News

  • Home > News

        Device merges phone, scanner, card reader, printer

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Oct 2, 2007 | Comments: 1


        4P Mobile Data Processing has announced a novel device that integrates a phone, scanner, card reader, and printer. The Windows CE-powered FDA600 Field Digital Assistant is said to be suitable for sales, field service, or mobile ticketing and fare collection applications.



        (Click here for a larger view of the FDA600)

        The FDA600 runs Windows CE 5.0, and has a 3.5-inch QVGA (320 x 240 pixel) touchscreen with LED backlighting. It also features a full alphanumeric keyboard plus a directional keypad, 4P says. The device's wireless functions are manifold, including GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) cellular capabilities, 802.11b/g WLAN, Bluetooth WPAN, and IrDA.


        4P's FDA600, showing its integrated card reader

        Weighing approximately one pound, the FDA600 packs a scanner, a card reader, and an integral "clamshell" thermal printer, which opens to accept roll paper. Given that thermal printers operate at the same speed no matter what they are printing, 4P rates this one in terms of paper throughput: 2.75 inches (70 mm) per second.

        The FDA600 has a rear-mounted SD/MMC slot

        Above the top of the printer, the FDA600 also incorporates a card reader, which can read either three-track magnetic cards or smart cards. The device also includes 13.56 MHz RFID (ISO 15693 Smart Label, 14443 A/B Mifare) and a 1D/2D barcode scanner.

        Key FDA600 features and specifications listed by 4P include:
        • Processor -- Marvell XScale PXA270, clocked at 520 MHz
        • Memory -- 128 MB DRAM; 64 MB flash
        • Display -- 3.5-inch QVGA (240x320) touchscreen with LED backlighting
        • Camera -- 1.3 megapixel
        • Audio -- integrated speaker and microphone
        • Storage -- SD/MMC card slot
        • Wireless interfaces:
          • WAN -- GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
          • WLAN -- 802.11b/g
          • PAN -- Bluetooth
          • IrDA wireless
        • Networking -- Ethernet (through cradle)
        • Data sources:
          • 1.3 megapixel camera
          • 3-track magnetic card/smart card reader
          • 13.56 MHz RFID (ISO 15693 Smart Label, 14443 A/B Mifare)
          • 1D/2D barcode scanner
        • Additional I/O -- USB (type A or B)
        • Integrated printer -- clamshell thermal printer accepts roll paper, runs at 2.75 inches (70 mm) per second
        • Battery -- Li-ion 7.4V battery pack; 1100 mAH (standard) or 2200 mAH (option)
        • Dimensions -- 8.9 x 3.2 x 2.9 inches (226 x 82 x 74 mm)
        • Weight -- 0.96 to 1 pound (440 to 460 g), depending on configuration
        • Operating temperature -- 32 to 122 deg. F (0 to 50 deg. C)
        • Relative Humidity -- 0 to 80% non condensing
        • Drop resistance -- 4 feet (1.2 m) onto concrete
        Available accessories include an Ethernet cradle that accepts four FDA600s along with four batteries. A single-unit vehicle cradle is also available.

        The FDA600 appears to be available now. Pricing was not disclosed.


        Related stories: