Windows Mobile

Convenience Of Credit Card Processing

Regardless of the size of a company, a wireless credit card processing device can be a very helpful tool. Using a wireless Card Processing terminal has many benefits for a company. This tool will help you speed up the payment process as well as cut down on the processing fees. If you do not know what a card reader is, it is a small wireless machine that is very light. Some units can even fit into a pocket. With a credit card swiper, you will be able to process card payments even if you aren’t in your office or business location.

Wireless credit card devices are convenient because your operating fees will be reduced. Swiped transactions cost less compared to keyed transactions. In addition to that, swiped card processing systems are secure. The process is done in real time.Another reason why a Wireless Credit Card Terminal is convenient is because you won’t need to use wires and cables in order to use the card processing device. This allows you to conduct business even if you are in a place where you can’t access an electrical outlet. The mobile credit card device will store the transaction records and then print out a receipt for the client or customer. Credit card processing terminals come in several types. There are some things you need to consider when shopping for a card processing terminal. Make sure to do comparisons as there are different features included in various card processing terminals.

You can consider using your laptop or a Windows Mobile device as as a credit card terminal. With the right software and bluetooth or USP swiper, you’ll be able to do this. Trakker and Trakker Lite can deliver credit card processing.  This is a cost effective way to process credit card payments. A bluetooth card readers can be used with your Windows Mobile or Windows OS device. Even if your business is small and you don’t have a large budget for spending on business tools, you can still benefit from a Wireless Credit Card Machine. There are affordable card processing terminals available out there. Also, they have lots of great features. Most terminals have their own keypad and small screen or display. The sizes for the display and the keypad vary depending on the unit. Some units also have web based reporting tools. This allows you to analyze your transaction history.

Alternative ways to connect your Windows Mobile device to the internet

People have asked us about different ways to connect their companies Pocket PC or Window Mobile device to the internet.  The questions have been in regards to convenience and pricing.  So I have put together some different options to consider in setting up your Windows Mobile devices for Enterprise use to the internet for software such as our Trakker Lite HVAC and Scheduling software.

Use the devices built in phone

1- If your windows mobile device has a GPRS, CDMA radio for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, or t-Mobile you can subscribe to their monthly services.

Use WiFi hotspots
2- If you do not need internet access throughout the day

• You can use the WiFi built into most Windows Mobile devices and configure it to connect to the office as well as perhaps the handheld user’s home WiFi network if they have one, or a public WiFi connection such as many restaurants and some hotels offer.
• You can use ActiveSync through a desktop/laptop computer that has internet access.

Make your own WiFi Hot Spot

3- If the user will also be carrying a cellular phone that can sometimes be used as a WiFi ‘hotspot’ that the device running Trakker Lite on can connect to for internet access.

To make option 3 work the cell phone would need to be some form of a smart phone/PDA such as another Windows Mobile phone, iPhone, Blackberry, or Android phone.  That phone would have to subscribe to internet service from the cellular provider.  Then a WiFi software would need to be purchased and installed on the phone.

• PDANet at http://www.junefabrics.com/index.php claims to work on Palm, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Andriod, and the IPhone.
• For Windows Mobile http://www.wmwifirouter.com works on many devices (I use this one)

Option #3 can be a nice solution to lower cell phone costs, and keep your cell phone as a seperate device from the Trakker Lite device so that the user can make a phone call while doing data entry.  Though it is a little less convenient having to turn on and off the ‘tethering’ software each time you want to do a synchronize.

Have you tried any of these, or had another creative solution to getting your internet access?

Symbol MC70 Quick Tips

Here are a couple of things that may be helpful to Symbol MC70, or now the Motorola MC70 handheld Windows Mobile devices.

MC70 Users Guide

First off, here is a link to  the Symbol MC70 user guide, available online at: www.mc4.army.mil/help/techdocs/mc70UserGuide.pdf

Cold Booting the MC70

Next, have you ever needed to cold boot your Symbol MC70?  Well I have and they sure do make it tricky so that you can not accidentally do it.  To perform a cold boot simulaneously press 1, 9 and the power key.  After a cold boot the clock will reset to a default date.  You will want to correct the date/time and time zone after it reboots.

Clean Booting (Wiping out) the MC70

Or perhaps you have a more sever issue with your MC70 and you need to completely wipe it out and start with a clean boot.  These are the steps given to up from Symbol’s Tech support some time back (when they were Symbol and not part of Motorola):

1. Go to http://support.symbol.com
2. In search bar type: Clean boot and click: Go 3. From search results, select: Clean boot files v1.1 for MC70xxWM50
4. Next page, Scroll to bottom of page to “Downloads” and select MC70 Cleaners 010100.zip
5. Browse to save to Desktop
6. Right click on file to extract all (to desktop) 7. Connect Symbol Handheld to ActiveSync and select Explore
8. On Handheld, Open Storage Card
9. Open extracted Cleanboot file and drag (or right click and copy) each folder from the Clean Boot folder (5 folders) NOTE: The file “Instruction” does not need to be copied to the storage card. Click on

“Instruction” to open and print instructions to perform a Update Loader Boot on the Symbol.

Note: In the event Program Files can not be accessed from the Symbol, an alternate method to load the Update Loader is to simultaneously hold (on Symbol) 1-9-Power. As soon as the handheld begins to load, hold the yellow trigger button (upper right side of Symbol) for a few moments. Within a few minutes the update loader (reset to factory defaults) should begin.

If you have any useful tips for working with a Symbol MC70 or Motorola MC70 please share them in the comments below.

MC 70 OEM Update

Do you have a Symbol or Motorola MC70 that has an old OEM (like 3.0.33)? Do you need to update it to a newer one? The instructions and video below should help.

Symbol Operating System Update (Motorola) with Trakker Lite

For the fastest and best help, call Motorola for a step by step walk through. Below are my notes from my update, to give you the flavor of what is to come.

Steps 1-3 you should accomplish prior to calling Motorola.
Steps 4-9 are for Motorola support. Their people have been great.
Steps 10-25 are for getting Trakker and your data files back onto the handheld after the Motorola/Symbol update. I can help if you need any.

After the first handheld, steps 4-6 don’t need to be repeated.

<h2>Prepare for Trakker Lite backup and reinstall after the OEM update</h2>

1. Download Trakker Installer to the desktop – once only for all handhelds. This comes from Keith Longwell.
The name on the icon is ZHTrakkerDesktopInstaller.zip

2. Sync the handheld to get up to the minute data on the Server. Note the date and time.

3. Copy KalzoneData to the desktop.
ActiveSync / Explore / My Device / Storage Card
Double click to open. Drag the KalzoneData folder to the desktop.

<h2>Motorola Support</h2>

4. Call Motorola 1-800-653-5350
Have ready one serial number for model verification
Automated phone system: 4 – no special category of customer
1 Mobile computing
Advise Motorola support that your unit has a Storage Card

5. Download the update file from Motorola (these sub-steps are not complete)
support.symbol.com (no leading www or http)
Mobile Computing
Software downloads
More
MC70
March 2008
MC709WM50 Phone
Download to the desktop 7094wSOLenUP054301.zip

6. Extract All from the zipped file
Right click on the 7094wSOLenUP054301.zip icon – select Extract all

7. Using ActiveSync open
Explore / My Device / Storage Card

8. Drag all files from the Motorola download (on the XP desktop) to the Storage Card
Motorola support may have you remove existing files first

9. On the handheld (ActiveSync), double click StartUpdLdr.exe
Explore / My Device / Storage Card
This installs the update and takes about 10 minutes

10. Start the handheld – align screen

11. Connect the handheld with ActiveSync

12. Deploy Trakker Installer onto the handheld
Open ZHTrakkerDesktopInstaller.zip
Double click on the folder ZHTrakkerDesktopInstaller.exe
A window will open
Accept the license agreement
Click on Deploy

13. Correct the time and date. Verify the time zone.

14. (Optional) Set the handheld menus
Start / Settings / Menus

15. Start hTrakker.  Run the Check for Updates

16. After HTrakker finishes the update, logon as you normally would (the data should still be good on the handheld from before the OEM Update)

17. Check files, customer, inventory, start an invoice

18. Verify the Last Sync times, change if necessary (see step 2)

Best Windows Mobile Emulator

If you are searching for a Windows Mobile Emulator for your desktop or a remote control support tool there are several applications for you to consider.  We have used all three of the applications listed below with our Handheld Trakker software solution to do support and development.  So I thought it would beneficial to share a brief description of the applications and the pros and cons that we have seen while using each one.

Best Overall Solution:

LogMeIn Mobile + Remote www.logmein.com (We LOVE www.LogMeIn.com for all kinds of computer support needs and use it EVERY SINGLE DAY)
about $2000 per year

Pro’s:

• can be installed on the fly in the field (provided they have an internet connection)
• can be used to support handhelds, laptops and desktop computers
• can be connected to as many handhelds as you need, no software needs to be preinstalled, the user can connect via internet at www.logmein123.com from anywhere they have an internet connection
• Can remotely run unit, look at and copy files from desktop remote handheld, check memory, cpu usage…
• Can do screen captures and video
• You can connect to several devices at once

Con’s

• a bit pricey, $1956 per support staff workstation, but they can connect to as many devices in the field at a time as they need.

Best Desktop and Video Training Solution

Soti Pocket Controller www.soti.net
about $225 for 5 handhelds
Pro’s:

• Connect a handheld to your desktop and use your full keyboard to control it
• If you use a remote control tool to run your desktop remotely you can also run the handheld connected to it
• Can do screen captures and video
• buy it once and you own it
• Automatically starts up when HH starts up
• Very good desktop keyboard support

Con’s

• still a little pricey for a large number of handhelds
• Only connects to handheld at your desk, no remote connections supported
• You can only connect to 1 handheld at a time

Best Solution for windows mobile emulation on a limited Budget

To run a desktop connection of your handheld device on your desktop via activesync or even via wireless WAN/Internet connection, you can use Virtual CE by Bitbank Software.  You can download the desktop tool for $10 from
Bitbank Virtual CE www.bitbanksoftware.com/VirtualCE.html
about $10 for unlimited handhelds, but for only 1 desktop

Pro’s:

• Connect a handheld to your desktop and use your full keyboard to control it
• Connect a handheld that is on your wireless, and often through your phones internet (AT&T, Sprint, Verizon…) to your desktop and use your full keyboard to control it
• You can connect to several handhelds at once
• If you use a remote control tool to run your desktop remotely you can also run the handheld connected to it
• Can do screen captures
• buy it once and you own it

Con’s

• Does not automatically starts up when HH starts up
• Does not do video recording
• Can not copyfiles remotely like you can with LogMeIn
• The desktop keyboard support is not as strong as the others

These are 3 of the best solutions that we have found, recommend and use in different capacities on a regular basis.  As far as Windows Mobile Emulator we find these to all really be excellent choices based upon your day to day needs.  If you have any questions or comments please let us know.  And if we can help you make a decision on the solution that’s right for you, we’d be happy to do that as well.