June/July 2008

As conventional rugged mobile computing devices gain more connectivity options, other types of portable computer in turn are getting the rugged treatment. Sharon Clancy leads our annual review of the ruggedised mobile market

The ruggedised computer market used to be pretty clearly defined. Until quite recently, to a large extent it meant automatic data capture devices for warehousing operations. They had a simple wireless interface to link them up to a wireless warehouse network, and they probably ran Windows CE or even a terminal emulation operating system.

Now the market has exploded. These days it also encompasses PDA-style handheld terminals, notebook computers and tablet PCs. Devices still incorporate WLAN, but often have GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth and even RFID connectivity as well.

What's more, 'rugged' no longer has to mean brick-like. You no longer need to sacrifice characteristics such as low weight, small size and ergonomics in return for durability. And in the past year a lot of new devices have been introduced to the market, designed to take user-friendliness to new levels.

There's been a change, too, in the type of device that has been receiving the rugged-ised treatment. For field service and logistics applications, for instance, ruggedised PDAs now compete with bigger ruggedised handheld computers, while ruggedised notebooks now face competition from ruggedised tablets.

Since we ran our last major review of this market, a lot more rugged devices have also started to include GPS chips for location-finding. Partly this trend has been driven by the manufacturers of ruggedised data capture units themselves; they're looking for new customers outside their traditional warehousing sector.

Partly the trend has gained momentum because user-companies have recognised wider benefits in mobile data capture, and are deploying it in more and more of their operations. That's led to increasing need for multi-function devices with a variety of data input methods and a range of possible applications.

Automatic data capture

Automatic data capture technology has reached an uncertain phase as user-companies evaluate exactly what data they need to capture; when they need to capture; and in what format it's needed. Hence the sometimes bewildering choice of data capture devices on the market.

Barcode scanners, 2D scanners, cameras and RFID can be incorporated in a single device, if that's what the operation demands. Use of RFID might not be widespread yet, but it is steadily replacing barcode scanning in some operations.

And in many warehouses where ruggedised barcode scanners have provided reliable and accurate data over billions of scans, voice capability is now being added. Indeed, voice recognition has been a runaway success. It is now accepted that for some warehouse operations, voice-directed picking offers major gains in efficiency and accuracy.

Such is the current choice of data capture options that some suppliers are urging customers to be more flexible at the planning stage. LXE, for example has introduced ARIA solutions (for Adaptive Recognition and Information Assurance) – an approach that involves applying AIDC technology to maximise productivity improvements.

LXE thinks maximum productivity gains will come from integration of new technology in a way the helps humans to interact with machines to best effect. The company thinks that maximum productivity gains will require a combinations of AIDC systems that include keyboard input, wireless networking, wearable mobile computers and voice-driven activities.

'We predict that users will start combining these technologies in a more imaginative way,' says Steve Binder, managing director of LXE's UK operations. 'Why not use voice recognition for part of a task and keyboard for another part? Why shouldn't an operator use voice recognition for order picking in the morning, then use the same device for a barcode-based stock-take in the afternoon?'

Intermec has made the prospect of dipping your toe in the RFID water a lot easier with the launch of its IP30 RFID reader. It can be combined with the company's popular CN3 handheld computer to give integrated GPS and WAN capability. You can also include combined 1D and 2D barcode scanning.

'Increasingly, RFID and barcode labelling are moving away from simple *either-or' co-existence toward complementary solutions that cover identification at the item, case, and pallet levels,' says Chris Kelley, director of RFID and data capture marketing at Intermec.

Connectivity

'Everyone has bought into real-time connectivity,' says Motorola's Andy McBain. 'Now users are considering what further efficiencies it can bring.' He reports Motorola's sales are up 50 per cent globally in WLAN environments.

McBain says that 3G wireless networks can deliver benefits to businesses as well as consumers. '3G delivers fast data transfer speeds. With HSDPA, data transfer speeds are nearing 350 kilobytes/second – close to the speeds on an 802.11b wireless network. That opens up new opportunities, such as simultaneous voice and data calls.'

He gives a vivid example of the kind of benefits this can bring. You could, he says, transmit an image of a faulty component or damaged delivery package back to base, and hold a conversation about it with the same device at the same time. 'Companies don't want to be responsible for two mobile devices per worker, with all the support that implies.'

Fast data transfer rates also meansimproved Web-browsing experiences for mobile workers who do need to connect to download documents or other data, he points out.

McBain is not so certain that 3G will lead to great user of thin-client applications on mobile devices. '3G is not yet reliable on a pan-European basis and is very patchy in Eastern Europe, for example.'

The new Dolphin 9900 device from Honeywell is typical of the multi-connectivity trend. Last December the company acquired Hand Held Products, maker of the Dolphin range of handhelds (and since then it has also acquired Metrologic). The latest Dolphin 9900 has integrated voice and data communications plus GPS, as well as Adaptus imaging technology (a parallel HHP development) for barcode scanning and image-taking.

The 9900 also provides a good example of another area where ruggedised handheld computer manufacturers believe they offer a better ROI than rugged PDAs or smart phones: design continuity.

'Backwards compatibility means that users of 9500 devices will be able to migrate gradually to the 9900 because they will be able to retain the legacy infrastructure such as accessories, batteries and device peripherals,' explains regional sales director Andrew Donn.

Donn says that battery life is also becoming more critical, both to ensure a full shift on a single charge and to keep cost of ownership down. 'Everyone understands the importance of single-shift working, but there is less awareness that the more batteries an operation needs, the higher the costs.

'Each battery can only be recharged a set amount of times before it needs replacing. If you're recharging a battery twice a day instead of once, your replacement cycles are going to be shorter.'

Operating systems

Windows Mobile has taken a substantial share of the ruggedised mobile device market. Most rugged handhelds offer either version 5 or 6 of this system. Enthusiasts say this OS makes it easier to integrate voice applications and to manage devices.

Windows CE is still much in demand, however, and is liked by application developers because it makes migration of applications easier. 'Application developers do need to remember that rugged handheld computers are just that – small computers, not smart phones,' says Brian Scanlan of Psion Teklogix.

For notebooks and tablets, the choice usually comes down to Windows XP or Vista, though tablet and notebook specialist GETAC says there is still widespread corporate resistance to Vista. The company will start to ship Vista-equipped tablets and notebooks later this year, but a licence-free change to XP is permitted.

Mobile devices operating on XP or Vista rather than CE or its derivatives are liked by IT managers because these operating systems allow them to run in-house applications on mobile devices without the need to reconfigure them. Arguably such computers can also run more advanced and powerful applications. Motion Computing, for instance, has launched a Vistaq Business model offering improved handwriting recognition for tablet PCs, as well as a tablet input panel with automatic fill features for email and Web site addresses.

Small-format ruggedised mobile computers such as Motorola's MC 70 and 35 and Psion Teklogix's iK(tm)n are not just designed to head off the competition from ruggedised PDA manufacturers; they also reflect a trend towards ergonomically-designed units that actually make the job easier.

That trend also extends to devices intended primarily for data capture in the warehouse, such as LXE's MX8 and Casio's DTX-7. The MX8, for example, is a full 3cm shorter than the MX7 and, at 482g, it weighs 113g less. That makes it more user-friendly and easier to hold for long spells, yet it sacrifices nothing in durability. The DTX-7 even looks ergonomic, with its curved shape and angled scanning head.

Ability to handle spoken communication used to be the key differentiator between a ruggedised PDA and an ultra-portable handheld computer, but Windows Mobile 5 and Mobile 6 have blurred this distinction by making it simpler to add voice capability to small-format rugged computers designed primarily for data capture. The difference is increasingly one of ergonomics (including size and weight) and functionality.

At the same time, some manufacturers are developing PDA-sized devices that justify being called 'rugged'. GETAC's PS535E, launched earlier this year, might reasonably claim to have redefined the meaning of 'rugged PDA'. It meets the MIL-STD 810F drop standard and has an IP54 dust and vibration rating – features more typical of a ruggedised unit.

The PS535E also sports other features that take it into the compact ruggedised mobile computer territory. It operates on Windows Mobile 5, and has Bluetooth and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi as standard, as well as integrated GPS. There is a 400MHz processor and 2GB of embedded memory, with a 6GB option for data-intensive operations.

An eight-hour battery life competes with that of many ruggedised computers, and the PS535E It also incorporates GETAC's sunlight-readable touch-screen technology, already proven in the laptop and tablet ranges. All this is contained in a compact device measuring 14mm by 61mm by 29mm and weighing just 300g.

Notebooks and tablets for the tough life

On the notebook front, the gap between executive-style lightweight models and ultra-rugged versions able to cope with life in the military is getting narrower.

There is definitely a role for ultra-rugged laptops in tough field service environments, says manufacturer JLT. It points out that its ultra-rugged laptops have no moving or external parts, and have a water and dust rating of IP65. And flash memory can replace a vulnerable hard disk if data is to be transferred directly back to the office and not stored on the device.

'Ultra-mobile' and 'rugged' are two terms not often combined in descriptions of mobile computers, but Pansonic believes it can justify them for the CF-U1 Toughbook it has just launched. It features Intel's latest Atom 1.3MHz low power-consumption processor, and battery life is an impressive nine hours.

At 1,060g, the CF-U1 meets the tough MIL-STD-810F drop standard, so will survive falls form 120cm on to concrete, and its dust ands water resistance is rated at IP54.

Tablet computers are emerging as an alternative to ruggedised notebooks for mobile workers who need to take their data with them, rather than accessing it over a wireless network and a connection to a corporate database. Models running the Windows Vista or XP operating system offer one of the same key attractions as laptops; corporate applications will run on them without any modification.

'Rugged tablet PCs must provide a solid design that ensures that the system will work for many years to come,' says Mark Muslek, managing director of JLT UK. 'The aim is to attain maximum up time and availability of the system, with minimal downtime resulting from faults and the need for repairs.'

Muslek says standard JLT features include a strong aircraft-grade aluminium chassis and a 8.4in colour touch screen viewable in sunlight. 'There should also be a choice of processors. Some applications will not need the power of a desktop computer, but as they say, *what can do a lot, can do a little.'

Motion Computing has unveiled a semi-rugged tablet PC with a 80GB hard disk as standard. A bigger memory will mean mobile workers are less dependent on connectivity, says the company. It allows users to store large files such as manuals, images and other documentation on the tablet. Motion has also introduces what it calls a mobile dock, which it says will allow the tablet to be stowed almost anywhere in a vehicle and be charged.