Zebra Technologies Corporation
10/19/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/20/2021 12:25
Believe It or Not, Most Field-Based Workers Don’t Need or Want Laptops.
If you've heard a lot of different opinions about what makes a tablet or laptop a 2-in-1 computing device, know you're not alone. In my 20+ years in the mobile computing industry, I've heard every point of view there is. Some say it's a laptop with a foldaway keyboard. Others argue it's a tablet with a detachable keyboard. A few people have even claimed 2-in-1s shouldn't be considered laptops or tablets - that they're in a category of their own. (Convertibles, perhaps?)
It's hard to say who's right or wrong. But I will say this: 2-in-1s aren't what they were even five years ago - at least not in the enterprise mobile computing space.
Detaching from the Past
There are millions of people around the world who don't work in a traditional office setting and probably never will. Yet, they all need a full office setup to do their jobs. I'm not talking about those who shifted into a remote work status due to the pandemic, either. I'm talking about engineers, first responders and emergency personnel, investigators, insurance adjustors, utility technicians, residential and commercial service providers, military personnel, and others out in the field every day helping to build, protect, maintain, serve and restore our communities.
They need the same access to operational information as any other worker in their respective organizations - perhaps even more urgently. Therefore, they need a way to stay digitally connected to critical infrastructure systems and each other no matter how physically distanced they are from the office or their colleagues. Situational awareness is a mainstay of their jobs. That's why public safety and utility crews were among the first to test and use rugged tablets over 20 years ago. They needed a computing solution that mimicked the desktop experience but was truly mobile.
Though rugged laptops became wildly popular among mobile workers who spent a lot of time driving from one site to the next, most were too bulky and heavy to ever remove from the vehicle dock. To be honest, it's still that way today despite the advancements made to slim down devices. So, field-based workers are heading out to job sites empty handed - and laptops are sitting unused in vehicles for hours on end. And at the end of the day, they spend hours trying to write and submit reports and close out work orders - hoping they remembered everything correctly and realizing there was probably information they forgot to capture when clearing a scene, interviewing a witness, installing a piece of equipment, or inspecting a building.
I know. It's hard to believe, right? We live in the digital age. People should be able to be access, capture and/or share information on the spot, no matter what.
That's why I'm calling on you to abandon the notion that all mobile workers need laptops. They don't. In fact, many are going to be disadvantaged by laptops. And I know you care about productivity, especially right now.
The workload seems to be doubling by the day, doesn't it? More calls, patients, and service requests are coming in. More infrastructure, homes and buildings need to be constructed, inspected, and repaired. And more planes, trains and automobiles need to be manufactured, maintained and operated. Don't get me started on the ebb and flow of energy demands or the depths crews must go to extract natural resources. I haven't met one person who isn't feeling the pressure right now to do more each day…without making mistakes along the way.
Can you imagine how much harder their jobs must be if they are having to make do with a device that's not well suited for their jobs?
My suspicion is that once you walk a day in their shoes, you'll see they really need two different form factors to maintain a smooth workflow between their homes, vehicles, the field, customer homes, and other job sites. They need one that can be used in hand while walking and working and one that can be setup like a laptop in the vehicle or on a desk. That doesn't mean they need two devices, though.
They just need one, large screen rugged 2-in-1 tablet with a keyboard that can be folded in for a "close and go" laptop solution or completely detached when they need a true tablet to move about quickly. And they need a computer they can dock and undock - from the vehicle, desktop, forklift, or other mount - in one second, with one hand. Watch this: