IBM investing $100 million into mobile research

Computing giant IBM announced plans to invest $100 million into creating mobile web services optimized for both consumers and enterprises, emphasizing categories including financial transactions, entertainment, m-commerce and field management. While offering few specific details, IBM said the five-year research program will focus on mobile analytics, security, privacy, user interface and navigation services--the effort will also target the 83 percent of the world without broadband access, following on a recent IBM Research pilot program in southern India offering farmers, repairmen, small business owners and consumers the tools to post, retrieve or exchange content (e.g., weather and ocean conditions, grain prices, advertisements, bus schedules and news) via mobile device.

For more on the IBM mobile program:
- read this release