Unitech HT630 and uTransfer : Easy and Affordable Data Management

Mobile inventory management is a fantastic way to improve accuracy at your business and cut down on unnecessary expenses. Unfortunately, most mobile computers and inventory management software can be pretty expensive. Often times you just need to be able to grab an inventory count and import it to your POS software, and thankfully Unitech has a solution for you.

The Unitech HT630 comes with a basic inventory app preinstalled, allowing you to capture item number, quantity, and other stock data. And with the free uTransfer software, you can pull the data from the HT630, ready to import into whatever POS software package you happen to run.

uTransfer is a serial data transfer application, supporting Windows Vista and older. The data is saved as a .DAT file, though you can do some minor settings changes to switch it to .txt or whatever floats your boat. Data files are saved to your desktop by default, making retrieval easy.

I think what I like about this setup compared to, say, a batch keychain scanner, is that you have an LCD screen and nav buttons, so you can double check your work as you go. So if you need some basic mobile inventory management, the HT630 and uTransfer is a smart and affordable option.

Unitech HT680 Mobile Computer

Our Unitechnician friends recently showed off this new mobile computer and it definitely looks like it bridges some gaps and creates synergy and other buzzwords that make it fancy. It’s the Unitech HT680, and it’s a pretty beefy yet not wicked expensive unit.

The HT680, to me, seems like an in-between on their big tough PA line and their itty bitty batch device line. Kind of like the Hercules of the Unitech Pantheon. It comes standard with Windows CE 5.0 Pro, a 520 MHz processor, and 128 MB RAM / 512 MB Flash. So it may not be as much of a powerhouse as the PA600, but it’ll get the job done for most folk. There’s also an expansion slot for miniSD cards which can add up to 4 GB of Flash storage in case you want to load a rather large product database, or maybe a couple movies, onto the HT680 for later perusal.

For scanning, you get your choice of a 1D laser scanner or 2D imager, so you don’t have to pay for functionality you don’t really need. It’s also set at an angle from the device, much like the Honeywell Dolphin 6100, so it’s no sweat to scan barcodes while still staring at the screen.

All the units have Bluetooth v. 2 built-in, and come with an optional 802.11b/g radio in case you need to VOIP it up or update your facebook status while driving your forklift. I guess there are more legit applications, like hooking in to the central database to post and retrieve updates while on the job, so you don’t accidentally send 100 copies of “From Justin to Kelly” out to some poor soul.

The design on the HT680 makes it relatively tough, and so you should be safe letting even clumsier people use it. Like most mobile computers kickin around out there, the HT680 sports an IP54 seal, which means dust and splashes of water can’t get in to the electronics, or makes it sneezeproof. And through some combination of light internals (11.2 ounces, so svelte!) and sturdy design, this badboy can withstand drops of 6 feet to concrete. It’s the only Unitech mobile computer that can do that!

Unitech Mobile Printers

One of the manufacturers we carry, Unitech, strives to make low-cost solutions for customers. Their mobile computer line, including the PA500 and PA600, have been tremendous in helping a lot of customers who want to go mobile with inventory management but don’t have the cash to cover a Symbol MC70 or Intermec CN3. It also helps that our market development rep at Unitech is a really great guy who checks in from time to time to make sure we’ve got the resources and literature necessary to sell their products.

At the Denver event where I made 50 bucks, they had the general manufacturer showroom, where we, as VARs, get to see what kind of new equipment is coming out and maybe make new contacts at companies we don’t have a close relationship with yet. It’s basically schmoozing while eating appetizers and drinking beer.

Unitech was at the event, and they actually had a couple completely new products to show off that really are great. The MP200 and MP300 are their 2″  and 3″ mobile receipt printers, and they definitely fill a niche that has long been devoid of competition. What sets them apart from the competition is something they’ve done with the PA500 and PA600. Both units ship with the MP200 and MP300 drivers preinstalled, meaning all you have to do is set up the Bluetooth, IrDA, or serial connection between the two devices and you’re set. This creates an incredibly easy to setup solution for a lot of customers who may be hesitant when it comes to driver installation and configuration, and it definitely gives Unitech something that the competition doesn’t.

Unitech ships the units with everything you need to get set up, just like with their mobile computer line, so there is much less of a headache when making the purchase. I really like the care that Unitech puts into making sure the end user can get up and running quickly and easily.