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Motion Computing's Ian Davies asks whether we can get too obsessed with specs when it comes to selecting a rugged device and why it's important to get the balance right...

When investing in a rugged tablet platform, a business must be confident that the assets can withstand varying weather conditions, wear-and-tear and even unexpected accidents. In particular, field service applications in more demanding environments need assurances that tablet PCs – which are often the one and only work computer for field service personnel – will still continue to function even if dropped from waist-high, left out in a rain shower or given a light dusting.

The IEC standardized markings for Ingress Protection (IP) clearly classify and rate the degree of defences that mechanical casings and electrical enclosures provide against dust and water.  “IPxy” is the default system for showing which mobile tablet is built tough enough for the job at hand. The two numbers that follow “IP” to rate the level of protection guaranteed with each tablet PC, refer to the protection against solid particle and liquid ingress.  The IP ratings seen most often in today’s top performing rugged tablets are IP54 and IP65.

Typically this is best understood when evaluating why a consumer grade unit may not be suitable for life in the field or on the factory floor.  Many businesses are already realising that consumer units simply cannot take the knocks of business use, even when they are placed in cases or shells.

 

Some consumer unit manufacturers have begun to use IP ratings as part of marketing material and this has further increased awareness of the issue of ruggedisation.  As these consumer units have become more rugged, they have put pressure on “dedicated” rugged manufacturers to increase the gap between enterprise and consumer units.

But having too much of something can be just as expensive as not having enough.  In the case of IP ratings, less can be more (in terms of both peace of mind and money) because excess protection can be very counterproductive for mobile workers.

This is far from a statement of the obvious.  “Specmanship” throughout the procurement cycle in many enterprise mobility projects has led to the over-design of many rugged mobile computers, which has quickly led to the completely unnecessary predicament many field service organisations now face: too much or too little protection for the job at hand.

The push for ever more rugged extremes and the impact of BYOD has led to a swathe of examples at either end of the ruggedisation spectrum.  Some projects have ended up with an expensive, heavy mobile tank of a tablet PC that is difficult to incorporate into workflows. Elsewhere, an army of consumer grade devices, such as an iPad, barely survive one month in the field.

 

This extremism is not just an operational concern.  It has substantial impact on warranty discussions and as such affects procurement and finance.

There is however, a third way - a Goldilocks zone situation that can resolve the issues by having “just enough” ruggedisation without drowning in unnecessary specification and cost.

Getting this balance of ruggedisation, cost and productivity right is based in an honest assessment of “Which IP rating is right for this workflow?” This means an accurate consideration of two main factors:

1. How business critical is the process that is enabled by the tablet PC? (The more critical the process, the greater the argument for ruggedisation that will protect the continuity)
2. The actual environment(s) that the tablet will be deployed in (and how the use of the tablet PC may change in those environments)

Many applications substantially over-estimate the amount of ruggedisation needed.   The vast majority of mobile work flows do not require a dust proof device as dust tight will suffice and offers several advantages over dust proof, including reduced thermals (which allows for higher tablet performance).

And when it comes to liquid, how much water is the tablet PC going to be exposed to?   IPX4 exceeds even the heaviest of downpours. Think “buckets of water” equivalent to approximately 10 litres per minute, or a litre every 6 seconds.  The chances are this will cover off 99% of all applications in an environment exposed to water.

Liquid ingress is also a key issue for many markets that need to clean the tablet PC, such as healthcare.  However again, IP54 is more than sufficient for the actual workflows in place.

 

Why does this matter?  Firstly because “excess IP” is expensive.  It not only adds to the upfront cost of the units but also means the device is heavy and bigger, meaning more accessories are needed throughout the workflow. In some cases this will then compromise the mobility offered by the unit and that threatens the entire mobility project being undertaken.  This typically happens when concerns over the environment of the deployment overtake considerations of the process that the mobile technology enables.

But perhaps the biggest threat is that choosing a rugged tablet on its IP rating causes - in any business - a series of compromises elsewhere.

 

This may then lead to the sacrifice of features such as input devices that a mobile team simply cannot afford to miss.  Bulky, heavy units are not welcomed by teams in the field and even more so when those units cannot do the job demanded of them; not because the unit is not tough enough, but simply is not equipped with the right kit because of the weight and IP rating of the tablet itself.

Many procurement managers, IT teams and even manufacturers have made a fetish of the IP rating and the subsequent perceived “ruggedness” of a given design for different reasons.  It is now time to correct this early error and realise that not every application demands the toughest possible tablet.

Whilst it is clear that consumer units will not meet the needs of business users out in the field, there is now a clear case to evaluate the specific workflow and environment for a deployment and select a tablet accordingly.  Just as a business would not equip its field service teams with armoured vans but finds the right vehicle; so it should issue tablets fit for purpose rather than excessively laden with unnecessary specifications.

 

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Field Service News is currently undertaking a research project into what types of mobility tool are being used by field service companies. What types of hardware and software are being used? How are companies selecting the right solution for their engineers? What feedback are their engineers giving them and what benefits are being delivered through digital mobility solutions? 

The survey is coming to a close at the end of this week so if you want to make your voice heard and enter the survey now by clicking this link. All respondents will get a full copy of an exclusive white paper based on the findings of this research and also thanks to our sponsors Advanced Field Service we are also offering three x £50 Amazon vouchers for those who opt to enter our prize draw.

Types of devices being used in the field

It is perhaps no surprise by now that most companies are using some form of digital device. We have been going through a digital revolution across the last decade and no industry has felt the impact of this change as keenly as field service.

Indeed out in the wider world of industry the emergence of Enterprise Mobility as a definable, and eminently sizeable industry that will ultimately dwarf the size of the field technology sector considerably, has now firmly taken root.

 

However, the field service industry, which has more complex needs than it’s younger cousin of Enterprise Mobility, is also a far more mature market in general.

 

In fact our research indicates that the majority of companies are using a mix of differing digital devices, with 50% stating this is the case. This would make sense as many field service organisations are now in their second, third or even fourth generation of digital device being rolled out to their field engineers.

However, when it comes to those companies that have rolled out just one device to their mobile workforce the results so far certainly raised a few surprises. Perhaps the biggest of this is that despite the high profile increase in tablet computing, of those companies responding to our survey so far only 4% are using tablets exclusively.

This is only fractionally greater than those companies using PDAs exclusively which was just 3%. However, if we think that PDAs were the dominant mobile device in the not so distant past it is interesting to see such a dramatic decline as these devices essentially become faded out to obselition.

Of course the natural successor to PDAs is the smart phone and the number of companies relying on smart phones only as their field service engineers' working tool was a relatively sizeable 14%.

 

However, despite the rise in prominence of the smart phone as a valid tool for field engineers, the most frequently provided tool in isolation remains the laptop with 32% of companies providing only these to their field engineers. Of course an argument could easily be made that laptops have been around for a much longer timeframe than both tablets and smart phones and many of those companies that currently provide laptops to their engineers may well move towards either smartphones or tablets eventually. However, for those engineers whose reporting is reliant on much manual data input there are still clear benefits of having a physical keyboard and the research certainly indicates the laptop is a long way from retirement.

 

Of course as alluded to above, many companies are using multiple devices, and it is highly likely that these companies are using more modern devices (i.e. smartphones and laptops) so this should also be taken into account in assesing the most common devices being used, however the trends of declining PDA use and increasing smartphone use certainly align with other industry reports.

The last few days of pen and paper

There are of course in any industry sector laggards that remain behind the industry trends. However, when it comes to the application of mobile technology amongst field engineers this group (i.e. those using no digital medium) now stands at just 3%.

Not only the is the group now just a very small minority but our research also indicated it is set to completley dissapear within the next tweleve months.

 

Of those companies still using pen and paper 100% stated they are considering moving to digital mobile platform within the next twelve months. The reasons for this are of course clear, as are the benefits of moving to a digital medium, including increasing productivity and streamlining a field engineers workflow. The fact is that those companies still relying on pen and paper are in danger of falling significantly behind their competition.

 

In fact of those companies still using pen and paper 100% of the respondents admitted that they felt they were at a disadvantage, with 50% stating that they felt that disadvantage was significantly impacting their ability to remain competitive.

What about you?

How does this tally with your own situation? Let us know by taking five minutes to help us with this research by completing our online survey here.

And if you would like to know more about the findings of this research, which also looks at the types of software being used in the field, whether BYOD is taking hold, rugged vs. consumer technology and what types of decisions are being made in selecting the right digital mobile solution - then remember every respondent will receive copy of an exclusive white paper reporting these findings. PLUS you could also win of three fifty pound prizes!

The survey closes on 2/4/15 at 23:59 GMT so complete the survey now to make sure you get your copy of the white paper and a chance to win.

 

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Motion Computing's Ian Davies returns to the question of what defines field service...

We have previously discussed the emerging differences between enterprise mobility and field service.  The underlying current of that discussion was which fish would eat the other.

In the cold light of day, it is clear that (from a market and technology perspective at least) field service management will live ‘within’ enterprise mobility.  But this overlooks a critical point of distinction - what does a field service definition of enterprise mobility look like?  What are the actual, tangible hallmarks of an FS deployment and what does this mean for selecting the right technology?

 

Firstly, don’t even look at the technology.  Look in the mirror.  If you are wearing a hard hat, chances are you are field service and much of the discussion around enterprise mobility may not apply to a great extent.

 

Of course, the same reason you are wearing such a fetching headpiece - safety - does need to be reflected in the choice of mobile technology.    This may mean the right IP ratings for ruggedness, the right protection of critical information or the right certifications for specific environments such as explosive atmospheres.

There are other clear hallmarks of a field service deployment, driven by the needs of the mobile worker.  Whilst these can be broadly grouped into connectivity, computing power and security, it is worth bearing in mind what each of these labels mean to the different vertical markets within field service.

Connectivity

Productivity in the field depends on being connected to other people and resources - be they colleagues at head office, other mobile technicians and engineers or databases thousands of miles away.  When a signal connection drops for a consumer on the high street it is an annoyance.  When a signal drops for an engineer on an oil rig, it can paralyse the operation of the whole drilling platform.

Elsewhere, many public safety and utility businesses operate within dense metropolitan areas where network saturation can impact wireless performance - especially 4G.

Not all enterprise-focused mobile devices are compatible with the latest 4G wireless technology, which means signal availability and data speeds can be unpredictable.

One of the arguments recently put forward has been to view the level of ruggedisation that a tablet needs not as a consequence of the environment in which it operates, but as a result of how critical the process enabled by the technology is, to the business.  The same goes for connectivity - if the connection to the back office or elsewhere is paramount to enabling a given task, it must be backed up with redundancy and alternative options.

Computing power

Software applications for use in the field grow ever more sophisticated, incorporating more and more data and handling increasingly complex processes.  At the same time the need for power efficiency (and the subsequent impact on battery life) remains top of the list of concerns for most deployments.

 

For example, the latest 5^th Gen Intel^® Core™ processors (Broadwell) including the i7 vPro™ chipset, provide the power to quickly move through computation-intensive applications, while increasing overall power efficiency. However, again applying the idea that the process, not the environment is the defining aspect of selection, it is important that such technology is paired with the ability to hot-swap the battery in the field.

 

Despite the fact field service is - by definition - away from the traditional desk environment, data processing needs remain the same. Devices must offer the same processing capabilities on devices such as tablets as they do on a desktop or laptop.

Security

From a security perspective, the net result of a more connected mobile workforce with access to increasingly sensitive information is greater vulnerability.  Stories of lost laptops still make the headlines and more endpoint devices offer more openings to malicious attacks on a corporate network.  Part of the answer here lies in greater training and better procedures for field service personnel.

 

 However, technology can also help - multi-factor authentication capabilities through a combination of password, fingerprint scanner and smart card readers for environments such as healthcare, public safety and manufacturing - are important considerations.  Likewise encryption is a vital component of an increased security profile, with remote management capabilities and kill switches necessary in some cases.

 

Of course, these three areas are neither exhaustive, nor the exclusive preserve of field service.  But they do give serious points for consideration to those procuring technology such as notebooks or tablet PCs for use out in the field.

The needs of the specific industry must also be taken into account (an aspect as equally applicable to hardware as software) if the field service personnel equipped with this technology are to achieve the productivity savings that drive so many field service and enterprise mobility deployments alike.

Key to these savings are the peripherals that will augment a tablet PC and enable it to fit into the workflows of field service personnel.  Vehicle mounts are a great example, as well as carry cases and charging docks.

These are not just additions that are “nice to have” - they form the bedrock of the tablet fitting in to the jobs being undertaken in the field and improving productivity.  They are also, like hard hats, a great indication that the field service teams have the right kit to get the job done.

 

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Event Name:Enterprise Mobile Technology 2015
Date: 26 February, 2015
Registration: Click here to register

Overview: Hosted by Panasonic Toughbook & Toughpad the Enterprise Mobile Technology 2015 is a unique one day event bringing together leading executives and key decision makers, partners and suppliers from the mobile services industries.

The event is designed to provide a platform to discuss smarter technologies for a connected mobile workforce. You’ll hear from industry experts, explore new and emerging technologies and also have the opportunity to network with peers and colleagues.

From discussions about the tablet productivity revolution to connectivity in the field and transforming mobile operations, this is a must-attend event.

The day has a full itinerary planned with a number of key speakers including

• Kevin Tristram - General Manager, UK & Ireland Panasonic Computer Product Solutions
• David Rodger, Commercial Lead, Windows Business Group, Microsoft UK
• Lee Johnson - Director, Global Marketing, NetMotion
• Kris Oldland - Editor of Field Service News

With a mix of workshops, presentations and networking including a gala dinner with guest speaker Alan Hansen the day is set top be an excellent opportunity for all field service professionals and those who are responsible for the effective management of a mobile workforce.

 

"With terms such as the 'fourth paradigm', 'industry 4.0' and the 'golden age of information' being readily applied to the early decades of the twenty first century, it is in no doubt that we are currently in the middle of a perfect storm of innovation that is pushing both technology and industry beyond evolution and into revolution."

"Not only is this happening but it is happening faster and faster than ever before. So how will the field engineer of five years time differ from the engineer of today? This is what intend to explore in my presentation at Enterprise Mobile Technology 2015 and it will be great to hear how others at the event see the future also"

The event is being hosted at the Hilton at St George’s Park, Burton Upon Trent which is approximately 30 miles from Birmingham and trains from London St Pancras and Euston both run regular services to either Derby or Lichfield Trent Valley stations respectively which are close enough to get a taxi from. 

A limited number of tickets are still available and registration ends this week.

You can register for the event on this link

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Xplore Technologies a manufacturer of the most powerful, longest-lasting, ultra and fully-rugged tablets, recently announced Xplore xCapture Pro camera software for its Bobcat and XC6 Windows-based tablet PCs. The new camera software provides end users with photo editing, geo tagging and enhanced barcode scanning functionality. The addition of xCapture Pro as an integrated tool for the Bobcat and XC6 reduces the need for additional devices in the field and offers functionality to enhance the productivity of mobile workforces.

“We continue to listen to our customers and deliver the features and capabilities they’re looking for. Customers in vertical markets such as utilities, field service and insurance can take advantage of these enhanced features to improve productivity in the field,” said Mark Holleran, president and COO at Xplore Technologies. “Our new xCapture Pro camera software is another example of the innovative engineering and design that Xplore is bringing to its robust line of ultra and fully-rugged tablet PCs.”

Xplore xCapture Pro is an ideal enterprise solution for field service calls, asset management, inventory management or occasional scanning of barcodes. The software is also beneficial for users who may need to know the time and location for when and where a photo was taken, such as a field service technician or insurance adjustor who wants to document an event or condition. They can also use the software to simply edit a photo or make notes on the image.

Features and Benefits

· Photo Editing: Software provides users the ability to crop, flip, rotate or annotate images. Field workers who have experience taking photos with their cell phones and editing with the tools that are available in popular consumer apps, such as Instagram, can quickly apply those same skills to the xCapture Pro software, minimizing the need for training, increasing the quality of images and allowing for innovative uses in the field.

· Geotagging: Users can now take a single picture of an incident or site with all relevant information included, eliminating extra documentation. xCapture Pro utilizes the tablet’s GPS location data to embed coordinates with a time/date stamp on the lower left corner of a photo and display the image taken location on a map which can be instantly shared by email or upload.

· Barcode Scanning: Functionality traditionally only available as a peripheral or additional device costing hundreds of dollars. The new feature enables usage of the Bobcat or XC6 cameras as a barcode scanner for light scanning needs.

Tools to do the job – hardware

In this series we are tackling the topic of end to end field service and exploring the technology options across each stage of the service call lifecycle.

In part one we looked at taking that request, and in part two we focused on getting the right engineer to the right place at the right time.

There is also an accompanying white paper to this series which is available to download here

In the previous features in this series we have looked at the transition from identifying the need for a service call and gathering as much information as possible to allow us to understand the requirements of that specific call out.

Following that we have looked at the importance of being able to have a 360 degree view across internal systems to enable us to get the right engineer to the job, with all the required tools and parts needed to complete the fix and of course to ensure that the service we are delivering is covered by our customers contracts so we are not giving our valuable service away for free.

All good! So now lets focus on empowering our field service engineers when they are on the job.

Paper is just so 20th Century

Having just had a field engineer visit my own home who was still required to fulfil the documentation of his work in paper based format I was amazed at how cumbersome this approach was and the sheer waste of productivity his organisation (one of the UK’s largest glaziers) must be facing.

Seeing it there in front of me as I signed forms in triplicate it really dawned on me that moving to a digital means of working is no longer a nice to have but a must.

 

Not only is there the very simple business case that moving to a digital first medium will almost certainly pay for itself when you factor in the saved man hours in needless administration (not to mention sheer paper costs!) but also the perception.

Despite the engineer being polite, friendly and doing a great job, I still felt I was dealing with an organisation that weren’t as professional as they should be. In the consumer realm this has some impact on the level of brand trust. In a business to business environment – this could be the difference between choosing your company or your competitors.

So if the decision to go mobile and finally turn away from paper is a given – the question becomes no longer why but how – and this is where there are almost as many variables as answers.

Is BYOD the answer?

 

Perhaps the biggest of these  questions centres around BYOD. The BYOD trend has been much vaunted for many years but has yet to truly take off in the UK and Europe as it has done in the United States.

Whilst the benefits are clear – less cost, quicker adoption and happier staff using the device of their choice, a counter argument surrounding security, insurance and the murky hidden costs of such a set up is easily made.

The emerging CYOD (choose your own device) could well take prominence as a solution that takes the best aspects of BYOD and negates the biggest fears.

However, it is my view that this debate is best left to the wider realm of enterprise mobility.

When selecting devices for field service engineers it is far more important to understand the requirements of their daily activities and then find a device that best suits those needs rather than try to utilise a variety of differing devices.

Build a case of requirements based on your field engineers’ workflow

Lets take a look again at the field engineer who visited my own home today as an example.

One of the first things that was evident was that he required a device that was big enough to accommodate the documentation of his work, much of which was form based. Therefore a smartphone or mini tablet device would have been cumbersome and the form factor that would have been preferable would have been either a more standard sized 10” tablet device or a laptop.

Despite their being a number of fields in each form the engineer completed, the actual level of data input was fairly minimal with short answers to most fields. Therefore the need for a keyboard is not huge so the portability of a tablet over a laptop comes more to the fore.

As his job was to measure up the windows we were to have replaced simple drawings were required within the forms that outlined the shape and style of each window. Therefore a pen input should be included for the device for ease of use.

Across one window there was potential for damage to our property during installation if not handled in the correct manner and scaffolding woul need to be erected. Photographic evidence of this would have been valuable not only for his companies due process but also in explaining where exactly the issue was. Therefore a camera should also be part of the device.

The engineer was working mostly indoors in a non hazardous environment so ruggedisation needn’t be a major consideration beyond perhaps a secure case for accidental drops etc. Similarly as the engineer was visiting mostly commercial homes additional connectivity such as RFID and NFC don’t generally come into play either.

 

And there we have it by taking into consideration our field engineers requirements we are able to identify a mobile tool that is right for his workflow.

In this instance a consumer unit such as Samsung Note 10.1 or perhaps the Microsoft Surface with a semi-rugged cover would be sufficient. In more manufacturing based environment a specifically designed rugged device maybe required. If you’re field engineer is servicing connected devices then RFID or NFC can become hugely important. Or perhaps a barcode scanner is required?

Also consider periphery devices, does your customer require a printed receipt for work carried out? In which case a wireless printer in the back of  the engineers van could be essential.

Maybe the engineer has to input large amounts of data manually so a keyboard is essential – in which case a laptop or perhaps a convertible is the way to go.

The important part here is to take a step back and assess the needs of your field service engineers and then select your devices accordingly.

The technology certainly exists to meet most demands however; it is also easy to end up selecting a device on reputation and either missing functionality you need or paying for functionality that your engineers may never use.
 
There is also an accompanying white paper to this series which is available to download here

This series is sponsored by:

 

 

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Xplore Technologies a manufacturer of powerful, longest-lasting, ultra and fully-rugged tablets, recently announced it has secured a $2 million (US) order for its XC6 DMSR ultra-rugged Windows tablets from a company providing infrastructure services to utility and telecommunication companies. This newest order expands on a relationship with the company that began in 2008, when Xplore technology was initially deployed.

“Our customer has a mobile workforce of more than 1,300 employees and having a ruggedized tablet solution to meet their needs in rugged field conditions is critical to their responsiveness and productivity,” said Philip S. Sassower, chairman and CEO of Xplore.

“Their team has been using Xplore tablets for many years and upgrading their mobile initiatives with the latest Xplore model, the XC6 DMSR ultra-rugged tablet, was based on the decision to continue to outfit their field technicians with cost-effective sunlight readable and weatherproof technology.”

 

The XC6 DMSR is the most rugged Windows® tablet on the market and is ideal for industrial and outdoor environments.

Powered by a 4th generation Intel® Core™ i5 processor, the high-performance rugged tablet features a direct sunlight readable display, as well as an innovative resistive, multi-touch interface to make running your toughest applications easier than ever--no matter how extreme the environment.

“We have a very positive and long standing relationship with this customer, and we are very excited they have decided to expand and upgrade their mobile technology infrastructure utilizing Xplore rugged tablets,” said Mark Holleran, president and COO.

“We are confident our XC6 DMSR will meet all their mobility needs with the industry’s leading processing power, ruggedization and security features they require for their expanding field workforce.”

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Xplore Technologies Corp manufacturer of some of the world's most powerful, longest-lasting and rugged tablets on the market, has announced that both the Windows-based Bobcat and Android-based RangerX models have achieved full ATEX certification.

The certification means that both models are safe to use in explosive atmospheres in the workplace.

This announcement means businesses with potentially explosive atmospheres can now deploy world-leading, fully rugged tablet PCs running either the Windows or Android operating system.

The ATEX Equipment Directive is designed to specify requirements for safe electrical and mechanical equipment and protective systems in potentially explosive atmospheres.  Xplore Technologies has met all essential health and safety requirements and undergone full conformity procedures for the BobCat and RangerX models.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 122 workers were killed in workplace explosions in 2012, and a further 5,000 injured.  In the UK, fire and explosions at work account for approximately 2 percent of major injuries reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

 

An explosive atmosphere can be caused by flammable gases, mists or vapours and combustible dusts. That means garages, flour mills, food production units, even timber processing units can all be at risk.

 

“It is often easy to assume explosive environments are the exclusive concern of the military and energy businesses but there are actually a lot more high risk work places than we might think at first,” said Sandy McCaskie, director, Xplore Technologies. “An explosive atmosphere can be caused by flammable gases, mists or vapours and combustible dusts.  That means garages, flour mills, food production units, even timber processing units can all be at risk.

 

“It is precisely these sorts of businesses that can benefit most from enterprise mobility and the ATEX certification means that they can have full confidence that their electrical equipment is not going to be a weak link in the protective chain,” said McCaskie.  “Xplore is not only extending that protection to their fully rugged tablet PCs that can deliver huge productivity benefits, but also offering real choice by securing the certification for both our RangerX and BobCat models. This is confidence without compromise.”

 

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Samsung Electronics UK announced late last month that the Galaxy Tab Active is now available in the UK through IT distributor Exertis.  Samsung’s first tablet designed specifically for the B2B market will be available exclusively for six months with Exertis, in both the 4G and Wi-Fi versions.

Samsung has chosen to partner exclusively with Exertis due to the strength of offering in terms of sector alignment. Exertis will offer the Galaxy Tab Active with specific sector proposals to enhance the end user experience, across lone workers, field-based operators, the health sector and the education arena.

Graham Long, Vice President of Enterprise Business at Samsung, commented:

[quote float="left"]The enterprise technology landscape has shifted dramatically, driven by the demand for devices that appeal to consumers while being able to cope with the challenging requirements of professional use

“Samsung’s Galaxy Tab Active device has been designed to address the requirements and challenges faced by business users. The enterprise technology landscape has shifted dramatically, driven by the demand for devices that appeal to consumers while being able to cope with the challenging requirements of professional use. We’re excited to announce that the Samsung Galaxy Tab Active is now available from our distribution partners Exertis, whose sector-specific proposition reflects our view that a tailored approach is key to differentiating within a crowded marketplace.”

 

Ewan Davies, Exertis’ head of devices, commented:

“I am delighted to partner with Samsung on what is their strongest B2B tablet opportunity to date. Samsung’s choice of Exertis as its exclusive partner reinforces the value that Samsung sees in us as a distributor. This allows Exertis to develop a unique proposition for all sectors, particularly in education and health. As an exclusive product for Exertis, this really enables us to be creative in terms of value and service and we are already seeing volume deals across multiple sectors.”

Features of the Galaxy Tab Active deliver complete business functionality based on performance, durability and protection, allowing professionals to work without limitations in and out of the office.

The Galaxy Tab Active delivers the full connectivity and meets the “always on” needs of today’s mobile business environment. It is ready to take on the harshest of work settings, and its slim, light, premium, robust design coupled with replaceable battery allows users to work efficiently wherever and whenever needed and it could be a significant launch within the field service sector for Korean technology giant...

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