© 2009 VDC Research Group, Inc.
5
“The customers who go with a rugged
solution are typically those who have
deployed commercial-grade solutions in
the past and experienced the soft costs
of downed equipment, continuous
upgrades, etc.”
– Tier I Wireless Carrier
I II . S E G M E N T IN G M O B I L E W OR K E R S
When it comes to determining the optimal mobile computer, many evaluators
underestimate the risks associated with the deployment environment. This fault is
most common among first time adopters of mobility who fail to consider device
durability and deploy solutions without consideration of the soft costs. According to
VDC Research, of respondents who deployed solutions to non-carpeted
environments, 37.8% deployed commercial-grade solutions. Of this group, 61.7% did
not evaluate semi-rugged or fully rugged solutions. However, and perhaps most
interestingly, most users of rugged or durable/business rugged mobile solutions
initially adopted commercial grade hardware. In other words, having experienced the
pain of high rates of failure, they took a more proactive approach with subsequent
deployments.
As the various levels of ruggedness and protection have evolved so are the users
who frequently rely on mobile computing solutions to support their workflows. This
large user base – over 80 million mobile workers in the United States alone – ranges
from campus mobile workers (corridor warriors, to road warriors and mobile field
workers. Mobile computers used by these professionals are, to varying degrees,
exposed to a variety of environmental conditions. In addition, a non-deskbound
workforce is simply more prone to mishaps. If equipped with the wrong device, the
impact of failure and subsequent downtime can be significant.
Included among the core mobile user segments are:
•
Field-based harsh:
Field-based computing is perhaps the roughest on
the device due to the need for the computer to be used both inside and
outside the vehicle. Therefore along with all the specifications against
vibration, temperature, humidity, and altitude, mobile devices for field
based computing in harsh environments need to be built to withstand wet
and particulate laden environments, including dust, sand, dirt, snow, ice,
and rain. Finally, the solutions need to be built to withstand potential long
falls to a variety of surfaces. Solutions deployed to these environments
are typically classified as fully rugged solutions. Common adopters
include the military, utilities, marine and trucking industries.
•
In-vehicle:
Devices are exposed to a variety of hazards within the
vehicle including vibration, dust, humidity, temperature, thermal shock,
and altitude. The areas where vehicles are driven is one of the largest
factors determining the degree of ruggedness for the device. In the case
of off-road driving, devices can experience shock equal to a drop to
concrete. Mounts for solutions also need to be ruggedized depending on
the environmental demands. Common adopters of in-vehicle computers
include police, utility workers, and the military.
