TOOLS OF THE TRADE
LIGHT AND DURABLE
Panasonic Toughpad FZ-F1, FZ-N1
Panasonic has come out with two new handheld tablets that it says are the world’s lightest fully rugged handheld models on the market.
Unveiled during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the Panasonic Toughpad FZ-F1 and FZ-N1 models are said to be ideal for the transportation sector. They can be used in a variety of applications to improve efficiency and productivity, said Panasonic.
These 4.7 inch Android and Window powered devices have gone through tough tumble tests that saw the devices endure 2,000 consecutive 3.3 foot drops, said the company. They are also fully sealed against dust and are also submersible, making them ideal for a service bay.
Other features include an ergonomically designed angled rear barcode reader, glove enabled and multi-touch sunlight viewable display and a rain sensing mode, said Panasonic.
“The majority of handheld computer solutions in market today are using an antiquated OS and are vastly underpowered. Additionally, older devices aren’t compatible with today’s standard enterprise applications, offer poor voice and data features and are larger and heavier than they need to be. The Toughpad FZ-F1 and FZ-N1 handheld tablets give companies looking for an up-to-date, powerful, flexible and purpose-built solution, an excellent option that will improve efficiency, productivity and bottom-line performance for years to come,” said Jan Ruderman, Vice-President, Business Mobility Group, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America.
The Android-powered Toughpad FZ-N1 will be available as a WiFi model in March 2016 with a voice model to be introduced in summer 2016, said Panasonic. The Windows 10 loT Mobile Enterprise-powered Toughpad FZ-F1 will be launched as a data and voice model in fall 2016.
EASY MANAGEMENT
Matrix Total Fluid Management System
Looking for ways to control costs and track the fluid inventory at your dealership? Graco Inc. offers a solution with its Matrix Fluid Management System.
Using Graco software, the Matrix system tracks and monitors dispenses and manages tank inventory of bulk oils, coolant, antifreeze and other fluids, said the company.
Service advisors can also program automatic alerts when fluid is low, and automatically set the system to re-order fluid or schedule waste pickup when necessary. The company said Matrix works with the dealership’s DMS for automatic billing, workflow improvements and other efficiencies.
Graco will be displaying the Matrix Fluid Management System at the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Conference & Expo 2016 on April 1-3 in Las Vegas, Nev. in booth #4801C.
