I'm often asked for recommendations on movable devices for proof of delivery applications and handheld data collection. If you're seeing at Motorola devices, most population need help choosing in the middle of Mc55, Mc75 and Mc9090 devices.
This article will construe what you should think when choosing movable devices and will feature real-life customer examples for field data capture and proof of delivery applications.
How To Choose Tablet
Before we start with criteria, it is foremost to understand what features you need today as well as in the future. With rugged devices, once you buy the device, you cannot go back and add hardware options like a camera, Gps or Bluetooth. The devices we will discuss are:
- Mc9090 (Mc909x) - these are the largest and most rugged of the 3 models. They are supported on all carrriers (Verizon, Sprint, At&T and T-Mobile) and have the broadest range of hardware options. These are the most high-priced devices.
- Mc75 - these are mid-sized devices that Motorola targets for proof of delivery, field data capture and barcode solutions.
- Mc55 - this is the latest member of the family, has a slightly lower level of rugged organize and size than Mc75's. It is the least expensive.
Questions and Criteria
You should narrow your hardware choice by asking the following questions.
Do you need cellular data? If so, what cellular carrier do you use and do you know what the data coverage is in your territories?
- The imagine for this is easy - some territories like the North East are completely owned by a carrier (Verizon). If person wants T-Mobile or At&T coverage, they need to check or think changing carriers.
- The Mc55 is not currently supported on Verizon, so the choice is in the middle of an Mc75 and Mc9000. All devices maintain Gsm networks (e.g. T-Mobile and At&T).
- Do you want want expedient to cover international or covering of North America? If so, you will need to only think Gsm.
If you need cellular data, are you going to do anyone that requires 3G/3.5G or faster networking?
- Most customers don't know the write back to this but the request becomes more clear if you are:
- Taking pictures - photograph size can be adjusted on the movable device, but a reasonable ability color photograph would be roughly 1Mb or larger.
- Downloading large files, such as site plans, Msds sheets or merchandising plan-o-grams for proof of delivery apps.
- The Mc55 is targeted at basic route accounting users.The Mc55 car cradle does not have a built-in serial port. Examples of where this applies are: serial cable connection to the car Gps or Jbus (vehicle diagnostics), fuel delivery meters or external communication devices.
- The Mc75 and Mc9000 car cradles have a built-in serial port. Their cradle is more high-priced than the Mc55 cradle by roughly 0-200.
- All devices maintain barcode scanning. The only decision is whether you need 1D/2D or long-range.
- 2D scanners can be helpful if you have barcodes that may get dirty or damaged. Examples of this include plant nurseries where 2D barcodes may be easier to read due to dirt on the barcode label.
- Long range scanners can scan barcodes up to 40' away. Long range scanners are only available on the Mc909x platform. Examples of long range scanning would be scanning the barcode at the top of a storage rack from a forklift.
- If you need Rfid, your only choice is an Mc9090. Note that Rfid enabled devices are significantly more expensive.
- The Mc9000 is the most rugged device. It has the best drop spec (6' to concrete) and the best Ip (intrusion protection) rating.
- The Mc75 is plenty rugged and designed for field delivery applications (5' to concrete).
- The Mc55 is close to, but not as rugged as the Mc75. It is designed for the field but not for harsh environments.
- Examples of harsher environments would be where you work covering in the rain or dirt - such as oil field services, agriculture or bulk goods delivery such as fuel, lubes, chemicals or fertilizer to tanks outside.
- The Mc55 and Mc75 both have similar sized keypads. They are larger than a BlackBerry but the size of the expedient shell is fixed.
- The Mc9000 comes in a short version (Mc9090S), a long version (Mc9090K) and a gun/pistol grip (Mc9090G). The keypads on Mc9000's are larger than the Mc75 or Mc55. If drivers use gloves (such as fuel delivery) then it would be worth comparing the Mc9000 to the Mc75.
- If you perform a lot of scanning, you should think a pistol grip, which is only available on the Mc9000.
- This customer excellent Mc9000's because they needed the most rugged device, a large numeric keypad, a larger battery to power the wifi since they use wifi for roaming throughout the plant to load products, and because they wanted a larger expedient so it was easier for the driver to keep track of it.
- This customer excellent the Mc75 because they wanted a mid-sized expedient that would be easy for the driver to carry but would be rugged sufficient to be around risky materials and heavier equipment that might bang around or have the expedient dropped. They needed 3G network speeds to facilitate image capture. Gps is done on the car but can also be captured on the handheld.
- This customer evaluated the Mc55 and Mc75, but excellent the Mc55 because it was less expensive. They determined they did not need the ruggedness of the Mc75 or the 3G network speed since the pictures would queue and sync in the background. They wanted the smallest/lightest expedient since the expedient would be carried all day by the field personnel.
Do you need barcode scanning?
Do you need Rfid?
Do you have exact ruggedness requirements? Will you be dealing with harsh environments?
What size keypad do you need? What type of input will the keypad be used for? Do you need a pistol grip?
So which expedient is right for you? The following highlights examples of using each type of device.
Mc9090 - Bulk bleach manufacturer with 8 plants in 5 states. This customer receives bleach in rail cars and then distributes to pool contribute companies, municipal water rehabilitation facilities, paper manufacturers, etc. The bleach is loaded at the plant and the driver starts their day by scanning a barcode label on the truck (tractor), trailer and delivery ticket. They weigh the truck on an market truck scale and wirelessly receive the truck weight to imagine the volume of goods on the truck. The driver makes deliveries to a set of customers and scans the delivery ticket, product, etc and records goods quantities in each tank. The customer signs the expedient for proof of delivery and then prints a receipt on movable Zebra Rw420 printers. When drivers return to the plant, the driver scans and weighs again to imagine remaining volume. Once at the plant, deliveries are sent wirelessly to the goRoam server for processing and export for invoicing.
Mc75 - HazMat pickup and disposal for large retailers, oil turn shops, car dealers, etc. Across 30 states. These drivers receive routes/stops through cellular communications while on the road. The drivers go to each stop and pickup one or many HazMat containers (waste oil, paint, chemicals, etc.). They place a barcode on the package (by hazmat goods type) and article the contents of each container. This can involve a reasonable estimate of data capture through the touch-screen on the handheld expedient as they have to faultless different movable forms depending on the pickup. Once complete, the customer signs for electronic signature capture/proof of pickup.
Mc55 - Door-to-door surveys and canvassing on a large scale. This customer canvasses homeowners and businesses. They faultless field data surveys that may include 300-750 questions, although not all are required to be answered. When a homeowner or enterprise needs a eye completed, the field personnel scan a barcode and take 1 or more high-quality pictures per site. They take a Gps reading and possibly make a drawing on the expedient to show the site. Once complete, the homeowner signs the expedient for proof of delivery/electronic signature capture and a receipt is automatically emailed.
