In our Oct. 28th post I provided additional information about the Panasonic Solutions enterprise-grade Android tablet and the microsite they launched in Sept.  In early Nov. Panasonic held a launch event for the Panasonic Toughpad A1.

Panasonic’s Toughpad A1 is targeted as a solution that provides the popular form factor of a tablet with the ruggedness required by many enterprise applications.  The Toughpad A1 provides field workers with access to the tools they need and withstands drops and abuse.  Check out the video below to see what the Panasonic Toughpad A1 can do for field maintenance workers.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about the Panasonic Toughpad A1.

We talk a lot about the operational improvements businesses realize when deploying mobile computing systems, but mobility also improves customer satisfaction.  Keeping customers happy is critical for success and mobile solutions enable you to increase convenience and provide exceptional service.  How are businesses utilizing mobile technology to better serve customers?

1. GPS fleet tracking ensures you’re optimizing your resources so field workers arrive on time for service calls.
2. Mobile payment at the point of service makes it easier for customers to pay with debit and credit cards and mobile printers provide on-site receipt printing to complete the transaction.
3. Optimizing schedules and tracking mobile inventory ensures that field workers with the right skill level are sent to jobs with all the parts they need.

With a mobile field service solution your customers will receive service in a timely manner, have the convenience of payment the way they want and repeat trips can be eliminated so you fix issues during the first visit.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about end-to-end mobile solutions that increase customer satisfaction.

In our August 9th post we announced the release of the much anticipated Grapevine Push-to-Talk Blackberry client.  The Grapevine Blackberry client is ideal for those customers with drivers or field workers who require a ruggedized mobile device with an integrated scanner, but also need their managers to be able to easily communicate with workers in the field.  On Aug. 18th DecisionPoint announced the release of v1.4 of Grapevine for the Blackberry client with upgrades that include:

• Support showing a list of users in a dynamic channel
• New keep-alives algorithm that improves reliability
• New Auto-run option
• Update to the screen orientation on landscape devices with touchscreen

Check out the Grapevine demo video to see the high-quality voice and performance of the Blackberry client in action.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about Grapevine Push-to-Talk software.

A geostamp is much like a time stamp, but it records spatial data and typically includes information about latitude, longitude and elevation.  Providing your field workers with a mobile device that features GPS technology and a high resolution camera enables them to append photographs with a time stamp as well as this spatial data.  Geostamping provides accountability of field operations and confirmation that work has been completed at the right place and the right time.  Geostamping is typically used for:

• Proof of Delivery (POD)
• Proof of Condition
• Inspection Services
• Maintenance and Repair

Enable your field workers to provide indisputable confirmation of work completed and increase efficiency.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about GPS technology and geostamping solutions for field workers.

In our October 29th post I announced the release of the Motorola ES400 Enterprise Digital Assistant and provided the opportunity to download the ES400 Field Mobility Application Brief in the November 11th post.  Today I’d like to share this great video from Motorola that summarizes all of the features that the ES400 offers to field workers and mobile task workers.  Learn more about how the ES400 empowers your mobile workforce.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about the Motorola ES400 EDA and mobile solutions designed to increase the productivity of your field workers.

Many utility and energy companies provide service to hundreds of thousands of customers or more.  Keeping these customers happy and providing efficient and reliable service is a top priority.  Mobile solutions enable utility and energy companies to streamline operations and provide real-time visibility into:

• Field worker performance
• Equipment performance
• Consumer consumption
• Asset utilization

With real-time accurate data, efficiency is improved and system problems are reduced, providing a new level of customer service.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about mobile solutions designed for utility and energy companies.

As you’ve probably noticed in several past posts, we love to display the ruggedness of mobile devices that can withstand use in extreme environments and put up with daily use and accidental abuse (or abuse caused just for a video).  Rugged devices are designed for field workers and provide a longer life span than commercial grade devices, which is money well spent in the long run.  Today I’m going to provide an overview of what a mobile device must withstand to be labeled rugged.  A variety of standardized tests have been developed to test the ruggedness of devices, including:

Drop Rating-is a measure of a devices ability to withstand repeated falls from a specified height to concrete.  Standard testing states that a drop height of 4-5 ft. to concrete is considered rugged, but as you’ve seen in past videos, numerous Motorola devices exceed this height.

IP Rating-the Ingress Protection Rating (IP Rating) is the standard used to identify how well the device can withstand dust, dirt, liquids and other solid particles.  IP ratings are an important consideration for devices that will be used outdoors.  Learn more about 2-digit IP Ratings and view a comparison chart in our Feb. 22nd post.

Operating Temperature-rugged devices are designed to withstand temperatures that aren’t considered “normal” and can work in a variety of temperature ranges that even include temperatures below freezing.  This too is an important consideration for devices that will be used in the field.

Download the Motorola white paper, “What Does It Mean To Be Rugged?” for additional information about the stringent testing involved.  Be sure to visit us again next week when we compare rugged and consumer devices.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about rugged mobile devices that meet your requirements and are built for all day use outside of the enterprise.

Mobile workforces require rugged devices that can put up with all day use no matter where the job takes them.  But what are your options if your workers require a large display?  The typical laptop isn’t built to withstand harsh environments and isn’t easy to transport when you’re constantly on-the-move.  In our March 1st post we provided more information about REDFLY Mobile Companion, a way to provide your mobile field workers with a larger display while on-the-go —without having to rely on a device that isn’t built for extreme environments.  Other options include rugged tablet PCs and rugged convertible notebooks.

Rugged tablet PCs boast large displays, sealed all-weather designs and are easy to carry.  Some of these only weigh 3 lbs. yet feature displays as large as 10.4”.  Convertible notebooks are also fully rugged and can quickly be converted from a notebook to a tablet PC for field work.  With protection against water, dirt and dust, rugged tablets can withstand environmental factors that would severely damage a commercial grade PC.

These rugged devices are a great alternative if your field workers require a larger display and will ensure that they remain productive and on-the-go throughout the day.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about rugged tablet PCs or rugged convertible notebooks.

In our July 20th post we announced that select Motorola devices can now be upgraded to Windows Mobile 6.5.  This is a perfect example of how remote device management can not only make your life easier, but provide cost savings.  If you have geographically dispersed field workers and don’t have a remote device management solution in place, upgrades like this can be a costly and daunting task.  You can easily spend thousands of dollars just in travel expenses to upgrade devices, not to mention the lost time and productivity.  With a remote device management solution from DecisionPoint you can push out software updates, firmware updates and upgrades remotely without taking devices out of the field or sending valuable resources to each device.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about the benefits and features of a remote device management solution.

In our July 16th post we announced that DecisionPoint took part in the recent ESRI Showcase that focuses on GIS trends and integrated solutions.  Do you know what GIS is?  GIS, or a Geographic Information System, integrates hardware, software and data so users can capture, manage and analyze geographical information.  GIS technology can be integrated into enterprise information systems and is used in a variety of industries to improve processes.  A mobile solution with GIS technology enables businesses to:

• Effectively manage and schedule routes for fleets and field workers
• Track mobile assets in real-time
• Easily share information
• View maps, reports and charts on-the-go

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about GIS technology and mobile solutions.