Firehouse Software meets the Motion Computing F5 Tablet PC

In November of last year I was invited to FHETS which is the Firehouse Software Education and Training Seminar. Since it was in Orlando and I have been a paramedic and firefighter for a while I couldn't resist. I brought a variety of Motion Computing Tablet PCs for the attendees to use while they learned more about Firehouse Software.

Out of all the tablet PCs that were available, the Motion F5 received the most attention from the fire marshal, fire inspectors and chief officers in attendance. All of them had experience with Panasonic Toughbooks. They were impressed by the perfect balance of ruggedness, light weight and price that the Motion F5 offers. I spent a lot of the day banging the F5 on the table and showing how they could use the pen to click through all the Firehouse forms.

With the price of a Panasonic Toughbook starting at around $3,500, the firefighters were impressed that the Motion F5 with indoor/outdoor display, 3 year Field Ready warranty and Sprint or Verizon broadband built-in costs just over $3,000.

Since the show we have loaned our Motion F5 a dozen times to different departments through our Motion Tablet PC demo program. Through the demo program, your fire department can borrow the Motion F5 preloaded with Firehouse Mobile for 5 days for just the cost of shipping. You also get the desktop and vehicle docking station so you can see how those accessories fit into your environment. If you have questions, call John Hill at 215-441-5580 x101.

Best Tablet PC for a doctor

The conversation starts with the same question: Which Tablet PC do you recommend for me and my medical practice?

The first question I ask is about which software you will be using. For most physicians, the answer is that it will be used just for their EMR software. If the tablet pc will be used for other functions like email, Microsoft Office or general use then additional considerations come into play. Right now, let's just talk about using the tablet with an EMR.

If your EMR software runs wirelessly from a local server or is web-based then it won't require a lot of horsepower to run the application. Don't be obsessed with Gigahertz or hard disk size like you would be with a machine you used for general purposes. Instead, choose it by the requirements given by your software provider and how you need to interact with it. What I mean by "interact with" is this - if your software is mostly point and click with drop down menus and check boxes but little narrative, a slate tablet PC is your best choice for comfort due to thinness and light weight. If your software requires a lot of power and there is a significant amount of typing required then a convertible tablet PC is probably right for you.

OK, let's talk first about slate tablet PCs.

If you are choosing a slate, there are several choices on the market. Without talking about specific brands, your first choice is a 10.4" or 12.1" display. A tablet pc with the smaller display is going to be lighter and easier to carry but if your EMR software doesn't look good on a screen that size then you need to choose a larger size. The majority of our customers choose a tablet with a 12" display for one main reason - it is larger and easier to read. If you could get through medical school in 4 years and be a 23 year old doctor then small print wouldn't matter, but it is likely that you will be more comfortable with a larger display.

Now let's talk about convertible tablets.

While you can can buy a convertible with a larger display than 12" I would discourage it because the overall weight will make it uncomfortable to carry. Remember that you can't switch hands when writing so you will be carrying the tablet in the same arm all day. This factor comes into play when deciding whether to get a convertible with a built-in DVD. Unless you have the need to look at DVDs for scans or some other reason, don't buy a unit with one built-in because it adds unnecessary weight and bulk.

Here are some other random considerations for purchasing a tablet pc:

1. Choose the largest capacity battery available.

2. Capacitive or multitouch isn't important with any EMR software I'm aware of. Choose it for your home computer, not for your work tablet.

3. A standard display is fine and the cost of an outdoor display isn't necessary.

4. Don't get a case - it just gets in the way.

There are more choices but this will get you through the basics. If you want to talk about your specific situation or get my recommendations for specific brands and models, email me at john@alltp.com or call 215-441-5580 x101.

Magnetic Stripe Reader for Motion F5/C5 Tablet PCs

Motion Launches Magnetic Stripe Reader for the C5 and F5 Rugged Tablet PCs

EasyConnect magnetic stripe reader provides a convenient solution for point-of-sale transactions

AUSTIN, TX– Jan. 26, 2010 – Motion Computing®, a leading provider of integrated mobile computing solutions, announced today new peripherals designed specifically for the C5 mobile clinical assistant (MCA) and rugged F5 Tablet PC. The new EasyConnect magnetic stripe reader (MSR) provides a convenient and highly mobile point-of-sale (POS) solution, while a new case provides even more options to easily use the Motion^® Tablets while on-the-go.

EasyConnect MSR for Retail POS

The new EasyConnect MSR snaps into the docking connector offering the mobility and productivity of a hand-held POS device, with the flexibility of a powerful PC. Now, as sales representatives use the tablet PCs to help customers identify solutions and place orders, they can also conduct secure credit card transactions in real time, without the need to manage multiple devices. With the mobile broadband and wireless capabilities of the C5 and F5, secure transactions can happen whether retail employees are moving about a store or providing services and solutions in the field.

“Motion continually works with customers to identify solutions that make using tablet PCs at the point of service simple, yet extremely productive,” said Mike Stinson, vice president of marketing, Motion. “The EasyConnect MSR is a direct result of large retail organizations requesting integrated credit card processing capabilities that enhance customer satisfaction, improve the sales process and speed up billing cycle times.”

Do you have more questions about the Motion F5 Rugged Tablet PC or the EasyConnect Magentic Stripe Reader? Call Allegiance Tablet PC Experts, a top Motion Computing partner, at 877-772-5587 and ask to speak to John or Hal or visit our website at http://www.alltp.com/.

Real men use Tablet PCs

Happy New Year!

While others celebrate the virtual arrival of the non-existent Apple tablet, I'm celebrating REAL MEN WHO USE REAL TABLET PCs.


William Pierce, an installer with a satellite TV company, uses a Tablet PC (a REAL one) to complete his paperwork faster right at the customer installation site. If he didn't have a tablet, he'd have to write everything down on paper and then go out to his work van and reenter it onto his company-issued laptop computer.

Luckily, William is a REAL MAN.

Want to demo or rent a Tablet PC?

For almost five years, Allegiance has been the only company that allows customers to try a Tablet PC before they make a purchase. With choices of a 48 hour demo (you pay only shipping) or a two week or month long rental, your organization can make sure that a particular Tablet PC is the right fit before you buy.

The models that we currently offer are the:

Sahara i440D Pen/Touch Slate Tablet PC
Motion Computing F5 Rugged Field Tablet PC
Motion Computing C5 Medical Tablet PC
Motion J3400 Rugged Field Tablet PC
Lenovo X200 Convertible Tablet PC
Fujitsu ST6012 Slate Tablet PC

Along with the tablet, you can demo/rent a docking station, mobile dock and convertible keyboard if it is available for the model you choose.

Since we let you load all your own software on the tablet, you can test the units in your own environment just as you would use them for your daily work.

If you want to learn more about the program, visit out 48 hour demo/rental web page.

Or you can call us at 215-441-5580 x1.

Allegiance' customer Doster Construction featured in Mobile Enterprise Magazine

Our customer, Doster Construction, evaluated a number of handheld and tablet PC options before settling on the Motion Computing F5 Field Tablet PC. They have since implemented 25 of them for their field supers and project managers.

Here is an excerpt from a nice article in Mobile Enteprise Magazine:

Regarded as a national leader in wood-frame construction, Birmingham, AL-based Doster Multifamily celebrated 40 years in the business this year by maximizing workflow on the job site, improving on its already rigorous quality control process and saving time and money on every project.

How did they do it? By implementing rugged tablets and automating field-based processes to connect to backend systems. But, of course, it wasn't just a simple case of design and build.

Doster knew a mobile solution could help it:

• improve communications with subcontractors;


• reduce wasted paper and time spent inputting handwritten field notes;


• improve accuracy of inspection records; and


• track work flow.

The company had deployed PDAs in its Multifamily Division the previous year in an attempt to meet some of these goals. "We went the PDA route initially because it seemed simpler," explains Doster Network Support Specialist CJ Rainer, "We weren't sure if the guys in the field were going to take to using the PDAs, how well they'd grasp the technology, and how excited they'd be about it. We were pleased at how quick they did grasp it and even outgrow it. We were only up a few months before we started to realize we could do more with technology out in the field than what we were able to do with the PDAs."

The PDAs lacked processing power, the screen size was too small to easily collect data in the field, and there had been a few instances of major data loss due to the clumsy and time-consuming process of syncing the handhelds to backend systems. Due to these issues, many workers were still using pen-and-paper to track quality control inspections.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Is GOBI good for Tablet PC users?

Gobi is built-in wireless broadband that, along with a SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card, allows you to connect to the internet on a carrier's cellular network.

The advantage of Gobi for tablet PC owners is that it is built-in so there is nothing to connect and no extra device to lose. Also, you can use a SIM card from any carrier so if you travel a lot you can have a connection to the best network.

The disadvantage is that since the hardware is built-in there is no way to upgrade it when faster technology becomes available. Also, you can't share with another computer like you could with a USB Broadband device. Last, to take advantage of multiple carrier networks, you need multiple SIM cards and a cellular data plan with each carrier - very expensive except for the most intense road warriors.

Here is a link to the Gobi website: http://www.gobianywhere.com/

Here is a link to current tablet products that include Gobi technology: www.gobianywhere.com/products.php

On the list is the Motion J3400, Lenovo X200 and several HP and Panasonic units.