Fleetwood, Grayhill, Symbol add new rugged handhelds

- Gary Thayer, Editor

Nov. 1, 2005 -- (MobileVillage) -- In separate announcements, Fleetwood Electronics, GrayHill Custom Mobile Computers, and Symbol Technologies each announced new additions to their ruggedized Windows CE mobile computer lines. Grayhill announced new custom-built computers, and Symbol announced a a new pistol grip form factor and update to Win CE 5.0 for its MC3000 line.

Fleetwood Electronics announced the H series (at left), its latest Windows CE handheld designed for the logistics, POS, medical and field services industries. The handheld runs Windows CE 5 on which customers can run applications (their own or customized by Fleetwood) including navigational software, workflow, signature capture. Options include an integrated bar code/image reader and GPS tracking via the terminal.

Fleetwood builds its handhelds in the UK. For information, see fleetwoodmobile.com.

Grayhill Custom Mobile announced its latest series of ruggedized Custom Mobile computers, a Windows CE/Intel XScale-based line in tablet, handheld, PDA or alternate form factors. Grayhill can modify a Custom Mobile's parts, screen size and resolution, form factor and color. For example, they can be built to integrate multiple standard or proprietary wireless technologies, including Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular, and can be customized to automatically switch from cellular service to WiFi . Other options include increased or decreased screen size, vehicle mounts, and custom battery management.

Grayhill says its computers are ruggedized to meet IP67, MIL-STD 810F and NEMA 4X requirements; can endure multiple 4-meter drops onto concrete; and are sealed against dirt, moisture, dust and rain. The unites accommodate a hot-swappable battery function, and the company claims that the units provide up to eight hours of continuous-use battery life.

Each customer's specially engineered platform is assigned a unique part number and can be replicated for as long as units are required after the initial order. If a component becomes obsolete, Grayhill says it will re-engineer a subsection of the product and test it for compatibility.

Grayhill can also customize a software platform by adapting the company's Tablet 8.4 "DuraMax" Base Platform. The Tablet 8.4 platform uses the Windows CE operating system, eliminating the need for a hard drive.

Grayhill Custom Mobile Solutions run $900 to $2,500 per unit depending upon quantity and specifications. For more information, see grayhillcustommobile.com.

Symbol (NYSE:SBL) has expanded its MC3000 family of mobile computers by introducing a new pistol grip form factor. The MC3090G incorporates the latest Intel XScale processor and is a rugged mobile computer targeted at the retail, transportation and logistics and government industries.

Symbol also announced that it will refresh its MC3000 line of mobile computers to include Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 and additional features such as 802.11b/g/a WLAN connectivity and enhanced audio capabilities.

The new MC3090 series is based on Windows CE 5.0. Select configurations also offer the rotating scan head with left, right and front positions to allow the user to adjust the scanning position for increased comfort and productivity.

Along with four-foot drop specifications across a range of temperatures, the MC3090 series of rugged mobile computers has an IP54-rated sealing for protection against water and dust and provides reliable performance in tough environmental conditions, according to Symbol.

The Symbol MC3090 line of mobile computers can be equipped with a Mobility Services Platform (MSP) agent that will collect and monitor device performance information and then deliver status in real-time to a centralized Symbol MSP management console. The MSP allows IT or operations personnel to deploy new devices, provision software upgrades and fixes with a single command, and perform remote user support and diagnostics.

For more information, see symbol.com.

Recent Related Stories:

Zebra offers 10 tips for RFID smart labeling

Baracoda releases new wireless barcode scanners for PDAs, laptops & tablets

Socket scanner sends barcode data to PDAs, smartphones; Hand Held Dolphin computers add RFID readers

Trimble adds Windows Mobile 5.0 handheld with subfoot GPS mapping

Back to MobileVillage News Page