Feb-March 2003

Belgravium, the UK-based manufacturer of mobile computing devices, has launched its new range of Windows CE-based handheld terminals under the brand name Atlanta 8000.

Intentionally styled to look good as well as offering ergonomic performance, it puts the company firmly in competition with the new-generation products launched by rivals in the past year. The company is talking about Java-compatibility, mobile Internet access, signature capture, voice recognition and voice over IP (Internet Protocol) capability.

By using high-impact plastics alloys in the casing, Belgravium claims to have combined strength with a lower weight than achieved by any competitive product (around 330g including battery). Yet the unit is said to have survived controlled drop testing from 1.5 metres on to concrete, and is resistant to fluid and dust to IP65 standard. Certification to the more stringent IP67 standard is optional.

The unit has an Intel StrongARM processor, with 16Mb of Flash memory for applications or storage and 32Mb or 64Mb of RAM. There is a high-resolution 61mm by 80mm colour touch screen with integral backlight, and the keyboard said to have been designed to work with the screen to make data input easy and intuitive.

The Atlanta is available with narrow-band and spread-spectrum local area radio options, and incorporates GSM/GPRS wide-area communication capability.

There is an integral laser scanner capable of reading all linear barcode symbologies. Versions that can read 2D raster codes are also available, as is an RFID scanner.

High-power lithium polymer batteries have been chosen, and when used with Belgravium's Optimum Power Management system, are said to provide up to an impressive 40 hours' operating time between charges.

Historically, Belgravium's strength has been in truck-mounted and handheld devices for warehouse applications, but marketing manager Mike Turner told m.logistics the company also sees major new opportunities for the Atlanta in mobile applications.