Data Ltd Incorporated (DLI) has announced a tablet PC designed to allow retailers to accept payments anywhere in a store. The DLI 8800 includes a 7-inch touchscreen display and MSR (magstripe reader), survives four-foot drops, and is available with a barcode scanner and RFID reader, the company says.

The DLI 8800, touted as being both designed and manufactured in the U.S., is a tablet PC that lets "retailers ... take customer payment throughout the entire retail environment," according to the company. The device meets IP54 standards for resistance to dust and water, and withstands multiple four-foot drops to concrete, says DLI.

DLI's 8800
(Click to enlarge)

DLI says the 8800 has a 7-inch touchscreen display, with 1024 x 600 resolution, that is viewable indoors and out and has a 400:1 contrast ratio. The device also has six programmable keys on its front panel, plus left- and right-side buttons that can trigger scans via an optional barcode scanner. The latter uses Honeywell's Adaptus Imaging Technology, said to read linear and 2D barcodes and capture digital images.

According to DLI, the 8800 also includes an integrated three-track, single-head MSR for scanning payment cards. An optional RFID reader scans ISO 14443 A/B "vicinity cards," the company adds.

OUR VERDICT: With roaming POS devices such as this one, the cash register's days are numbered

Cited communications capabilities for the 8800 include available 802.11b/g/n or 802.11 a/b/g/n radios with Cisco certification, Bluetooth, and VoIP via integrated dual microphones. An "integrated cellular card" is also available in versions that support AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon, DLI adds.

The 8800 is powered by Intel's 1.6GHz Atom Z530, along with the usual SCH US15W northbridge/southbridge, according to DLI. The device comes with 2GB of RAM (the maximum supported by the chipset), while mass storage is provided by either 1.8-inch, shock-mounted hard disk drives (60GB or 80GB capacities), or SSDs (solid state disks) in 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB sizes.

DLI says the 8800 includes two USB 2.0 ports, a RS232 port that supplies 5VDC power on pin 9, a gigabit Ethernet port, plus a docking connector for an optional cradle. The cradle, pictured at right, is said to add a serial port, two more USB 2.0 ports, another Ethernet port, and a VGA output.

According to DLI, the 8800 has a 2600mAh battery that provides up to four hours of operation. An additional battery may be purchased for installation in the cradle, where it adds another four hours of potential usage, the company adds.

Features and specifications listed for the 8800 by DLI include the following:

• Processor -- Intel Atom Z530 clocked at 1.6GHz
• Chipset -- SCH US15W
• Memory -- 2GB of DDR2 RAM
• Display -- 7-inch touchscreen with 1024 x 600 resolution
• Storage -- 1.8-inch HDD (60GB or 80GB) or SSD (8GB, 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB)
• Expansion -- cradle (optional)
• Scanning:
  • 3-track, single-head magstripe reader
  • 1D/2D barcode scanner with Adaptus imaging (optional)
  • RFID reader (optional)
• Networking:
  • LAN -- Gigabit Ethernet
  • WLAN -- 802.11a/b/g/n or 802.11b/g/n (optional)
  • PAN -- Bluetooth
  • WAN -- Cellular cards support AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon (optional)
• Other I/O:
  • 2 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x RS232 with 5VDC power on pin 9
  • Docking connector for cradle
• Battery type/life -- 2600mAh; four hours of operation
• Operating temperature -- -4 to 122 deg. F (-20 to 50 deg. C)
• Shock:
  • Operating -- 20G (11ms)
  • Non-operating -- 40G (11ms)
• Dimensions -- 8.26 x 6.29 x 1.14 inches (210 x 160 x 36mm)

Further information

According to DLI, the 8800 runs Windows Embedded Standard, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional and XP Tablet editions, and Linux 2.6 (Ubuntu). The device will be available during the first quarter of 2010, "nicely configured" for $1,665, the company adds.

At the time of writing, DLI was not yet providing information about the 8800 online, but an overview of the company's other tablets may be found on its website, here.

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