June/July 2007

Metrologic, a long-established name in retail and industrial data capture, could be set for a surge into the transport and mobile computing sector with the launch of its OptimusPDA. It's the first Microsoft Windows-based mobile data capture and communications terminal from the company, which sees it has having multiple applications both in warehouse and out on the road.

It certainly seems to tick all the right boxes with its specification, which includes a fast Intel XScale PXA270 processor running at 520MHz, 128MB of flash memory and 128MB of RAM, and a 3.5in TFT colour touch-screen display. The operating system Windows CE 5.0.

Connectivity is particularly good; options include Bluetooth, 802.11b and g wireless networking, and GSM/GPRS wide-area networking. Among other options are a 2mpx CMOS digital camera/imaging capability and an external GPS unit. There is also a mini-SD expansion card slot.

Barcode reading is handled either with the two-dimensional imager or with a laser scanning engine.

 

You can get both Microsoft and a special Metrologic software development kit. Another nice feature is the option of a four-slot charging cradle.