Heard Your Favorite Zebra Tablet is Sold Out? Have No Fear. The New L10ax Windows® Rugged Tablets Will Soon Be Here.
Flexible, reliable, and responsive are all qualities you might look for in a job candidate if you work in the government, public safety, manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, or field service sectors. But I suspect they’re also qualities you look for in the technology you will ultimately give those job candidates when they join your team. It’s probably why you chose to equip your workers with Zebra L10 rugged tablets over the last few years – and why you’re hoping to continue that tradition for the next several years.
Well, I have good news!
Even though it may be hard to get your hands on any first generation L10s these days – many of these Windows® SKUs are now completely sold out – you can be among the first to benefit from the enhanced features of the next generation of these popular tablets by placing your order now! And, trust me, there are some big benefits:
1. The XSlate, XPad, and XBook L10ax are the only 10” Zebra Windows® rugged tablets that currently have both 5G and Wi-Fi 6E connectivity options! In fact, the 12” ET80 and ET85 rugged 2-in-1 tablets are the only other Zebra rugged tablets that have an equally advanced wireless technology feature set. (The first-generation L10s support Wi-Fi 5 and 4G LTE.) So, once your workers have L10ax Windows tablets in hand, they should not be reporting connectivity issues anymore. In fact, whether they work in a facility or out in the field in remote areas, they shouldn’t even notice the transitions between Wi-Fi access points or cellular network towers. The signal strength and wireless coverage will be as good as it can be this day in age. On top of that, if you are looking to leverage next generation technology like augmented reality or robotics in your future day-to-day operations, then the advanced connectivity of the L10ax Windows tablets has you covered.
This expert insight from Bruce Willins is a good read if you’re trying to get caught up on the benefits of 5G, Wi-Fi6/6E, and other current wireless technologies. And, if you are responsible for first responders, I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear these new L10ax models also have full coverage on the ATT FirstNet and Verizon Frontline networks if needed, just like the previous L10 Windows generation.
2. The L10ax Windows tablets skipped a (CPU) generation, so your workers won’t skip a beat when assigned data-intensive or time-sensitive tasks. That’s right, these tablets come standard with the latest Intel® 11th Gen i5 and i7 Core processors, giving you enhanced computing power and application performance. Enough said. Now, if you prefer the Intel Pentium processor, you can still get that on the previous L10 Windows generation.
3. They have Zebra DNA. These are the first L10s born out of Zebra engineering labs, as the previous L10s were built by Xplore, which Zebra acquired in 2018. So, they have some of the extra special secret sauce that take collaboration and productivity to the next level, including the PowerPrecision+ batteries, 123Scan and optional Workforce Connect Push-to-Talk (PTT) Pro. This might be one of the upgrades you’ll be most excited about because Zebra DNA tools were previously exclusive to Android™ tablets. Now, they’ll be available in the new L10ax Windows platform once released early next year. Rest assured these tools are not new, though. Zebra DNA is actually why front-line workers – and top decision-makers within their organizations – have been fans of Zebra mobile computing, scanning and printing solutions for years. Let me explain…
- Workforce Connect will let you finally retire those old-school walkie talkies or two-way radios and consolidate the gazillion other communication and collaboration apps your workers are currently using to stay in touch with one another and on top of customer requests, orders, and more. It will give them secure text messaging capabilities along with asset and people locating tools, so they won’t have to waste time wandering around looking for what – or who – they need to find. They can even use Workforce Connect to set up dynamic group chats, launch and manage collaborative workflows, and coordinate actions. (Sounds perfect for your police or fire department, right? I know delivery drivers, paramedics, logistics managers and others who have to stay in perfect step with colleagues will also appreciate having a tool that helps them do just that.)
- The PowerPrecision+ batteries are both batteries and health trackers. Well, battery health trackers. But that’s a big deal considering a dead battery is the last thing workers want to deal with when they’re responding to emergency calls, just two stops away from completing their delivery route for the day, or in the middle of the assembly line and not keen to stop production. They – or your IT team – can see when a battery is on its last leg or experiencing an unexpected issue that could cause the tablet to shut down at the most inconvenient time. They can proactively replace it to prevent that worst case scenario (i.e., lost productivity) from becoming reality.
- And 123Scan…well, let me move on to the next benefit and you’ll see why this will be valuable to you.
4. The Zebra SE4107 scan engine now comes standard in the XPAD L10ax Windows models. So, workers who need a tablet that is capable of fast, dependable, on-the-spot 1D/2D barcode data capture will get just that. It has a green LED aiming spot, a bright white rectangular illumination field to help capture color barcodes, and the Zebra DNA-derived PRZM Intelligent Imaging Technology to facilitate first-time, every-time scanning. That’s critical when they need to scan driver’s licenses, packages, prescriptions, and finished goods quickly and accurately. Data capture should never hold up people or processes. This is also where 123Scan proves helpful. We like to say it’s the “industry’s simplest configuration wizard” because it is. There’s really not much anyone can say to argue against that point. Someone with no tech acumen could follow the configuration process and have their XPad’s built-in barcode scanner setup and optimized in just a few minutes.
5. They’re sleeker and easier to sanitize than the L10s your workers are using today. As soon as you pick up a next-gen L10ax Windows tablet, you’ll notice it has a new smooth back, crevice-free design. This makes it easier to wipe down, especially if used in ambulances, food processing facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants or other environments where sanitation requirements are strict. And though more aesthetically appealing, the L10ax tablets are just as rugged as ever. In fact, they’ve been tested to MIL-STD-810H standards. That’s right, these IP65 tablets will work in extreme temperatures, high humidity, and even blowing sand and dust. They are also C1D2 certified for use in Hazardous Locations and tolerant of many contaminant exposures (including Lysol disinfectant and isopropyl alcohol).
6. The L10ax Windows tablets are built on the Windows 10 Pro platform and secure to U.S. and international government standards. What does that mean, exactly? You can use Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 to easily implement different levels of security for different users and optional Smart Card/Common Access Card (CAC) and fingerprint readers to control access to data and applications. The front-facing Windows Hello camera even offers facial recognition for multi-factor authentication. So, rest easy knowing your sensitive data and device connections can be thoroughly protected.
(Zebra’s Chief Security Officer, Mike Zachman, also talks mobile device security here if you want more guidance on how to protect devices against cyber and physical threats.)
7. The L10ax Windows tablets, though designed to support you long into the future, don’t force you to completely abandon your past (investments). The L10ax Windows models are backwards compatible with first-generation L10 accessories. There is no need to rip and replace your current L10 accessory infrastructure to accommodate the new L10ax Windows tablets. I know this will be a relief given how cumbersome and costly it can be to remove mounting hardware in vehicles and forklifts.
Since seven is considered a lucky number in many cultures, I’m going to stop there. Just know these aren’t the only benefits you’ll gain by getting your order in early for the new L10ax Windows rugged tablets (which are scheduled to ship in late February 2022).
For example, you and your team will also have something to look forward to in the new year, as you’ll have the technology needed to scale your operations – or simply coordinate current operations better – as demands grow. And, once deployed, your IT team won’t have to field as many help tickets from your field-based workers, forklift drivers or others who rely solely on their tablets to make the right call, turn or step. Another bonus? Your field-based or geographically disparate workers won’t feel lost and abandoned. They’ll be able to use the latest gen wireless technologies to stay connected to networks and the people who they depend on to help them be productive, efficient and successful each day.
Sign Me Up!
If you want to learn more about the L10ax Windows tablets or think these are the tablets that will be best for your workers in 2022 and beyond, reach out to your local Zebra representative. They’ll be able to share more details about the next-gen rugged tablet configurations that will be available and help you customize a solution suited for your specific goals.
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Wondering if a Windows rugged tablet is right for your field-based workers considering the shift to Android™ on handheld mobile computers? Watch these videos:
Jose Tormo
Jose Tormo is currently the Principal Product Manager at Zebra Technologies where he is responsible for the L10 family of rugged tablets. Jose has more than 30 years of experience within the computer and communications equipment industries.
Previously, he served as Chief Strategy Officer for SWRM Labs, a blockchain content distribution network, and a range of product marketing, corporate development, and strategy roles with Motorola, Hewlett Packard, and AMD where he led business growth efforts through disruptive innovation. Jose received a patent on a network connectivity manager across wireless LAN and cellular networks.
He holds a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from Stanford University.
