Now is the pivotal time in the marketplace. If companies haven't thought about it before, they're thinking about it now. If they were thinking about it, they're ready to buy. Until recently, the technology hasn't been there, but that has all changed. Traditional ruggedized notebooks and pen-based PCs haven't been the most ideal solutions for field systems.
Conventional wisdom holds that field computing applications require a different breed of hardware.
These systems are used in conjunction with difficult tasks, often requiring heavy physical labor, and they must be able to withstand exposure to rain, snow, mud, dirt and extreme temperatures. But cost and convenience make these small devices compelling alternatives. But others are looking at less traditional alternatives. Better yet, with Java, users can develop applications at surprisingly lower costs and much shorter time frames. Of course, many users still require larger screens and more robust computing power.