As more warehouses transition from traditional Windows-based mobile platforms to the Android operating systems, the use of touchscreens in the warehouse has also increased. However, many legacy applications are not yet updated to support a touchscreen interface. In those applications, a keypad is still a necessity. To overcome the challenges created by a mixed environment of new and legacy applications, or for companies that want to be prepared as more applications migrate to a touchscreen interface in the future, Honeywell offers the Dolphin CN80.
This hybrid device is an ultra-rugged handheld computer with a large, 4.2-inch color touchscreen. It offers options of both numeric and QWERTY keypads, which allow users to select the best data entry method for any application. The device can also help warehouses prepare as the applications they currently use migrate to touchscreen interfaces in the future.
Support for the Industry’s Transition to Android OS
Having the option of a flexible, Android-based mobile computing platform is important as warehouses transition away from Windows-based devices. While Android dominates the consumer mobile market, rugged mobile computers in the warehouse have traditionally run Windows operating systems. That will change over the next several years as many Windows mobile platforms reach their end of support in 2020. According to Venture Development Corp., Android’s share of the rugged device space grew from 24 percent in 2015 to 37 percent in 2016.
The CN80 is built on the Honeywell Mobility Edge platform, which allows customers to accelerate provisioning, certification and deployment of devices. Mobility Edge provides a unified hardware and software solution that allows users to expedite development, set-up, updates, and training on multiple mobile form factors simultaneously.
The CN80 also supports four generations of the Android OS (upgradeable from Android Nougat to Android Q), which will help lower the overall total cost of ownership of the devices by providing a wide range of application and OS support without the need for new hardware.
Advanced enterprise lifecycle tools that come standard with the CN80 help simplify software updates, training and managing spare pools because user profiles and software can be easily stored and loaded on new devices.
Advanced, Future-Proof Features
In addition, the CN80 offers advanced automated data capture, with enhanced 1D and 2D barcode scanning (via the Honeywell EX20 Near/Farm Imager), and the ability to read barcodes from as close as 6 inches and as far as 50 feet away. The device is also equipped with Honeywell scanning SDKs for Android. For data communications, the device supports wide-area wireless and GPS, as well as multiple flavors of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and near-field communication.
The device is designed to withstand the rigors of the warehouse and can survive multiple drops to concrete, as well as 2,000 tumbles from 3.3 feet. It can operate in temperatures ranging from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cold-storage model can operate in environments as cold as -22 degrees Fahrenheit. It also features long battery life, for full-shift operation and to support extended talk times or heavy GPS usage in some applications.
With the rapid introduction of new technology, software, and automation solutions for the warehouse companies will transition to advanced mobile computers with features that can result in increased productivity. The Dolphin CN80 can provide a bridge for companies that are making this transition, while also providing a way to leverage legacy applications and business process and prepare for additional technology changes in the future.
