INFORMATION #1 08-20-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

TOy or tool? for school resource officers to query gang databases; for marine patrol per- haps with GPS; for investigators at a crime scene, etc. "It's 'not a complete replacement for full field reporting on a laptop," he says. "But you can't put a laptop on a bicycle." RIM devices and smart phones The real competition to PDAs may be the smart phone, some of which are already on the market. Mobile phone makers Kyocera, Ericsson, Motorola, Mitsubishi and Samsung already incor- porate the basic PDA features in many of their models, along with online browsing. Probably the phone that rep- resents the most complete convergence is the Touchpoint 3000, sold by Sprint PCS (Personal Communications System), which has a PDA-size screen and comes with a stylus. In April Motorola announced its new Accompli 008, which integrates an "always on" GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) phone and a cutting- edge PDA. Its sleek design incorpo- rates a large, 240x320 pixel, 2.3x3.8- inch touchscreen display with an improved intuitive graphical user inter- ' "You can't put a laptop on a bicycle." -- Bob Daniels, Boca Raton (Florida) Police Services Department face that's accessed with a stylus and has handwriting recognition. Infrared communication between other PDAs allows you to conveniently exchange- information. So far availability is scheduled in Europe and Asia for mid- 2001, but Motorola expects to take this EPIC. GA MBER 'JOHNSON Stevens Point, WI - 800-456-6868 www.gamberjoh nson.com Write in 100 on Reader Service Card 114 Law Enforcement Technology · July 2001 phone global as soon as it feels the market is ready. Despito the high level of features on the phones, it doesn't appear law enforcement will be going down that road anytime soon. It was announced on a popular wire service a few months back, a rare department that gave cell phones to all its officers took them back after a yearly budget of air time was squandered in about three months._. Perhaps it's an option for the chief and selected commanders/units, but would you really want all your officers on departmental cell phones? Yet another messaging tool is a two- way pager that takes the form of a PDA with a tiny keyboard attached. These can do computer checks, fast e-mail access and organizing functions, but are limited in doing anything else. Reseaich in Motion (RIM) of Waterloo, Ontario, makes the popular Blackberry, which the Boca Raton Police Services Department will be try- ing on a limited basis (in addition to PDAs). Motorola also makes such a device. Unlike a PDA, the RIM devices will give you notification that you have an e-mail message, a handy tool for emergency personnel or any kind of. workgroup where fast notification is key. A "phenomenal" tool We can say with certainty that using a handheld as a personal organizer has met with approval in law enforcement circles. "As a police manager, it's been phenomenal," Daniels emphasizes. "It's helped immensely with budgeting and to have Outlook information at my fingertips [after hours] is nice. This compact but snappy device has made me productive even when I'm not in the office." ffl Donna Rogers is the communications editor with this publication. She can be reached at droger- skranich~rcn.com.