News
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In the Q2 of 2015 Zebra Technologies introduced the second generation of their industrial Symbol TC55 phones with Android 4.4 KitKat. You can choose between configurations without the scanner, the SE655 1D scanner or SE4710 2D imager. The device is supplied with a USB charging cable, but not the power supply. TC55 is offered with two-years Zebra OneCare maintenance contract that does not include comprehensive care. There are both configurations including support for Google Mobile Services (GMS) and Enterprise configurations without GMS.
Existing TC55 devices with Jelly Bean, can be upgraded to KitKat without the possibility of returning back to Jelly Bean.
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At the end of summer 2015 Zebra will terminate the MC3100 series, ie. MC3100 batch and MC3190 WLAN versions, and also industrial gun terminals MC9190-G. Specifically, MC31xx have the last book dat set on August 28, 2015 and MC9190-G on September 14, 2015.
The MC3100 Series is superseded by MC32N0 mobile devices utilizing newer hardware components and improved batteries. The MC32N0 are available with Windows CE 7 and Android Jellybean. Windows Mobile is not available. All accessories (except the batteries) are compatible with a MC3100 Series.
The MC9190-G terminals are superseded by MC92N0-G with the same robustness and faster hardware. Currently, the MC92N0-G are available with Windows CE 7 and Windows Mobile 6.5.3. In the near future Android (KitKat) version should be released. The MC92N0 accessories are compatible with the MC9000 and MC9100 Series.
From the above it is clear that Android is finding its way to the industrial scanners and Microsoft mobile operating systems are retreating from the use. End of support for Windows Mobile 6.5.3 is scheduled from Microsoft for 2020, Windows CE 7 will be supported by a year longer. The question is, what changes in the market will feature mobile version of Windows 10 (if at all).
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SOTI launched MobiControl version 12 with new features and improvements.
New Features include the following:
- Device Configuration via Profiles
A Profile is a named collection of device configurations that represent a user persona or common configurations. Profiles provides the following enhancements to device configuration:- Improves visibility of device compliance by providing a versioned installation status of a Profile across all targeted devices.
- Assign a profile to devices matching properties such as manufacturer, model, OS version, installed applications, etc.
- Assign a Profile to devices where the associated user is a member of one or more LDAP groups. Exclusion of members based on LDAP groups is also available.
- Schedule deployment and subsequent revocation of a Profile.
- Extended security model provides greater flexibility for administrative roles to manage specific Profiles.
- Optionally delegate the installation of a Profile to the device user through the “Profile Catalog”.
- Enhanced Device Enrollment
- Reduces the need for multiple Add Device Rules by mapping LDAP groups to Device Groups in a single rule.
- Provides a single enrollment URL for end users to initiate enrollment with on-screen step-by-step enrollment instructions for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
- Restricts enrollment to approved OS versions.
- MobiControl Stage
MobiControl Stage is a rapid provisioning solution that allows for immediate “out-of-the-box” device set up. MobiControl Stage supports rapid staging for Android and Windows Mobile/CE.- Expedites the enrollment and initial provisioning by scanning barcodes to configure network connectivity and download the MobiControl device agent.
- Reduces bandwidth overhead by provisioning devices directly from a local HTTP or FTP server.
- Zebra Printer Integration
MobiControl 12 introduces support for managing Zebra Wi-Fi and Ethernet-connected printers including:- Distribution of configurations such as network, printer labels, fonts, etc.
- Maintenance tasks such as firmware upgrades, executing test prints, and gathering logs etc.
- Configuration of alerts based on various printer attributes.
- Must download the SOTI Connector from Zebra and purchase the Zebra Professional Services
Here is the list of some other news related to the MobiControl v12:
- MobiControl Manager has been discontinued and is no longer supported or compatible with MobiControl 12.
- Anonymous authentication to the Web Console has been removed. Users will be prompted to provide a password for a default account with the username Administrator if console security was not enabled prior to upgrade.
- Support has been discontinued for Pocket PC and Smartphone 2002 devices with MIPS, SH3, SH4 and eVC3 processors.
- Removed the ability to disable SSL for Agent communication.
- Added option to delete devices from the Web Console when un-enrolled by the end user.
- Adds Android+ support for BQ, Kyocera and Sony
- The following device configuration features were added to Motorola/Zebra EMC devices via Device Feature Control payload:
- Certificate Installation
- Disable Hardware Keys
- Disable USB Mass Storage
- Disable USB Debugging
SOTI licenses are available as perpetual, end user hosted and SOTI hosted.
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Zebra announced the launch of software tools for staging of mobile devices with Android OS called StageNow.
StageNow is based on the idea of Rapid Deployment. Using barcodes scanned into StageNow client (with a new possibility of using NFC tags) you can setup wireless connectivity and stage mobile device with all necessary settings and applications. In addition, it is possible to do both OEM OS updates, wipe devices, enroll them to an MDM, change system settings like regional settings, certificates, system time, etc.
StageNow client will be preinstalled on devices with Android KitKat marketed during 2015. For staging devices with Jelly Bean will be possible to use the original Rapid Deployment Client that some features / options here will not be supported.
StageNow server will be available free of charge. Install will require just desktop Windows OS, not a Windows server.
StageNow is not intended as an MDM system, but only as a tool to ease the initial device staging.
StageNow will not support mobile devices with Windows Mobile OS (WinCE / WM) or devices from manufacturers other than Zebra.
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It means that Motorola Dependent APs, ie. access points which cannot function without an RF controller, will completely disappear from the market. Many new customers will not probably buy an RF controller although it still has sense escpecially because:
- large WLANs management
- WLAN management on different sites
- more security options (Radius server, integrated WIPS).
Replacement solutions:
- Recommended replacement for the Dependent APs (AP621, AP622 and AP650) is an Independent AP-7522. In addition to an advanced wireless standard 802.11ac the AP-7522 can operate without an RF controller. The AP-7522 can form a Virtual controller - it means one AP can manage other APs of the same type on the same site.
- AP-6532 and AP-7131N are replaced with AP-7532 - 3-radio 802.11ac Independent AP.
- Outdoor access points AP-7161 and AP-7181 are replaced with AP-8163.
End of the engineering support (new firmware development, AP support on the RF controllers etc.) is set by AP621, AP622 and AP-7181 to December 14th, 2015, while by AP650 and AP-7131 to May 15th, 2017. Service support will be available up to May 13th, 2020.
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Zebra announced the official closing of the transaction of the Enterprise business of Motorola Solutions. Effective immediately, these two organizations are operating as one company, under the Zebra Technologies name. And Motorola staff already have e-mail addresses at the zebra.com domain and modifying profiles on Linked-in ...
More information at http://blogs.zebra.com/motorola-solutions%E2%80%99-enterprise-business-is-now-part-of-zebra-technologies.
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Following the ET1 tablet, handheld terminals MC40, MC67 and MC3200, TC55 industrial phone and CC5000 multimedia kiosk Motorola (now Zebra) with a great welcome event announced on October 21, 2014 a new mobile device - Symbol TC70 with Android operating system. The labeling can be seen in continuity with the popular MC70 series and a return to the old well-known mark Symbol - now it will be used on scanners, mobile devices and Wi-Fi products from the Zebra.
If you hold the Symbol TC70 in your hand, you feel that it is an overgrown phone (but it is not a phone!), or rather a smaller tablet. In any case the device is durable enough for use in an harsh enterprise environment.
TC70 basic specification:
- Android 4.4.2 Kitkat + Motorola Extensions (MX)
- Fast integrated 1D/2D barcode scanner SE4750 capable of reading from glossy screens even at greater distances
- IP67, 1.8 m drop to concrete
- 4.7 "capacitive display with Gorilla Glass 2
- Wi-Fi only (no WWAN)
- Bluetooth 4.0 + NFC
- Front + rear Camera
- Pre-installed PTT Express
- Pre-installed MSP 4.2 support (Rapid Deployment Client + MSP Client)
TC70 accessories will be rich:
Ordering of TC70 should be possible since November 2014.
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With Psion acquisition Motorola offers now also TekTerm Telnet emulators. Latest 7.0 version is available both for Psion and legacy Motorola devices. TekTerm supports Windows CE/ Windows Embedded Compact, Windows Mobile/Windows Embdedded Handheld and desktop Windows (PC). Software had been tested and validated for the following mobile device types:
- MC92xx
- MC91xx
- MC95xx
- MC32xx running Windows CE
- VC70N0
- WT41N0
It should work on all other Motorola devices running supported OS. The TekTerm Client supports ANSI, VT-100, or VT-200 and IBM 5250 or 3270 emulations with a maximum of 8 sessions whether it is connecting directly to the host application or through the Communication / TekTerm Server 9500, 9510 or SW95xx. TekTerm Client also provides features such as various fonts, font colors, and screen sizes, as well as SSH secure connections.
TekTerm Client will install to the devices known persistent storage location and save it’s configuration in non-volatile storage. The TekTerm Client CAB file includes a setup utility that detects which device it is being installed on and copies the files to that devices persistent file storage. For Psion devices this is the \Flash Disk folder (configuration is saved to the registry) and for Motorola devices persistent storage is the \Application folder for both configuration and TekTerm files.
TekTerm does not control or configure the scanning of a device (like Wavelink TE does). Scanner must be utilized via DataWedge (Motorola) or Scanner Service (Psion).
TekTerm is not available for Android or iOS.
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On Saturday, May 17, 2014 I attended lectures and exhibitions on the history and present of Motorola company in the Museum of West Bohemiain Pilsen. An ardent enthusiast Pavel Mašek presented the founders of Motorola and the products of this company since its inception brought to market. There were also mock and exhibits functional phones including Iridium satellite phone, rugged laptops, radios and various contemporary promotional items and flyers. Participants had the opportunity to meet with current Motorola enterprise products like mobile terminals and Wi-Fi networks. Internet access (hotspot) for the event was delivered by Motorola RFS4000 RFcontroller with AP650 access points.
More info (in Czech) at www.staredobrecasy.cz.