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:
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.
One of Grandma Nardi’s favorite sayings was “Penny wise, pound foolish.” It comes to mind because today we’re going to take a look at Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
With any major purchase decision, enterprises perform a cost benefit analysis. Unfortunately, many make the mistake of not looking beyond the purchase price of a mobile device. It’s essential to also consider costs over the expected life of the device.
Since budgets are key considerations in the decision-making process, price is a major concern. Higher priced hardware may present purchase barriers. However, price, in relation to cost, is a one-time expenditure whereas costs are ongoing and can affect the business over time.
It’s true that the initial cost of a rugged enterprise digital assistant (EDA) is often higher than a commercial non-rugged unit. This is due to more complex engineering, extended testing, higher sales costs and low production volumes. However, studies show that rugged devices have a dramatically lower total cost of ownership over a 5 year period. It’s like the old TV commercial about auto maintenance where the mechanic says “You can pay me now…or pay me later.”
This finding is backed up by Venture Development Corporation’s (VDC) findings in their Total Cost of Ownership models that surveyed a broad range of actual deployments. VDC reports total cost of ownership annual savings of up to 17% in Field Profession applications and up to 32% in Supply Chain applications for rugged hardware deployments. So even though the purchase price of a rugged device may be higher than a commercial device, it is usually money well spent in the long run.
Commercial devices are designed for use in a non-rugged office environment where rugged features are not important considerations for consumers. If commercial devices are deployed outside of their intended application, the lack of rugged features can seriously shorten their lifespan, adding to the total cost of ownership.
Let’s get mobile! Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about total cost of ownership considerations and which mobile device best meets your requirements and budget.
Southeastern Container is a co-op manufacturing 70% of the U.S. bottle production for Coca-Cola. DecisionPoint provided Southeaster Container with a plug-and-play EPC Gen 2 RFID system which was tested at its injection-molding facility in Enka, N.C. The RFID solution is used to track reusable bins used to transport preformed plastic tubes (or preforms) produced at its injection-molding facilities to its blow-molding facilities, where the preforms are then blown into soda bottles. Southeastern Container is now expanding the RFID solution to two other facilities. Eventually, the company will track up to 40,000 bins.
Southeastern Container decided to deploy RFID after replacing their cardboard containers with reusable plastic bins. The plastic bins offer a number of benefits, but are more costly that the cardboard containers so it’s important for Southeastern Container to confirm the plastic containers last as long as the manufacturer guaranteed. Southeastern Container uses RFID to count the number of cycles each bin is used to ship loads.
The company affixed a permanent EPC Gen 2 M-Tag to the side of the plastic bins after the bin’s surface is heated using a blowtorch. Depending on its size, a single bin can hold up to 20,000 preforms. When a tagged bin is packed with preforms, a worker applies a bar-code label to identify the type of preforms contained within. The bin is then moved through an RFID portal containing a Motorola XR440 industrial-class fixed RFID interrogator and an AN400 RFID antenna. As the portal reads the unique ID number from the bin’s RFID tag, an employee utilizes a Motorola MC9090-G mobile computer to scan the bar-code label. Asset tracking software then correlates the bin tag’s ID number with the products as identified by the bar code. This data is then passed to Southeastern Container’s ERP system.
The bin is then transported to a warehouse and, from there, on to the blow-molding facility. When the bin is emptied, an employee scans the bar code, deleting the record in Southeastern Container’s ERP system.
Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the various RFID solutions and whether this techynology can benefit your company.
In business, it’s rare that one technology solution has equally incredible benefits across vastly different industries. Yet from field service to retail to law enforcement, wireless mobile printing from DecisionPoint Systems has proven to have universal benefits for employers across the country.
No matter what industry in which you work, mobile printing can and will offer your company immense benefits aimed at streamlining your operations and saving you money.
Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about Zebra’s broad range of mobile printers and which model is best for your application.
When your focus is on field mobility software and the mobile computer your software will run on, it’s easy to overlook the vehicle charging / mounting solution. While relatively trivial, this is a critical component nonetheless. It’s 
essential that your electronic devices have a power charging source and are securely installed within easy reach from the driver seat.
DecisionPoint can supply vehicle-specific, consumer installable, in-vehicle mounting solutions designed for your mobile computer. We offer a variety of options including dashboard mount, floor mount and more. These mounting solutions can be installed in minutes. The resulting installation is secure and since each solution is designed for the specific mobile device, a snug fit is assured. The ball and socket mount makes it easy to adjust the viewing angle.
Let’s get mobile! Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. for your vehicle mounting solutions.
Last March, Datamax and O’Neil, two industry leaders, combined to form Datamax-O’Neil, a global provider of industry-leading label and receipt printing solutions.
Their line of portable printers offer the rugged and reliable performance demanded for field services, route accounting and direct store delivery applications.
Past posts have featured specifications and videos of the Motorola MC55 and MC75. If you’re looking for a rugged portable printer to pair with one of those rugged mobile computers, look no further than the O’Neil product line. But don’t take my word for it. Watch this brief and entertaining video titled “O’Neil 4t Factor: Running the Gauntlet” and you’ll be convinced that the 4t is designed to withstand extreme abuse including frequent drops, extreme vibration and constant jarring.
Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the line of O’Neil portable printers and which one is best for your mobile application.
Our August 5 post described the features and functionality of the MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) and included a brief video. Today’s post includes a video that focuses on the design and innovation of the Motorola MC55 EDA.
Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the Motorola MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA).
The MC55 is the newest, smallest and lightest addition to Motorola’s family of Enterprise Digital Assistants (EDA). The MC55 is designed for mobile workers inside and outside the four walls and combines the power of a cell phone, two-way radio, bar code scanner, digital camera, and mobile computer into a compact and lightweight design. The MC55 boasts:
… all in a rugged package with 4 ft. drop test. Learn more about the MC55 in this brief video:
Contact DecisionPoint Systems, Inc. to learn more about the Motorola MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA).
