Jan/Feb 2004

Handheld terminals based on the Windows Mobile platform are getting smaller, easier to use and more affordable all the time - and Intermec's new 730 Color Pocket PC is a good example of all these trends.

Its list price, £1,355, is below that of many comparable premium devices, but perhaps most beguiling, it comes "completely configured right out of the box" - or at any rate, that's the promise of Stuart Scott, Intermec's director of business development and marketing.

It's based on the successful 700 Color range, and its key features include built-in Wi-Fi 8011.b wireless LAN and Bluetooth connectivity, a linear imager that delivers high-speed barcode reading performance, and a lithium-ion battery that supports a full shift's work and recharges in four hours.

The 730 is aid to offer a sharp colour display that is easy to read in all lighting conditions, including sunlight. Both its numeric keypad and its touch screen are designed to make data entry easy, and its light, ergonomic design is said to make it comfortable to use for an entire shift.

The underlying processor is from Intel's Xscale range, and the operation system is Windows Mobile for Pocket PC.

Mobile point-of-sale operations are among the target applications cited by the company for the new unit. Other include shelf-edge routines, inventory management and customer service.