Zebra Technologies Corporation†(NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions†and partners†that enable businesses to gain†a performance edge, announced the ultra-rugged Android-based†MC9300 mobile computer,†TC8300 touch computer, and ATR7000 RTLS reader. As the next evolution of the MC9000 series, the world’s best-selling enterprise-class mobile computer, the MC9300 enables businesses to modernize their mobile solutions to keep up with the growing demands of e-commerce while shortening training time, improving fulfillment speed and accuracy and increasing productivity by as much as 10 percent compared to competing devices.
Designed to give a performance edge to those on the front lines of business in†warehouses,†manufacturing,†logistics, and back-of-store retail environments, the MC9300 is ideal for inventory management, receiving/put-away, returns processing, cross-docking, quality control, parts tracking and price audit applications. Its advanced scanning technology can read direct part marks (DPM), dot peen and laser-etched barcodes and quickly capture 1D or 2D barcodes in virtually any condition and from three inches to as far as 70 feet, providing the flexibility to scan items in small bins or pallets on the uppermost warehouse racks. In addition, the MC9300’s PowerPrecision+ 7000mAh battery delivers the most battery power in its class, maximizing worker efficiency and productivity by reducing downtime.
The MC9300 is Zebra’s most powerful handheld platform and the most rugged device in its class. It is also virtually water-, drop-, dust- and tumble-proof. For challenging†cold-storage†environments, one MC9300 model features a system of heaters and a freezer-rated battery for frost-free operations. A Class 1 Division 2 (C1D2) model for use in hazardous locations is also available.
“With more than 3.2 million MC9000 mobile computers sold since 2003, Zebra took its best-selling and most trusted enterprise-class mobile computer and made it better by providing businesses with an easy migration path from Windows to Android,” said Joe White, Vice President and General Manager, Enterprise Mobile Computing, Zebra Technologies. “We improved the ergonomics and added more than 20 new features to enhance application and accessory performance, user comfort, ease of use, ruggedness, data capture flexibility and device management.”
BUILDING ON THE HERITAGE OF THE MC9000 SERIES
The MC9300 has a familiar and well-recognized design, improved performance supported by the Android operating system (OS), physical keyboards and a full touch screen. The MC9300 mobile computer features a 4.3-inch touch screen protected by ultra-strong Gorilla Glass and a choice of six keypads offering flexibility to run a diverse set of business applications that leverage both input methods. The device includes the latest Qualcomm chipset that supports an extensible platform for application development and assures a minimum of two Android OS upgrades for a significantly lower total cost of ownership (TCO). It also has an optional front and back camera to capture highly detailed photos and videos to document proof of condition and proof of compliance.
As Microsoft prepares to end support for existing Windows Embedded Handheld/CE 7 devices in 2020 and 2021 respectively, the MC9300 provides the best path to†transition†from legacy Windows OS to Android. The MC9300 also comes pre-loaded with a Terminal Emulation (TE) application designed to take advantage of the graphical capabilities of the device while easily supporting traditional “green screen” use for seamless migration and reduced deployment times.
The MC9300 is available with Zebra’s†Mobility†DNA†suite of end-user applications, application development tools and utilities that transform Android into an enterprise-ready OS. This allows businesses to maximize the return on investment of their Zebra mobile devices by increasing worker productivity, simplifying management, strengthening security and reducing training and adoption time. With a Zebra OneCare contract, businesses can leverage Zebra’s†LifeGuard for Android†software security solution that provides predictable security/patch updates that match enterprise hardware lifecycles, simplifies OS transitions and extends the life of mobile investments.
Based on Zebra’s†commitment†to sustainability, the rugged MC9300 was designed to maintain its reliability through longer component lifecycles, longer lasting batteries as well as its survivability, availability, and support over many years. With the objective to re-use rather than to replace, the MC9300 is backward-compatible with existing charging infrastructure via an adapter reducing electronic waste.
ALSO ANNOUNCING THE NEW TC8300 TOUCH COMPUTER AND ATR7000 RTLS READER
Leveraging the same innovative design and form factor as the TC8000 to reduce muscle effort and increase productivity, the TC8300 is optimized for picking and new augmented reality (AR)-based applications. It also uses the same Qualcomm chipset as the MC9300 for an extended lifecycle and is available with the Mobility DNA software suite and LifeGuard for Android support as well as DPM capabilities.
Designed for asset tracking applications in warehouses, manufacturing plants and other large indoor facilities, the†new ATR7000 RTLS reader identifies and analyzes the coordinates of all passive RFID tags in its coverage area, providing real-time visibility into the pinpoint location of all tagged assets. With the ATR7000, businesses can see where inventory, forklifts, equipment, and even workers are located, if they are on the move and in which direction they are moving to help improve workforce productivity and operational efficiency. The ATR7000 is easy to configure and install and covers up to double the area of competitive readers, effectively cutting the number of readers and hardware costs in half and making it ideal to cover everything from a single dock door to every inch of a warehouse or manufacturing plant.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The new MC9300 is an evolution of the world’s best-selling enterprise-class mobile computer enabling businesses to modernize their mobile solutions to deliver on the growing demands of e-commerce while reducing training, improving fulfillment accuracy and increasing productivity by 10 percent compared to competitive devices.
- The MC9300 provides the best path to transition from legacy Windows OS to Android offering the Mobility DNA software suite, LifeGuard for Android for extended security support and a pre-loaded TE app to support “green screen” apps for seamless migration and reduced deployment times.
- Zebra also announced the new TC8300 touch computer and ATR7000 RTLS reader providing companies with a performance edge through improved worker productivity and increased real-time visibility into business operations in industrial environments.
