The Rising Popularity of Portable Data Terminals

Portable barcode scanners are also termed as Portable Data Terminals or PDTs which are experts in mobile data collection. They are also predecessors of the modern laptops and effective in an environment where there is dire need for portability and durability. It is the champion of small screen displays and boasts of extremely low voltage memory and low consumption of battery technology. Proprietary technologies are used to power the applications so that they can perform data collection tasks for the enterprise.

With the popularity of personal data assistants, mobile data collection has commenced with enhanced capabilities with the help of new technologies. PDTs can run custom programs and now can widely perform various functions with available programs including worksheet, word processing and e-books. The market for such PDTs has extended to portable mobile computing and has been an instant hit with warehouse users. They have now utilized various mobile platforms and wireless connections and boasts of consistent communication with the use of email, SMS and voice.

With the development and evolution of the new devices, the new Symbol SPT-1700 and SPT-1500 utilized the PalmOS operating system considering the focus of the PDT market, while some of them even embrace the Windows operating system. The portable data terminals have now given way to mobile computers which are capable of many more tasks that the terminals used to perform. The cell phones and the ability of Windows Mobile operating system for efficient cell network identification gives the manufacturers for good "real time" data collection and even generates updates on a regular basis. One can fulfill data collection needs with the help of rugged devices and all types of barcode scanners which are being manufactured off late.

Mobile computers now include several diverse devices which even include laptops to cell phones but portable data collection terminals remain the most basic mobile computers.

The devices include an integrated Barcode Scanner and mainly used for light to industrial purposes. They boast of long battery life and primarily used for data collection by mobile workers and warehouse professionals in all types of job sites or work areas. It has a small display for showing data and a VGA screen which displays only 4 or 5 lines of data at a time. Users can see the data which is being collected depending on the query results related to data entry operations.

The devices also feature a robust UI which also include physical keys or a touch screen with a persistent memory.

It collects reference data for transfer to a PC with the help of wireless connectivity through WAN and WLAN using the latest connectivity standards. The wireless network connections are basically strong enough. The other connectivity option is PAN which sports Bluetooth wireless connectivity for connecting devices such as printers and keyboards. The data transfer connections from and to a PC are usually performed through a physical connection and include peripheral devices including printers and modems. The devices and PDTs also have a robust GUI interface which helps in an efficient working of the device for long period of time.

An Overview about the Best-in-class printers: Printronix and Datamax

Printronix and Datamax are known to create barcode printers of the best quality which boast of incredible performance.

About Printronix

Printronix is one of the unique suppliers of line matrix and thermal bar code printers. The company also manufactures innovative radio frequency identification (RFID) devices and mobility solutions. Printronix is known for their series of barcode printers which can deliver quality and huge quantity printing of reports.

The company has four manufacturing facilities along with four other locations used for sales and services on a global scale. Here is a list of products that have been manufactured by the company:

Line matrix printers: The series P7000 Cartridge Series has a long line of best-in-class printers along with the Tally Genicom lineup which consists of 6600, 6600Q, 6600Z line matrix printers

Thermal bar code printers: T5000r ENERGY STAR is one of the popular devices while the other thermal barcode printers include the T4M and the PrintCart Powered Printer Workstation

RFID printers: Printronix SL5000r ENERGY STAR is one of the well-known RFID printers manufactured by Printronix. It achieved huge success on its launch. PrintCart Powered Printer Workstation and Online Data Validation (ODV) are thermal barcode printers which can function as RFID printers too

Scanners and verifiers: The SV Series is a popular scanner from the Printronix family of products.

Software solutions: PrintNet Enterprise is printing software while the other software includes the TN5250 and TN3270 Emulation, and Microsoft BizTalk RFID along with the AutoID Data Manager. Printronix is aware of the necessity of “going green” and hence offers key ecological benefits in its range of products especially the laser and serial dot matrix printers.

Printronix’s environmental initiatives include the development of line matrix printers which meet the eco-friendly ENERGY STAR® standards. All TallyGenicom printers including the 6600 and P7000 cartridge series are manufactured as per its green initiative standards. The company offers benefits related to 40 percent operational energy savings compared to laser printers.

There are additional environmental advantages of each of the line matrix printers developed by Printronix:

• Reduction of Waste
• High recycled content paper
• Easy recycling of paper which is printed
• Reduction in ozone level
• The laser toner cartridges are devoid of harmful particulates

About Datamax

Datamax-O'Neil is a barcode label printer manufacturer which deals with printers used especially for industrial uses. Datamax started in 1977 and is headquartered in Orlando, FL. Datamax was acquired by the Dover Corporation seven years back. Dover Corp. includes many other technology companies within the Auto-ID industry. Datamax became Datamax-O'Neil in 2009 due to a merger with O’Neill.

Datamax printers include thermal printers and thermal transfer label printers which are manufactured for creating barcode labels and are used mostly in warehouses and logistics. Fed Ex or UPS are carriers which utilize such printers for barcode labelling.

Datamax printers are usually of similar type but are grouped according to where they can be used: whether they can be used at office or desktop or in environments such as healthcare, industrial or even an educational setup.

Printers are manufactured in various widths including 4 inches, 6 inches and 8 inches according to the standards. Wide range of labels can be produced from varied widths. Datamax printers are versatile enough so that the label can be printed both sideways or upside down.

Barcode Scanners and Barcode Printers - Portable, Handy and Efficient!

Barcode printers and Barcode scanners help in the printing and scanning of barcodes in demanding environments. Hence it is important to choose the best ones for use.

The world of barcodes started with the Traditional one-dimensional bar codes which depended on the width for detecting account numbers. With the progress and innovations in the field, there are 2-D bar codes which have to be scanned horizontally and vertically since they have info on both angles. There are two versions of 2-D barcodes including the PDF417 and MaxiCode. PDF417 is used for general purposes while MaxiCode is used for high speed sorting of barcodes.

One needs to be well versed with the recent technologies and offerings for gauging if a product can be good for your needs. Barcode printers and scanners are manufactured by different companies across the world, but the efficiency of those printers varies in terms of their robustness and printing speed. The clarity of the printing also matters a lot. The barcodes need to be printed before the products feature at the retail counter. The labeling technology should be very good for printing good quality prints which can be stuck on any type of product.

A barcode’s readability also depends on the overall print quality which should be assessed before buying a barcode printer. Barcode printers help in printing good quality barcode labels which are attached to products in stores. The shipments which carry goods feature barcodes in different sizes. The retail items are with universal product codes too which are the same for that kind of product of the same company.

Desktop barcode printers are thought to be perfect for point-of-sale counters while there are industrial barcode printers which are perfect for harsh industrial areas especially manufacturing facilities and goods warehouses. They are helpful in inventory management in warehouses and can withstand any shift in temperature and falls from great heights.

Most of the handheld barcode printers are good in printing quality and especially suitable for printing clear and good quality barcodes. The normal speed of the printer in this context is around 12 inches per second. Thermal printers can easily print a roll one at a time. Printing can be regulated and made slow if the density of barcodes is high. There are a host of well-known companies who provide great quality barcode printers including Intermec, Honeywell etc.

Barcode Scanners, on the other hand are fantastic portable devices which are used for scanning and procuring information from barcodes. There are two parts in a scanner: the code reader and the decoder. Scanners are connected through ports to laptops and computers.

Fixed light and photo sensors were used for barcode scanning in early days. Nowadays there are scanners which include polygon-shaped mirrors and advanced scanning technology.

Bar code scanners are easily available in plethora of types and there are companies who have manufactured different models of scanners for different uses. The barcode scanners can be hands-free, laser and even wearable.

Nearly all scanners are adequately rugged and digital to withstand harsh and demanding environments. Barcode scanners also come in pen-wand shapes and features outstanding scanning resolution. Mobile barcode scanners are the indicators of the latest trends in the technological industry. These are efficient scanners which scan images quickly and easily.

An Introduction to Barcode Scanners and Printer Terminals

There are various barcode scanners and portable terminals available in the market today. But there are special ones which can be used for some purposes. Barcode Scanners Nowadays there are various varieties of light weight barcode scanners which can be operated manually. They are used in any area, where there is a need for scanning of barcodes especially in retail outlets, libraries, service sector, warehouses, hospitals and other organizations. These types of scanners are usually with CCD / Laser / Imaging technology. The barcode scanners are used primarily for reading barcodes printed on all types of surfaces. They consist of a light source, powerful lenses and a photo conductor for converting the optical impulses into electrical ones. The devices are very useful in collecting and processing barcodes and sending them through data capturing solutions to various repositories. Here are some of the types of barcode scanners that you can find:

Table Top:

This category of scanners is heavier than the hand-held category and is connected to computers. They are also termed as stationary scanners. These scanners can be fixed vertically or horizontally and capable of 100% scanning of barcodes irrespective of the label’s orientation.

Wireless:

These barcode scanners are mostly hand held and can be used with the help of a manual trigger especially for scanning objects which have some or the other logistic constraint. These scanners are complex and costly. The best wireless scanners have multiple options for scanning and resolution.

Memory Scanners:

Memory scanners are quite light weight and extremely economical. It can be used in multiple environments where the data that needs to be scanned is not of gigantic proportions. Hand held terminals Hand help Terminal is a fantastic and compact communication device which utilizes wireless technology. It features a small display screen and a key pad too.

The terminals are advantageous in the long run since it is a paperless operation and saves time for more transactions. Additionally the labor costs involved are not huge.

The large displays on the terminals are useful for scanning critical and important data. There are useful alerts for low battery capacity or even to indicate low coverage of network. One can view mission critical information clearly in such a visual format. The terminals are also open to customization for meeting specific needs.

The GPS features on portable terminals are useful and the relevant position information can be stored as a reference for later use. The terminals are also extremely safe and secure for usage on field scenarios. There is radio embedded in the device for alerts and alarms which disseminates the coordinates of the predefined destination over the network.

Liberty Systems' expansive product line is comprised of a wide variety of new and refurbished products including portable data terminals, barcode scanners, wireless networks and rugged barcode printers. We also specialize in WMS software and ERP interface software for wireless networks.