[BBPandy]

PlayBook QNX Paper Trail Leads Mobile Innovations To T-Mobile Solutions Expo In Minnesota

Toronto, Ontario, Canada (PRWEB) May 31, 2012

Mobile Innovations President Gary Bauer is on the road again, travelling from his company's offices in Toronto to attend a T-Mobile mobile solutions event in Bloomfield Minnesota, June 12 and 13. Unlike his recent appearances at BlackBerry World 2012 and the Canadian NICHE User Conference - where he arrived driving a Dodge Charger Police Enforcer loaded Mobile Innovations PlayBook solutions - he will be stepping off a plane, carrying all of the same in-vehicle PlayBook 2.1 solutions in a 20 pound case called MPACaseMaker.

Another difference is that he will be meeting not only with law enforcement officials, but also with EMS, fire, municipal works and utilities representatives. �Not everyone who is looking for an inexpensive alternative to ruggedized laptops can mount a PlayBook into their service vehicles.� Bauer explains. �But many of these folks still need to access secure databases and print documents and forms on the fly." Bauer is referring to the ongoing need to print service forms like floor plans, technical diagrams, receipts, medical records and other documents commonly required by non-law enforcement public service agencies.

Originally designed as a ship-anywhere benchmarking kit for international police services who didn't want to cover the travel and accommodation costs of a visiting Mobile Innovations IT specialist, MPACaseMaker has caught on with other public service agencies via word-of-mouth. As well as an 8.5�x11� roll-fed thermal printer, the kit's Pelican hard case contains a PlayBook with a BlackBerry keyboard, mag stripe scanner and USB SmartHub, driven by a 12volt plug-in power supply. With this Mobile Innovations kit, any agency can print virtually any letter or legal size DOC or PDF format document anywhere, on demand.

Bauer attributes the growing demand for MPACaseMaker by EMS, fire, municipal and utility services customers to the kit's rugged printing solution, its security, ease of being 'swapped out' from one vehicle to another and its affordability with a unit price of only USD $2,500. -- all of which make MPACasemaker well suited to smaller municipalities with limited budgets. Demand is likely also heightened by the fact that MPA is one of very few, if not the only portable printing solutions currently available for PlayBook QNX.

Live demonstrations of MPACaseMaker's printing, secure data access and other capabilities may be seen at the upcoming T-Mobile Mobile Solutions Expo to be held on June 12th and 13th at Mall of America, Bloomington, Minnesota.

For more information, please contact:
Gary Bauer � President
Mobile: 1-416-889-9997
Email: garyb (at) mobinnoco (dot) com

Mobile Innovations is a privately held company dedicated to enhancing law enforcement, EMS, municipal, fire and utility operations with the most advanced mobile data products available. Based in Niagara Falls, Canada, Mobile Innovations also has operations in Toronto and works with over fifty agencies across Canada, the United States and in the United Kingdom. Mobile Innovations is a member of the BlackBerry� Alliance Program with six years of service developing and deploying advanced mobile solutions for BlackBerry devices.

Read the full story at PlayBook QNX Paper Trail Leads Mobile Innovations To T-Mobile Solutions Expo In Minnesota

Check out the Video
[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAKyQHCqCQw[/YT]

[h20work]

No response from the usual suspects on how this isn't important, rim is dead, apple did it already, etc?

The day I can plug my pb into a portable scanner and the export the data will make me one happy camper

[houshinto#IM]

No response from the usual suspects on how this isn't important, rim is dead, apple did it already, etc?

The day I can plug my pb into a portable scanner and the export the data will make me one happy camper

Most people are sleeping I think at the moment. Still, don't egg people on.

It's awesome that Mr. Bauer's MPACaseMaker is making a splash. Some real effective hardware utilization going on there.

[Knightcrawler]

That is freaking awesome. I love how they've leveraged rims security and the qnx operating environment to offer a cheap easy to use office-in-a-box that can really appeal to all types of enterprises.

I'm an engineer and I have to travel to site for long durations.....having something like this that allowed me to have access to our network anywhere I go so I could pull up contract documents, print technical specs or scan daily reports, would be absolutely awesome.

[ssbtech]

Wait, where did I miss that I can print from the PlayBook?

[Sith_Apprentice]

Wait, where did I miss that I can print from the PlayBook?

Separate PC in the case for now. Absolutely fascinating how they did this.

[Superfly_FR]

Wait, where did I miss that I can print from the PlayBook?

And that the "Playbook" shown in the briefcase top cover (00:10) actually looks like ... a BB10 dev alpha ? This can't be a PlayBook !!! Just look at the form factor :

[Sith_Apprentice]

BIG case, though it does work with the Dev Alpha

[Rickroller]

What am I missing? All's one needs is an HP e-Printer for "on the go" printing solutions, no? I could have one plugged into my car or truck, use my hotspot capability for it to connect to the internet, use Handy Scanner app from my phone to scan receipts, drivers licenses etc or connect to my work network via PhoneMyPC app, and I can print anything, anywhere. I suppose I could even buy a big Pelican briefcase to store the ePrinter in as well (EDIT: although I'd need an external power source for that if I took it outside the vehicle)

[Sith_Apprentice]

What am I missing? All's one needs is an HP e-Printer for "on the go" printing solutions, no? I could have one plugged into my car or truck, use my hotspot capability for it to connect to the internet, use Handy Scanner app from my phone to scan receipts, drivers licenses etc or connect to my work network via PhoneMyPC app, and I can print anything, anywhere. I suppose I could even buy a big Pelican briefcase to store the ePrinter in as well.

Security for one, this type of information isnt sent via e-mail in most cases. Also this supports two factor authentication with smart cards, among other things (like it ties into the car for controlling lights, sirens, and the video cameras, etc). Also using short range (controlling the range via BES/Fusion) encrypted BT is a far better solution than WiFi in this case.

[Rickroller]

Well I suppose for police uses I could understand the security factor, but I'm responding to comments about being able to print anything anywhere..for the average user. It can already be done, and for a helll of a lot less then $2500 (although i'm sure a Pelican briefcase THAT big would cost a pretty penny)

[Sith_Apprentice]

Well I suppose for police uses I could understand the security factor, but I'm responding to comments about being able to print anything anywhere..for the average user. It can already be done, and for a helll of a lot less then $2500 (although i'm sure a Pelican briefcase THAT big would cost a pretty penny)

$2500 is for the entire thing however, the case likely being the most expensive part. Roll-fed thermal printers are not exactly the cheapest thing either (do they even make those that are WiFi capable for e-print?), dont forget you have the card reader (licenses etc) as well as the host computer in there as well. This system is easily not designed for the average user (remote start to the car, lights, sirens, etc) not being something most people would ever use.

Just a printer and a MIFI/Wireless Router could easily solve your printing problems in a vehicle. This just offers a lot more.

[ssbtech]

I'm not sold on this.

$500 gets you a Windows 7 tablet with a bluetooth keyboard. Toss in a small portable printer and you're up to $1,000, probably including the case. Another $500 or so for the card reader and whatever other hardware you need.

And just look at that tiny PlayBook in there. RIM needs a 10" PlayBook. They could call it.. wait for it.. "Ten on Ten"

[Sith_Apprentice]

That case is at least $300 depending on which they go with. Playbook with BT keyboard is $300 in 16gb variety. That printer is another $500, add in the card reader ($50 to $100?) and you sit around $1200+. Add in the mini PC plus the USB hub and thats another $150-$200. Dont forget the part that ties into the vehicle and controls the lights/sirens/cameras (no idea on price), then the included software + labor/assembly + profit gives you the $2500 price tag.

Keep in mind for this to be in a police cruiser, it has to survive crash tests with no failures at all (no pieces can come off during a high speed crash). I am certain that there is additional mounting hardware that is included in this to hold the playbook in the event of a collision.

[LoganSix]

Hey, this is a free market. If you can build it for cheaper and sell it for less, while making a profit, go do it!