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Varlink, the specialist Mobile Computing, Auto ID and EPOS Distributor, held its 2018 Meet the Manufacturer (MTM) event on 15th March at Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire, where partners had the opportunity to meet resellers and to demonstrate and display their latest products and services. Now in its 13th year, MTM has become a key date in the diary for resellers and suppliers alike.

This year the event was sponsored by Janam, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers. Janam unveiled two new products at MTM, including the XT100. The XT100 rugged touch computer eliminates the pitfalls associated with deploying consumer-grade devices and packs the power and performance of a rugged mobile computer in a slim smartphone design to meet the diverse needs of mobile workers across field service.  This device provides more features and functionality than any other device in its field.

Robert Hurt, Janam General Manager EMEA, said of the event: “This year’s MTM was especially successful for us. The event presented us with an excellent platform to debut two new rugged mobile computers to the reseller/ISV community. We value our partnership with Varlink and are thrilled with the opportunities MTM delivers each year.”

Gen2wave also showcased their new UHF RFID and Barcode Readers – the RPT50 and RPT100, which are now available from Varlink. Both products are compatible with various host devices, with a long-lasting battery and slim and lightweight feel.  The RPT100 is an ultra-rugged device with an IP68 rating and reading distance of up to 9m. With a stand-alone batch mode, up to 1000 RFID/barcode tags can be collected while off the network.

In addition to leading hardware vendors, MTM2018 also featured Varlink’s Alliance Partners who offer complementary products and services giving resellers the chance to enhance their overall solution.Also on show was the Zebra TC25 rugged smartphone, featuring a point-and-shoot scanner and all-day power with the snap on PowePack.  This device is built for work with a 4.3in Gorilla Glass display and an IP65 rating.

In addition to leading hardware vendors, MTM2018 also featured Varlink’s Alliance Partners who offer complementary products and services giving resellers the chance to enhance their overall solution.

It was a bumper year, featuring 25 exhibitors and a record number of delegates in attendance.  Honeywell’s UKI Distribution Manager, Erin Townsend, commented: “MTM is always a successful and well-run event. MTM presents great opportunities to meet new partners, catch up with existing partners, and showcase our latest exciting devices to the channel.”

While Datalogic’s Channel Manager, Johnathan Brown said: “We thought it was a great event that everyone at Varlink should be very proud of.  We had an excellent experience and thought it was most worthwhile.”

This year’s event was organised by Varlink’s newly established marketing team, led by Head of Marketing, Lorien Lightfoot. The team is uniquely structured; each member of the team has a wealth of experience in graphic design, email marketing and digital marketing, allowing them to focus their efforts on specific verticals, and develop expert knowledge of each industry’s needs.

Customers are at the heart of Varlink’s Marketing operations and the development of industry specialists within the team allows them to better support their resellers in their own marketing efforts, providing branded materials, email campaign support and even advice on social media marketing, not to mention the comprehensive Product Reference Guide, which has just been released for 2018.

All in all, MTM18 was a huge success with exhibitors from long-standing Varlink brands, such as Zebra and Honeywell, to newcomers who made their MTM debut, like Labelmate, SBV and IntelliTrack. The business outlook for 2018 looks rosy for all Varlink’s partners, says CEO Mike Pullon:

“MTM is a testament to how much we value our relationship with both manufacturers and resellers and is always an indicator of how well Varlink will perform across the year.  2018 is set to be a record year for Varlink. With significantly increased stock holding and new products launching from some of our key brands, the company is making huge strides towards a year of significant growth.

Are you a Reseller?

To join Varlink’s reseller community please click here.

Are you a Field Service Executive? 

If you are interested in any of the products mentioned in this article for your own business, please click here to be put in touch with a Varlink solutions provider.

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Janam has recently announced the launch of its XT100 series of rugged touch computers. Packed with business-critical features that enterprise organizations require, the XT100 surpasses its competition by delivering the latest enterprise-grade technologies in a stunning package, all at an extremely attractive price point.

The new XT100 eliminates the pitfalls and hidden costs associated with deploying consumer-grade devices in the enterprise and provides more features and functionality than any other device in its class. A standard 2-year warranty provides customers with both peace of mind and the level of service they require, at no additional cost, with optional Comprehensive Service plans available to those that want to further extend their mobile computing investment.

Key features include:

• Sleek smartphone design
• Android operating system
• 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ 410 quad-core processor
• Brilliant 4.3" touchscreen with Gorilla Glass 3
• Superior 2D barcode scanning
• Integrated RFID and NFC
• 1.2m drops to concrete
• Sealed to IP65 standard
• Lightning-fast 4G LTE voice and data
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
• Removable and rechargeable battery
• Wireless charging with optional accessory

The XT100 datasheet can be found here and our own Editor-in-Chief, Kris Oldland is currently road testing the XT100 so look out for our HandsOn review coming soon!

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As we continue our series evaluating the latest rugged devices to come onto the market we look at Janam’s new entry into the rugged tablet market, the XT2. Traditionally a rugged handheld computer manufacturer, how has their expertise translated into what is arguably their most consumer-looking fully rugged device yet as they step into the increasingly popular form factor of smaller rugged tablets...

What the manufacturers say:

Productivity and resource utilisation are critical to the success of any mobile workforce. Janam’s XT2 rugged touch computer enables mobile employees to work smarter and more efficiently – ultimately improving operating results and increasing customer satisfaction.

Weighing only 10 ounces, the XT2 is smaller, lighter and faster than other rugged mobile computers in its class and equipped with a brilliant 5-inch colour display with Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3. With an impressive smartphone like design, the Android™-powered XT2 is equipped with the latest technological advancements, including 4G LTE wireless connectivity for lightning fast access to voice and data, dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and high sensitivity GPS.

The XT2 is a purpose-built device designed to foster more collaboration across mobile workforces. High-performance 1D and 2D barcode scanning, as well as RFID and NFC reading capabilities, ensures organisations can address a full spectrum of data capture needs with one device. Integrated 8.0MP/2.0MP front and rear-facing colour auto-focus cameras enable customers to capture high-resolution photos, signatures and more.

The XT2 is sealed to IP67 standards against dust and immersion in up to 3 feet of water. It can withstand multiple 5’/1.5m drops to concrete per MIL-STD 810G across a wide temperature range.

First impressions:

The last time Field Service News got our HandsOn a device from Janam (The XM5) our one criticism was that whilst the device ticked all of the boxes in terms of relative processing power, ruggedness and functionality, it still had a slight air of yesterday’s device about it.

In fairness, as we pointed out at the time, this was less about the XM5’s profile and more about the form factor itself. It was a great example of a device within the traditional handheld computer form factor, but in an age of tablets and smartphones, the traditional looking handheld, especially fully rugged variants, just look that little bit dated.

Of course, we are firm believers in the ‘fit-for-purpose’ argument and at the end of the day performance is far more critical to a field engineer than simple good looks.

 

That said however, there is also an argument that a device that has more of a ‘consumer feel’ about it is potentially more likely to engender faster adoption rates. Indeed, we have seen a growing trend in recent years for rugged manufacturers to start emulating the sleeker lines of consumer devices where possible as long as they aren’t sacrificing ruggedity.

Gen2Wav and Honeywell have both recently released products that are fine examples of fully rugged devices that do just this and Panasonic’s soon to be launched FZ-F1 will also be in a form factor that is as close to a smartphone as it is a tablet and such devices make a good comparison for the XT2.

The device is lightweight and sleek. Despite being referred to as a rugged touch computer, it has more of a feel of a large smart phone and when we look at it alongside other rugged smartphones, it is a fine example of what can be achieved in terms of a slim and sexy form factor in a rugged device.

Processing power:

The XT2 has a reasonable Quad-core Qualcomm MSM8916 CPU @1.2GHz which whilst not being the fastest on the block (Panasonic’s FZ-N1 runs a Qualcomm® MSM8974AB 2.3GHz Quad Core for example) it is certainly up there with the majority of similar devices within the field.

The XT2 operates on up-to 2GB RAM with 16GB ROM which is somewhere in the middle of the pack and definitely suitable for a number of field service applications - the memory is also expandable via a user accessible Micro SD slot with SD and SDHC support

Operating system:

The XT2 is currently running Android 5 (Lollipop) which is a common standard for industry focussed devices.

Lollipop is now tried and trusted and enterprise secure. There is unlikely to be an issue with any applications devised for it and equally introducing it into the IT mix shouldn’t be too much of a headache in terms of both implementation and a security protocols as the OS has been around for sometime now.

Whilst Android 7.0 is now appearing in the latest consumer handsets and Android 6.0 is now fairly prevalent in the consumer world, in terms of the UX , whilst there is some difference in terms of functionality, visually the difference between Lollipop(5) to Marshmallow (6) is very small.

Therefore, the benefits of Lollipop in terms of stability make sense whilst the fear of the OS taking the shine off the consumerised feel of the XT2 are also minimal.

The Ins & Outs:

Whilst the XT2 doesn’t have the world’s greatest amount of Input/Output options (which is to be expected in a device with such a light footprint) it does include all of the key essentials.

There is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which can be vital when it comes to making audio/video calls whilst in the field, and a USB 2.0 port brings the option for both commonplace universal charging as well as data syncing.

 

Where the XT2 has a distinct advantage over many rugged smartphones/mini tablets that aren’t designed with industry in mind is its inclusion of a dedicated bar-code scanning engine (Zebra SE4710 1D/2D imager) as well as the ability to read all NFC types and RFID tags in the 13.56 MHz range.

Coupled with four programmable power buttons, which are likely best put to use to trigger the barcode scanner and this could be highly advantageous for field engineers whose role includes swapping out a large number of parts.

Connectivity:

In terms of connectivity the XT2 supports Dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n and is Cisco certified which covers most of the available bases and should allow for good Wi-fi connectivity speeds regardless of the signal it is using. In addition to this the XT2’s Wi-fi security protocols are also robust. The device also supports EDGE/GPRS/GSM, WCDMA and LTE for 4G mobile internet.

The XT2 also features Bluetooth 4.0 so can be paired with additional tools in the field including potentially Android Wear based smart watches or glasses as well as a keyboard for data input.

Additionally, the device offers Qualcomm® IZat™: Gen 8 support for three bands concurrently (GPS, BeiDou and GLONASS or Galileo) which can be invaluable in the field both in terms of updating asset information as well as geo-location functionality, to a precise degree.

Ruggedity:

It is when we look at the rugged specs of the XT2 that the device really stands out as a great example of what can be achieved in such a sleek form factor.

The Janam XM5 handheld is a solid, robust device which, with it’s IP rating of 65 is totally impervious to dust and can cope with all but the worst soaking, however, the XT2 pushed the rugged specs even further with an IP rating of 67 meaning not only is it impervious to dust but it is also capable of being fully submersed in water up to 3 feet deep.

 

In terms of drop resistance the device is tested against the standard 1.5 meter MIL-STD 810G drop tests onto concrete from all angles across a wide range of temperature ratings. The fact that it is dropped directly onto concrete, instead of two inches of plywood as required for MIL-STD 810G, also adds further to its rugged credentials.

The XT2 also has an operating temperature range of -20º to 60º C so should be functional in even the most testing environments.

Battery Life:

In terms of battery life the XT2 comes with a 3000mAh battery as standard but with the option to upgrade for a 4000mAh version also available.

Whilst in theory this should be enough to see out most engineers working days and in our own testing the battery lasted a full day with moderate to heavy usage, there is also an extended battery kit available.

Conclusion:

First up the XT2 is a great looking device and it feels good in hand. It’s both lightweight and comfortable and could easily pass for a smartphone at first glance. An important factor in terms of user adoption given the proliferation of the consumerisation of mobile computing today.

In terms of ruggedity, the XT2’s IP rating of 67 is highly impressive and this is a device that would be suited to even the most extreme of field service environments.

 

Although the processing power isn’t quite at the very top end of its category, there is still plenty of power to run the vast majority of apps a field service technician would likely need - it’s certainly no slouch and responded quickly in our own tests.

All in all the XT2 is a fantastic option for any field service technician, it is a lightweight device and the programmable buttons could greatly improve work-flow in some areas. However, the XT2 is especially suited for those field technicians working in an environment where a fully rugged device becomes essential.

 

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Enabling our field engineers with the right tools for the job is critical to success for any field service organisation. To help you find the right device for your mobile workers, Field Service News is road-testing a number of the leading devices on the market. This time around we turn our attention to the XM5, a rugged handheld computer from Janam...

What the manufacturers say...  

The XM5 mobile computer redefines productivity and is built to withstand the rigours of heavy duty use in the field.

It combines the latest technological advancements in mobile devices with a sleek and rugged design to provide the power and flexibility that enterprise and government customers demand.

Equipped with 4G-ready WWAN and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi communications, the XM5 ensures mobile workers will be able to access voice and data anytime, anywhere.  Additional features include the choice between a 1D/2D imager or 1D laser scanner, as well as integrated RFID and NFC reading capabilities, front and rear facing cameras, Bluetooth and smart battery power management.

The XM5 mobile computer survives repeated 5ft drops to concrete across a wide operating temperature range, is sealed to IP65 standards and is UL-certified to provide ultimate reliability in extreme and hazardous locations.

First impressions...  

In a world where consumer smartphones and tablets are being used more and more frequently by field service companies, the form factor of a traditional handheld computer such as the Janam XM5 can’t help but look ever so slightly dated.

This is not so much a slight on the XM5 but more so on the Handheld form factor itself.  However, it’s important to remember that being industrial devices, rugged handhelds are built for functionality not fashion.  For example, whilst most smart phones offer barcode scanning ability, the functionality is cumbersome compared to a fit-for-purpose device such as the XM5.

Indeed, the XM5 itself is a sleek and lightweight example of the form factor, whilst remaining undeniably a rugged device capable of withstanding its fair share of bumps and knocks.  The XM5 comes with a rear strap that makes holding the device comfortable and it’s 3.5 inch brilliant VGA TFT display was bright and easily read in daylight.

[quote float="left”]“You get the feeling that the XM5 is all about reliability and even when first getting to grips with the device, you get a sense that this is a device that won’t let you down...”

In the hand the device feels a lot lighter than it looks and, weighing in at 305g, it is about a third heavier than a high end consumer phablet such as Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4.

 

However, thanks to the aforementioned rear strap such a difference is negligible.  The device itself has a profile on par for the form factor with its 2.5cm depth being similar to that of Zebra’s MC45 and Handheld’s Nautiz X4 but the challenge again for any handheld computer is comparison with smartphones such as the Caterpillar CAT S30 which with a depth of 1.3cm has a profile almost half that of the XM5.

The build quality on first impressions seems high and the hard rubber casing features grooves that provide a comfortable grip on the device.  Button placement is also sensible with access to the scanning function available in three separate places again conveniently placed to make the device easy to handle.  The XM5 comes in two options for the keyboard, either numerical or full Qwerty. The unit we had for review featured the Qwerty layout and, whilst by definition the keyboard is of course incredibly small and a challenge for those of us blessed with stubby fingers, again the build quality is good and the keyboard has just the right amount of responsiveness delivering a satisfying click when buttons are pressed.

Whilst it’s never going to deliver the ‘wow’ factor for an field service engineer that a consumer device or even some rugged smart phones or tablets might do, you get the feeling that the XM5 is all about reliability and even when first getting to grips with the device, you get a sense that this is a device that won’t let you down when you need it the most.

The one area where it does fall down though is the telescopic stylus that just feels that bit more fragile and flimsy compared to the XM5 itself.

Processing power

In terms of processing power, the XM5 has a 512mb RAM with a 1GB of ROM and uses an ARM Cortex-A8 1GHz processor which again puts it on a par with similar devices such as the Nautiz X4 and more powerful than Zebra’s MC45 which has just a 256mb RAM with a 600Hz processor.

Such processing power should be sufficient to run most basic field service productivity apps that handle activities such as job completion and parts and inventory management whilst some of the more vertical specific CPU intensive applications would potentially struggle.  However, in fairness, utilising such apps is not what devices such as the XM5 are designed for and in terms of its form factor it delivers as much of a punch under the bonnet as many other similar devices.

Operating system  

One of the big factors in the XM5’s favour is that it comes both in a Windows and Android flavour with both operating systems being able to run on the same hardware. In terms of Windows, the XM5 runs Microsoft Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5.  This is starting to feel a tad cumbersome and dated compared to some more of the modern handheld OS, although Windows 8.1 is seen in many quarters as a not being a viable option for Handheld devices and Windows 10 development in this market is still in its infancy.

[quote float="right”]One of the big factors in the XM5’s favour is that it comes both in a Windows and Android flavour with both operating systems being able to run on the same hardware.

Also remember Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 as an operating system is proven and robust as well being built with enterprise security in mind. So, whilst not the slickest of interfaces, it again remains true to its cause.

 

On the Android version the device runs Jelly Bean 4.2. Again, this does feel that little bit dated compared to the more recent Android OS, with many devices (both rugged and consumer) running the latest OS of Lollipop 5.1

That said the leap from 4.2 to 5.1 in terms of user interface isn’t that dramatic and Android users should generally feel at home quite quickly. Given which given that Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the consumer market, this could potentially speed up user adoption rates.

With most field service management vendors now including apps for Android (as well as IoS) these days the Android Play Store application makes getting the right applications on a device an easy task.

The Ins & Outs

When we look at the device ports, while somewhat limited by the available space the XM5 again comes with the usual suspects in terms of I/O for a handheld computer.

With a 3.5mm headphone jack with a unique locking mechanism (which can be essential for making voice calls in an outdoor environment), a mini USB slot for syncing and charging, and user accessible microSD card slot with SD and SDHC support, the fundamental basics are all there.

The XM5 also comes with a choice of 1D/2D imager or 1D laser scanner, which are accessed by one of three buttons which should allow for the quick and efficient scanning of parts in and out of a field service engineer's van.

Connectivity:

In what is one of the key considerations for selecting a device suitable for a mobile workforce, namely delivering good connectivity options, then the XM5 certainly doesn’t let us down.

The device comes with strong mobile internet connectivity being both 3G and 4G capable as well as good Wi-Fi connections with 802.11a/b/g/n availability.

Alongside this the XM5 also comes with Bluetooth 2.1, Ublox GPS and assisted GPS and features embedded RFID and NFC - again both useful for parts monitoring within the field service space.

Security is also well covered with the XM5 meeting enterprise level EAP standards alongside WPA,WPA2 and WEP encryption.

Ruggedity:

This is where the XM5 really shines. It certainly a tough little cookie for sure.

[quote float="left”]Officially the device is protected from low pressure water jets from any direction, meaning it will survive outdoors in the rain as well as being washed down and for clean room environments it can withstand 85% concentration alcohol rub.

With an IP rating of IP65 the XM5 is deemed to be completely protected from total dust ingress making it perfect for a number of environments such as building sites, warehouses and Middle Eastern locations.

 

The IP65 rating also means it can take a decent bit of drenching. Officially the device is protected from low pressure water jets from any direction, meaning it will survive outdoors in the rain as well as being washed down and for clean room environments it can withstand 85% concentration alcohol rub.

The XM5 is also tested to survive 5ft drops onto concrete. Indeed, having put this to the test ourselves, the XM5 survived numerous drops without even picking up scratch and given the stability in hand offered by the rear strap, it would certainly survive the rigours of all but the most demanding field service environments.

Finally, with an operating temperature ranging from -20°C through to 60°C again the XM5 should be suited to almost all field service operating environments.

With this combination of ruggedised features, the XM5 sits comfortably within its sector as one of the most robust devices available.

Battery Life:

In terms of daily usage, the XM5 should be capable of lasting a full shift for most field service engineers as it ships with a 4000mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery, which the manufacturers claim will provide ‘extended battery life as a standard feature, not an optional one.’

In addition to this the XM5 boasts smart battery power management to eke out the very most from the battery.

Conclusion:

As mentioned in the introduction, in an age where smart phones have gained massive traction within certain corners of the field service industry, any handheld is going to struggle to win the hearts of field service engineers when it just comes down to sleek modern looks.

Handhelds now do just look a bit dated in general when sat directly alongside the large touchscreens of the modern smart phone.

 

However, fortunately for Janam and other handheld computer manufacturers, there is far more to selecting a device than just the ‘wow’ factor and shiny good looks.

But in fact, this is perhaps being a little unfair on the XM5 - it is a decent looking example of the form factor, with a relatively small footprint, decent sized screen and is comfortable and light in hand.

From a processing point of view, again the XM5 can sit proudly amongst its peers and whilst it will fall flat for those engineers who are dependent on CPU hungry applications, equally it should be capable of meeting the demands of most field service applications.

One thing is certain though and that is that the XM5 can certainly handle itself in the great outdoors and when we look at its impressive rugged specs, its strong array of connectivity tools and its more-than-decent battery life, then you can see that the device is going to be unlikely to fail in the field.

A few minor gripes would be the flimsy feel of the telescopic stylus which could potentially be easily lost or broken and the touch-screen wasn’t the most responsive, resulting in a few applications being opened multiple times.

Also the fact that the device can run both Android and Windows on the same hardware could be a major selling point for those companies looking to switch from one platform to the other (generally Windows to Android).

Very much a device clearly designed for industry, the XM5 lives up to the Janam claim that they make business tools not toys.

Overall the XM5 is a good, solid option for companies looking to select a handheld computer over a rugged tablet or smart phone and the ease of scanning functionality, alongside the embedded RFID and NFC, would make this a great device for any field service engineer whose role involves swapping and replacing a lot of parts.

 

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