Apple Stores, iPhones & Symbol MC50s an Interesting Combination

I was shopping in Portland, Oregon yesterday and observed a very interesting combination of handheld computers at work. As I was shopping in the Apple store at Pioneer Place, I noticed that the Apple sales people were all carrying Symbol/Motorola MC50 handheld computers with wireless support, credit card swipers and bar code scanners all running on Windows Mobile 5.0 operating systems. Do you see the irony in this? The Apple sales people are selling PDA phones and PDAs using the Apple operating system, but all of their sales people use Windows Mobile operating systems for their business applications. This is just not right.

The way the Apple sales people were using the MC50s was very cool. They could swipe debit and credit cards anywhere in the store, give you the product and email your receipt to you. That is very cool! No long lines at the cash register, the sales people can take care of all credit card and debit card purchases anywhere in the store. Now if only they could figure out a way to accomplish that using their own Apple PDAs.

Broncos vs Vandals and Using Mobile Handheld PDAs

Our office in Boise, Idaho is nicely decorated today in two different color sets. One is black and gold - representing the University of Idaho Vandals football team, and the other color scheme is blue and orange for the Boise State University Broncos football team. This week the two interstate rivals will be playing each other.

Nick Martin, a Boise State University graduate and technical support guru, arrived at his office to an unpleasant surprise this morning. His desk was fully decorated in his rival's colors. I am sure revenge and conspiracy course through the halls.

How does this relate to mobile handheld computers? I took this picture with my Palm Treo 750 PDA phone running on Windows Mobile 6.0. I synced the image back to my desktop where I am writing this blog. Using the software solution PointSync Mobility Platform I can do the exact same thing with any business application - work orders, inspections, asset tracking, proof-of-delivery and more. The world is now ready for mobilized business applications of all kinds. If you would like to discuss your thoughts on mobilizing business applications please contact us.

Symbol MC50, Target & Handheld Computers in the Field

My family and I were doing something for the first time - outfitting a university dorm room. My son is about to leave the nest and join the ranks of academics and scholars (I hope!). Did you know that Target (USA based stores) has a complete line of products for dorm rooms called "07 College?" OK, they were not too creative on the brand name, but we did buy about a half dozen products from that line for his dorm room. In the process of shopping a store clerk walked by with a Symbol MC50 in her hand (if you are a regular reader you will note that Wal-Mart also used this device). She was looking up product inventory with the MC50 and answering customers' questions.

I pondered the activities of the store clerk and considered how that same activity (i.e. business process) could also be used outside the store. Most of the mobile software solutions MobileDataforce helps deploy involve some level of rain, wind, dust and mud (in addition to oil, blood, ice, explosions, etc.). The store clerk was looking up inventory to help a customer know if they could buy the product. The query also would tell the clerk where the products were located, and if there were more in the warehouse.

Field Service technicians use this same feature everyday. They just work in locations with more dirt and spider webs. Picture this - the service technician is on his back under a furnace. A replacement part is required for the repair. He pulls out his Smart Phone and queries the inventory in his van. The part is not there, but it is in a van just 1 mile away. He calls to the other van driver who delivers it.

Handheld Computer Considerations

There are a lot of good handheld computers available and some bad ones. I will leave the bad ones for a future discussion and focus on some of the points to consider when selecting good handheld hardware.

1. What environment will you be using the handheld computer in - is it hot, cold, wet, dusty or filled with explosive vapors? Is it a clean office environment, or a rugged out-of-doors environment?
2. Is your software application focused exclusively on bar code scanning, RFID reading, GPS, or do you need a multi-purpose device?
3. Will the hardware configuration ever need to be changed? Some handhelds can be configured at will, others are locked and can only be used with the original configuration.
4. What hardware does your selected software require?
5. Will the battery last long enough to accomplish your work? Do you need back-up batteries? Can you use batteries purchased at the local market, or are they vendor specific?
6. What is your budget? What does the value of using a handheld computer justify spending? Do you have enough budget to purchase the software and hardware you need? Does your budget only allow for low cost consumer devices? How many replacements cover the cost of a ruggedized handheld?
7. How do you replace broken devices? Can you get a replacement in 24 hours, or must you wait on the slow-boat-from-China?
8. What kind of support contracts and warranties are available?
9. How long will you new handheld computer be supported, serviced and manufactured by the vendor. Is it near end of life and being discounted for a reason?
10. Can you upgrade the operating system when Microsoft releases a new version of their mobile operating system?
11. Can you use standard laptop data cards in the handheld, or do you need to pay for high priced vendor specific cards?
12. Can you view the screen effectively in the sunlight?
13. Does the bar code scanner work effectively in real-world environment? Some scanners can not scan effectively through glass or plastic.
14. Is the size and weight of the handheld appropriate for the user and environment?
15. Can your handheld computer support all the add-ons you require at the same time? Some devices can only support a specific number of add-on components so you are forced to choose. Some can not support both a GPS and a data card at the same time. Some devices can not support both a bar code scanner and a GPS add-on. This is an important consideration.
16. Do you need only a touch screen and navigation pad, or a number pad or a full QWERTY keyboard? This is very important for user acceptance.
17. Is the handheld device also going to be used as a phone? Is a 2 pound industrial grade handheld really a usable phone?
18. Does your low cost consumer grade PDA need a rugged case like the ones Otterbox sells?
19. If you only have a budget for a low cost device, does it support the battery life and add-on components you require?
20. How will the device be transported around a job site? Will it strap to a belt, swing from a shoulder strap, sit in a holster or be mounted to the dashboard of your truck? Does your device support your chosen method?
21. Where is the closest inventory of the handheld computers? Where is the closest repair depot?
22. Will your vendor loan you a device on trial?
23. How will your handheld computer send data back to the office - cradle sync, WiFi, bluetooth, GPRS/GSM, CDMA?
24. What size screen do you need? Some devices like the Jett-Eye have a "landscape view" others a "portrait view" many have different sized screens. What do you require?
25. Do you need an integrated digital camera? Do you need a low or high resolution camera and does your device support it?
26. Does a refurbished device from Ryzex make better sense that a new device?
27. Where is your vendor's office? Are they in the neighborhood or on the other side of the planet? Does their location offer you the support and attention you deserve?
28. Does your handheld computer run on the same operating system that your software solutions require?
29. Does your handheld computer come with a pistol grip or other straps that help you avoid dropping it?
30. Can you comfortably hold the device in your handheld and complete the required job? Some devices have scanners on the side, on the end or underneath.
31. Can you effectively view the data you need? Some jobs simply require a full keyboard and a full screen for viewing large CAD files or Maps. Does your screen size match your requirements?