Symbol PPT8800
Following a very similar philosophy to the Intermec, the Symbol PDA is much smaller but still bulky in a pocket.
Like the Intermec, the Symbol unit has built in Wireless LAN and also a laser bar code scanner. Neither units come with protective covers however their design ensures that they would be hard to damage (although the touch screens leave us wondering a little what would happen if one was pressed a little too hard or jabbed with a sharp implement). They both come with handy elastic straps on the rear, so operators can slip them around their wrists to reduce the chance of dropping the unit.
Running Microsoft Windows CE .NET this device has a distinctively different feel to the Microsoft Pocket PC Devices (more like your traditional Microsoft desktop OS environment). The stylus is held in a recessed silo on the rear of the unit. While not attached to the PDA like the Intermec's was, the Symbol stylus is bright yellow.
While the Symbol unit was not difficult to set up on a wireless LAN, we found that it refused to talk with our test rig's access point. (Refer to the troubles that we had with the HP unit.) Nevertheless, this is not the first wireless network card or access point that has refused to interoperate between brands--like all relatively new technologies, it may take a while to settle down and get everything working as it should. The only way to be 100 percent sure is to test before you buy. When we used a different brand of access point, the Symbol unit immediately recognised it and worked as it should.
Quite compact for such a rugged unit, it's definitely worth considering if you need a tough handheld.
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| Product: | Symbol PPT8846 |
| Price: | AU$3000 (subject to variations) |
| Vendor: | Symbol |
| Phone: | 03 9862 7000 |
| Web: | www.symbol.com |
| Interoperability: |
½
Windows-based, may have wireless issues (see review). |
| Futureproofing: |
No expansion slots available, but includes integrated bar code scanner. Very rugged. |
| ROI: |
Cheaper than the Intermec, but would need to be compared with your exact specifications. |
| Service: |
12-month warranty. |
| Rating: |
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