Altrincham, UK 23 January 2013 – Lothian and Borders Police has taken delivery of special screen protectors from Maxatec for the force’s entire 2000 Bluebird Pidion BM-170 PDAs. The Tuffscreen Screen Impact Protector further enhances the robustness and utility of the mobile devices supplied by Maxatec that the force uses as its paperless system for frontline policing. Tuffscreen minimises screen breakages and provides tactile response, sensitivity and visual clarity, thereby becoming an integral part of the screen rather than a typical aftermarket stick on accessory.
With such a large fleet of PDAs in the field, the force wants to maximise their use and benefits, therefore it is imperative that as few devices as possible suffer breakages. Plus, with Tuffscreen the force is able to avoid the labour and parts costs associated with repairing broken screens, which could be as much as £500 plus the impact of downtime on productivity and the force’s real-time electronic data management system.
What is Tuffscreen?
Tuffscreen is a unique retrofit screen-protection system that is compatible for use with all types of mobile hardware, including those with resistive touchscreens. It is a dual-layer screen protector that provides impact and scratch resistance, while reducing glare. It comprises a hard-coated film bonded to a colourless, transparent gel that provides shock absorption and self-adhesion to the device screen.
Tests by the manufacturer show that the user-friendly product improves screen ruggedness and prevents damage when a 70g weight is dropped onto the screen from as high as six feet. Unlike traditional screen protectors that need changing on a regular basis as they eventually scratch and become dull due to wear and tear, Tuffscreen is intended as a fit and forget product that gives years of service before replacement.
The force is pleased with the protectors as it gives peace of mind when using the PDAs it so carefully and rigorously researched before purchasing.
“Tuffscreen is an excellent product for our PDAs. Maxatec demonstrated how it would be a perfect match for our demanding frontline work with the devices. We understand that Maxatec has used it in other challenging applications, including on handheld terminals used by airlines. We looked at other products but nothing meets the same specification of Tuffscreen, enabling the touchscreens to work as they should, reduce the glare of LCD and provide such a high level of protection,” says Tom Muir, Mobile Data Manager, Lothian and Borders Police.
Policing with the Pidion
The decision to select the Pidion BM-170 from Maxatec followed many months of searching for a cost effective, fully featured, semi-rugged PDA that can withstand the day-to-day requirements of frontline police officers. The PDA has 3.5 in VGA screen and runs Kelvin Connect’s special PRONTO electronic pocket notebook software that allows officers to take handwritten notes and statements. The officers use the PDAs to gather and re-use information in the street and simply download it on return to the police station, which reduces paperwork and maximises efficiency as the information comes from the device.
The PDA’s semi-rugged design ensures multiple 1.5m drops to ground and the LCD screen is crack-resistant. It offers a range of connectivity and communications features including Bluetooth Class II v2.0+EDR, HSDPA (3.5G), WiFi and A-GPS for accurate and high-speed data communication. It also has a 3 Megapixel autofocus camera, large memory capacity and Maxatec offers the option of a 3,200 mAh extended battery for continuous long use before recharging.
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