That's the promised second installment of the exhibition, which vividly tells the story of nabivshih on edge topics - such as industrial terminals "and" outsourcing. " In addition, "a snack" are prelyubopytneyshie sketches - "Computers in uniform" and "Our on SeBIT'e.
Computers in uniform
In one of the pavilions located booth Bundeswehr. Walk past strange for a computer exhibition esponatov was absolutely impossible. I must say that the Bundeswehr's current policy is determined by the motto "Our task - to save the world." Almost like the old Soviet Union: "We stand for peace, we are preparing for war." But hardly anyone suspects a small army of postwar Germany in the aggressive ambitions. She's going to keep the peace did not tank armies and strategic missiles. "The price of the lowest possible loss of the army must ensure the security of the country and to maintain its prestige by participating in international operations," - something like the problem is formulated as a modern army in the brochure. Exhibits at the booth showed several options for applying modern technologies in the exploration front. For example, reconnaissance armored car Fennek. Weight - 10 tons, range - 1000 km. Everything is thought not to risk his crew. Go out of their cars and even open the hatches for reconnaissance (survey area) is not required. Imagers, a set of digital video cameras in all directions, radar, laser range finder, a navigation system.
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Inside the crowded displays, which displays a few pictures and a detailed map of the area. The work of the modern spy is comfortable and safe, but requires serious education and computer training. Another prelyubopytny exhibit - a miniature drone Drone, that in the literal translation means "Drone", for short-range aerial reconnaissance. Previously used for similar purposes balloons and fighter planes, which are happy to send the opponent to the ground, along with observers. Now everything has become easier and safer.
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A small plastic airplane is removed from the suitcase of medium size. Runs from the hands of children as a model glider and flies at speeds of 50 to 90 mph for 30 minutes. Four video cameras to take pictures and can immediately transmit them to the command post (CP), a role which can act as described above Bronevichok. Operator with CP can either follow the plane and send him to manage the team, or provide differential GPS independently conduct "TRUTEN" for a given route. On the computer screen command center displays the map with the position of airplane coming image and other flight data. Doing the job automatically airplane lands. If you are lucky, in the KP. If no luck, and the enemy shot down a toy - to start another, third, fourth. Quickly, easily, cheaply and safely. Processing of aerial photos - serious and highly skilled labor. That can offer this modern technology, can also be seen on the bench. Previously, aerial photos were flat, and recognition of point-like objects (such as antennas in a dense forest), it was almost impossible task.Then come up with pictures of each square two tilt the camera - one slightly ahead on the course, the other - a little back, as if a giant was looking at the ground, zazhmurivaya one or the other eye. There are two almost identical pictures side by side, armed with the special projectors and glasses, you can turn to this giant and see almost stereoscopic image. Now everything is happening even faster and easier. The negatives are scanned and combined computer and a person gets on the screen ready "stereo anaglyph. It is very convenient because you can easily change the image scale. In this case, the proportions are distorted, but in this case, the artistic merits of photography - not the goal.
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A friendly young man in camouflage with pleasure showing us stereosnimok Berlin on a huge flat screen Cobalt. - The only pity is that in fact the army has no such displays. We took him for a few days from some of the institute. We are all humble, but still much easier than it was before - says the stand assistant. On the stand of the Swiss company Beltronic, specializing in industrial PCs, found another, clearly a military exhibit. Armored laptop?
Industrial Terminals
Subject industrial PDA from year to year is becoming more popular. If the producers had offered almost no serious computer form-factor handheld, limited malofunktsionalnymi devices for data collection, but now the picture has changed. At the booths of dozens if not hundreds, of companies you may have noticed a small device into the cradle and just vnaval. Most of the terminal looked like twins. Top screen and bottom - vertically oriented keyboard. This design is passed on from generation to generation, from Grandpa Psion Organizer (or even more ancient elder, did not leave a deep mark in history). Of course, the device became more ergonomic, many acquired color screens. Internal filling them almost indistinguishable from the CCP (the same processors, same screens, same operating system). Speaking of operating systems. If a couple of years ago at the exhibition were mainly handicrafts and exotic OS, but now it all fell into a ticker and trim on the bearer. Guess once that is written on the banner?;) So a little about the modern instruments of the warehouse, electrician, driver, kontrolerskogo and other work. One of the industry leaders - Symbol Technologies - as usual, surprising design. Not only do modern devices have a really cosmic design. Symbol developers added a knob on the back side for easy design. Clicking on the yellow trigger on the handle includes a laser scanner. Number of keys on the keyboard prohibitive. In my opinion, the device is ideal for arming the Hollywood bad guys from the future.
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German firm DLoG showing its new device DNeT X 7, mounted on a truck loader. OS Windows CE 5.0 (as written on the stand, "the first terminal of the forklift with Windows CE 5.0»), or for those interested - linuh. Powerful platform: Intel PXA270 processor with speeds up to 520 MHz, protection against dust and water IP54/IP65. Operating temperature range - from -30 to +50 (albeit at -30 battery charging and maximum megahertz processor is not guaranteed).Huge 7-inch color touch screen is, apparently, for the navigation system for vast storage facilities of a potential customer.
On the stand Recon futuristic Soup exhibited a blue window on the background grid "netting", which should highlight their resilience to water freezing attack and the worker-peasant purpose.
Sami PDA Recon - surprisingly cute, colorful and dizaynistye. Optionally, inside can be both utilitarian Windows CE 4.2, and Windows Mobile 2003.
Here you want to see that producers "consumer" CCP would be worth to learn from its "industrial" colleagues. It is so dull now reigns in the design of conventional hand-held computers: "Come on! Number-number! "(AI Raikin). In pursuit of mass production and minimum cost ordinary-looking devices are copied, cloned and replicated many times with different Sheet, perelitsovannymi sockets of silver plastic. "Where are those blessed days when fashion industry asked Psion, and when the PDA makers could count on one hand !...» - I thought as I wandered through the endless pavilions past the endless stands. And suddenly the corner of my eye noticed a surprisingly lovely, cheerful device, the display is for some reason displayed map of the whole of Germany.
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What does the navigation system? I began to examine it closer, and suddenly noticed the inscription - Psion Techlogix. The device was Psion Workabout Pro - the new incarnation of the popular desktop terminal of the time Psion Workabout. Inside devaysa business as usual: Intel XScale PXA 255 400 MHz, Windows CE 4.2, color screen, an SD expansion card and Compact Flash support for all sorts of wireless protocols, etc. etc.
- Good day, I can you something to help? - There was next to stand assistant Psion.
- And what, you have finally all on Windows CE?
The young man looked at me with surprise:
- In what sense?
- Well, earlier Psion did his system, which was considered the best, out of which grew Symbian ... It is on these devices, it originally was - I nodded in the direction lying forlornly on the edge and stand NetBook'a NetPad'a.
- Aaaa, EPOC! Here, here, I think she is worth.
Comrade got an old friend - Workabout MX.
- But this is an older model ... And clients usually want Windows, therefore we offer. Ponostalgirovav and out of it in the hands of an entirely normal and even obsolete NetPad (the last item on the EPOC S5), I went on. A little further on I came across some unusual devices.The first was CuteSAFE firm Xpanium. In his model CuteSAFE Log they tried to grasp the immensity, combining in one device GPS, Blueeooth, Internet via GSM / GPRS, credit card reader and smart card, a handwritten signature recognition and barcode scanner.
A hallmark of this device can be regarded as a thermal printer can be disabled, made in the same form factor with the main terminal. Docking computer with the printer originally solved: unfasten short left half, attach the printer to the right side, just behind the screen and have the printer set short left half, as it were, lengthening device.
Transformer propose to use a taxi, delivery services, in shops and restaurants, hotels and gas stations, as well as to equip the police force (one of the opportunities given immediate billing - immediate execution of a fine). The original decision, although it seemed somewhat cumbersome. Another amusing device is offered for truckers. Called Jett, proposed by Two Technologies. In the computer, there is nothing particularly remarkable, but what car cradle!
On the stand Panasonic demonstrated some rubberized protected devices to suit all tastes.
From notebooks and Tablet ...
You can see what's inside ...
... Prior to the smartphone remotely like Ericsson. Password, no one knew so we had to settle for a photo with a funny keyboard tsifirkami.
Notorious in Russia, the Korean firm DOTel no longer tries to offer its handheld consumer market.Now they are positioning themselves as a reliable OEM supplier, and show numerous "together with its partners' products. DOT Model 320 is now called "industrial controller DOT 340". On the leaflet of the device and do written Windows Powered Palm-size PC (they live in what century?). Available in two versions - the full version of Windows CE 4.2, with either "core" system and a minimum of applications. Advertised in the last 400 model DOT demonstrated as a modest paper ads on it was missing.
The most interesting device at the booth was an industrial PC Mobile Compia M3, which is a little frost protected and PDAs. Optionally offered all options for wireless connectivity. About DOTel I still say a few words later in connection with the automotive part of the exhibition.
To stand firm with the original and rather ambiguous name (see photo below) I was waiting for a pleasant surprise.
Terminals themselves are quite ordinary (except that the keyboard design with full-size keys I liked).
But inside! Inside devaysa, which I picked up was something new.
- And you are using Qtopia?
- No, something we have to Trolltech did not happen. We did his own version based on ... (Here he named no telling me the name).
- Why Linux? Everyone says that customers require Windows.
- We have different customers. Some really want Windows, and many are willing to have Linux. We do not deny.
- Okay, but porting system, graphical user interface and applications - is a big job. Where do you get money?
- Customers willing to pay for improvements, system maintenance and tehsupport. In addition, they receive much of the source, which also positively affects the decision about the order.
- And how to solve synchronization issues?
- When talking about database replication, then there is no problem - all have been already done, you need only bring to mind on our platform. And synchronization with office applications like Outlook then nobody needs.
The computer of the future?
On the stand of the German company IBD showed a computer of the future. Without false modesty, he was called - Future Pad. Well, almost perfect Tablet PC.
Judge for yourself: - Dimensions: 20x24x1, 8 cm, weight - 800 g
- Touch screen TFT-screen resolution of 800x600 and the size of 8.4 inches
- Windows XP or Linux (optional)
- FlashROM up to 2 GB
- USB-host, Ethernet, expansion slots, PCMCIA and Compact Flash, etc., etc.
In order not to get upset, I did not ask about the price of this miracle technology. Photo from the manufacturer - www.ibd-aut.com characteristic feature of the future shape of the computer were two rubber pads, combs on either side of the screen. This is not recess for the fingers, as you might think, as a kind of protective cover. Thoughts on design, rubber comb to soften the blow so that the device is possible without damage to drop a half meters. But how convenient such a comb to hold in their hands? What exactly is missing this tablet, so it's comfortable handle with a strap that covers the wrist. With such uhvatistoy taped decreases the risk of dropping your computer repeatedly.
In a fashion - outsourcing
Was not going to write on this subject, but somehow could not get around by her side. Fate itself (represented by friends of a Russian outsourcing firms) has led me to the pavilion № 8, is almost entirely dedicated to offshore development. In this pavilion if you find yourself in another country. Everything around you speak in Russian. Generally, the CeBIT'e Russian speech is not uncommon, but in eight pavilions, it clearly dominates. Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Estonia, Armenia, etc., etc. clearly intend to oust the Indian programmers - the traditional off-shore partners Western comrades.
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More precisely, not to press (to press them, perhaps!), And get your piece of the growing outsourcing market, together with colleagues from Eastern Europe. The cheapness of intellectual labor attracts Russian and CIS views the potential of offshore customers. Despite the national characteristics (such as a large number of applicants for the division of foreign money), the expected savings in development acts as a magnet. Why we're so attractive? Perhaps the only low wages, often less than in an official "third world". Individual qualifications of the developers, in my opinion, plays a lesser role. I must say that our company has already achieved a great deal in the field of outsourcing. Association of Independent developers RusSoft, combining many small companies from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, built in the eighth two-storey pavilion stand area of 150 sq.m. Due to the coincidence of good ideas with good implementation got pretty lively, crowded and fun. On the stand RusSoft assembled active developers from Russia, of varying size and importance, but are united in their quest to conquer Western markets.
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This stand favorably differed from dull and empty booth Russland in Hall 5, for which it was even a little ashamed. It was felt that there was no core ideas of the exposition "Information technology from Russia" has not. Standard rack, standard plates, standard face and it seemed to me, complete lack of spectator interest.
Our on CeBITe
According to official information, companies from Russia this year exhibited less (77 vs. 83 last year), but they rented a large area (1,447 sq ft vs. 1327). The number of participants, we are at the 10 th place in the good company of Italy and France. According to the area - at the 16 th, right after Japan.So it's not so bad, comrades. Potential is there, and many already have something to offer. Here are a few domestic firms, visible on the PDA market and seen at CeBIT. Why not try FineReader yourself? The company stand ABBYY, familiar to users of its handheld dictionaries.
Known for its localization, Paragon Software is now focusing on the European market.
Area "of corporate software" firm stand on the CDC palmOne.
Future of the Russian PDAs outsourcing. Game developers PocketPref stand RusSoft.
The authors, translation:
Yohaness Fuchs
