When it comes to retailers, and the companies that supply them with the technology they need to meet best practices, it's a known fact that they want their sales associates, as well as warehouse personnel to perform various tasks easily and quickly. In today's changing corporate environment, these functions are expected to be completed from the sales floor, warehouse or in the field. And that includes everything from accessing information on inventory levels, scanning barcodes and RFID labels, printing receipts, transmitting sales data, and communicating with other employees. "Retailers want and need information at the fingertips of the associates," says Troy Stelzer, vice president of sales with Storeworks Technologies Limited, a systems integrator based in Minneapolis."
Many retailers are currently moving what have traditionally been back-office tasks, such as taking inventory or recording and printing price-changes, to the front of the store, says Fred Murschel, AIDC market development manager with Ingram Micro. That way, employees can work more efficiently, yet remain available to customers.
"The magic bullet is coming up with a device that's low-cost, highly functional, and robust in multiple areas," such as scanning, printing and communicating both voice and data, says Leslie Mesh, CipherLab's senior vice president, Americas.
Fortunately, that magic bullet is becoming more real, as firms can choose from a growing number of portable devices that offer various functions and are durable enough to be used in the back office and on the sales floor. "The functionality converging on these devices is incredible. It puts a lot of opportunity in the hands of mobile workers," says Dan Mullen, president of AIM Global, the Warrendale, Penn.-based trade association for automatic identification.
Moreover, the technology is becoming more affordable, extending the market for these devices, says Jack Sheehan, business development manager with BlueStar. For example, GPS capability, which has been optional on most devices, is becoming standard on some. "The feature set is being enriched," he says.
As a result, the return on the investment retailers make in these tools can be significant, says Brian Schulte, director of retail and warehouse marketing with Intermec. "Especially if you're comparing it to paper or manual, the cost savings are dramatic, because of the accuracy and time savings," that occur when moving to an automated, electronic process.
Several technical advances also are fostering development of these devices. "The electronics are becoming more portable and power-efficient," says Greg Dixon, CTO, ScanSource, Inc. Improving chip technology means that fewer are needed to operate various applications; because chips create heat and add size, the fewer required, the smaller the devices can get. "The Intel chips being presented into the devices greatly speed up processing time," says Marc Cashman, president with AGS Advanced Software Inc., an Ottawa, Ontario, Canada-based software developer.
Concurrently, radios, which tend to consume a lot of power, have become smaller and more efficient. Several can fit in one device, enabling it to communicate via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, the wide area cellular network, as well as GPS global radio. As a result, a device's communication network can change, depending on where and how it is being used. For instance, a device can use Bluetooth to connect to peripherals, and the Wi-Fi network to make calls within an enterprise. Calls initiated outside the enterprise, such as those made by employees on the road, can be done via a cellular network or global radio.
With the improvement in communication, data can also economically be transmitted in close to real time, says Dixon. For instance, an employee of a retail supplier can check product inventory in one store, capture the information, and then transmit it from his or her car while headed to the next store. While the transmission wouldn't be real time, it likely would be close enough to suffice, he adds.
At the same time, the integration required to link these devices with other corporate systems, such as accounting or ERP applications, has become more straightforward, says Bob Danahy, direct, desktop, mobile and wireless technology, Zebra Technologies.
Scan engines also have improved, says Mullen of AIM Global: "Even cell phones (today) have decent cameras. With the right software, it can turn into a barcode scanner."
One component that remains a constraint in mobile computing, however, is the battery, notes Dixon of ScanSource. Ideally, a battery should last an entire eight-hour shift with the device used in normal operations, including scanning and radio use. Some that tout the length of time a battery can go before requiring a recharge are based on reduced use. At the same time, the ideal battery wouldn't overheat, nor add inordinately to the expense of the device. Hydrogen fuel cell batteries will likely replace today's technology, Dixon predicts. He adds that the timing of this is hard to pin down, as it will depend both on technological advances, as well as political acceptance.
An Array of Choices
In the meantime, retailers and their suppliers can choose from a number of mobile computing devices that will help their employees work more efficiently: Bixolon/Samsung SPP-R200: A rugged, mobile thermal mini-printer that can swipe credit cards and print receipts, the SPP-R200 can be used anywhere transaction and label printing needs to occur, says Dave Roberts, Bixolon's vice president of sales and marketing. It also features drop-in paper loading.
CipherLab 9400: This industrial mobile computer entered the market earlier in 2008, and has been particularly popular in convenience and grocery stores, says Leslie Mesh, the company's senior vice president, Americas. It can capture data and images via a keypad and touch screen, as well as by scanning product codes. The 9400 also can communicate and transmit date wirelessly via Wi-Fi and GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks.
Datalogic Kyman: A rugged mobile computer with a laser scanner, touch screen, high visibility color display, and voice and VoIP support, the Kyman can easily work in the warehouse and retail environment. Moreover, it can function all day, even when engaged in scan-intensive activities, says Jose Vega, marketing manager with
Pegaso: An industrial PDA intended for retail, logistics and field applications, the Pegaso incorporates a high-resolution keypad that's easy to read in all types of light. It features an Intel processor; integrated barcode scanner; and Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and wireless WAN connectivity. A one-piece battery with an integrated cover allows for one-handed replacement.
Intermec
CN3: This mobile, rugged computer with integrated GPS features a touch-screen display and is designed for field-based applications, says Brian Schulte, the company's director of retail and warehouse marketing. It can communicate via
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and WAN radio, while its 2.0 mega-pixel camera allows workers
to document services they've provided. The CN3's extended battery offers day-long power.
Motorola CA50: This device combines barcode scanning, mobile computing capabilities and both "walkie-talkie" style and VoIP communication. So, employees can perform price and quantity checks from the sales floor, rather than having to go to the back room, says BlueStar's Sheehan. It also allows for both "one-to-one" and "one-to-many" communication. "We're seeing significant demand building in the retail sector for this product," says Stelzer of Storeworks, which is currently working on its first large-scale deployment of the devices. "It brings customer service voice and data connectivity to the sales force."
MC70: This rugged enterprise digital assistant incorporates a mobile phone, PDA, computer, scanner and imager. It offers cost-effective communication through its wireless networking capabilities. The MC70 is designed for use by field workers and in warehouses. It's popular among route drivers who refill vending machines, says Bill Lockett, national account manager with Streamware, a developer of software for the vending industry. By connecting the device to the machine, they can electronically capture information on items sold more accurately and quickly than they can do manually.
MC75: This rugged enterprise digital assistant builds on the success of the popular MC70. It "brings the empowering capabilities of 3G WAN, comparable to a cable modem at home or a high speed office network, to the palm of your hand," says Steve Schmid, senior director of product marketing with Motorola's mobile computing group. It offers high-speed, wireless voice and data communication, GPS navigation and camera-based document capture. And, the MC75 can work with the same peripherals used with the MC70.
Zebra
QL Printer Series: These rugged, mobile, direct thermal printers are enabled with secure wireless connectivity, and can be assigned a unique IP address for monitoring over the network. They support complex graphics and fonts, and can be used for price marking and shelf and pallet labeling, as well as inventory updates and verification of products received.
Opportunity Knocks
The growing popularity of these devices means opportunities for resellers, says Mullen of AIM. "The beauty of these devices is the software customization that the integrator can do." For example, a VAR can program a device so that it allows one worker to restock shelves, and another to check product inventory on the sales floor.
In the future, mobile computing and printing devices are likely to offer even more functions. For instance, many retailers are becoming increasingly interested in voice capabilities, says Intermec's Schulte.
"A trend we're seeing, in a pretty significant way, is the idea of individual, unique identification of items," through either RFID or 2-D barcodes, adds Mullen. This allows retailers and suppliers to quickly calculate how well different products are selling, and identify any products that may be subject to a recall. This also offers an opportunity for resellers, who can develop applications that will help retailers identify trends in both sales and returns. "People, assets and information are in constant motion, so businesses need every advantage they can get to keep it all flowing quickly, reliably and fficiently," Mullen adds. These multi-functional, mobile devices help provide that advantage.
CipherLab
Datalogic
Intermec
CA50: This device combines barcode scanning, mobile computing capabilities and both "walkie-talkie" style and VoIP communication. So, employees can perform price and quantity checks from the sales floor, rather than having to go to the back room, says BlueStar's Sheehan. It also allows for both "one-to-one" and "one-to-many" communication. "We're seeing significant demand building in the retail sector for this product," says Stelzer of Storeworks, which is currently working on its first large-scale deployment of the devices. "It brings customer service voice and data connectivity to the sales force." 
Zebra
