Enterprise Mobile Apps Device Ports features and accessories
As part of your project it is important to make sure your enterprise mobile apps device ports features and accessories are all set to support your investment in apps software.
For example if the software contains GPS tracking then the obvious solution is to purchase a mobile device with GPS built in. The same goes for scanning barcodes signing on screen or reading file from a USB stick.
GPS is a feature commonly used for in vehicle Sat Nav. It is also a feature used in GPS tracking systems and in specific software such as utilities to check location on pipes, cables etc. In the last case the GPS needs to be very accurate so compatible with WAAS/EGNOS.
Will the device ever need to read from a removable data source are PDF maintenance plans or boiler manuals required? The device must therefore have a way of reading from SD card or USB sticks. If the documents are full A4 documents containing a lot of text or images then the screen needs to be suitable size as well as the device running to software to run it such as Microsoft Office or Acrobat Reader.
Accessing data locally, leads to accessing data remotely; Does the device need a 3G connection to send/receive jobs throughout the day? Will the device be out of the office for days at a time so 3G is a definite requirement or will intermittent Wi-Fi suffice? Ethernet is another option for connecting to backend and online systems but usually only when in the office or working from home or hotel.
Saving the data locally once having accessed it is the next step. Is a specific manual required when at the customer site and will there be a 3G or Wi-Fi connection? In most cases the user will want to download the document to the device. Tablet hard drives can range up to 128GB, enough for almost all requirements.
Those are the basic features handheld and tablets can be supplied with. Additional features can include 1D and 2D barcodes scanners, RFID scanner and serial ports.
Once the device features have been decided the accessories are then an option. If the devices needs charging in the office or in a vehicle a variety of docks are available from a 4 slot multi-docks charging 4 units are once to a vehicle cradle wired directly into the vehicle power supply. Other more basic accessories can be carry cases, and spares such as stylus’s and screen protectors. All of which help to protect your investment.
The key question is: With so many cheaper, but limited Smartphones on the market should your business look at what features they require in a device or what will be a tolerable device for the least amount of money?
