Feb/Mar 2008

The portable computer is your increasingly flexible friend.

Sharon Clancy looks at recent developments, and offers some invaluable pointers in what to look for when specifying devices for multi-tasking on the road

When it comes to choosing a portable computer for delivery operations, there has never been a time, surely, when the choice has been so wide. That sheer variety of hardware has, however, made specifying the right devices more difficult.

PDAs, ruggedised PDAs, ruggedised terminals and lightweight versions of rugged terminals are all battling it out for supremacy in the delivery sector.

 

Do devices designed primarily for warehousing, in-store retail tasks or consumer applications really cut the mustard for delivery operations? The advice seems to be to forget about how a device is described and focus on what is important for the operation. If it does the job you require, that's all you need to know.

But before you get to that point, there are still a range of questions to answer. Basic criteria to bear in mind include life span, battery life, screen resolution and memory, not forgetting the level of ruggedness.

Is the screen robust enough to cope with signature capture? Does it have a high resolution? Should the unit have both voice and data capability? Does the operation require a printer - and probably, therefore, Bluetooth connectivity?

Next, there are data capture options to consider, including 1D and 2D barcode readers and integrated cameras. Then there is the question of GPS and navigation: will these things bring real benefit, or are they just gimmicks?

There is no single answer to which of those additional components will make the operation more efficient because delivery operations themselves are so varied. Some trends in the delivery sector are, however, influencing the type of device that is being deployed.

Motorola's David Picton offers a take on this. 'One trend is for specifying more track-and-trace capability such as signature capture,' he says. 'This is because it offers companies the opportunity to differentiate their service from competitors.' That signature capture can be on-screen or via an imager or scanner - an operational choice the device will have to cope with.

Computers that combine voice and data handling represent another clear trend, although there are already some calls to proscribe drivers' use of voice, according to Darryl Taylor, director of mobile for Psion Teklogix.

'This lock-down demand is being driven by the need to demonstrate corporate responsibility for health and safety of mobile workers. If the device rings, the temptation is to pick it up and answer. So some companies are making use of the loudspeaker capabilities of their mobile devices for hands-free phone operation.'

Other users, he reports, are looking at restricting the driver's ability to use phone-capable devices for non-business use by programming in allowable numbers. They can include depot number, customer number and police, for example.

The amount of available memory has not been an issue for many handheld computers until now because simple computing tasks such barcode date capture don't require a huge amount of memory. However, as Taylor points out, delivery operators are typically now running up to three main applications on mobile handheld devices, so it pays to check that your chosen device is capable of handling any memory demands that might be made.

Many delivery companies expect a three- or four-year life from their portable computers. That rules out many PDAs, which change specification on too regular a basis to be viable for many mission-critical delivery operations. 'Manufacturers of ruggedised handheld computers will support the device for its life, and for a period after production has ceased, ' says Motorola's Picton.

Total cost of ownership has become a major factor in justifying the extra cost of ruggedised devices over PDAs for delivery operations. 'We don't buy the argument that you can get three PDAs for the price of one ruggedised handheld,' says Picton. 'Even if the replacement PDA is free, there are extra costs in downtime and buffer stock holdings.'

So the clear trend is towards multi-tasking computers. As Stuart Scott, Intermec's senior director for international marketing, puts it: 'We see the trend towards converged solutions accelerating in the coming years as our clients increasingly demand more powerful, smaller and more rugged mobile computers.' He adds: 'Mobile workers can set aside the multiple devices they typically must carry and maintain just a single device.'

GPS tracking

Integrated GPS is emerging as a must-have for many delivery operations. Handheld terminal manufacturers have moved from offering it as an add-on module to incorporating it as standard, helped by the fact that the price of GPS chipsets has dropped dramatically. 'More software applications now have a need for location data,' explains Darryl Taylor, head of mobile for Psion Teklogix. 'So even if the operation will not be able to use the location-finding technology for a year or so, it makes sense to integrate GPS capability at the outset. When user-companies are ready, we can switch on the chip remotely, without having the downtime and cost of recalling units to retrofit GPS.'

Integrating GPS in a handheld might seem to duplicate any separate tracking system fitted in the vehicle chosen by the operator, but there are still lots of vehicles out there without tracking systems, and manufacturers believe integrating this into handhelds has a strong future for track-and-trace activities.

Terran Churcher, managing director of mobile application specialist Codegate, points out that GPS positioning technology means companies will be able to capture precise location as well as a signature on delivery. 'GPS latitude and longitude provide proof that a parcel has been delivered to a specific location. This sort of proof can help reduce online fraud in cases where, for example, the delivery address is different from the cardholder address.'

Churcher also believed GPS-enabled portable computers will make the track-and-trace technology - already deployed by larger delivery companies - affordable for medium and small companies as well.

Another reason why embedded GPS is becoming ubiquitous is the arrival of a new generation of GPS chipsets that are not only more accurate than their predecessors, but also use less power to obtain a position fix. 'Reception in urban areas is often can be poor because GPS signals are prone to reflection off buildings,' explains Mike Knowles Leak, sales director for UnIQue ID. 'Polarised antennae are one solution to this problem because they pick up the reflected signals, so they hold on to the GPS signal better.'

He warns against assuming that all GPS chips are the same. 'There are massive variations in the accuracy of GPS chips available, and users need to take care they get the accuracy required for their business.'

GPS is also critical for navigation, of course, and there's no doubt that by saving drivers time when looking for and address, they help the efficiency of the operation.

Data capture

Most portable computers offer basic barcode scanning or, alternatively a camera. The choice here really does depend on what data the operation needs to be capture. Psion Teklogix's Darryl Taylor makes a convincing case for having an embedded camera even if it is not likely to be required very often.

'Some delivery companies have not specified an integrated camera previously on the grounds that it would be used only once a week or month,' Taylor says. Typical uses would be for exception reporting such as a capturing a picture of a damaged parcel, or showing that the driver really was at the delivery address, but the customer wasn't. 'A camera means the drivers can report exceptions in exactly the same way as they reports a successful delivery. They don't have to remember the process for dealing with an exception, which they might get wrong anyway.'

On the scanning front, there is a choice of 1D and 2D barcode scanners and imagers. For some operations, an image of the signature may be sufficient. Other companies will want to capture more details about the parcel.

Battery life

One reason some device manufacturers are migrating to Windows Mobile 5 or 6 from Windows CE is that it has built-features to manage power demands on the battery from the various components, including radios.

Knowles Leak says battery life still needs attention. 'Even with extended-life battery packs, it is not safe to assume you will get a full shift out of the device.' He has been very impressed with Hand Held Products' Dolphin 7900 device, which his company distributes. It completed over nine and a half hours' operation on a single charge in independently supervised tests, he says.

'Application developers have to play their part too, ' points out Picton, 'They have to make sure applications use the power available wisely.'

Cradles

Having a device with a battery capable of completing a full shift on a single charge eliminates the need to wire the device into the vehicle electrical system to get en-route top-up charging.

'You can have a non-powered in-vehicle cradle, although where operators want the device linked to other vehicle telemetry data, it does have to be hard-wired,' Darryl Taylor points out. 'Even where the fleet chooses that option, however, self-contained devices can help bring rental vehicles and subcontractors into the delivery loop.'

Depot storage of devices is another issue that doesn't receive much attention, but which can make a big contribution to smooth operation. If there is no cradle, devices can get thrown down on a desk, and damaged. 'If you combine storage cradles with an Ethernet connection, you can download any upgrades over the Ethernet and not GPRS, so data costs will be lower,' Knowles Leak says.

Taylor points out that Psion's iK'n recharge cradle has drain holes. Any moisture on the device will drain off, eliminating the need to ensure the device is dry before recharging and the risk that trapped moisture might damage the unit.

Communications

There are signs that 3G might be beginning to make inroads into the stranglehold GPRS has on the mobile data market. GPRS coverage is now good, the networks' fixed monthly rates are attractive and data limits are rarely breached because the data packets sent over GPRS are usually small. 'Although 3G coverage is still patchy, it does offer faster and cheaper communications once data packets reach a certain size,' says Psion's Taylor. 'Some Web-hosted services now download large data packets, including navigation applications, to handheld devices,' he points out.

Device management

The more portable computers you have in a fleet, the greater the importance of managing those devices. Portable computers, once deployed, are critical to the success of the operation, so you do need a strategy for replacing damaged ones or those needing maintenance. Buffer stocks are the solution, whether you hold them yourself or the supplier does on your behalf. They can be preloaded with applications, ready for action.

For system and software maintenance and upgrading, there are plenty of remote device management solutions, including those offered by the manufacturers.

Computer suppliers tell us that delivery companies should think of mobile computers as another fleet of assets, just as the delivery vehicles themselves are. Both need managing properly or there could be an adverse impact on the smooth running of the operation.

Words we can echo from our own observations.

PANEL

Case study: Multi-carrier data links made easier by Spirit solution

Parcels delivery operations always involve capturing and processing large amounts of data, but none more so than at Inverness-based AJG Parcels. The company is a third-party carrier - which means it specialises in providing services in its relatively remote geographical area for other high-profile parcel companies based elsewhere. And that means dealing with all the different record-gathering systems those companies require.

The company offers services in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, which extend over an area the size of Wales. It was formed in 1992, it now has ten depots, 160 employees and 80 delivery vans.

Until recently AJG relied on keeping paper records - a particularly labour-intensive task. Around 3,500 proof of delivery documents had to be input manually into its clients' various systems. The company therefore started looking for a more streamlined and cost-effective approach.

Managing director Adrian Gray explains: 'We wanted to find a way of automating proof of delivery and collection, and of tracking the precise location of our customers' parcels. We therefore started looking for a handheld device that our drivers could use to collect the end customer's signature at the point of delivery.'

During an Internet search Adrian came across Spirit Data Capture, an independent company specialising in mobile computing and automated data collection. 'We particularly liked the Mobile Compia M3+, a PDA that is distributed by Spirit,' he says. 'It was new to the market, and promised to be a highly cost-effective solution. We therefore ordered over a hundred devices for use by our drivers.'

The Mobile Compia M3+ met all of AJG's criteria for reliability, accuracy and image capture. It is a light and compact unit that boasts options such as a laser barcode scanner; an 802.11b/g radio; GSM/GPRS; a Bluetooth radio; and an integral 1.3 megapixel camera.

Adrian says: 'We asked Spirit to help us to develop an application that would enable our drivers to capture the end customer's signature electronically and send it straight through to the client's system in real time, using the Mobile Compia's GPRS capability. This system would also enable end customers to track the location of their parcel through our Web site.'

With the addition of a Bluetooth headset the drivers can also use the M3+ as a mobile phone. Additionally the devices are used for satellite navigation. The vans have been fitted with cradles incorporating GPS connectivity.

'The Mobile Compia devices have boosted the efficiency of both our delivery and administrative processes,' says Adrian. 'They are much faster and more accurate than our previous manual system, and provide us with much greater traceability of the parcels.'

Following completion of the first phase of the project - the proof of delivery and collection system - the company has asked Spirit to help explore further benefits of the Mobile Compia's GPRS capabilities. 'The next development will be a messaging system between our depots and the drivers, and a collection management system.'

PANEL

Casio's recently-launched DT-X7 has an unusual grip-style housing and integral laser scanner. It features a rounded and dimpled form casing to fit naturally in the palm and for good grip.

The leading edge is angled to enable users to determine the correct angle of emission for the laser scanner intuitively, and there are three scanner trigger keys to make operating it easy. The keyboard layout has the most frequently-used keys positioned in reach of the natural movements of users' fingers, and there are ridges between the key to reduce the risk of simultaneously pressing adjacent keys. Weight is just 145gms.

There is a 2.4in QVGA colour LCD screen and 802.11b/g WLAN connectivity, plus Bluetooth. It also features 802.1xx encryption technologies.

Windows CE 5.0 is pre-installed, and the built-in speaker allows voice output for picking operations. Dust and water protection is rated at IP54 and the device will cope with 1-metre drops on to concrete. It operates in temperatures down to 1 deg C.

Look our for a full review of the DT-X7 in a future Product Evaluation spot.