In our June 22nd post we discussed how fleet management solutions help businesses control fuel costs, but that isn’t the only benefit.  As promised, today I’d like to follow-up with information about the features and additional benefits of partnering with DecisionPoint Systems and Descartes for your Fleet Management Solution.

With DecisionPoint and Descartes you get an all-in-one solution, including the correct hardware, carrier and software designed specifically for your fleet management needs.  Descartes offers a variety of software solutions for fleet management that enable:

• Strategic route planning for on-demand dispatching and tracking of routes
• Real-time dispatch changes
• Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) for operational visibility
• Driver performance comparison to industry standards
• And more

Empower your front line workers, increase efficiency and improve productivity with a complete fleet management solution from DecisionPoint to receive maximum value from your software investment.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for additional information about mobile solutions designed to increase the efficiency and productivity of your mobile workforce.

We’ve provided a lot of information in past posts about the features and benefits of micro kiosks, but did you know that adding the right printer to a kiosk can further enhance your customers’ experience?  Providing your customers with a micro kiosk that enables on demand self-service features is only the beginning, with a kiosk printer your customers can:

• Print coupons
• Print online order information for pickup
• Print value-added information such as “how-to” guides and recipes

DecisionPoint Systems can provide you with the right hardware and the right software to create an affordable all-in-one kiosk solution to better satisfy your customers.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about all-in-one kiosk solutions for self-service applications.

Motorola has just announced the release of the newest addition to their line of #1 Business Two-Way Radios, the CLP Series.  With a sleek new design and simple one-button push-to-talk, the CLP promises to increase productivity and keep your team connected.  The CLP Series was designed specifically for retail, hospitality and restaurant environments.  Features include:

• Small, lightweight, durable design
• Strong audio for noisy environments
• Multiple wear options
• Long battery life

Motorola will be officially releasing the CLP Series for sale in mid-March.  For more information about the CLP Series you can Download the Spec Sheet.

Let’s Get Mobile!  Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for more information about Two-Way Radios and other mobile devices designed to increase productivity.

Your choice of mobile hardware is critical to the success of your field mobility program. 

Our September 10 post focused on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile devices and compared ruggedized handheld computers (also known as an Enterprise Digital Assistants) to consumer phones.  The following day, our September 11 post described ruggedized testing.

Beyond TCO and durability considerations, a ruggedized handheld computer has the following advantages over a consumer phone:

• Operation under adverse weather conditions including temperature extremes, rain and screen readability in bright daylight.
• Large, high-resolution color touchscreen displays.  Some devices such as the Motorola MC75 feature a full VGA (640 x 480) display. 
• Integrated bar code scanner.
• Highly configurable including Wi-Fi and/or WWAN radio options and variety of keyboard layouts.
• Extended battery life to support a full shift of use.
• Compatibility with largest number of field mobility applications including Field Services, Proof-of-Delivery, DSD Route Sales, Sales Force Automation, Push-to-Talk, GPS tracking and more.
• Availability to buy the same device, the same OS as well as service and support over a multi-year period.
• Wider range of accessories including portable receipt printers. Magnetic Stripe Readers and Mobile Payment Module, vehicle car charger / mounting options, holster and pistol-grip options and more.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the advantages of a ruggedized handheld computer (Enterprise Digital Assistant) and which one is right for you. 

Past posts have featured specifications and videos of the Motorola MC55 and MC75.  More recently, our September 11 post described ruggedness testing.  In today’s video, you won’t see a boring demonstration of standardized drop tests.  Instead you’ll see Motorola’s MC9000 subjected to extreme abuse and continue to function flawlessly!   Now that’s rugged!  

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the Motorola line of rugged Enterprise Digital Assistants (EDA).

Last week, DecisionPoint announced the launch of its MobileCare™ support services program, a customized suite of service offerings designed to maximize the value of our customers’ mobile systems.  MobileCare™ offerings include:

• Technical Support: troubleshooting assistance for mobile computing, printing and wireless networking issues.
• Software Support: extend life of your valuable software investment by ensuring your software applications continue to function properly.
• Remote Device Management: remotely troubleshoot problems, provide software and security updates, remotely disable lost or stolen devices and more.
• Express Depot: spare pool of pre-configured mobile devices
• Manufacturer Maintenance: support agreements  from manufacturers offered through DecisionPoint

Click each offering title to go to the offering page on the DecisionPoint website. You can also read the press release here.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about MobileCare™.

In our September 16 post, we shared the news that Motorola just released the MC9500, an industrial-class addition to the best-selling Motorola MC9000 series.

Now we have just learned the carrier certification dates:

• AT&T: September 21
• Sprint: September 21
• Verizon: September 23

Once a chipset is certified by the FCC and the PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board), T-Mobile does not require further certification to run on their network.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the state-of-the art Motorola MC9500 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) .

In yesterday’s post, we shared the news of Motorola’s announcement of the MC9500, an industrial-class addition to the best-selling Motorola MC9000 series.  In today’s post, you can learn more about the state-of-the art design of the MC9500 in the below video.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the Motorola MC9500 Enterprise Digital Assistant—the next step in the evolution of mobile computing.

Yesterday Motorola announced the release of the MC9500, an industrial-class addition to the best-selling Motorola MC9000 series.  The MC9500 should appeal to businesses engaged in package delivery, field service, and transportation & logistics industries. The MC9500–with its state-of-the art design–is the next step in the evolution of mobile computing.  It is the first mobile computer based on Motorola’s Mobility Platform Architecture 2.0 and runs Windows Mobile 6.1.

Key features of the MC9500 include:

• Supports 3.5G wireless for faster connections over GSM HSDPA and CDMA-EVDO Rev. A networks.
• Max FlexWAN is a customer-swappable WAN feature that enables a business to deploy the MC9500 and then choose the carrier and 3.5G network for best coverage in different geographies. 
• IST (Interactive Sensor Technology) uses motion-sensing capabilities to support motion-sensing applications and improve power management by automatically placing the unit in sleep mode when it placed face down.
• Large 3.7-in. color touch display.
• Choice of 5 interchangeable keypad configurations.
• 3-megapixel auto-focus camera that can be used as a scanner or image-capturing device for decoding both 1D and 2D bar codes and capturing high-resolution photographs, video footage and documents. 
• Enterprise-class GPS functionality.
• 802.11a/b/g support.
• Accelerometer that switches the screen capture between portrait and landscape modes based on the orientation of the device.
• The lithium battery provides eight hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby time and Motorola MAX Battery management technology provides information indicators on the battery that allow backroom managers and users to see the charge level as well as battery health to ensure maximum up-time.
• Universal accessory system to organize space for charging cradles, power packs and cables.

Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the state-of-the art Motorola MC9500 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) .

Our September 10 post  focused on the total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile devices.  The post explained that ruggedized devices are often more expensive due in part to extensive testing.  Venture Development Corporation’s (VDC) estimates testing device ruggedness to be as much as $100,000.00 per design.  It’s unlikely such testing is conducted for commercial products that are not required nor expected to support claims of ruggedness. 

So what kind of testing is done?  The following is a summary of the tests used to determine the ruggedness of handheld devices.
 
Drop Rating:
The drop rating is a measure of a devices ability to survive repeated falls from a specified height.  In rugged device testing, the surface is concrete while the height can vary.  Naturally, the higher the survivable drop height, the more rugged the device.  A drop height of 4-5 feet to concrete is considered a reasonable test of ruggedness.

IP Rating:
An Ingress Protection Rating (IP rating) is a standard used to identify to what degree a device can withstand exposure to solid particles and liquid ingress.  Typically, an IP rating is expressed in 2 numbers – such as IP65.  The first number indicates the protection against solid objects or dust with a maximum rating of “6”.  A “6” indicates that the device is impervious to any ingress of dust.  The second number indicates the protection against liquids, where the maximum rating is “8”.  An “8” would indicate that the device can withstand continuous immersion in water.  A device with a high IP rating would be an important consideration for use in outdoor applications.

The required IP rating will vary by application, however, commercial device manufacturers rarely specify an IP rating.  Again, commercial devices are not designed with excessive dust and liquid exposure considerations. 

Operating Temperature:
Commercial terminals are typically designed to operate in a “normal” environment where the temperature is fairly constant such as an office.  Using a terminal outside of its specified operating temperature range may lead to premature failure.  Industrial terminals are designed to work over wide temperature ranges that often include conditions well below freezing.  This is an important variable to consider if the terminal will be used outdoors.

 Let’s get mobile! Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about ruggedized mobile device best meets your requirements and budget.