POSDATA - Mobile Computing eBook

The Big Shift Toward Industrial Mobile Touch Computers How to Boost Workforce Performance Overnight

Gun-style industrial handheld computers with physical keypads were the go-to choice for mobile computing for years, especially in manufacturing plants, warehouses, and other rugged enterprise environments. But all of that is rapidly changing as more and more companies are making the switch to rugged enterprise touch computers. Rugged enterprise touch computers provide a number of major advantages over traditional industrial handheld devices, all while offering a variety of form factors and options to fit specific workflow needs. In fact, touch computers include everything from rugged smartphone-style devices to gun-style handhelds with both a touch screen and a physical keypad. There are many options to choose from, but the one common denominator with touch mobile computers is that they offer a touch screen and touch-enabled operating system to transform mobile workflows for the better. In this quick overview, we’ll take a look at some of the key advantages of rugged enterprise touch computers vs. industrial handhelds, including how touch computing enables significant improvements in mobile productivity, efficiency, and accuracy.

Advantages of Touch Computers vs. Traditional Handhelds

1

Easier Training and Better Ease of Use

For training and ease of use, nothing beats a touch computer. It functions almost identically like the smartphones and tablets that workers use at home every day, so when they pick up a device such as a rugged enterprise Android touch computer, they can start using it intuitively right away. Since touch computer user interfaces and operating systems function much like they do on workers’ personal devices, workers can easily navigate apps and complete tasks and workflows by simply tapping on the screen. This is far easier than having to use physical buttons, function keys, or a keypad to navigate apps and functions.

For training and ease of use, nothing beats a touch computer. “

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2

More Efficient Data Entry with Fewer Errors

Another big advantage of touch computers over traditional industrial handheld devices is that they enable faster, more efficient and more accurate data entry, especially since you can customize touch mobile computer virtual keyboards for specific tasks and apps. In fact, with some solutions, studies have shown that workers can enter data up to 40% faster and with 60% fewer errors when using a touch-enabled device. With a traditional handheld mobile computer, you might be able to choose one of several available physical keyboard layouts and configurations when you purchase your device, and some devices have the option to swap out keyboards when preferred. But this isn’t practical if you have specific workflows or apps where limiting the number of keys or functions, or arranging them in certain ways, would dramatically speed up and streamline each task. With a touch computer, you can do this at the operating system level by choosing from many available custom virtual keyboards or using apps or utilities that allow you to define your own custom layout and arrangement. However, at the app level, you can also potentially choose and control your virtual keyboard configuration, so you can use specific keyboards for specific tasks such as data entry with only certain alphanumeric characters available. Also, since touch apps can automatically check and correct spelling, keystroke errors, and other data entry issues based on required formats, dictionaries, or other standards, mistakes can be prevented on the spot, without requiring additional typing or data entry by the user.

... workers can enter data up to 40% faster and with 60% fewer errors... “

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3

Better Workflow Efficiency Through Larger Displays

... touch mobile computers typically have significantly larger screens... “

An additional advantage of touch screens is that they eliminate or minimize the need for a physical keypad, which saves space that device manufacturers use to provide larger screens in device designs and form factors. Industrial handheld devices with small screens limit the amount of available space to display task-related information. But touch mobile computers typically have significantly larger screens, which means workers can see more information at a glance. Tasks can often be completed in fewer screens, eliminating the time to advance between screens to enter data.

4

Barcode Scanning and Image Capture

With touch mobile computers, you can easily launch barcode and image capture applications from the home screen, where they can be navigated with simple taps on the device display. Many enterprise-class touch computers offer integrated high performance barcode scanners with side-activated scan buttons for quick scanning. A virtual scan button can also be incorporated on the touch display, which may be an appropriate design option for less scan intensive applications. The integrated camera features typically supported on touch mobile computers allow workers to capture photos (for example, damaged goods/quality issues), signatures, and even scan documents or forms. In addition, the camera combined with the large display, supports video phone calls or conferencing, which are additional ways for your mobile workforce to leverage technology and stay connected.

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5

All-Touch Terminal Emulation

Some companies worry about switching to touch mobile computers because they currently use “green screen” terminal apps on their industrial handheld mobile computers, and they’re concerned that they won’t be able to use those apps on touch devices. But touch mobile computers can run and actually optimize your terminal apps through terminal emulation. A good example is the All-Touch Terminal Emulation solution that comes with touch mobile computers from our technology partners at Zebra Technologies. Zebra’s terminal emulation allows you to quickly convert your terminal “green screen” apps into beautiful all-touch mobile apps and run them on touch screen devices, all without any coding or host modification. Zebra’s All-Touch TE provides software wizards that walk you through the whole process, and you can convert each of your green screens to a modern, touch-enabled and optimized screen in as little as seconds. Instead of having to use function keys and a physical keypad to enter data or navigate your screens, you can easily configure everything to work using on screen buttons and a customized, virtual, on-screen keyboard. With TE, your apps will look like entirely new, professional, and modern mobile apps. But they’ll still have the same functions and capabilities, and they’ll still connect with and transmit data to your systems. They’ll be much easier to learn and use, and workers will be able to complete tasks faster and more accurately, thanks to a much simpler and more user-friendly interface.

... With TE, your apps will look like entirely new, professional, and modern mobile apps. “

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6

Superior Mobile Efficiency

... gain a competitive business edge by optimizing workflows for more productivity, efficiency, and accuracy... “

Ultimately, the advantages we’ve covered here combine to create a superior level of mobile efficiency that helps industrial operations get more done in less time and with less labor and cost. At a time when labor is at a premium, supply chains are strained, and costs are on the rise, touch mobile computing offers one of the best ways to successfully tackle these challenges and gain a competitive business edge by optimizing workflows for more productivity, efficiency, and accuracy at every step. Moreover, the additional benefits of easier training and better ease of use make touch mobile computers a great way to attract and retain workers. By offering easier, more intuitive and more familiar workflows, much like they experience with their personal devices, companies can make jobs more attractive to prospective employees and help reduce some of the time, effort and stress that it takes to complete tasks and transactions. If you’re looking for ways to boost efficiency, productivity and accuracy while reducing costs, and you need to replace legacy industrial mobile computers or start using mobile computing to create competitive and strategic advantages for your business, our technology experts at POSDATA highly recommend touch mobile computing. We’d also be happy to help you explore your options further and determine if touch computing is right for your business workflows.

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To learn more about some of our top-recommended Zebra touch mobile computing solutions, contact us now to get started.

POSDATA Group, Inc. 5775 Soundview Drive, Suite 101 C Gig Harbor, WA 98335 www.posdata.com

Telephone: 800-852-3282 Email: sales@posdata.com

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