ARTICLE

XPLORE TECHNOLOGIES CORP. Pioneer in Rugged Mobile Computing

Xplore Technologies Corp. is a globally operating company that designs, manufactures, markets and supports rugged mobile wireless computing systems. It is a public company, founded in 1996 in Canada and now employing about seventy experts. Corporate headquarters and design and configuration centre are in Austin; International Operations is based in Helsinki, Finland.

The company has focused on further developing innovative rug-ged mobile computing solutions, and it has introduced several ‘industry firsts’ such as the Pentium III Pen Tablet Computer and the first truly rugged Tablet PC, with fully integrated multiple wireless options. According to a study by Venture Development Corporation (VDC), in 2004 Xplore came top of the market in rugged slate tablet computers. A turnkey manufacturing agreement with Wistron Corporation in 2002 represented a major strategic change, freeing up resources for design, engineering, sales and marketing.

Towards Mobile Systems Product development is strongly customer-focused to ensure that programs and hardware solutions meet the specific needs of each vertical market. In geomatics applications, utilities and field service companies worldwide are currently moving away from paper-based systems to mobile hardware solutions to reduce costs and improve accuracy and efficiency. Information and management systems are altering operating strategies and dramatically increasing competitiveness. Utilities rely on both the speed and accuracy of bilateral information flow in order to direct technicians to locations requiring service and allow them to test, diagnose, order parts, and ultimately to complete repair or maintenance work. In order to succeed in this newly competitive environment, the complex services provided by utilities must continue to be unobtrusive and consistent for all customers. Real-time access and entering asset information into the computer whilst in the field enables the building of more accurate databases. Therefore all over the world companies responsible for inspecting and maintaining transmission towers and utility poles have begun equipping their technicians with rugged compu- ters to reduce the errors introduced by office personnel entering into the computer information from hand-written forms.

Outdoor Workers Outdoor workers typically operate in variable conditions. So one of the typical challenges faced by hardware manufacturers is outdoor screen readability. This key requirement is addressed by the AllVue display option, which is readable both indoors and outdoors. Other essential considerations are the ability to withstand hot and cold temperatures, dust, vibration, contact with water, and drops onto concrete, together with high data-processing capabilities. The Xplore tablets are MIL-STD810F tested: a standard for rugged testing of mobile gear that includes rain, vibration, shock, immersion, and sand and dust. Xplore’s rugged Tablet PCs are complete mobile computers that can also be used for complex applications. Tasks common to utility companies include data-collection, transfer and real-time access to corporate databases; mapping and positioning, line location, computer-aided dispatch, asset management and maintenance schedules. In contrast to handheld devices, the tablet provides advanced data-processing capabilities. Being a complete computer running Windows XP Tablet PC operating system it can run any email or text-processing application, eliminating the need for any separate device for these functions. The display on handheld devices may be too small to view geo-information; laptops, even convertible ones, are often not ideal for outdoor workers, being cumbersome to use in the field and requiring a flat surface and balance while the display is rotated into tablet mode.

Channelled Market Our market approach is channel-centric: we work with distributors, system integrators and independent software vendors. Initially, our primary customers were in the public-safety sector, especially law enforcement in the US. With the acquisition of a Finland-based company we further expanded into the warehousing sector. Over our nearly ten years of existence we have accumulated a customer base and channel partners covering a wide spectrum of vertical markets, such as field service, fire and EMS, government and homeland security, law enforcement, manufacturing and warehousing, military, transportation and distribution, as well as utilities and energy. Over the past two years we have significantly expanded into utilities and field service markets, both in the US and Europe.

View on the Future The 2004 VDC study estimated worldwide sales in the rugged mobile computing market for that year at approximately US$4.2 billion, growing to over US$6.7 billion by 2009. The same study revealed that over the product lifecycle, the total cost of deploying non-rugged devices within mobile enterprise applications could often cost businesses four to five times the original purchase price. This company believes that customers in the mobile computing market are beginning to focus on reducing TCO and that rugged will be a key factor in achieving these reductions. Rugged computers are much lighter than they were a few years ago, and the trend towards even lighter systems which survive an outdoor environment is likely to continue. Working directly with end users, client project teams, component vendors and industry experts over the years it has become clear that there is a tremendous demand for a new approach to rugged pen-based computing. Therefore we have identified five key requirements for our customers: rugged design, visualisation conditions, versatile docking, flexible product design, and lower total cost of ownership, together with measurable return on investment. We will in the future further focus on these requirements and use leading-edge technology to address them.

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