Portable Barcode Scanners Give Total FlexibilityBasically, there are five types of barcode scanners namely slotted scanners, charge-couple device-based scanners, pen wands, image scanners, and laser scanners. Some of them are handheld devices while some of them are stationary devices. Portable barcode scanners are the same as handheld type scanners. A barcode scanner, also known as a barcode reader is a handheld or a stationary device used to read and decode barcodes. A barcode contains a record number associated with relevant information about the product or item on which the barcode is printed. The scanner captures the information from the barcode and transforms it into a number, or letters, or a combination of numbers and letters. This information is then transmitted to the computer system that has a software to turn those letters and digits into useful information. Handheld portable bar code scanners enable to collect information and data from various locations. These portable devices actually find their applications when data is required to be collected from various locations and it is quite costly, erroneous, and particularly difficult to perform this via a nearby host computer. In tracking applications, mobile handheld portable barcode scanners are required for data collection and processing. These devices can be programmed and configured for a number of applications. The most common configuration, through which these portable devices can be set, first displays a main menu to make choices from. The first choice is the user, then the location at which the scanning will take place and then the item to be scanned. Either the keypad can be used to enter the data or the barcode can be scanned to extract the information. If the portable bar code reader and the system are connected through the wireless mode, the system will be updated with the information instantly and that too in real-time. After the data and information is collected as well as scanned, the information and data is then transmitted to the computer. These files are then transferred into Excel spreadsheets, ASCII files, or into a barcode tracking software package. Portable data collection integrated barcode scanners are available each at a starting price of $695 and come with a variety of memory options. Some manufacturers of portable barcode scanners in the market are Metrologic, Symbol, Compsee. Symbol CS-1504 and CS-2000 models of portable barcode scanners are available. These are small-sized barcode scanners that can handle few hundred barcodes to read and decode them. Both of them are serial devices and they come with a USB cable or a serial cable. Portable barcode scanners are programmable decoding devices and are equipped with memory space for storing information and data. |