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JLT Mobile Computers,  the developer of reliable computers for demanding environments, has launched the JLT Global Sales Partner Program to accelerate its international expansion.

The new program unifies the company’s global network of value-add resellers and solution providers, and aims to supply partners with the tools and support necessary to win in the competitive market of rugged vehicle-mounted terminals (VMTs).

JLT’s worldwide partner network is a key part of the company’s global expansion and growth strategy. JLT opened its US subsidiary in 2014 by acquiring the VMT operation of its sales representative in Arizona. The previous US partner programme that was run by this representative, and the previous EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) programme which was run by JLT, will be combined under the new Global Sales Partner Program. JLT resellers around the globe will now have direct access to JLT’s market leading rugged vehicle-mounted computer products, recognised around the world for their outstanding performance and reliability in a compact form factor.

“JLT is a product company with in-house development, applications, marketing and manufacturing, giving it a unique advantage in its ability to quickly adapt to customer needs,” said Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computing. “This adaptability is essential to win business in today’s competitive market. With the new Program, JLT’s partners can leverage the close relationship with JLT as the original manufacturer to adapt quickly and provide the best VMT solution that fits a specific customer’s unique requirements.”

The JLT Global Sales Partner Program will cater for three different types of partners:

• Authorised Resellers are value-add resellers that sell JLT’s products alongside complementary products and provide local support.

• Solution Partners are system integrators and software providers that often specialise in a particular application or customer segment. They use JLT products to build complete integrated solutions for the end customer, reselling or recommending JLT’s products.

• Technical Centres are value-add resellers that are trained by JLT to provide local technical support and services to end customers.

All three types of partner will get regular updates and training opportunities as part of the program. The program will also provide easy access to technical information, joint marketing programs, and quick turn around on technical and commercial questions.

 

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Bittium and Getac have established a partnership to improve productivity, security and user experience for field workers in the most demanding environments...

Bittium SafeMove Mobile VPN and Analytics software will be available as an option on all Getac’s rugged tablets and notebooks across Europe from May 2016.

Getac, the global designer and manufacturer of rugged mobile devices, offers the most extensive rugged computing product lines including notebook, tablets and handheld computers. Its products are found across the globe in a wide range of sectors from military and defence, law enforcement and public safety, utilities, field service, oil and gas, telecommunications, healthcare, transportation to manufacturing.

Bittium SafeMove Mobile VPN is an advanced remote access solution that provides mobile workforce always-on, secure and seamless connectivity to the corporate network regardless of time and place. Bittium SafeMove automatically establishes the connection to the best available network with no user involvement. SafeMove also enables application-specific control of the data traffic in different networks, for example according to network speed. This ensures that business critical data is always a priority, and also defines which applications and services are allowed to use paid networks. Ease-of-use, solid security and extensible data collection and analysis tool for measuring and monitoring connectivity performance improves productivity and ensure the best possible user experience.

 

“Getac’s rugged devices are an excellent choice for professionals working in demanding environments, where secure and reliable connectivity are crucial. Bittium meets this challenge by bringing SafeMove Mobile VPN solution available for Getac’s customers. It is also important to understand how the software and devices behave in the field, to be able to optimise business processes. SafeMove Analytics is the perfect tool for that. Getac’s and Bittium’s products thus complement each other and we truly believe that our cooperation brings significant added value to customers”, says Jari Sankala, Senior Vice President, Sales at Bittium.

Chris Bye, President at Getac UK comments; “for almost 30 years we’ve been focused on providing durable, and reliable, mobile computers that withstand the harshest of environments. The partnership with Bittium further enhances Getac’s value to customers by adding the key critical area of security. We are proud to offer powerful solutions that significantly enhance the way our customers operate in the field.”

 

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In our latest research project we’ve teamed up with rugged tablet manufacturer Xplore Technologies to find out what are the tools field service companies are investing in to ensure that they are giving their field service engineers every chance to ensure they are delivering service excellence.

In part one of this series we looked at the merging lines between rugged and consumer manufacturers and the rising trend for field service engineers to use more than one digital device when out in the field.

In part two we looked at the choices being made when selecting either rugged or consumer devices as well as the importance of Operating Systems in device selection. 

Now in this the concluding part of this series we explore the need and desire for connectivity options in the devices being allocated to field service engineers.

 

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There is also an exclusive research report available for download that contains even further insight and analysis of these research findings. Download your copy of the findings here

 

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Connectivity and Data Capture

A key factor in what was driving the decisions around which devices field service companies were selecting for their field engineers was the various options for both connectivity and data capture.

Perhaps it is no surprise given the growing importance of Cloud computing and the prevalence of connected devices that in terms of connectivity, the most desired technology within a device was Wi-Fi capabilities which was cited by 87% of companies as being a key technology that was ideally required in a device deemed to be suitable for field engineers.

Similarly the inclusion of 4G mobile internet was also stated as ideally needed in a field service device by over two thirds (69%) of our respondents.

Perhaps an indication of how much we have moved already to a wireless world is how these figures stack up against the desire to have a wired Ethernet connection which was cited as being ideal by just under a quarter (24%) of companies.

 

Additional evidence to support this desire to move towards wire-free technology is also indicated in the fact that Bluetooth was desired by almost three quarters (73%) of companies as well. This is significantly higher than older, wired methods of connectivity such as RS232 which just over a fifth (21%) of companies desired or even USB which just half (47%) of companies stated they felt was an ideal inclusion.

However, when we look at data input requirements it is the well established, tried and tested technologies that remained the most sought after.

The ability for a device to capture photographic or video data remains the most important means of data input for most field service companies with well over three quarters (79%) stating that they would ideally expect this in a device.

Second to video/photo capture was the inclusion of a barcode scanner, which was desired by almost two thirds (65%) of our respondents.

 

What is interesting is that amongst those companies who opted for consumer devices (which of course are unlikely to have such features embedded within them) the desire to have barcode reading capability actually increased slightly to 71% of respondents.

Again, this perhaps indicates that whilst a number of companies are lured in simply by the initial lower cost per unit of consumer devices perhaps there are wider considerations such as how fit for purpose a device is, that should be considered alongside the initial cost.

In terms of manual data input, it is interesting to note that although laptops remain the most popular device for field engineers overall, the assumption that this is based on the requirements of a physical keyboard is proven to be somewhat flawed by our findings.

Indeed, there were almost three times as many companies who stated that they felt an on-screen keyboard was desired rather than those who stated they felt a physical keyboard was ideal.

In fact over two fifths of companies (42%) backed an on-screen keyboard whilst just 15% identified physical keyboards as their preference.

 

Another indication of the changing nature of how we interact with our hardware is also highlighted that handwriting recognition software was also desired by two times as many companies (32%) than a physical keyboard.

Perhaps one of the most curious findings of the research is that yet again we see NFC/RFID overlooked by field service industries as the technology - which could have such an effective impact within a number of elements of a field service engineers workflow, from checking the service history of an asset in the field being repaired through to ensuring accurate parts inventory, was only cited by 13% as being required in an ideal field service device.

Similarly, voice recognition software, which in an industry where the ability to work hands free is a major factor, one would think would be a significant tool for data input in any given field service focused device, was also relatively shunned with just over a tenth (11%) of companies stating they saw this as being an ideal inclusion within a field service device.

The benefits of mobile computing

Finally, one area where it would seem there is certainly a growing consensus is in the way field service engineers appreciate working on a mobile device.

We asked our respondents: “Do you think your field workers have appreciated a move to using a mobile device?” And the response was overwhelmingly positive. In fact over two thirds (69%) stating their field service engineers had provided mostly positive responses and 35% going further and stating their engineers had ‘absolutely taken to going mobile’.

When we look at the reasons why we’ve seen such wide acceptance of mobile technology amongst field service engineers the single most commonly cited reason was that ‘it made their workflow easier’ which 45% of companies revealed their engineers benefited from.

 

A similar amount of companies (41%) also stated that their engineers felt that the adoption of mobile devices as part of their field service toolkit also allowed them to be more productive and to get their work done more swiftly.

So whilst their are many decisions to be made for field service companies in terms of device selection - rugged or consumer, tablet or laptop, even one or more devices, the one thing is abundantly clear for the 5% of respondents who are still using pen and paper.

A move to a digital device will inevitably be embraced by their engineers whilst delivering clear R.o.I

 

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Want to know more? Download the exclusive research report for further analysis and insight from these research findings

 

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Look out for the next part of this series where we look at the importance of connectivity in device selection...

 

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By downloding the report you are consenting to the T&Cs listed here

 

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Tablets have proven to be a huge success amongst field service companies providing a good mix of portability and processing power. However, when it comes to significant data input or powering particularly CPU intensive applications the laptop still remains king. Therefore the rise in prominence of the convertible laptop makes perfect sense in the world of industry. 

Here we look at Getac’s latest convertible model the V110...

What the manufacturers say...

The breakthrough design of the Getac V110 rugged convertible enables the computer to be amazingly strong while also being unbelievably light. It truly is a revolution in rugged computing.

At 1.98kg and 34mm thin, it’s 27% lighter and 30% thinner than the previous generation.

The V110 is built to perform, featuring a powerful 5th generation Intel® Core™ processor, flash storage and responsive graphics. It’s the fastest rugged convertible we’ve ever built. The V110’s dual batteries are 66% smaller and 57% lighter than previous generations, and the unique, hot-swappable dual-battery design allows for potentially infinite, uninterrupted battery life.

This enables you to remove one of the two rechargeable batteries and replace it with a fresh battery without ever shutting down apps or your Windows OS.

The V110 rugged convertible has been built using the highest quality materials to make it unflinchingly resilient.

The V110’s main chassis structure is precision cast using magnesium alloy, an incredibly strong structural metal that also happens to be one of the lightest in the world for its strength.

We combined that with an advanced rugged polymer in areas of less impact and rubberised absorption polymer at the main points of contact.

First impressions...

A quick look at the V110 and there is absolutely no mistaking this device for what it is - i.e. a heavy duty rugged device that can handle itself in the field.

In fact the V110 would look right at home in a modern war film set in the deserts of the Middle East such is its rugged outward appearance that reveal its manufacturer’s roots as a leading provider of rugged devices to the military sector.

However, up close and in hand the device is a lot smaller than one might imagine and certainly comes in a more compact form factor than some of its fully rugged convertible counterparts.

Weighing in at just 1.98kg the V110 is over 15% lighter than Panasonic’s C19 and over 20% lighter than Durabook’s U12Ci semi rugged convertible making it certainly one of if not the lightest device of it’s kind in the market currently.

This is largely to do with the V110’s slim depth which at a particularly sleek 34mm which is considerably smaller than other similar rugged convertible devices.

With all of it’s I/O ports tucked away behind lockable, rubberised seals it is perhaps a touch surprising that the V110 isn’t a fully submersible -  however, we shall touch on that a little later.

In terms of actually using the device, the full size keyboard is comfortable in hand, and both the touch screen and tracker pad are pleasingly responsive.

Meanwhile the 800 nits LumiBond® display with Getac sunlight readable technology, was certainly a match for the brightest British sunshine available during the testing period and there were no problems with using the device in the outdoors at any point.

Using the device in laptop mode, whilst it was obviously a more robust device than your average laptop, there was never a feeling of trading usability for ruggedity. However, this did change substantially when switching to tablet mode.

In fairness this isn’t particularly the fault of the V110 itself more so the ‘convertible’ form factor as a whole. In tablet mode comparisons will naturally be made with other rugged tablets such as the Xplore XSlate B10 which being just a tablet rather than a convertible, is of course a lighter, more portable rugged computing tool.

 

Essentially, if the sole reason you are considering a convertible is for a keyboard then a rugged tablet with a bluetooth keyboard would be a more slimline and mobile solution for your field service engineers.

However, the point remains of course that the biggest selling point of any laptop over its tablet rivals would be what kind of processing power, storage and optimised inputs and outputs can be squeezed into the extra space under the bonnet.

So let's take a closer look.....

Processing power

The V110 comes in four different processing power flavours with the top end specifications boasting an Intel Core i7 vPro Technology chip set with an Option Intel Core i7-5600U vPro Processor 2.6GHz Max. 3.2GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology and a 4MB Intel Smart Cache.

When it comes to storage the V110 has 4GB DDR3L which is can be expandable to 16GB and has storage options of a 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB solid state drive.

This gives the V110 enough processing power  handle almost any application that could be required of it within a field service environment.

In fact at its optimum configuration the V110 is pretty much at the top of the pile. The only other fully rugged convertible that can keep pace with the V110 is Panasonic’s CF19.

Operating system

Given the power the V110 holds under its bonnet it makes complete sense for the convertible to be on the Windows platform in order to support the more comprehensive applications that may be used by field service engineers who would require such a powerful tool.

However, what is an impressive inclusion is that in terms of OS the V110 is available in three different versions of Windows - Windows 7, 8 and 10.

This flexibility could be particularly useful for those companies that are making the transition from one iteration of the operating system to another with Windows 7 proving to be the XP of its generation in that is a reliable and robust platform which many companies are reluctant to move away from.

However, many of those that have made the switch to Windows 8 are keen to move on quickly to 10 due to some of the well documented flaws in its predecessor. And it is Windows 10 that shows off the full capabilities of the V110's flexibility as a convertible laptop with the OS being a perfect match for the V110's impressive specifications.

The Ins & Outs:

Aside from the obvious benefits of having a keyboard for data input, perhaps one of the biggest reasons for selecting any form of laptop over a tablet equivalent is the available I/Os - and in this regard the V110 certainly doesn’t disappoint.

As mentioned above all ports are protected within closable rubber sealed enclosures.

In total the V110 boasts:

• Serial port (9-pin; D-sub) x 1
• Headphone out / mic-in Combo x 1
• DC in Jack x 1
• USB 3.0 (9-pin) x 2
• USB 2.0 (4-pin) x 1
• LAN (RJ45) x 1
• HDMI x 1
• Docking connector (24-pin) x 1

Connectivity:

In terms of connectivity options the V110 comes with dual band Intel Wireless-AC 7265; 802.11ac meaning it should be able to take the maximum speed from any availableWi-Fi signal whether it be on the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz frequency.

The V110 is also capable of supporting internet speeds of up-to 1000 mbits per second across an Ethernet connection which could be useful for the transfer of large files from the field back to HQ.

The convertible also comes with Bluetooth 4.0 which should provide reliable, stable and fast connectivity with mobile devices.

One area where the V110 is perhaps let down however, is when it comes to mobile internet.

Whilst the device does have the optional inclusion of Gobi mobile broadband, for field service engineers mobile broadband is absolutely essential for jobs where there may be no conveniently available wi-fi signal.

Similarly a dedicated GPS is only available as an optional extra also. Connectivity is an essential factor in selecting the right tool for our field service engineers and whilst the V110 is clearly capable of being able to deliver high end levels of mobile connectivity, given the importance of such tools for communications in the field one can’t help but feel these should perhaps be standard features rather than optional extras.

Ruggedity:

When it comes to the rugged specifications of the V110, Getac’s convertible is a pretty robust beast.

With an IP rating of 65 the V110 is fully protected from dust ingress making it an ideal device for more arid climates whilst it is also certified to survive protection against low pressure water jets from any direction so could be easily cleaned.

 

It is also well protected against water ingress and, as mentioned previously, all I/Os are protected by rubber seals. Also, the V110 also has an option Salt Fog feature that could make it an ideal device for wet locations such as oil rigs or offshore wind farms etc.

Whilst not fully water proofed, or capable of being fully submersed, the fact is that the device remains well protected from water means it is almost certainly able to cope in most wet environments just as long as you don’t drop it in the sea!

In terms of drop specs the device is certified to Mil-Std 810g (tested by an external third party), so it should be able to cope with almost all knocks and drops. It  also e-Mark certified for vehicle usage.

Battery Life:

In terms of battery life the V110 is again well provisioned with a dual battery system.

In fact the V110 is powered by 2 separate Li-Ion smart battery (11.1V, 2100mAh) which promise to deliver up to 13 hours of battery life and using the device during our test period we found that this was in fact achievable even with the device being used constantly throughout the day.

Getac also provide LifeSupport battery swappable technology which could theoretically extend the battery life forever although running on two fully charged batteries is likely to be sufficient for even the longest jobs.

Conclusion:

In conclusion the V110 is very clearly a well designed, highly specced piece of kit that sits right a the top of its tree when we look at the rugged convertible form factor.

In terms of processing power, rugged specifications, battery life, and I/Os the V110 is either as good as it gets or pretty darn close.

In the hand the device is light and comfortable and, as we saw earlier, compares favourably to similar competitor models in this respect also.

The one major criticism would be aimed not so much at the V110 but at the convertible form factor itself. Whilst they work well as laptops, as a tablet they feel that much more cumbersome and one can’t help but feel the convertible form factor is a stepping stone, towards fully detachable rugged devices that truly offer the best of both worlds.

That said, detachables are still a new concept and as such relatively untested whereas convertibles have been around that much longer and are perhaps the safer alternative currently in a mission critical environment such as field service.

And when it comes to convertibles the V110 is certainly a formidable tool for field service companies and an excellent option for those companies whose field engineers need more computing power than a tablet yet still want the reliability and robustness of a fully rugged device.

 

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In our latest research project we’ve teamed up with rugged tablet manufacturer Xplore Technologies to find out what are the tools field service companies are investing in to ensure that they are giving their field service engineers every chance to ensure they are delivering service excellence.

In part one of this series we looked at the merging lines between rugged and consumer manufacturers and the rising trend for field service engineers to use more than one digital device when out in the field.

Now in this the second part of this series we look at the reasons companies select either consumer or rugged devices and the importance of Operating Systems upon device selection... 

 

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There is also an exclusive research report available for download that contains even further insight and analysis of these research findings. Download your copy of the findings here

 

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Consumer versus Rugged

This of course leads us on to perhaps the biggest question within the discussion around which tools are best suited for field service deployment - rugged or consumer.

In last years findings we saw that the market was largely dominated by consumer grade products with over two thirds (67%) of companies opting for consumer products over their ruggedized cousins.

Whilst this year’s survey does show a slightly greater leaning towards the rugged sector the shift is generally minimal with 59% of this years respondents still identifying that they are deploying consumer grade devices. This is in comparison to 16% who are deploying rugged devices and 20% who provide their field service engineers with a mix of both rugged and consumer devices.

So what are the drivers behind these decisions?

 

Well in terms of consumer devices being selected, the key over-riding factor as touched on a little earlier is simply the cost per unit.

In total well over two thirds (70%) of those companies who opted for consumer devices had done so because of the lower cost per unit.

The second most common reason cited was the faster potential user adoption via user familiarity, which was cited by just under a quarter (24%) of those respondents providing consumer devices.

Interestingly this figure rises to two thirds (33%) when we look at those companies that provide their field service engineers with mobile phones.

What is really interesting, however, is when we compare these findings with those who provide their engineers with rugged devices.

Essentially, we see the primary drivers for device selection completely reversed.

Whereas those that opted for consumer devices were driven primarily by the lower initial unit costs, those who opted for rugged devices were driven overwhelmingly by a need for reliability with over three quarters of companies (78%) providing rugged devices stating this was the driver behind their choice.

 

Also important to this group was the durability and longevity of the device which was identified by around a fifth of respondents (22%).

This set of results is particularly interesting when viewed in the context of the common TCO (total cost of ownership) argument put forward by rugged OEMs and their distributors.

The argument being that across the general accepted lifespan of an asset a rugged device will generally end up costing a lot less than its consumer counterpart (when factoring in breakages, downtime, lower reliability rates, etc etc).

Given the majority of companies still opt for consumer devices because the lower cost per unit there could be considerable savings made if companies began to adopt a more pragmatic and longer term approach to device selection perhaps?

This is of course great news for the rugged manufacturers but surely what makes for an even more compelling argument is the fact that of those companies that did opt for rugged, such long term cost reduction was only a side point with the benefits of reliability and durability being much more widely acknowledged as the driver for rugged adoption.

 

When we consider the mission-critical nature of field service, the need for reliability is of course likely to be anticipated.

However, given the TCO argument as well, it is perhaps surprising that in both this year’s and last year’s research, consumer products have remained so dominant.

Perhaps there is a need for further education amongst the industry on this topic?

The importance of OS

Of course one other factor that could play a part on the selection of devices is the operating system (OS) requirements of a field service management application that a company may have already in place.

Indeed: one respondent stated that his reason for selecting a consumer device was for ‘compliance with the field service management solution’.

Whilst many if not most dedicated field service management apps will be either device agnostic or available in a variety of native formats, this may not be the case if a company has developed their own system perhaps.

Certainly in the wider world of enterprise mobility, where the iPhone remains king having wrestled the crown from Research in Motion’s Blackberry some years ago, iOS is the de-facto choice for native designed apps.

However, whilst this is certainly a plausible theory the reality is that within the niche world of field service the Apple brand is far less powerful with in fact just 7% of our respondents stating their engineers use iOS.

Of course given the inclusion of laptops and tablets as key tools for field service engineers Windows operating systems fare well within our industry with 35% of companies stating this is their OS of choice, whilst Android’s dominance in the consumer markets is almost echoed amongst our respondents also with an impressive 42% of field service engineers using the Google owned OS.

But just how important is the availability of any given OS when it comes to device selection?

 

In fact, it is a fundamental part of the decision making process for almost all companies, it seems, with nearly nine out of ten (86%) of companies saying that the availability of an OS on a device is at least one consideration for them.

However, further to that, over half (52%) of field service companies in our survey group stated that it was very important and they ‘decided our choice of device based on the OS it supports.’

 

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Want to know more? Download the exclusive research report for further analysis and insight from these research findings

 

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Look out for the next part of this series where we look at the importance of connectivity in device selection...

 

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By downloding the report you are consenting to the T&Cs listed here

 

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Be social and share this feature

In our latest research project we’ve teamed up with rugged tablet manufacturer Xplore Technologies to find out what are the tools field service companies are investing in to ensure that they are giving their field service engineers every chance to ensure they are delivering service excellence...

 

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There is also an exclusive research report available for download that contains even further insight and analysis of these research findings. Download your copy of the findings here

 

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As technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality dominate the headlines in field service it is perhaps a bit too easy to forget just how recently field service operations were being revolutionised by the emergence of mobile computing.

The improvements that come with the digitization of a field engineer’s workflow are well documented from more efficient processes, greater customer service delivery to even simple straightforward cost savings via the sheer volume of paper forms no longer being used.

Yet whilst for some companies the move to a modern mobility solution happened over a decade ago and they are now exploring their third, fourth or even fifth iteration of mobile hardware, there also still some companies that have yet to move away from pen and paper.

At the same time, the options for field service companies looking to invest in a mobile computing solution for their service engineers, whether it be for the first time or an upgrade of their existing system, are ever more complex.

For a start, the lines between rugged and consumer devices are becoming more blurred with  companies such as Samsung making a play for what is seen to be a growing and lucrative market with semi-ruggedised versions of their consumer products such as the Galaxy Tab Active.

 

At the same time rugged manufacturers have become aware for the growing desire from their client base for more consumer looking designs in the rugged space and as such products like the Motion R12 have begun to emerge which combine the sleek, cleaner lines of a consumer tablet in a rugged device that can fully withstand the rigours of the field.

However, rugged versus consumer is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many, many factors to be considered when selecting the right device for your field service engineers.

What about form factor? Has the rugged handheld that was all prevalent not so long ago been surpassed by the smart phone?

Are tablets, which can bring the mobility of a smart phone to the table, but with greater processing power (on a par with high end laptops in some aspects) becoming the go to tools?

And of course then there are the considerations around peripherals - is a keyboard required for large amounts of manual data entry perhaps? How about vehicle docking? Or even carry straps and cases?

To find out more about the latest trends within the industry we decided to return to this topic (having explored it some 12 months previously to see what trends were emerging or evolving when it comes to the devices being selected by field service organisations for their engineers and technicians.

With additional expert input into the survey design provided by rugged specialists and partners with us on this project Xplore Technologies, the survey took in the responses of around 150 field service professionals from a wide range of industry verticals including manufacturing, telcos, engineering, HVAC, and many more.

There was also a wide representation of companies of differing sizes with some respondents having as few as 10 or less engineers in their workforce whilst many had over 800 or more engineers in their teams.

Dual digitality

One of the key findings of the 2015 study was that many companies are now providing their field service engineers with more than one digital device for use in the field.

However, when reviewing the questions from the previous study we felt that perhaps the meaning of this question could have been slightly ambiguous, so in this year’s study we wanted to refine this notion further by including the response “Multiple digital devices – e.g. smart phone and laptop etc used equally for field work simultaneously” as an option to the question “Which devices are your field engineers currently using as their primary device for field work?”

And it seems that this digital duality that we uncovered last year remains very much a key trend for field service organisations with one in five companies now providing their field service engineer with at least two devices to undertake their work in the field.

However, one of the perhaps most interesting findings of this year’s survey was the amount of companies who are providing their engineers and technicians with laptops as a primary device for work in the field.

Whilst the response group across the two surveys  was different - meaning that direct year on year analysis is always at risk of being slightly skewed - both surveys had a sizeable enough response set to provide a fairly reliable snapshot of the industry sentiment to allow for some meaningful comparison.

With this in mind it was interesting to note that amongst this year’s respondents laptops were the most prevalent of devices being given to field service engineers with a third (33%) of companies seeing them as the best device for their field service engineers compared to a fifth (20%) of companies opting for smart phones whilst 15% opted for tablets.

In comparison to last year this would indicate that despite the claims in some analysts’ quarters of tablets emerging to eventually replace the laptop, the laptop remains a regular tool amongst field service engineers.

One reason for this could be simply a cost decision as when we look deeper into the research findings we see that of those companies that provided their field service engineers with laptops the majority (61%) had opted for consumer based devices. This is compared to just 11% who were providing their engineers with rugged laptops.

Further to this within, this group almost two thirds (64%) stated they opted for consumer devices because of a cheaper cost per unit.

 

However, when we look at those respondents who indicated that they are providing their field service engineers with tablets we saw a much greater parity between those who were providing their engineers with rugged devices versus those providing consumer grade products.

In fact the split between the two was exactly even with 40% of respondents opting for rugged and 40% opting for consumer whilst 20% provided as mix of both rugged and consumer.

Indeed, when we look at the data from only those respondents who provided their field service engineers with rugged devices a completely different picture emerges entirely.

Amongst this respondent group the most common device deployed amongst field engineers was the tablet by some margin with just under half of companies (44%) selecting them as the right tool for their field engineers.

In comparison rugged laptops and rugged PDAs/Handheld computers were the next commonly used devices with a just over a fifth (22%) of companies opting to implement these devices, whilst 11% of companies provided two or more rugged devices.

What is clear from this initial view of the data is that whilst the laptop and smart phone are regularly deployed as mobile computing tools for field service engineers, amongst those companies who see the need for and benefits of ruggedised tools for their engineers it is the tablet that has become the dominant form factor.

 

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Want to know more? Download the exclusive research report for further analysis and insight from these research findings

 

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Look out for the next part of this series where we look at the whether consumer or rugged devices are ruling the roost plus the importance of operating systems when it comes to device selection....

 

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By downloding the report you are consenting to the T&Cs listed here

 

 

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Field service companies tempted by low-priced consumer mobile devices should focus on Total Cost of Ownership, says Peter Molyneux, UK President, Getac, the  rugged laptop, tablets and handheld manufacturer.

The more numbers after the £ sign, the greater the likelihood of the specifier or procurement team to switch off to the technology - but it's a switch-off that could result in a significant unplanned-for cost rather than the planned expected saving.

The challenge facing all technology providers - as public sector strips costs to the bone, and business, still nervous about the economy, caps technology budgets - is breaking customers' focus on the short-term bottom line.

Take the single day on which a purchase is made of maybe several hundred consumer-based tablets in ruggedised cases for field service use - many procurement departments will likely believe it's a discounted deal well done. But three years on, that consumer-based equipment will have cost far more than forecast in comparison to initially more expensive purpose-designed and -made rugged tablets or laptops.”

It's an awkward fact that many buyers of technology - tablets or laptops - don't have the detailed knowledge of the field performance differences between a built-for-purpose rugged unit, and a consumer-based unit with a protective case.

But some technologies can look the part but fail to deliver. We have seen consumer-market brand technology failures of up to 30% a year when used in punishing, critical working environments similar to those experienced by both public and private sector organisations and businesses - and there's inevitably an unexpected and unplanned-for cost associated with failure.

 

There are some good consumer products working well in lighter-duty business and emergency service applications, but consumer technology is simply not designed for the daily demands of specifically critical working environments experienced by field service sectors.

The issue is that while rugged technology is a longer-term investment, business and public sector alike are understandably taking a short-term view on spending based on their currently extremely tight budgets.

However, there's a core of businesses and public sector bodies who have had their epiphany and realised that total cost of ownership of rugged computers is lower than consumer-based over the field life. However, there is also a surprising number of businesses and organisations who still buy outright rather than lease – with leasing offering reduced total cost and monthly cost against capex.

Estimation of total cost of ownership of consumer technology in critical working environments should be based on the expected working life of the device chosen - typically three years. This needs to include both the direct costs of purchase and the indirect costs of service and support. Longevity of supply and support of the device in the field must also be taken into consideration: consumer technology refreshes every six to eight months and therefore may not be supported across the duration of the project.

A consumer-market tablet cost of £550 including a 'rugged' case would typically return an annual field failure level of 25%, and possibly more, when used in demanding working environments. A purpose-built rugged tablet will cost £1,500 with a three-year warranty and support package, and have an expected field failure rate sub-3% over that three years. That's three times or so the initial cost, but a significant improvement on operational life expectancy, and minimum down-time in the field.

Rugged equipment isn't just more resilient but has features not available in consumer-facing products – high performance RF antennas and accurate GPS, and a higher level of integration, for example a 1/2D bar code reader.

In practice, that means downloading data faster or maintaining network connection in areas where consumer-based technology will not. It can mean finding the location of equipment needing attention faster and more accurately.

Operational efficiency and true mobility is delivered by a built-for-purpose feature set of which ruggedisation is just one component.

We speak from experience: we regularly support customer field trials and business case completion to ensure understanding of the total cost of ownership and return on investment in rugged technology versus consumer products.

There are two issues when it comes to using technology in the field: does it have the features and technical capability to allow a field service professional to do their job, but, crucially, does it have the resilience to keep working in sometimes extremely hostile environments? The fact is that even good consumer-market tablets and laptops, even if they are in toughened cases, will fail to perform in a demanding working environment.

Purpose-built rugged technology, such as produced by Getac, has features designed specifically for harsh environments. Not only does it survive drops, impacts and exposure to liquids, but it has performance - and the service and support infrastructure - which is simply not readily available on consumer technology.

 

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Next up in our Hands On series reviewing some of the  key contenders in the rugged device sector is Xplore Technologies’ X Slate B10 rugged tablet.

It’s been a very busy year for Xplore Technologies. With neighbours and fellow rugged tablet manufacturers Motion suffering from the closure of a parts supplier,  Xplore made the bold move of launching a takeover. It was a definite case of the little fish eating the bigger fish and a move that caught many in the industry by surprise.

However, whilst certainly a bit of a shock from an outsider’s viewpoint the coming together of the two companies certainly makes sense on a product level. Xplore has established a reputation as being the company to go to for ultra-rugged devices with their XC6 range, which are fully submersible, drop tested to the highest existing standards and are pretty much the most rugged tablets out there. Needless to say Xplore was a name well recognised in defence circles.

Motion’s devices on the other hand sat more towards the larger fully rugged sector, so whilst devices such as the Motion F5M could still take a pounding, they are more geared towards the average field based worker, who needs a tablet that can cope with being shunted about from vehicle to work-site but still provided both the computing power and range of peripheries needed to get an engineer through the day whether it be on the road or back at HQ.

So whilst there was some crossover in technologies the two companies actually complement each other very, very well and are now a major player in the rugged tablet space (in fact only Panasonic now have a bigger market share).

So with the potential for cross development spanning both sets of R&D talent it was with excited anticipation when I received the demo unit to put it through its paces. Just how much influence would both the design team at Motion and their counterparts in Xplore have in the look, feel and performance of this new device - the first device to come out of the Xplore stable since the merger? Would it be a Motion looking tablet or Xplore, or perhaps like most babies a mixture of both parents?
Let’s get hands on and find out...

What the manufacturer says...

Designed to meet the needs of the mobile professional who requires a supremely rugged Windows-based PC that can weather any environment, the XSlate B10 addresses both processing and connectivity concerns directly.
The powerful and fast XSlate B10 accelerates through workflows in the field, in real time, resulting in a more efficient and productive workforce that reduces errors and costs, while improving customer experience

First impressions...

Well she’s certainly got her mother’s eyes.  Whilst this is the first tablet to come to market since Xplore's  acquisition of Motion there is no denying that the XSlate B10 is very much from the same stable as the Bobcat, which we reviewed last year - check out our report here.

In fact the comparisons to the Bobcat could run so deep that this device must surely be viewed as part of the same product line in all but name.

 

And for me this is no bad thing. I felt the Bobcat was a well-made, aesthetically-pleasing device especially when held up against the F5M which always feels a little clunky to me because of the moulded integrated handle. Yes, I know it’s a functional inclusion, and many will appreciate the ease with which the F5M is carried around but if I’m honest I’m glad that Xplore have stuck with the detachable hand-strap, in the same manner as they opted for in the Bobcat.
The handle also acts as a neat holder for either of the two styli that the device comes with.

When it comes to the feel of the tablet again one need look no further than the Bobcat for an easy comparison. Both devices appear to share exactly the same chassis, including a magnesium alloy mid-frame to add further strength.

When reviewing the Bobcat, I pointed out that the design had a feel of something akin to a ‘more -robust-than-average’ consumer tablet to it. Given the shared body, this remains true of the XSlate as well. The XSlate we received had a lot more optional extras than the Bobcat we reviewed and these certainly add to the bulk of the device even if they do add functionality. However, this is the price you pay for customisation and any of Xplore’s competitors would face the same challenge in terms of keeping additional accessories sleek and unobtrusive.

If we look at base models, I’d have to say that the device is by no means the most cumbersome rugged tablet in the world even if it doesn’t quite match up to the sleek lines of the Getac T800.

 

Like the Bobcat, the X-Slate B10 feels sturdy and with a base weight of 1.09 kg it’s in a similar weight bracket as Panasonic’s FZ-G1 and significantly lighter than the Getac F110 - both of which would be comparable devices to the XSlate.

Finally, when it comes to button layout control power, volume and a screen orientation lock all remain on the right hand side whilst a Windows button remains front facing in the centre.

One nice addition on the XSlate missing from the Bobcat is a fingerprint sensor, adding an additional layer of security where required.

Processing power
There really is very little difference between the two siblings under the hood. With its Intel Core i5-5350U processor capable of 2.9Ghz of boosted processing speed (there is also an option for – Intel Core i7 vPro) coupled with 8GB memory, the XSlate sits right at the top of the tree amongst rugged tablets. Only its stablemate, the Motion F5M, is built to a higher specification and even then, that would only be for the very top customisation level.

The XSlate also comes out ahead of the competition when it comes to the graphics card as well – one area that the Bobcat was lacking in compared to the competition. In fact the X-Slate’s Intel Integrated HD 6000 Graphics Card is one of the best performing cards on the market currently and with this alongside its superior CPU then the XSlate should be able to handle pretty much any program that is thrown at it.

Operating system
Officially the XSlate B10 comes with the option of Windows 7 or 8.1 although as soon as we booted it up and logged into the device it automatically offered us a free upgrade to Windows 10.

Particularly interesting, however, is the announcement of the XSlate D10 - basically the B10 but in Android flavour. Whilst most users will be suited with Windows, there is certainly a large enough appetite for Android based mobile devices. With Connected Vehicles looming on the horizon it could well be that the Android version of this tablet becomes a more appealing option despite it being more closely specced to the Bobcat than the impressive B10.

 

The Ins & Outs
The shared chassis means the XSlate B10 has an identical I/O set up to the Bobcat - a major plus point in our opinion.  The standard models in both tablets are identical apart from the XSlate’s having an optional HDMI-in socket.

Like the Bobcat, the B10 comes with two separate USB3.0 ports  - a feat unmatched by all of their competitors. It can sometimes be something of a challenge to fit in ports left, right, and centre and most rugged tablet manufacturers tend to shy away from this challenge so it is great to see Xplore include two USB ports again.

The B10 also has a MicroSD slot, providing the option of expanding the 128GB internal memory (upgradable to 256GB) and also a potentially useful means of transferring files developed in the field onto a desktop at any point.

 

Should your engineers need to give presentations of the work being undertaken at any point then the micro HDMI out will allow them to easily share directly from the B10.

Other ports on the B10 include a RS232 serial Ready Port, headphones/speakers mini-jack stereo port plus DC power input.

Connectivity:
Connectivity is of course vital for the field engineer and this is yet another area in which the X Slate excels, again sharing a number of its systems with the Bobcat. These include the latest standard in mobile internet including an 802.11ac wireless LAN (wifi) receiver, providing both 2.5GHz and 5GHz bandwidths and enhanced speeds. A 4G LTE mobile broadband receiver is optional giving fast connectivity outside of WiFi coverage provided that is mobile network connectivity.

The integrated GPS has improved accuracy and Bluetooth 4.0 allows the device to be paired with other tools being used by your team.

Finally, the XSlate has options for including Near Field Communications (NFC) reading capability and Barcode scanning both of which can be useful tools when updating parts inventory.

Ruggedness:
As one would expect from a manufacturer of ultra rugged tablets, the X Slate is absolutely ready for even the most clumsiest of field engineers. With a MIL-STD 810G certification the tablet is both water and dust resistant and can operate in a range of temperatures ranging from -20°C through to 60°C which should cover all but the absolute extreme of field service environments.

The XSlate is capable of surviving a 5 foot fall and thanks to its lightweight rugged magnesium mid-frame the LCD and electronics are also particularly well protected should the device be accidentally dropped on more than one occasion.
Battery Life:
Finally the battery life of the X Slate is certainly capable of lasting an engineer throughout their day. The full battery life is listed as up to 8 hours however with the inclusion of shot swappable batteries could potentially last for up to 20 hours with moderate usage.

Conclusion:

Having given the Bobcat a relatively good review it is impossible to not give the X Slate anything but a glowing recommendation.

The device is good looking, the buttons intuitively placed and the processing power is right at the top-end of the spectrum. It’s also highly certified in terms of ruggedness and has great connectivity specifications. Overall this is a fantastic tablet for somone working in a reasonably hostile environment but needs a powerful device with lots of CPU power.

Ultimately what the XSlate does is take the strong form factor of the Bobcat and delivers a truly high-end tablet to further increase the competition with Panasonic.

 

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Getac, the rugged device manufacturer, has released the V110  computer which can be used as a conventional notebook or as a tablet. 

The V110-G2 incorporates Intel’s fifth-generation Broadwell technology to improve productivity and optimise power consumption. This new processing power, allied with  rugged build, will enable the units to deliver exceptional computing performance in the harshest of working environments, says the company.

Peter Molyneux, President, Getac UK, says the V110-G2 re-affirms Getac’s commitment to delivering the latest technology to those who need power and performance in critical conditions.  “Customers depend on Getac devices to provide them with the greatest level of performance in all conditions - the V110-G2 offers increased performance for our customers’ business."

Better productivity is a key feature among customers when it comes to selecting mobile devices – 78 per cent of respondents in the Enterprise Mobility Exchange Rugged Mobile Technology Report (March 2015) said it is a critical factor in their device procurement process. Molyneux adds: “We know that greater productivity is important to our customers, and this is reflected in this product upgrade.”

The V110-G2 can be specified with either an  Intel Core i5-5200U (2.2GHz) or i7-5500U (2.4GHz) vPro processor, both with Turbo Boost. It comes with  4GB RAM expandable to 8GB, and Windows 7 or 8.1 Pro or 10 operating system.

The  full-size, waterproof membrane keyboard has 88 standard-sized, island-style independent keys  and a LED backlight that allows user to  type in the dimmest conditions.

The V110’s dual batteries are 66% smaller and 57% lighter than earlier models and  hot-swappable dual-battery design enables you to remove one of the two rechargeable batteries and replace it with a fresh battery without ever shutting down apps or your Windows OS.

Communications include the latest superfast 802.11ac WiFi, dedicated GPS and 3D antennae.

At 1.98kg and 34mm thin, the V110-G2 is 27% lighter and 30% thinner than the previous generation, but there has been no sacrificed on ruggedness - it is certified to  MIL-STD 810G IP65 and ANSI and it can handle temperatures from minus 20 deg C to plus 60 deg C.

 

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