.
No MDM system is complete without the ability to support your user community remotely so they don't have to constantly ship equipment around the world when something fails.
Using AirWatch, admins can send messages to the user, and vice-versa, which makes it easy for your support team to troubleshoot issues, providing instructions and images when necessary.
Savvy end users can access a self-service portal for tasks such as clearing or changing passcodes or locating a lost device.
For more complicated processes, admins can remotely control the device from their own computer screen.
(Pay attention to the privacy laws in effect in your employees' country of origin.)
Businesses in a variety of industries have chosen AirWatch for mobile device management.
The company is but one of many
to consider, but AirWatch's support for all mobile devices, robust reports and simple policy administration should put it near the top of your mobile device management list.
Richard Hein is a writer, editor and Web developer with more than 15 years in the Web development field.
You can connect with him via
or .Follow everything
on Twitter , on , and on .
Fitbit Alta is an updated version of the company's popular Flex wristband with some valuable new...
Newsletters Sign up and receive the latest news, reviews and trends on your favorite technology topics. Get our Daily News newsletter
Alta is the sleekest activity tracker Fitbit has ever made. It's also relatively inexpensive and...
<'s sortable, searchable directory of technology conferences makes it easy to find events coming...
BrandPosts
Sponsored by KPMG
Sponsored by Dell-Intel
Sponsored by PC Connection
Sponsored by PLEX
White Paper
White Paper
White Paper
White Paper
White Paper
Featured Stories
Sales teams for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt are using cloud software to track existing client accounts...
Facebook ramped up its open-source initiative in 2016, and the company has already seen a 35 percent...
Males and females, human and rodent alike, process pain differently, so it's understandable why the...
Polaroid's hay day may be long gone, but the brand is not forgotten. The latest Polaroid product is a...Pebble Smartwatch Review & Rating |
Pebble Smartwatch
Simple, understated design. Easy setup. Instantaneous notifications. Customizable watch faces. Syncs with Android or iOS.
Greater iOS app compatibility than Android. Some bugs.
Bottom Line
The smart-looking Pebble smartwatch delivers on its promise of wireless notifications right on your wrist, and while there are still some bugs that need to be ironed out, if developers can get behind the platform, the potential is huge.
After a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $10 million, and nearly a year spent working out the kinks of a grass-roots effort to bring a consumer product to market, the Pebble Smartwatch ($150 direct) finally arrived earlier this year. We had some reservations at first, but nearly half a year later, with a number of updates under its belt, we've decided to revisit the Pebble and see how far it's come.
&#47;&#47;Compare Similar Products
The physical design remains identical, while the primary features are largely unchanged. But what's new and most exciting is the burgeoning developer community surrounding the Pebble platform. It's still not the most consumer friendly device out there. But for those who are willing to tinker, the Pebble is now the most well-rounded smartwatch available, and it's good enough to be our first-ever Editors' Choice for this kind of product.
loading...
Physical Design There's a certain elegance to the Pebble's simple and understated design. I think it's far better looking than, say, the squat and thick
smartwatch. The plastic casing feels hollow, though, and the buttons along both sides of the watch face feel a bit mushy, preventing the watch from having a rock-solid feel. The included polyurethane band is decidedly understated, but you can swap in any standard 22mm watchband.
The Pebble is available in black, white, red, orange, or gray. On the left side is a single button that brings you to the Menu page, while the right side houses Up, Down, and Select buttons for navigation. Tapping any of the buttons activates the Pebble's backlight, and quick flicks of your wrist also light up the display, which is a nice touch. The watch face is customizable, and at the time of testing there were nine choices that ranged from a standard analog look to a futuristic dot matrix.
The 1.26-inch 144-by-168-pixel e-paper display isn't the clearest or sharpest, but it gets the job done. The e-paper should not be confused with E Ink displays you'll find on ebook readers like the Kindle Paperwhite. It doesn't have the same printed look as E I instead it's more of a monochrome LCD. As such, viewing angle isn't a full 180 degrees and it becomes hard to read the watch when you look from an angle. The screen is also pretty reflective, and even with the backlight on it can be hard to read in bright outdoor light, unlike E Ink.
On the left side are three contact points that connect to the included charging cable magnetically. It's reminiscent of Apple's MagSafe connector, but the magnetic hold is a bit weaker&I could detach it simply by picking the watch up.
The Pebble has a waterproof rating of 5 ATM, which means it can be submerged up to 165 feet and has been tested in both fresh and salt water, so you can shower or swim with the watch. The battery is rated for more than seven days of use, and in my several days of testing, the battery never ran out, despite only charging once for about an hour. You can plug the included USB cable into a computer or a wall charger from a smartphone. The only things included in the box are the watch itself and the charging cable.
Android and iOS Experience The primary purpose of the Pebble is to make push notifications accessible on your wrist, and the watch is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. You get the same basic functions on both platforms, but setup, notification settings, and features like music playback work differently on Android and iOS. For my tests, I used an
and an Android-based .
When we first tested the Pebble, notifications were hit or miss on both platforms, especially if you rely on third-party apps. Now, thanks to enthusiastic third-party development, there are apps that work with your Pebble to push virtually any notification you can think of to your wrist. On top of that, third-party apps enable features like weather updates or sending canned text message replies right from your Pebble.
For both platforms, you must first download the Pebble app and pair your phone to the Pebble using Bluetooth. From there, however, the experiences diverge. On initial setup with Android, you need to enable Accessibility Services on your phone to get notifications pushed to the Pebble. During this process, you'll see a somewhat disconcerting message that reads: "Pebble can collect all of the text you type, except passwords. This includes personal data such as credit card numbers. It can also collect data about your interactions with the phone."
On Android the Pebble app now supports a wider array of third-party apps, but not all of them work right out of the box. For example, GoSMS Pro disables the default text messaging app's notifications to eliminate redundant notifications, and its own notifications are not supported in the Pebble app. Luckily, thanks to third-party developers, an app like Pebble Notifier can forward pretty much any notification to the smartwatch. Then there are third-party apps like Glance for Pebble, which can push weather updates to your wrist and allow you to send pre-set text replies to your most recent contacts. And for Tasker fans out there, there's even a PebbleTasker app that lets the Pebble trigger automated tasks on your smartphone.
Pebble recently launched a new software update for its iOS app, as well as a firmware update for the watch itself. With iOS 7, the Pebble can do even more when it comes to notifications on iDevices. You now have to set notifications to 'banner' style for each alert you want sent to your Pebble, but the watch and iOS now support basically any notification over iOS, including third-party apps like WhatsApp and even Google Maps navigation. I tested the new Pebble software with Facebook and Twitter and received a multitude of new and timely notifications on my wrist.
In my tests, notifications were nearly instantaneous on both platforms and trigger a visual alert and a vibration on the watch itself. Pressing the middle button clears the notification, while the top and bottom buttons scroll through the notification. Call notifications show contact information, text messages show contact information and a preview of the message, and emails show sender, subject, and the first few lines of the body. The Martian Passport, to compare, only shows basic caller ID notifications on its tiny OLED screen. On the Pebble, though, there's no way to look back at a notification once you clear it from the watch face, and you can't control the length of time the message remains displayed.
Many of the bugs we encountered in our original review have been ironed out. Music control works far more smoothly now, and notifications are speedy and reliable. It's still not entirely perfect, though, and you'll have to be willing to deal with lost connections, crashing apps, and trial and error to really eke the most out of the Pebble. &
Pebble also released a new SDK with its latest update, meaning developers can now access features that lay dormant within the smartwatch all along. For iOS users, the Pebble now supports Bluetooth LE, so having the multitude of new notification types pushing to your wrist shouldn't have a huge adverse effect on battery life. Pebble apps can now take advantage of the accelerometer in the Pebble itself, opening up new doors for things like fitness apps. Unfortunately, because of Android's shoddy support for Bluetooth 4.0 LE, which is only available in Android 4.3, the Pebble team is focusing its efforts on iOS development for now.
Conclusion As a category, the smartwatch is still in its infancy and despite its many improvements, the Pebble is still more for the avid geek than for the everyday consumer. The growing collection of third-party apps separates the Pebble from its smartwatch competitors and proves that the developer backing is there. New updates for iOS users signal even more features coming down the road, but it still requires some experimentation to get the most out of the device. Smartwatches can be useful for some, but they aren't for everyone&at least not yet. The &is another intriguing option and a nice companion device, but it's also a bit too buggy to go mainstream and while Sony boasts over 250 apps, many of them are half baked. The &got the most press of any smartwatch this year, but it's simply too expensive, too limited, and too difficult to use. For now, if you're set on hopping on the smartwatch bandwagon, the Pebble is your best bet for its simplicity and growing feature set.&
Before joining the consumer electronics team at PCMag, Eugene worked at local news station NY1 doing everything from camera work to writing scripts. He grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and graduated from the University of Virginia in 2010. Outside of work Eugene enjoys TV, loud music, and making generally healthy and responsible life choices.
More Stories by Eugene
The OnePlus 2 offers unbeatable unlocked smartphone value, delivering top-end performance and featur...
Ready for a new wave of unlocked smartphones? The Motorola Moto X Style and OnePlus 2 are leading th...
The OnePlus 2 is a bonafide flagship killer, but how does it compare with the Samsung Galaxy S6?
Please enable JavaScript to view theHow to set up your Android Wear watch | Android CentralSelect Regional Settings
United States
Online Shopping:
Email Only Price
Shipping Cost:
United States&
Flat Rate Shipping
Related Recommendations
Add To Cart
U Watch U8 Plus Smartwatch Bluetooth
Discount:17% OFF
FREE shipping
Bluetooth Watch Instructions
Specifications
Customer Questions & Answers
okay for lumia 535
Hi,Compatible models: Smartwatch Bluetooth Watch
What is the name of the APP on the i -phone 6 that will work with the U8 Plus Smartwatch
Hi Gabriel,
The method of IPHONE get the app: Enter the APP STORE of the phone and then search the app "light blue". We hope you enjoy shopping here with us.
Will this Smart Watch work with Doogee Valencia DG 800,how do I transfer the information from the Android to the Smart Watch
Hello victor， It supports Android and IOS systems.When you get the watch, and install &Smartwatch.apk& program on the smart phone, realize SMS, LINE, Facebook, Instugrate, Facebook Message, QQ, weather forecasts and other instant messaging reminders.APK Access mode 1: Download by using Smart phone to scan the two-dimensional code.Only receive and read message, can&#39;t send messages.I am sorry that the information from the Android could not be tranfered to this smartwatch.Thank you for your inquiry. Please feel free to ask further pre-sales questions.
is this copatable with iphone 6 plus
The item is compatible with iPhone 6 plus. Please feel free to ask if you have further questions.
I was just wondering how long of a wait is there for a black U Watch U8 Smartwatch?
Hi Vannesa ,
It is in stock and is available for purchase now. But there are a lot of customers placing order on our website, so it will not be in stock at any time. Thanks for your understanding!
Ask a question
Pre-sale questions like product information,how to use, etc.
Post-sale questions like order trackings, payment & delivery issues,etc.
Shipping & Payment
Your Target
Order Quantity:
Your Name:
(please include country code)
Company Name:
Detailed Inquiry Information:
*Please let us know as much as possible about your inquiry so that we can assist you with your specific needs. We are always happy to help wherever possible.
Recommended Products For You
Customer Photos
Customer Videos
Customer Reviews
Plus SmartWatch U8 Bluetooth
From SmartWatch U8 Jul 09,2016
Muy bonito, tama?o medio, ligero y economico
Is this helpful?
Ease of Use
Build Quality
Usefulness
Overall Rating
From Edgardo May 20,2016
Bueno. Ideal para ni?os. Muy básico
No lo recomendaría para adolecentes o personas mayores
Is this helpful?
Ease of Use
Build Quality
Usefulness
Overall Rating
uwatch&u8&plus&bluetooth
From maudeline Mar 29,2016
happy with service, watch great for that price . gear best is my number one online purchases
Is this helpful?
Ease of Use
Build Quality
Usefulness
Overall Rating
U&Watch&U8&Plus&Smartwatch&Bluetooth
From .Wayne S Mar 27,2016
Easy to use with great battery life. Sound quality excellent.
Is this helpful?
Ease of Use
Build Quality
Usefulness
Overall Rating
Great&watch
From Boza FKS Dec 20,2015
Great watch, no sim card but work perfect with my phone
Great watch, no sim card but work perfect with my phone
Is this helpful?
Ease of Use
Build Quality
Usefulness
Overall Rating
Your Recently Viewed Items
Destination Country:
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
American Samoa
Antigua and Barbuda
Azerbaijan Republic
Balearic Islands
Bangladesh
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bouvet Island
British Indian Ocean Territory
Burkina Faso
Canary Islands
Cape Verde
Caroline Islands
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The
Congo, The Republic of The
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Cote D'Ivoire
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
East Timor
El Salvador
Equitoral Guinea
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
France, DOM-TOM Guadeloupe
France, DOM-TOM Martinique
France, DOM-TOM Mayotte
France, DOM-TOM New Caledonia
France, DOM-TOM Reunion
France, DOM-TOM Saint Martin
France, DOM-TOM Wallis and Futuna
France, St.pierre and Miquelon
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Guinea Bissau
Heard Island And Mcdonald Islands
Holy See (Vatican City State)
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Isle Of Man
Kazakhstan
Korea, D.P.R.K
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic Of
Madagascar
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Montenegro
Montserrat
Mozambique
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Zealand
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Russian Federation
Saint Helena, Ascension And Tristan Da Cunha
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
San Marino
Sao Tome and Principe
Saudi Arabia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somaliland
South Africa
South Georgia And The South Sandwich Islands
South Korea
Spanish Territories Of N.Africa
St. Barthelemy
St. Eustatius
St. Maarten
Svalbard And Jan Mayen
Switzerland
Syrian Arab Republic
Tajikistan
Tanzania, United Republic Of
Trinidad And Tobago
Tristan Da Cunba
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uzbekistan
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic Of
Virgin Islands, British
Virgin Islands, U.S.
Western Sahara
Yugoslavia
Available shipping methods:
Please note: the standard and expedited shipping cost the actual shipping price will be shown on the order page.
Copyright (C)
All Rights Reserved.}