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        Windows handheld scans RFID tags ten feet away

        Jonathan Angel | Date: Sep 9, 2010 | Comments: 1


        Nordic ID announced a Windows CE 6.0-based handheld computer designed for RFID reading and barcode scanning tasks. The Merlin can read tags up to 10 feet away, and is available with a pistol grip, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GSM wide area networking, the company says.

        Nordic ID acknowledges that the Merlin (below) is very similar to its previous released PL3000, which was upgraded to a long-range, cross dipole antenna-equipped version in 2008. While it looks very similar to that handheld, however, the Merlin is claimed to be more rugged, thanks to a new board design, and also switches from an unnamed 200MHz processor to a 532MHz CPU (also unnamed), according to the company.

        Nordic ID's Merlin

        The PL3000 started out with 64MB of 128MB of RAM and just 32MB of flash storage, but the Merlin has 256MB of RAM, 256MB of flash storage, and a microSD slot, says Nordic ID. The device also has a microSD slot, while its operating system has now been upgraded to Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3, the company adds.

        According to Nordic ID, the Merlin is offered in a UHF version that reads ISO 18000-6C (EPC Class 1 Gen 2) tags, supporting all common functionalities including read, write, kill, lock, inventory, and meta inventory, plus NXP proprietary commands. This version has a typical reading distance up to about five feet, the company says.

        When fitted with the cross dipole antenna pictured earlier in this story -- it's the appendage at the front that, with the pistol grip, makes the device look like a starship in a space dock -- the UHF-equipped Merlin gets a reading distance of approximately ten feet. Via software, the device's polarization may be set to horizontal, vertical, or cross-polarized, Nordic ID says.

        An HF version of the Merlin, also available, can read ISO 15693 tags using the 13.56MHz band, at distances between three and 10 centimeters (about one to four inches). The device can read up to 40 tags per second, the company adds.

        Nordic ID says all versions are optionally available with a 1D laser scanner and/or a 2D imager, with a high-visibility aimer and configurable scan alert sounds. Equipped with Bluetooth 2.0 and a 10/100 Ethernet port that's accessible via an optional cradle/charger, the Merlin also has a USB 2.0 client/host port, optional 802.11a/b/g or 802.11e wireless networking, and a cellular modem that operates in the 1800MHz and 900MHz bands, according to the company.

        Like the PL3000 before it, the Merlin has a 3.5-inch touchscreen display with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. The device is also said to feature a backlit numeric keypad with 29 buttons.

        According to Nordic ID, the Merlin has a 2600mAh main battery, plus backup batteries that can maintain the contents of RAM for eight hours (and real-time clock settings for 200 days). The device meets IP54 standards for protection against dust and water intrusion, and survives multiple five-foot drops onto concrete from any axis, the company adds.

        Jorma Lalla, CEO of Nordic ID, stated, "Our previous mobile RFID reader achieved the highest ratings in all performance categories. We have topped even that by packing all the best industry features into the Nordic ID Merlin."

        Further information

        According to Nordic ID, the Merlin will be introduced at trade shows starting later this month, though availability and pricing were not cited. More information on the device may be found on the company's website, here, and a direct link to a datasheet in PDF format may be found here.

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