Understanding and Purchasing Mobile Devices is Easier than You Might Think

When considering changes or future additions to your mobile technology platform, it's important to make informed decisions that will help you get the most from your investment. In-Vehicle computing has come a long way over the years; let's begin with a brief history.

Mobile Data Terminals (MDT's)

Introduced over 26 years ago, the MDT systems had limited functionality and were essentially dumb terminals connected to the station via the radio network. The MDT was used in less than 20% of law enforcement vehicles before the adoption of fully functional computers.

Mobile Data Computers (MDCs)

The MDC was developed specifically for the patrol car. The innovations in private and public wireless networks enabled the limited MDTs to become fully functional in-vehicle computers (MDCs). While Public Safety applications initially drove innovation in this field, several other industries such as utilities and public transportation now enjoy the operational efficiencies of mobile computing integrated into the vehicle.

Rugged Laptops

The Rugged Laptop developed as a result of consumer laptop companies wanting to "jump on the band wagon" in the rapidly growing market of mobile computing within Public Safety. The rugged laptop was marketed to Law Enforcement as well as any industry where "rugged" was an effective buzz-word but without thoughtful consideration of the environment.

Today's patrol vehicle is considered to be a highly effective mobile work space. However, simply getting data into the patrol vehicle is not good enough for the mission-critical, real-time, vehicular environment. The following key factors need to be considered when making this important technology selection.

The Environment and the User

Given that patrol vehicles often function as a "mobile office", it's important to apply the right technology to the unique environment of the driver. Docking stations, mounting hardware, cable management, and air-bag safety issues are among the most common concerns. If the equipment is mounted too high, it obstructs the officer's view. If mounted too low, the officer's eyes stray from the horizon. Often, the position of the equipment is in the airbag zone such that in the event of a collision, airbags will not deploy properly. Ergonomics are also a concern; some mounting options are not ergonomically friendly, causing the driver and/or the passenger discomfort when trying to access the computer.

Quality

It's important to know the expected life of the product and choose one that's built to last. A key way to define quality is to assess the differentiators of the product's technology. For instance, does it have touch screen technology (in this instance the key board is optional). Is the display readable in extremely bright sunlight? Power management: what is the power draw on the battery? Is there an automatic shut down to preserve the battery for critical applications? Durability: does the computer have an automotive grade drive? How does the product perform in extreme weather conditions and harsh environments? Does the design allow for streamlined maintenance/ability to swap damaged components?

Form Factor: Modular and Laptop

With a modular system, the display is fix-mounted in the dash and the CPU can be installed in the glove box, or in the trunk. Typically, this platform allows for an uncluttered and ergonomically-friendly environment. This "clean cockpit" design stresses an integration of several disparate systems that interoperate as a single entity. The in-vehicle modular mobile computing platform acts as the central processing unit for disparate stand-alone systems such as digital video, automatic vehicle location systems, GPS, license plate recognition, power control modules and other communication systems. The ability to integrate multiple technologies (digital video, LPR, tablet) requires one central "brain" from which all peripherals can operate.

A laptop is not flush-mounted into the dash, but rather sits on some type of pedestal-style mount in front of the dash. With this form factor, the peripheral devices are all separate from the computer, taking up more space in the cockpit and can present additional ergonomic challenges.

Portability Requirements

To address the need for portability vs. mobility, it's important to understand the amount of time portability may be required by the officers.

There is a misconception that laptops are the primary method to mobilize mission-critical data in the vehicular environment. The word laptop has been synonymous with "portability." However, officers rarely carry a laptop in the field and many officers report the laptop is never removed from the vehicle. The laptops remain in the vehicle cockpit, locked in a docking station and secured with a pedestal-style mount.

When some degree of portability is required, one might consider a relatively new concept: portable netbooks. Recently developed technologies on the open market enable integration of portable netbooks with the fixed-mounted approach. Essentially, the netbook acts as a companion to the central computer/brain in the car (via wireless LAN) when out-of-car computing is necessary. The computer in the vehicle remains fully functional.

With a portable device, there is always the potential risk of the item getting lost or stolen. With a netbook, however, there is little risk of secure data being lost or stolen if the device goes missing because information can only be accessed when the netbook connects wirelessly with the car computer. Additionally, the data is stored on a secure, remote server—not on the netbook itself. These portable netbooks are easily carried for use away from the vehicle while also taking full advantage of the "clean cockpit" design. They are practical to purchase and/or replace and cost less than $400.

In many cases, there is no requirement for portability. In such instances, the fixed-mounted modular approach in the vehicular environment is ideal. The sunlight visible, touch screen display is mounted against the dash providing a heads-up, eyes-on-the-horizon view for the safety of the officer. The (optional/removable) keyboard is mounted in an ergonomically correct position. The CPU is mounted outside of the cockpit in either the glove box or the trunk of the patrol vehicle.

Investment Value: Upgrade vs. Replace

Investing in your technology vs. expensing your technology will result in a lower total cost of ownership. If the goal is to extend the value of your investment over the long-term, then it's important to understand the concept of upgradability. Do you intend to replace your system at the end of the life cycle or would you rather replace the technology/upgrade your current equipment as needed?

With laptops, there is no choice other than to replace the entire system. Modular systems have the appropriate design to allow for upgrading, however most solutions force system replacement due to absence of forward and backward compatibility. A modular system with upgradability and backward compatibility will enable you to spend fewer dollars over the long term, particularly if you can upgrade components individually and still have a fully functional system. You will end up spending less the next time you need to make changes to address the "technology wall." While there is no perfect "future-proof" solution, upgradability with backward compatibility is your best bet for extending the value of your investment.

Support for Your Equipment

If you are planning to keep your technology for a long time, you should have support that is available, low-cost and predictable. If you have the choice for being on an extended support program, you need to be able to continue for as long as you need/want. (The open market usually has a cap of five years which is not long enough). You also need to be able to choose which components you want to warranty as you may prefer to warrant only the older components. Even if you don't stay on an extended support program, you must be able to get parts for as long as wanted/needed. Lastly, you should be supported and serviced by the same resource, preferably the manufacturer.

In summary, the following four points can be used as a guideline to help you get the most out of your investment.

Quality

• Know the expected life of the product; choose one that's built to last

Upgrade path available

• Ability to upgrade vs. replace translates to fewer dollars spent in the long run

Predictable, low-cost, long-term support path

• Allows you to extend the product life and get more from your investment

Know the company you're working with

• Is occupant safety a priority?
• Are they reputable and committed to individual customer satisfaction?
• Are you working with the manufacturer or a reseller?
• Are they visionary; committed to making technological advances?
• Is their focus on Public Safety?