| What does this product do?
It enables wireless PDA computers (and any wireless device that can view web pages) to have real-time access to select data on your UNIX server using its web browser - so no additional software is required. Since the user never actually logs onto the UNIX server, your data remains secure and only information you specifically make available to that user can be accessed.
How does it work?
Special web page forms are created for the device (designed by anyone, including Sound Ideas - see our web page design services) and these forms connect directly to the FineLine Mobile Access software running on the UNIX server. FineLine Mobile Access reformats the incoming data to your specifications (ex: fixed-length, comma-delimited, etc.) and provides it to your UNIX application. The results of your application (ex: customer order details) are used by Mobile Access to customize another web page which is returned to the waiting device. Since you specify what UNIX command Mobile Access runs for each page, you control how the data is processed by your database and what is returned.
What are the requirements of the UNIX application?
All the UNIX application needs to do is read an input text file, process the data (i.e. lookup the information in the database) and write an output text file. FineLine Mobile Access does the rest.
What kind of PDA is required?
Any PDA with a recent web browser should work fine (the "trick" is to design the web pages to work within the capabilities of the PDA's browser). Both consumer (ex: iPAQ / Palm) or commercial (ex: Symbol / Fujitsu / Intermec) PDAs will work; it just depends on the ruggedness and features that are required.
For example, for real-time inventory or order fulfillment (among other tasks), PDAs are available with a built-in barcode scanner, along with a numeric keypad or full "QWERTY" keyboard.
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Symbol PDA with built-in barcode scanner and full keyboard
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Fujitsu PDA with built-in barcode scanner, magnetic stripe reader and numeric keyboard
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Many accessories can be added to most PDAs including cellular cards, barcode scanners, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, keyboards and more.
Can dedicated devices like a BlackBerry or cell phone be used?
If the device has a web browser and can access the Internet, the Mobile Access software will work with it. The real issues are whether the browser software has the capabilities you require for your application and whether the device is comfortable for the user to use to access the data. If both of these are true, the key to getting dedicated devices to work is making sure the pages being created for the device stay within the capabilities of the device's browser.
Handheld BlackBerry devices
What kind of wireless connection is required?
Any wireless connection (Cellular, Wi-Fi /802.11, Bluetooth, etc.) can be used, as long as the device can communicate with the UNIX server over the network (actually, a wired connection also works but is of limited value...).
For example, if a PDA will be used for checking inventory in a store or warehouse, a Wi-Fi/802.11 local wireless network would be appropriate.
With a cellular connection, a user can access the UNIX information everywhere cellular service is provided.
What are some examples of how this software can be used?
- Update the UNIX system's inventory in real-time
- Real-time comparison of received goods to purchase order for immediate notification of incorrect or missing goods
- Check customer information from the road / airport / boat
- Line busting
- Mobile point-of-sale, price verification & gift registry
- Immediate location information for incoming pallets in a warehouse
- Salespeople enter orders in real-time
- Installation crews access their schedules and enter time sheets
- Delivery personnel log deliveries
- Repair personnel check stock and order parts
- Anything you can think of...
What are some key features of this product?
- FineLine Mobile Access will only receive, reformat and pass text files so your UNIX system remains secure since it cannot be directly accessed by a user or program through this software.
- Up to 9,999 different web pages can run specific UNIX commands to process data for any type of application (ex: order status, information requests, tracking numbers, inventory queries, etc.)
- Built-in filtering is included for parsing and converting the incoming data to prepare it for being consumed by your UNIX application
- Any errors encountered (ex: invalid access requests) are logged and can generate an e-mail message to any number of users sent through a specified SMTP server.
- An easy-to-use UNIX configuration interface along with detailed instructions are provided for configuring the software.
- A separate session is maintained for each user with adjustable inactivity and total usage timers
- A working PDA web page demonstration is included with the package for trying the Mobile Access software from a networked PDA (or a PC using a regular web browser) More info
Click on each demo page image for a larger version.
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