Xplore Technologies has been the leader in toughbook/rugged PCs for the passed thirteen years. This morning, GeoAge had the opportunity to meet with Bill Arban of Xplore Technologies to discuss the release of their new model of the iX104 device...the C4. As if the C3+ wasn't an impressive rugged device, the C4 has more capabilites and is even more rugged than it's predecessors. The C4 is powered by an Intel dual core processor which allows it to run Vista Business OR Windows XP Tablet PC edition. The previous Xplore Tablets were only able to run Windows XP Tablet PC edition. It features an "Allvue" touchscreen that is manageable by using the provided pen or your finger. This "Allvue" screen enables the device to be easily viewed oudoors, as well as indoors. This model has higher security measures and better power management in order to improve battery life. Just like the C3+, the C4 has Bluetooth capabilities. The difference being that the C3 Bluetooth doesn't come standard and would have to be purchased seperately. the C4 comes standard with built-in Bluetooth. The function keys on the C4 are customizable and can be programmed to automatically open any application on your PC tablet at the click of a single button. All Xplore Tablets have a connection for a GPS receiver. The GPS receiver used to be "semi-rugged" because if dropped, it would "break off" and an inexpensive plate could be replaced on the bottom of the receiver in order to remount it to the Xplore Tablet. On the C4, the GPS receiver is much smaller. If the tablet is dropped directly onto the receiver, it is not likely that it will break off because it doesn't stick out as far. You can also purchase what is called an "X-Swipe" which connects to the Xplore Tablet in the same way you would connect the GPS receiver. The X-Swipe allows you to swipe credit cards, IDs, etc. There are some great new accessories that you can purchase as well. There is a unique dockable carry strap that allows you to mount your device inside your vehicle without having to take off the strap.

The iX104C4 could potentially save any company more than 30% in costs. There's no longer a need to return to the office when making a sale. You have everything you need! It even mounts to the dash in your vehicle. You have the ability to swipe a customer's credit card, write up a receipt on the tablet PC, have the customer sign the receipt using the signature capabilities, and print out a receipt on the portable printer that can also hook up to your new tablet PC!

In Photo: Bill Arban of Xplore Technologies / Pete Kemp, GeoAge Director of Sales / Phil Erwin, GeoAge Vice President

When purchasing a mobile handheld computer, you want one with all the bells and whistles you might need to handle all of your in-field tasks. The most important thing you need to look for in a handheld computer is durability and ruggedness, especially if you are using it outdoors on a regular basis. The Xplore Tablet PC is one of the most popular rugged devices on the market. Work in extreme climates? The Xplore Tablet PC, like many others, can withstand extreme temperatures. The Xplore Tablet can withstand temperatures of -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Xplore Tablet can also withstand a drop from up to four feet. All of these features make rugged devices much more practical than a non-rugged device. A regular handheld PC costs anywhere from $300 to $3,000 and they don't always come standard with the mapping software. A rugged handheld PC device costs anywhere from $700 to $6,000, but it typically comes standard with some sort of GPS mapping software and it's guaranteed to last you a lot longer than the regular handheld PCs. Do you really want to risk loosing all that money by investing in a device that won't last?

Another benefit of using a rugged PC is the ability to take it almost anywhere. Work on a boat? So does your rugged PC! The GPS will  probably work a lot better on open water than on land because you don't have to worry about tall buildings or trees obstructing your satellite signals. Just as a GPS device can navigate through roads and terrain, it can also help you to navigate through waterways. Sure, a regular GPS device can do the same thing, but there are limited types of software that you are able to download onto a Garmin or a TomTom and you definitely can't get them wet. Anyone who has been on a boat in the ocean knows all to well that everything you take with you will be salty when your day is done. A regular GPS system will not be able to withstand the water and the salt build up. All of our rugged PCs are made for such environments and will work just fine in salty environments.

MOBILE INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Successful human enterprises of all kinds and in all ages have depended on effective knowledge sharing. The modern discipline of MIS (Management of Information Systems), built on an eclectic blend of science, math and sociological models, dates to the 1940s. It has evolved since then into a major field of management and a key resource for companies and agencies that require fast, reliable information to compete and prosper. In recent decades, a rapid acceleration of electronic information systems has altered the landscape for Information Managers. Increasingly, their job is to optimize the quality and relevance of information being shared (a plethora of data generated by computers can slow, rather than accelerate processes unless it can be effectively channeled), and to help their organizations move faster in a competitive global economy.

With MoIS (Mobile Information Systems), the new “mobility” component that is changing the face of MIS. In just a few years, three technology leaps –new and highly portable mobile hardware, better software, and improved cellular data connectivity via WiFi – have converged to catapult MoIS to a new position of relevance for groups that thrive on reliable, real-time information. With excellent cellular data connections available in most major cities and the transportation corridors that connect them, the brick-and-mortar boundaries that tie workers to the office are rapidly disappearing. Today, it is possible to perform many tasks just as efficiently in the field as in the office in all but the most remote rural areas. Soon, newly available broader spectrums will begin to open up those areas, as well.

Its potential to transform the workplace has made MoIS the new frontier for Information Managers. A caveat has been accessibility: like other pioneer technologies, the first mobile systems have been less than user-friendly. In the real world, where workforce members range widely in technical skills and time for training is limited, there is a need for hardware and interfaces built on familiar platforms. The fullness of the MoIS age will not be realized until this challenge has been met.

But when it is conquered, the potential is almost unlimited. Picture field workers with an entire suite of advanced technologies at their fingertips, able to communicate with each other, their home base office, the Web, satellite mapping resources, and every other kind of information technology – no matter where in the world they are operating. Better yet, imagine empowering even the non-techies of the modern workforce with tools that help them do their job on the fly. Suddenly, a virtual office concept seems viable and even requisite for teams involved in surveying (environmental studies teams, research and marketing, inspections and audits, emergency response, asset tracking, etc.) and related tasks that range from verifying locations to documentation to reporting.

As mobility technology progresses, almost every field will benefit. The fully mobilized group can dispatch workers where they are needed most, without downtime and wasted or duplicated effort. In an age of rapidly changing business markets, up-to-the-minute information is critical to good decision-making. This is true not only in the world of commerce; increasingly, government agencies, military units and utilities are challenged

by policy, compliance, and operational changes that make flexibility essential. Small workforce groups benefit when they can work faster and more efficiently. For a Fortune 500 company, the technology can be used to consolidate silos of information and to boost mobility. Studies have shown that there is always an improvement, usually more significant than five to ten percent. Imagine the impact of even a five percent on a large organization – truly a competitive edge!


FAST

New advances in mobility technologies were the impetus for FAST (Field Adapted Survey Toolkit), GeoAge’s breakthrough solution designed for any workforce team that can benefit from optimized field capabilities. FAST is multi-dimensional, offering functionality that has heretofore not been available in a single mobile delivery system. Using FAST, workers can capture and exchange data, receive instructions, create and complete forms that put everybody on the same page, document findings with photos and GPS locations, and add video and file attachments. Key advantages are in time saved and efficiency gained: FAST helps eliminate duplicated efforts and data re-entry errors that are common in typical field-to-office reporting. It facilitates real-time operations, integrating all the technologies that help staff do their best work.

Once in the field, FAST can dramatically speed the pace of information transfer. Because FAST-created survey forms replace paper, and because all relevant documents, GIS maps and digital photos included, can be attached to the form and transmitted directly back to home base to be collated, the process is lightning fast compared to pre-FAST days. In many situations – from emergency rescue missions to time-sensitive market research – the fact that processes happen faster and produce highly accurate results is the true value of this new technology.

Just as important, FAST offers an intuitive, easy-to-learn interface AND performs in a familiar setting: Windows Mobile handheld devices (PDAs), ultra micro PCs, laptop and tablet mobile PCs, and smartphones. Certified by the major wireless networks, it is fully operable on their nationwide networks. Partly because it operates from friendly environments, new adopters have an easy time relating to FAST. In fact, a typical team can be fully trained in less than a day and deployed immediately afterward.

For an MIS or MoIS manager, there is also the question of cost versus results, and this, too, is good news: FAST makes mobility easy to acquire. Consider the savings when workers can be dispatched where they are needed most, without downtime and wasted or duplicated effort. Unlike major technology upgrades, like swapping platforms from Oracle to SAP or PRP, the switch to FAST can happen quickly and at a fraction of the cost. In fact, FAST users realize significant return on investment from day one.


SUCCESS STORY

FAST’s effectiveness in emergency response situations was first demonstrated in 2005, when it reduced the time required to collect and report damage by at least 75% for personnel responding to Florida’s hurricanes. In the same year, GeoAge received Florida’s prestigious Governor’s New Product Award. This award honors new products, processes or materials that have made a significant impact.