Aug/Sept 2007

Expectations in the ruggedised handheld computer market are being influenced by the growing consumer mass market for data-capable devices, as Sharon Clancy discovers. But don't be deceived, she says; devices may look more alike nowadays, but choosing the right one has become more complex

Go back five years, and there was no risk of confusing a consumer PDA with an industrial handheld computer. PDAs were still emerging from the days when they were really just personal organisers, while industrial handhelds for their part often still relied on small monochrome displays and DOS-based or emulation modes.

Since then, the advent of cheaper, faster and more capable PDAs has had a profound effect on the handheld market. True ruggedised handhelds now almost universally use the same Windows-based operating systems as consumer PDAs, usually with similar large colour displays, and they therefore offer much of the same user appeal.

What this has meant is a degree of blurring between the bounds of the two product types. The market is now quite complex, with ruggedised PDAs competing for market share with small form-factor semi-ruggedised handheld terminals.

 

Among handheld terminals, key developments over the past five years have included increases in speed and power, allowing more complex applications to run on them; and improvements in battery life.

PDA makers have meanwhile seen opportunities to sell their devices into tougher business environments, prompting the emergence of ruggedised PDAs. While not as capable as purpose-designed ruggedised products at withstanding the rigours of a warehouse or logistics operation, they are intended to overcome hesitancy among users to adopt essentially consumer-type devices in operations such as home deliveries.

The makers of conventional semi-ruggedised handheld terminals have responded with a range of small form-factor models bursting with functionality, yet cheaper than the typical fully-ruggedised data-capture terminal. Sometimes it's hard to decide where the line should be drawn between the various types.

Ironically, the two camps are ranged on the same side in the face of increasing competition from another quarter: the smartphone. These devices are increasingly looking like PDAs, and offering many of the same features as they do. Some are sophisticated enough to incorporate GPS tracking. They may not have the toughness of ruggedised PDAs, let alone industrial handheld units, but no one expects that from what is essentially a mobile phone, so to some extent the makers are managing to get away without even offering it.

There's no doubt that buyer expectations in the ruggedised handheld market are being driven by consumer devices, says Brian Scallan of Psion Teklogix. 'Buyers and users want phone-like functionality rather than a basic handheld computer. Most managers have a mobile phone, and they expect the handheld computer to have similar characteristics, even though not all handheld terminals actually need phone capability.'

Specifying the correct operating system can help reduce the gap between expectation and reality when it comes to choosing the right device, says Scallan. But Microsoft's branding of the various Windows operating systems can be confusing, he points out, so buyers should check that the .CE or Mobile OS with their device has the capability to do what they expect.

Devices can have Windows .CE embedded, Windows Mobile version 5 or Windows Mobile version 6. The Mobile 6 OS comes in 'classic' format (for PCs without phone capability), in a standard version (for smartphones with no touch-screen capability); and in a Pro version (for pocket PCs with full phone functionality).

Psion Teklogix's relaunched flagship Workabout Pro ruggedised handheld computer range has the option of Windows CE or Mobile 5 or Windows 6 Classic or Pro operating systems. Plenty of choice for all seasons there.

Just as important is to check whether your applications have been developed in the Windows .Net environment, says Scallan. 'If they have, they can sit on a device with either .CE or Mobile OS. The software takes care of the OS differences and it makes migrating applications to different devices simpler.'

The importance that the operating system can have on the appeal of a device for application developers is demonstrated in the fact that Taiwanese manufacturer Unitech has just upgraded its HT660 ruggedised terminal from Windows CE 5.0 Core to CE 5 Professional.

This company, best known for its PA-series of ruggedised PDAs (it claims to be number three in the world), has designed the HT660 for warehouse or transport operations, and says the upgrade offers more flexibility.

What's the difference? Well, among other things, the HT660 now has API (programming) compatibility with Windows Mobile 5.0, which allows developers to use Pocket PC features such as dialog boxes, menu bars and so in the applications, Web-based browser functionality, a remote desktop client for connection to terminal servers, and email and text editing functions. It retains the .Net framework to make porting existing applications straightforward, and it can handle SQL databases too.

Form factor is another important area, points out Scallan. 'It can be frustrating for mobile workers if they continually have to switch between different screens in the same application because the necessary information cannot all be displayed at once.' Similarly, he points out, if the application requires substantial numeric or alpha data entry, a QWERTY keyboard is preferable to a touch-screen keyboard.

Backwards compatibility with existing terminals may also be important if your new applications also have to run on older devices.

One factor all the manufacturers of ruggedised handheld terminals continually stress is the importance of taking account of the total cost of ownership. Repair costs, replacement device costs and worker downtime are all important aspects here; the more often the devices fail, the bigger the impact on business profitability.

Devices sold by the mobile network operators, for example, can be attractively priced, but because they are aimed at the fast-moving consumer market, devices are often quickly upgraded and models soon become obsolete. 'This can become tedious to manage,' points out Scallan. 'Devices get lost or broken, and in damp environments they can suffer damage.'

Another result of the impact consumer devices are having on the ruggedised market is that some users are overlooking the need to factor in the cost of software. 'Consumer devices now have many basic applications loaded as standard,' Scallan says. 'Buyers expect handheld terminals to be the same, but they are not. Someone has to write the application software for the terminal, whether you buy it out-of-the-box or as a bespoke application from your WMS vendor, for example.'

Sector specialisation

The market for handheld computers is fragmenting into vertical sectors, reports Andy McBain, a product manager in Motorola's Enterprise Mobility business. He looks after RFID and mobile devices for the EMEA region.

For operations outside the warehouse, a device with three or four different radio connectivity functions is now commonplace (Wi-Fi, GPRS and so on). If this sounds a nightmare for battery life, McBain says the good news is that application developers are learning to manage this - for example, by making radios switch themselves off if they are not in use.

Devices are evolving to suit the needs of particular sectors, McBain points out. Growing demand for electronic proof of delivery, for example, requires a device with a screen capable of coping with multiple signature captures, and possibly also a camera, so that delivery people can prove they are at the customer address.

'Cameras are also useful for third-party contractors as proof that work such as fixing a leaky pipe has actually been carried out.'

Integrated GPS allows the terminals to be taken out of the vehicle, and is now widely offered as an option on both rugged and semi-rugged terminals. Integrated GPS location-finding, for example, has lately been added to the Dolphin range of mobile computers from Hand Held Products. The add-on GPS module is available on Dolphin 7900 and 9500 terminals, incorporating a GPS chipset from UniQue ID. The GPS unit has its own battery power, so draws no power from the handheld terminal.

According to UniQue, the widespread practice of connecting handheld terminals to separate GPS receivers by wireless Bluetooth link can be trouble-prone. 'The problems associated with two-piece solutions are just too great,' claims managing director Tony Rainbow.

This month, Motorola launches a GPS module for its MC70 terminal. It uses the latest SIRF III technology. David Picton, director for the logistics industry at Motorola's enterprise mobility business, says the thinking behind this move is logical enough. 'Mail and express enterprises need to know exactly where their packages and workers are in order to operate in a highly-competitive market.'

Back in the warehouse, Datalogic says terminal emulation is still the most popular application, but there is a move towards more open Windows-based systems. In its experience, terminals are still running task-specific applications, and there is little current demand for multi-tasking terminals, apart from combined barcode reading and voice-enablement.

Fat or thin

The debate about whether devices should be thin or fat clients seems to be becoming a hot topic again. In other words, should major applications and/or data reside locally on each unit (fat client), or be hosted by a server and delivered to the mobile units on demand (thin)?

On the one hand, mobile devices now have more powerful processors and bigger memories than in the past, so are more capable of running demanding applications. On the other, the emergence of high-speed mobile networks allows fast data pull-downs from a central server; so mobile users can have quick access to any corporate information they may want.

'A lot depends on the device and its capabilities in terms of processing speed and memory,' says McBain. A reduction in memory, for example, lowers the price.

Running a thin client on mobile devices is attractive to IT managers, because it minimises security risks. If the device is lost, there is not a lot of corporate data to worry about.

Belgravium's Smart Clients application for Windows CE terminals is designed to resolve the fat-thin issue. It marries the local processing power of the device with the efficiencies of thin client computing. What can be done on the device is done on the device, but the application also contains a Web browser for more intensive computing operations.

Unitech has signed a deal with Oracle which means that its rugged mobile computers can now have embedded Oracle Database Lite software, so they become even more compatible with widely-adopted IT infrastructure. With Oracle embedded, IT managers can use Unitech's Mobile Manager for remote device management.

The mobile manager

Industry analysts have predicted that the mobile office market will grow from $4 billion in 2006 to $14 billion by 2010. This trend is already evident in the logistics sector, says McBain, as managers go mobile within the business.

'The manager has a handheld computer that operates like a mobile desktop. The device has access to the same information as the shop floor, which in turn allows the manager to react more quickly to developing events. Interactive messaging is, for example, faster than waiting for an email to arrive to alert you to a problem. The key is to maintain durability of devices in the logistics environment, while giving managers the feel of a device that is more managerial than industrial.'

The retail sector is at the forefront of this trend, which can be seen in the equipment nowadays being issued to floor and department managers. Intermec's just-released CN2 device, for example, is aimed at this market. It is small enough to fit in a pocket and suitable for one-handed operation.

Motorola has launched the consumer-style MC35, a small version of the MC70. It weighs around 90g, but has similar-size quarter-VGA screen with full QWERTY keyboard beneath. There is GPS, GPRS and Wi-Fi connectivity, with barcode imaging and camera capability. In terms of ruggedness, the MC35 outshines conventional PDAs; the quoted performance is 150 tumbles from 1.5ft. Small doesn't necessarily mean fewer features either.

Opticon has launched two mobile devices based on hybrid PDA/smartphone technology and incorporating built-in barcode scanning. The H-19 has a phone-style keypad and a one- or two-dimensional scan engine. It can cope with 1.2 metre drops to concrete and has an IP54 rating. The H-16 is similar in specification but has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

Belgravium's Canberra 1000 is what the company calls a semi-ruggedised PDA-style terminal. The unit is rated to IP54 dust and water protection standard, and is said to be able to withstand dropping from 4ft on to concrete. The Canberra has minimum physical controls on the fascia and relies on stylus input. However, it also has the unusual feature of a fingerprint sensor for biometric login.

PANEL

Ten-point checklist - Buying tips from Psion Teklogix

Device operating system: There are differences between Windows operating systems. Check that your chosen OS does do all that you require.

Screen quality: Do you need a touch-sensitive screen for data input? Is the screen readable in different light conditions?

Keyboard: Are there programmable function keys for repetitive tasks and to start applications and processes faster?

Form factor: Both device and screen size are factors influencing ease of use.

Upgradeability: Many ruggedised handheld terminals are built on a modular platform and can have data input or radio options added later. Most PDA-style devices are designed for a shorter lifespan so do not have this capability.

IP and drop ratings: Check specifications, and also those of processor speeds, which have an impact on usability.

Are the devices upgradeable in the field?: This is essential if you want to handle application upgrades and diagnostics remotely, over the air.

GPRS connectivity: If the task requires real-time communication, GPRS connectivity is essential. Don't try to make do with GSM.

Total cost of ownership: Take into account total cost of ownership when comparing prices. Check the mean-time-between-failures rates. The more often devices fail, the higher the cost of ownership, and the bigger the impact on business profitability.

Software cost: Don't forget to factor in the cost of software.