Oct/Nov 2008

Removable and separately rechargeable batteries are among the selling points for a new range of commercial mobile receipt printers launched by Intermec.

The PB2 and PB3 wearable printers are pitched at the van sales, field service and retail markets. They print on 2in and 3in paper rolls respectively, and the company cites research by analyst VCD suggesting there is a growing market for this type of model. It fills a void in the mobile printed portfolio, the organisation says.

Intermec's new models are direct thermal printers, using continuous paper rolls. They come with 1MB of RAM and 4MB of flash memory. They are drop-tested to 1.5 metres, have an IP54 environmental protection rating, and support connection via Bluetooth or 802.11g wireless with Intermec rugged mobile computers.

The battery is a 2200 mAh lithium ion unit, which can be recharged separately. The company says most such printers have to be physically connected to the mains for recharging, taking them out of service.