Mobile software PDA portable computing solution application developers

Note

If you would like to offer suggestions as to further subject matter, questions or comments, please let us know.

Also Note, that Brendon McLoughlin of Tasc Software also has a Blog, Click Here! to visit the blog now which may contain topics of further interest.

Click On the image below
to enlarge!

Fitting a MicroSDs to the New MC55xx range
By Brendon McLoughlin

Recently I wrote an article called My Personal View of the Motorola MC Range of Mobile Devices. When I completed this article, I then selected my personal choice for A barcode scanning mobile office which was an MC55. Since then the MC55 has been utilised in other projects like PocketPriceCheck ( PPC.GoMobile.ie ). The PocketPriceCheck project had been so interesting, we went on to create a Case Study which was titled TradeWins ... Pocket a Mobile Solution and followed this with a blog entry called: Mobile Development … Concept to Delivery within 2 weeks.

Throughout the above process, one of the downsides we quickly found was which did not quite fit in with any of the above articles was in relation to when a user wishs to Fit a MicroSD to one of these New MC55xx units. The process is made difficult because of the design of the ‘Sim’ guide overlapping the ‘MicroSD’ guide. For me, the process is further compounded because both of these flash card guides are made of the same thin tin that you find in a mobile phone ‘Sim’ guide and they are in my view flimsy at best and designed to very occasional opened and closed only by a person with child like fingers.

This problem was highlighted recently when a customer who was installing a new application onto their new MC55 called in requesting technical support in order to locate “Where can I find the MicroSD slot and fit the MicroSD card to install my new application?”

In summary the process is:

• Fit the MicroSD card into a MicroSD to SD adaptor
• Plug the MicroSD to SD adaptor into a SD card reader / writer
• Copy your new application onto the MicroSD via the MicroSD to SD adaptor using the SD card reader / writer when it is plugged into your PC or Laptop
• Remove the MicroSD to SD adaptor from the reader / writer
• Remove the MicroSD card from the MicroSD to SD adaptor
• Open the battery compartment of the MC55xx using the battery release and lock latch
• Carefully lift at one side, the rubber dust cover concealing the 'Sim' and 'MicroSD' guides
• Carefully lift at one side, the 'Sim' guide while holding the rubber dust cover
• Carefully lift at one side, the 'MicroSD' guide
• Slide the MicroSD card into the MicroSD guide
• Carefully close the MicroSD guide, ensuring you have a flush neat fit, do not force the guide into position, refit if required.
• Carefully close the SIM guide, ensuring you have a flush neat fit, do not force the guide into position, refit if required.
• Carefully close the Rubber dust cover, ensuring you have a flush neat fit, do not force the dust cover into position, refit if required.
• Carefully refit the Battery into the Battery compartment, ensuring you have a flush neat fit, do not force the Battery into position, refit if required until the latch release snaps closed.
• Congratulate yourself for a successful completion of this procedure as you have avoided damaging any of the components parts.

One of my colleagues enquired “…ok smarty pants, how would you! have designed in an alternative design, process and procedure?”. I replied, very simply ... with an ‘SD’ or ‘MicroSD’ reader / writer slot’ fitted internally but accessible externally using a screw on cover to cover the flash card and maintain the IP rating of the unit, just like the MC70.

In the mean time, the procedure as you can see has a number of steps to it, each of which must be completed with due care and attention. It is also advantageous to have very small fingers.

In order to assist the customer, I came up with the following illustration, so when accompanied with the above steps, the illustration and the manufactures documentation, the entire process is greatly simplified. Enjoy.

Other Related articles:
Motorola's MC55xx - A barcode scanning mobile office?
Mobile Development ... Concept to Delivery within 2 weeks
My Personal View of the Motorola MC Range of Mobile Devices
PocketPriceCheck

Related downloads:
MC5590 Leaflet
MC5574 Leaflet

Related websites:
Mobile.GoMobile.ie
Motorola