Mobile Computers for Executives

Mobile Computers for Sales Executives or people on the move!

Trying to turn your consumer based mobile phone into a data collection device isn't going to work as well as you think it might. We have seen customers try and add a socket barcode scanner to a mobile phone or connect via Bluetooth to a barcode scanner. The brochures tell you how good it is and that it will work but the reality is you have too many pieces that easily fall apart.

The solution is to get a device that has all the things you need in one piece. So if you accidentally drop it, it doesn't fall to pieces.

Case in point, if you attach an SD or CF card barcode reader to your mobile device and drop it, the weakest point is the connection between the device and the add on reader.

Ipaq's are a good example where adding the barcode reading sled to the device makes it cumbersome to hold and at times can be tempramental. Here you have a device that needs to send the scanned data to the Ipaq and there will be some software in the middle that has to be running.

Our recommendation is to work out what you need to achieve first. Is it barcode or RFID data collection?

Are you staff leaving the office and need access to the company's data while out on the road? Or are they just collecting data to send back at the end of the day?

What features do you need?

1D barcode scanning
2D barcode scanning
image capture
mobile phone
GPRS
GPS
camera (with flash)
video
wi-fi
Bluetooth
mag stripe reading
accessories?
- in car charger
- carry cases or belt holsters

Questions:

What environment are they working in?
What devices do they need to connect to? printers, scales, other
How long out in the field will they be without access to power?
What other things are they already carrying?
What barcodes, if any are they required to scan?
What data do they need to enter manually? this will determine the type of keyboard
Will their customer have to handle the device? ie to get a signature
What other requirements are important to consider?

Barcode Datalink offers the following range of mobile computers for mobile workers: