Group Mobile to Attend the Alabama Automotive Conference — Rugged Mobile Technology for the Manufacturing Floor

Do you want to boost productivity and quality control in your manufacturing facility? Rugged mobile devices implemented into the manufacturing floor room will increase quality control, keep suppliers accountable for compliance issues, provide workers with real-time information allowing for timely and well-informed decisions, plus add a layer of protection and safety to your customers.

Rugged Computers for Manufacturing

Whether your work takes place in an indoor factory handling assembly, repair, and maintenance, or an outdoor site, your computing needs go beyond normal. Manufacturing floors require resiliency, mobility, and the ruggedness to withstand the demands of a manufacturing environment.

The average laptop, desktop, or mobile PC cannot handle the environmental hazards of a manufacturing workplace or the vibrations generated by manufacturing equipment–forklifts, heavy machinery, and power tools. In addition, a manufacturing environment isn’t always the most convenient location for the IT department, so you better have something that won’t stop working.

Why a Rugged Computer for Manufacturing?

In a manufacturing environment, being careful with the equipment just isn’t good enough. Exposure to dusty air, extreme temperature fluctuations, powerful vibrations, chemicals, drops, and the many other things that afflict the average computer in a manufacturing job site plague even the most careful equipment handlers. Certain hazards are simply unavoidable.

But avoiding hazards is only part of the solution for providing durable computers in a rugged environment. You also need your computers to have constant access to real-time data and the capacity to integrate with applications and networks, so you can identify and communicate with automated manufacturing stations within the manufacturing network.

USB connectors, RFID readers, and bar code scanners need to function seamlessly with rugged computing devices so you can manage parts installation and inspection, collect data for compliance reporting, track inventory and assets, and mobilize workflow.

Rugged Mobile Computing for the Aerospace and Aviation Industry

All manufacturing facilities carry a certain amount of pressure. Companies that manufacture defective merchandise soon go out of business and often find themselves in court fending off lawsuits.

Lack of manufacturing precision in the aerospace and aviation industry produces disastrous results. Aviation and aerospace manufacturers deliver the most sophisticated and automated aircraft ever. And those life or death designs and calculations often depend on the dependability of your computing devices. In short, you don’t manufacture advanced airplanes and components without using the most advanced equipment.

With the right rugged device you can increase efficiency and cost-effectiveness with highly flexible mobile workflows powered by technology. From initial testing to takeoff, manufacturers of all sizes involve themselves with design implementation, maintenance and repair, frame inspections, electrical systems testing, communications testing, safety compliance, and myriad other operations that those outside of manufacturing do not understand.

Having the right people on the right device to manage and coordinate workflow is necessary.

Rugged Mobile Computing for Auto Manufacturers

Consumers demand more reliability and safety with their automobiles. Other than driver competence, nothing contributes more to the safety of automobiles than automobile manufacturers. Manufacturers, therefore, require technology that helps provide the reliability consumers demand.

In addition, automobile manufacturers must provide fuel-efficient, technologically advanced vehicles in order to compete. Regardless of your role in the automotive manufacturing and supply chain, you’re under a lot of pressure.

Plant production managers, assembly line operators, and auto manufacturing inspectors require and demand unlimited access to data at all hours. They require data from electronic user manuals, work orders, repair tickets, and shipping labels. Paperless rugged mobile computing devices and networks are the best way to deliver real-time data, schedule parts delivery, and track quality.

Rugged Computing Benefits

Regardless of what you manufacture, maintain, or repair, the right rugged computing devices provide numerous benefits. These benefits include the following:

• Durability and Dependability
• Streamlined Manufacturing Floor Processes
• Paperless Factories
• Accelerated Delivery of Information
• Refined Maintenance Planning
• Improved Workforce Scheduling
• Improved Incident Management
• Greater Access to User Manuals
• Longer Battery Life
• Better Documentation
• Greater Mobility
• Quicker Documentation

When it comes to mobile computing in manufacturing, you need devices as rugged as the people who make a living doing rugged things.

Group Mobile specializes in providing a perfectly customized mobile solution for every customer. Contact a sales professional today for more information.

 

Group Mobile will be attending the Southern Automotive Conference. This event brings together more than 1,000 influential industry leaders from across the United States and internationally. An unforgettable lineup of speakers, networking events, food, drink and music for an ultimate experience in Birmingham next week! Visit us at Booth #628!

Location: BJCC Exhibition Hall • 1962 9th Ave N • Birmingham AL

Labor Day 2017: Honoring the Great American Mobile Worker!

Do you know the history of Labor Day in the United States?

We all know about Labor Day. After all, who wouldn’t want to be informed about an extra day off work? Just because we know that the day is a rest from our labor doesn’t mean we know the true history behind Labor Day. Here’s a quick overview of why we celebrate Labor Day.

Labor Day got its start in the late 1800’s, when union leaders in New York City decided that they wanted to host a massive festival for workers across the city. Because Labor Day was not yet a national holiday, in order to attend those laborers would have to give up a day’s wages. Early in the first Labor Day celebration—which was held on September 5th, 1882—few people turned out. Over the course of the day, more and more people joined the festivities and by the day’s end the rally boasted 10,000 people!

News of this celebration of hard-working Americans and all our labor force has contributed to the nation spread, and in 1887 Oregon became the first state to declare Labor Day an official holiday. It took just under a decade for the festivities to gain traction across the country, and in 1896 President Grover Cleveland declared the first Monday in September as an official national holiday to celebrate American laborers.

This year on Labor Day, Group Mobile is honoring mobile workers! The world’s mobile worker population will reach 1.3 billion in 2016, representing 37.2% of the total workforce. Mobile workers, virtual workers, freelancers, independent contractors, and other terms have been used to describe those of us who more or less works anytime, anywhere. And this type of work is becoming a new norm around the world, so the growth of mobile workers is likely to continue. Such workers often work from multiple locations, and use at least three devices. Mobile workers carry their work in their pockets or carrying case, powered by a multitude of applications. Group Mobile would like to invite mobile workers to visit our website, here you will find a large selection of hardware and a suite for professional services perfectly suited for mobile industries!

Three different Getac devices are in stock and ready to ship in 48 hours, the Getac V110 convertible laptop, F110 rugged tablet and S410 semi-rugged laptop. These rugged computers are three of the most popular computers manufactured by Getac with the most popular custom features on the market.

Enter Discount Code: LABORDAY

How to Guarantee Your Agency Will Have In-Vehicle Connectivity and Ensure Success for Mission Critical Applications

Technology in the squad car is advancing every day which means staying on top of the best IT advances can be a huge challenge for any department.  Video surveillance, license plate recognition (ALPR), electronic ticketing systems and the latest vehicle dispatching and tracking technologies enable officers to safely cover more area, and coordinate with other officers and agencies. Today’s police officers, paramedics, firefighters, utility workers, transit operators, and other public safety workers rely on advanced mobile applications, such as automatic vehicle location, traffic signal prioritization, computer aided dispatch, route and schedule management, and fare payment systems that increase productivity and improve safety.

The main point of access for these applications is often from the vehicle, because it’s equipped with onboard wireless connectivity and transmits and receives data on a nearly continual basis. In-vehicle connectivity has become customary, with first responders and field service personnel driving cars, vans, and trucks equipped with a network connection that provides convenient access to voice, text, and video data.  However, if the vehicle has only one onboard connection, the setup involves a certain amount of risk. Any issues with network coverage, bandwidth, or usage can mean delayed communications or, worse yet, no communications at all. Losing the onboard connection can have extreme consequences, and can even mean the difference between life and death. How do you reduce this risk?  By adding at least one more onboard network connection you can greatly reduce this risk. An alternative connection – to a secondary cellular network or some other format, such as Wi-Fi or satellite – creates a layer of insurance. When the primary connection isn’t up to the task, the alternate connection can be brought online to keep communications intact. Having two or more available connections onboard the vehicle, or “multi-networking”, protects against worst-case scenarios, and increases resilience for emergency response and other in-field services.

So, what is involved in a multi-network concept? A multi-network concept refers to any setup that provides the vehicle with more than one network connection, meaning, there can be a mix of technologies onboard ranging from cellular and Wi-Fi to LMR, satellite, or new formats as they come online, such as the FirstNet network for public safety. A multi-network router installed in the vehicle is used to manage the switches from network to network. So, when are these typical network changeovers? Changeovers usually happen at three points of operation: When leaving the depot and transitioning from Wi-Fi to cellular, when returning to the depot and transitioning back from cellular to Wi-Fi, and while the vehicle is in motion, with the router switching from one network to another to optimize in-field connectivity.

With the right multi-network solution in place, changeovers from one network to another can happen automatically without any kind of manual intervention, and the necessary security protocols are maintained without interrupting the flow of work, even when there’s a VPN (Virtual Private Network) involved. Furthermore, the selection criteria for each network connection can be customized, based on things such as vehicle location, vehicle speed, or the type of data being transmitted. The overall result is more efficient network usage, more effective field services and lower operating costs. Law enforcement and other organizations are now using more video, and at a higher resolution. The video is typically stored in the vehicle and then transmitted to the backend system at periodic intervals. The mobile router can be configured to use a dedicated link to send video, so the data-intensive video transmissions don’t disrupt or slow down the other services in use. Alternatively, the router can be configured to send video transmissions when the vehicle returns to its home base, using the depot’s faster, more secure Wi-Fi connection to transfer video. Now, how to choose the right mobile router for your workforce to ensure connectivity in the field.

The operating costs and in-field effectiveness of a multi-network platform are heavily influenced by the ability of the router to manage seamless network changeovers and protect data. The router’s switching speed, security features, and programmability all affect how well the solution performs, and how much it costs to manage. It’s important to consider all these factors when evaluating the various options available for mobile multi-networking.

Transitioning to a multi-network environment is a serious undertaking. To maximize your return on investment and fully realize the benefit to your organization we recommend three things to look for in a multi-network mobile router:

1. Switching speeds that are fast enough to support seamless connectivity.
2. The ability to provide continuous security without impacting performance.
3. A policy engine that can be configured for intelligent switching and customized operation.

Choosing a mobile router that meets all three criteria lets you create a multi-networking environment that not only enhances efficiency but also adds value. Group Mobile works closely with Sierra Wireless to offer the world a comprehensive offering of hardware, software, and services for connected devices and machine-to-machine communications. Together, Group Mobile and Sierra Wireless provide innovative, reliable and high performing solutions.

Group Mobile’s team of industry experts can assist you in selecting, designing and implementing a multi-network environment for mission-critical fleets, request a free personalized quote.

Popular Accessories for Rugged Tablets, Laptops and Handheld Computers!

With so many rugged accessories to choose from today, how do you evaluate the must-have accessories you need for optimum productivity? So, you’ve selected the rugged device that will work best for you: a tablet, handheld or laptop that’s tough enough to handle everything you do across the course of your daily job responsibilities. Or, maybe your IT department has chosen the rugged computer for you and your department and you’re not exactly sure how to make it work as a valuable tool for you. The next step is selecting the mobile accessories to accompany your rugged computing device: the additional tools that will make it possible for you to handle your daily job tasks as easily on the road or in the field as you do in the safety and comfort of a traditional office.

So, first evaluate your job requirements and begin to ask yourself the following questions: Do I need to use my rugged tablet or laptop in a company or personal vehicle? Do I need the ability to print or scan documents while on the road or in the field? Will I be charging my rugged computer in my vehicle?  Do I need the ability to dock my tablet or laptop inside my office for use at my desk? Do I need connectivity over commercial, municipal or public safety wireless networks using either a built-in or plug-in data card or mobile router? Do I need a shoulder strap to easily carry my tablet or laptop in the field? Will I be using my rugged laptop or tablet on a forklift therefore requiring a forklift computer mount? Will I be operating my rugged device for long hours which will require a spare battery for my device? Do I need a bar code scanner to read labels from just a few inches to 40-feet away? Do I need a rugged keyboard to easily attach and remove from the unit and often fold for easy transport? These are only a few of the vital questions to consider when evaluating your work environment and what must-have rugged computing accessories you need for optimum productivity.

There are plenty of accessories to choose from, but these five must-have rugged computing accessories will help make your daily tasks easier and ensure your rugged device keeps up with all of your needs to increase productivity and efficiency at work, now who doesn’t want that?

1. Rugged Printers and Scanners

How many times have you been out on a job site, only to discover that you needed to share information with someone in paper form? From printing out critical instructions for a patient in need of detailed care to printing an invoice or receipt on the go, you can’t always rely on digital formats. Public safety and field service workers heavily rely on the availability of rugged mobile vehicle printers. Mobile rugged printers are easy to operate and maintain in the field, offering full-page printing with high resolution text, graphics and images. Another added benefit to mobile rugged printers is how easily adaptable they are to almost any vehicle in your fleet. Rugged printers are just as tough as your rugged tablet or laptop and can be easily attached to your device for precise, professional and simple mobile printing.

Many people working in realty, home healthcare, insurance appraisal, police, legal, and construction to name a few will highly benefit from a rugged vehicle scanner. Do you really need a rugged scanner? It depends on what your job entails! If you regularly handle a great deal of paperwork while you’re on the road or find yourself needing to get clients’ signatures in the system quickly, a rugged scanner can help provide the speed you and your clients need to keep your day running smoothly.

2. Rugged Keyboards
   

Rugged keyboards are ergonomic and can be an invaluable tool for workers in the field. Many rugged keyboards are completely sealed form the elements and designed with LED backlit keys for use in dark environments or inside vehicles at night. Rugged keyboards are used by police, medical professionals including travel nurses, oil and gas, mining and energy, EMS and fire and fleet management. Rugged keyboards designed specifically for your business will provide real return on investment and exceptional value.

3. Vehicle Mounts

Some people are perfectly content to store their rugged devices in a bag or case, pulling it out whenever they need it. In other cases, however, you may find yourself wanting to install your rugged device within your vehicle. Vehicle mounts are the perfect mobile solution: they hold your device where you need it, making sure that it’s always at hand. Vehicle mounting solutions offer a flexible form factor that delivers strength and durability to protect your technology investment. Worried about drilling in your vehicle? Consider the No-Drill vehicle mounting solution — installation is simple with the use of your existing passenger side seat leg bolts. Several adjustment points throughout the mount enable you to position your laptop in the most ergonomic and comfortable position possible.

4. Power Accessories

You don’t always have the luxury of heading back to the office to plug in your device as the battery starts to run low. When that flashing power indicator shows up, you want to have options! Some rugged devices offer hot swappable batteries allowing you to swap out the battery while your device is still running. In other cases, a vehicle charger will be enough. Wherever your day takes you, make sure you have plenty of battery power to keep pushing through your work day.

5. Gateways and Modems

Do you need internet connectivity no matter where you are? If being able to bring in data is a critical part of your daily job, you need to be sure that you’ll get wireless access no matter where your day takes you. Gateways and modems will provide the wireless signal your device needs to ensure that you have access no matter how far from the office, or how far off the beaten path you might be on a given day. Carry the internet with you wherever you go and enjoy the assurance that data is just the press of a button away. Many companies rely on mobile workers that need access to the same tools available at the office.  These tools need to be accessible anytime, anywhere – even for workers in vehicles, on the move and at remote work sites. Organizations can more efficiently manage operations by knowing the location and status of their mobile assets.

Once you’ve selected your rugged device, make sure that you have the accessories that will accompany it to make your work day run smoother and more productive. Our team of mobile solution experts can evaluate your business and streamline a solution to increase productivity and efficiency of your workers — a common goal we all have in mind.

Contact a Group Mobile sales professional to get started.

How Secure is Your Mobile Router? How to Ensure Your Organization is Protected!

Do you ever wonder how easy it is to hack a mobile router? Is your fleet or agency at risk? Workers in the field need easy access to mission-critical data, plus a way for supervisors to control and manage vehicle operations, therefore a mobile router is a necessity to create a unique Vehicle Area Network (VAN). The VAN creates a secure, encrypted mobile hotspot, in and around the vehicle, so front line personnel can use a mobile device like a rugged tablet, smartphone or rugged laptop to access secure databanks. Designing and implementing a secure, multi-network setup for public safety professionals to use can be challenging. For instance, police officers work across multiple networks as coverage dictates, and require the hand-offs between networks to be quick, secure, transparent, and seamless to the user.

Managing a VAN means dealing with frequent connects and disconnects, and IP addresses that change regularly. This type of dynamic operating environment makes it harder to partition and segment the network, and makes it harder to protect transmissions. Without the proper security mechanisms in place, the network risks being accessed by unauthorized users and is more vulnerable to various types of attacks. That includes Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which can shut down operations and act as a smokescreen for other malicious activities, such as viruses and ransomware.

Mobile routers and gateways are entry points to an enterprise intranet, so it’s vitally important to implement equipment secure enough to provide the right level of safety. Because there are no specific guidelines or regulations covering the security of in-vehicle networking equipment, the decision of how much or how little protection to offer is, by and large, up to the vendor. Some offer more security features than others, and some have a more comprehensive strategy than others for dealing with security in an in-vehicle environment. Make sure the vendor you choose has been around for a while, comes highly recommended, and has a lot of product in the field —this will make a big difference, especially when problems arise. These points play a heavy role in why public safety officials choose Sierra Wireless time and time again.

When choosing a secure mobile router selection, begin with these questions:

• Does your vendor have a dedicated department that leads and coordinates security efforts?
• Do they recognize best practices for security and implement them across all their products and systems?
• Do they employ subject-matter experts who drive company-wide initiatives for security?
• Is there a standardized process for identifying, evaluating, and fixing any security
  issues with their products? How do they decide which issues to address first?
• How good are they at helping IT teams understand what needs to be done? Do they take a proactive approach on security matters, with regular updates, email alerts, and technical bulletins that keep customers aware of the latest security issues?

Your mobile network can involve hundreds of vehicle-mounted gateways, which can create a complex management project for you or your IT staff. With the right partnership, you will be able to deploy the best, most cost-effective network for your needs. Your partner should be capable of covering the entire experience from planning and design, through implementation and test, to full operation and complete project life cycle management, so you can leverage their expertise, as needed, at any point along the way. Contact one of Group Mobile’s mobile technology experts to learn more on secure mobile router implementation and management.

4 Benefits of 4G LTE — How It’s Taken Place On the Forefront of American Life

Over the last decade or so, mobile computing has taken a place on the forefront of nearly every facet of American life. Whether your business is public safety,  field service, manufacturing, transportation, or construction the ability to quickly access the internet and use connected devices is indispensable. That means we need access to the latest in network technology. That’s where 4G LTE comes in, and while it’s been around since about 2010, it’s still being improved upon.  LTE stands for “Long Term Evolution”, and true to the name, it’s still evolving. According to the International Telecommunication Union, 4G technology is supposed to reach download speeds of 100 Mbps. That’s what 4G LTE networks are “evolving” toward. While they may not quite be there yet, they are the fastest mobile networks on the commercial market today — 4G LTE provides some significant benefits for mobile computing. Sierra Wireless offers a comprehensive portfolio of wireless devices, including 2G, 3G, and 4G embedded modules and gateways which are seamlessly integrated with our secure cloud and connectivity services.

Today, 96.2 million people work using mobile, and according to International Data Corporation (IDC), “the U.S. mobile worker population will grow at a steady rate over the next five years — to 105.4 million mobile workers in 2020. By the end of this projected period, IDC expects mobile workers will account for nearly three quarters (72.3%) of the total U.S. workforce.” 4G LTE networks, combined with increasingly powerful mobile devices, enabling platforms, and enterprise applications, allow employees to work almost anywhere and make decisions much faster, resulting in significant productivity improvements.

Here are four benefits of 4G LTE:

Speed

Speed might be the biggest benefit of 4G LTE networks. The last generation 3G networks had a download speed that capped at about 200 Kbps or 0.2 Mbps, which is 1/500th the max speed that 4G LTE networks can potentially reach. Even if they don’t, however, just half of 4G LTE’s possible 100 Mbps is leaps and bounds ahead of what 3G could put out at its absolute peak.

The benefits of this speed increase are obvious. It allows us to get more done, enjoy more entertainment, or work more efficiently. Essentially, the speed of 4G LTE allows us to get much more out our time and our laptops and rugged tablets than we ever could have hoped to before.

All IP

While the titanic boost in speed might be the most obvious benefit of 4G LTE networks, it’s not the only one. Until the advent of 4G LTE, most cellular networks were circuit switched. To avoid getting too technical, let’s just say that circuit switched networks were far less efficient than the “Internet Protocol” or “IP” based networks that 4G LTE uses.

Better Audio/Visual Quality

One of the most common uses of mobile computing devices involve communication of some sort. Along with text communications like IM or SMS, phone calls and video calls are also some of the most common uses for mobile devices. 4G LTE allows for far better quality sound and video. This is the result of the switch from circuit switched networks to IP based networks.

The reason that circuit switched networks cause lower quality audio and video is because they only offer narrowband communications. This is what caused voices to sound echoed over older phones, and also why mobile video chat was chopping and pix-elated until the advent of 4G LTE. Basically, narrowband is just a type of telecommunication that carries voice on a narrow band of frequencies. It’s specifically the band that is set aside for radio services by the FCC. It works well enough if all you need to do is talk on the phone, but it can’t keep up with today’s more technologically demanding mobile computing needs especially for industries such as law enforcement where data communications must be at its finest.

Network Administration

If you’re on the business end of mobile computing, then you’re probably pretty concerned with the financial benefits. Luckily, they are numerous. With circuit switching networks, once a phone call is established, the circuit stays connected whether or not anyone on the call is speaking. On the other hand, IP networks are much more flexible and can share resources far more efficiently. This, along with the vastly improved speed means there are significant financial benefits to using 4G LTE networks.

For more information on mobile computing contact one of Group Mobile’s industry leading technology experts.