Lenovo announces the X201 Convertible Tablet PC
Building on the success of its earlier convertible Tablet PC models (the X41, X60 and X200), Lenovo today announced the release of the ThinkPad X201 Tablet.
First, let me highlight some of the major changes:
There will be two choices for the Core i7 processor – the 2.13GHz Intel Core i7-640LM and the 2.0GHz Intel Core i7-620LM. For the Operating System you can choose Windows 7 (Ultimate, Professional or Home Premium) or Windows XP Professional. While you can put up to 8Gb RAM in the unit, Windows 32-bit only supports 3Gb and Windows 64-bit will use 4Gb so I guess that is pertinent only to a non-Windows OS.
The Lenovo X201 Tablet PC will weigh a little more than its predecessor. The model with a 4-cell battery weighs 3.57 pounds and the 8-cell version weighs 3.95 pounds (previously 3.88). For the display, the choices of LED WXGA, Multitouch LED WXGA and SuperBright Outdoor LED WXGA are available in a 12.1” panel.
So far, we only have information about one TopSeller bundle available and the specs aren’t complete but I’m personally excited because this one has the SuperBright display, a feature we haven’t seen in any of these well-priced bundles.
The bundle is as follows:
Lenovo X201T
These TopSeller bundles usually come with a 3 year parts and labor warranty. I’ll let you know more as it comes available.
Update: We now have TopSeller bundles available for pre-order. Visit our Tablet PC Store for more information.
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
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. N
ow, 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/.
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.
Last year I wrote an article about saving money by purchasing Lenovo TopSeller X200 Tablet PCs versus purchasing directly from Lenovo online. Recently, I revisited their website to see if the pricing gap had narrowed. It hasn't.
ice, appraisers can import measurements directly into DaVinci Mobile Pro. Along with the sketching features built into DaVinci Mobile Pro, the Disto and a tablet PC make a total solution that saves appraisers time and money.
Tracking of Safety Equipment Made Easy with Handheld RFID Readers
Construction and manufacturing companies are required by law to conduct regular inspections on safety equipment such as eyewashes, safety showers and fire extinguishes. An essential part of these inspections is the accurate identification of each location where the equipment resides, regardless of its location (regularly changing) and the environment (dirt, dust, corrosive chemicals). If the location cannot be verified, the equipment at that location cannot be passed as safe.
Tuscaloosa, AL, January 16, 2009 --(PR.com)-- CASE Inc, an Alabama based software development company, has developed an RFID tracking solution for safety equipment incorporating handheld RFID readers from Tracient Technologies and Motion F5 tablet PC’s. The solution is designed for construction and manufacturing companies who are required by law to conduct regular inspections on safety equipment such as eyewashes, safety showers and fire extinguishes. An essential part of these inspections is the accurate identification of each location where the equipment resides, regardless of its location (regularly changing) and the environment (dirt, dust, corrosive chemicals). If the location cannot be verified, the equipment at that location cannot be passed as safe.
Manual data entry from testing is time consuming and creates an unacceptable opportunity for error, especially through operators selecting incorrect equipment records or equipment locations in the database / handheld application. So CASE Inc has developed an RFID based solution for verifying the location of safety equipment in a fast, accurate and effective way using existing off-the-shelf hardware along with custom written software.
CASE Inc CEO Thomas McKane says “We considered using Barcodes but found they were are out of the question due to degradation and cost of replacing stickers when they became worn and/or unusable. Outdoor use and use around mostly metal areas makes barcode stickers hard to place and use. RFID tags have proven to be far more versatile and don’t need ‘refreshing’ as they get dirty.”
CASE found the RFID tags also provided certainly. RFID tags are unique whereas barcodes can be duplicated, not guaranteeing true proximity verification.
CASE’s choice of hardware started with Motion F5 tablet PC’s and docking stations because of the built-in camera, WIFI, and durability in harsh conditions. However the F5’s built-in RFID readers didn’t always work around metal and the tablets would not fit into small, hard to reach areas where tags were sometimes mounted. Tracient’s hand-held Padl-R HF readers were selected to overcome these limitations, ensuring that inspections could be carried out 100% of the time. Connected to the tablet via Bluetooth, the Padl-Rs provided a quicker wand-like reading solution than the built-in tablet reader, cutting the time in half when inspecting hundreds of points per inspection.
Tracient’s readers were chosen because of their small size and competitive pricing, considerably less than comparable readers found in the United States. Their ease of use was also a big advantage - only 10 minutes of training per operator was needed to begin using the readers reliably.
Thomas McKane, CEO, CASE Inc says “The quality has been excellent and integration has been very easy. The support and sales teams from Tracient are highly professional, we are continually impressed with their response time and knowledge in the field of RFID technology. So far it has proved to be a perfect decision to use their readers.”
CASE chose RFID Tags from FerroxTag due to the low price/point and compatibility with metal in an industrial environment.
CASE’s rapid prototyping software development was used to write the inspection software. The software was loaded onto the Motion F5 tablets were it was used to match tag ID’s with the corresponding location. The tablets ran SQL 2005 Express which the CASE software used to reference the RFID tag ID's and verify the location. The tablets then sync’d with a master SQL 2005 server via WiFi or CAT5 connections.
In March 2008 a large US based manufacturing company (who wishes to remain anonymous) allowed CASE to begin testing the solution in one of their facilities. Testing started with approximately 50 RFID tags in highly critical safety areas, focusing on the more important inspections. The tags were placed in locations where inspections could be verified, i.e. pump houses, storm water drains etc. Different environments were also tested, including wood, metal and plastic. The testing revealed the read distance to the tags was fairly consistent, regardless of the environment, with the Padl-R typically reading the FerroxTags at 1-2 inches (2-4 cm). After several months of testing, CASE moved on to other facilities.
The trial proved the following benefits:
- Significantly reduced time to manage and verify inspections. The average time for an inspection was cut by 1/3rd.
- Verifiable inspections that cannot be fabricated with pencil and paper.
- A completely paperless solution, creating cost reduction by removing the expense of paper and paper storage.
- A much cleaner and safer workplace creating better working conditions for employees.
CASE Inc believes their solution will provide their customers with long term cost reduction in environmental/safety compliance due to less environmental fines and fewer safety accidents. They believe the solution is both robust and long lasting because if RFID tags change in the future, the Tracient readers follow industry standard protocols and offer compatibility with most brands and types.
Thomas McKane says “This is great as it has freed us from having to deal with proprietary hardware, which reduces costs in the long term and increases flexibility regarding the choice of tag.”
CASE Inc intend to market the solution to manufacturers, construction companies and utility providers through out the United States.
