The Opticon H16 is a smartphone that sports something we haven't seen yet from other such devices: A serious laser scanner! That's right, a phone-based device with a laser scanner that is worthy of the name. Heavy and bulky for a phone, the device is much smaller than most scanning handheld computers. The downside? It's not rugged. Not one bit. This device wants to be indoors where it's safe. Opticon is pushing this device at the medical, retail and service sectors. You can view the marketing materials and data sheet here. The device I tested included the following features:

• 2.8 inch Transflective QVGA Screen
• 1D laser scanner
• Cell Phone (GPRS, EDGE, GSM)
• 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth
• Slide out keyboard
• 128 MB Flash ROM
• 64 MB RAM
• Mini SD port
• Samsung 23c244DA 400Mhz Processor
• Windows Mobile 5
• Lithium Ion Battery (4.2V 1440 mAh)

At 2.36 inches wide, by 5 inches long, and over an inch thick--and weighing in at over 6 ounces--the Opticon won't win any awards for style. It's a lot bigger than the cell phone in your pocket, but it combines three features that most cell phones don't: A full QVGA touch screen, full QWERTY keyboard, and a real laser scanner. The trade off for these features is its bulky size. I found the screen to be bright and easy to read in any environment except bright sunlight. Hidden under the screen is the keyboard. Sliding the screen to the right reveals the keyboard and switches the screen orientation from portrait to landscape.

The keyboard is big, making it easy to type without hitting more than one key. You can almost set the phone flat on the desk and touch type... almost. The fact that the screen rotates when the keyboard is open means that your application layout needs to change from portrait to landscape too. If yours doesn't, don't worry, you can scroll up and down to reach the fields you need. With the keyboard open, using the scanner feels a little awkward, but it can be done.

The built in laser scanner is rated for 100 scans per second, and supports all major symbologies--this scanner is meant to work all day, there's nothing casual about it. The quality of this scanner is why I wanted to review this phone in the first place. It can be operated in continuous scan mode, allowing the user to press the scan button once, and scan multiple barcodes in succession; or in single scan mode, allowing only one barcode to be read with each button press. In addition to the laser scanner, Opticon also offers a 2D area imager. If your application requires the user to enter data after each scan, this device could be cumbersome to use. The user has three choices: use the on screen keyboard, constantly open and close the keyboard, or scan with the keyboard open. The third option isn't difficult, it just doesn't feel safe. I was always afraid I'd drop it--and with this device, dropping it would not be good.

Dropping this phone would be bad. This is not a ruggedized device. Opticon makes no claims about survivability and posts no IP rating. There's a reason almost all of the people in their marketing materials are wearing professional attire: your truck drivers will crush this thing. The H16 is best suited for indoor use. Don't get it wet, and keep it out of dusty environments. There are literally a dozen different ways for dust and moisture to get inside this device. Take the battery out, and you can see the circuit board under the SIM card holder. There are no covers on any opening. The SD slot has a dummy card in it, but it will not stop dust or moisture. The USB interface and the headphone jack are both unprotected. Drop it while the keyboard is open, and it's probably toast. There is a lanyard attach point, and my recommendation is that you use it.

The attraction of this device is that it's a smartphone with a real laser scanner built in. So, how is the quality of the phone? Very good, with one reservation. Using it as a handset, the speaker is loud enough to hear in almost any environment. I tested it in a noisy mall food court and while standing on a freeway overpass. In both instances I could hear the message on my voicemail clearly. The microphone seemed to provide some background noise dampening, while allowing my voice to come through. Neither is true when using the speaker-phone function. Like other companies, Opticon has placed the large speaker on the back of the phone, so unless you are in a very quiet environment, you can't hear your caller. Also, the microphone's performance degrades by about 50%. The device has dedicated phone buttons on the face of it, making it easy to access the WM5 dialer.

The battery on this unit surprised me. I ran it through the standard test day, including 2000 scans and 10 phone calls, with all the radios functioning and the final battery level was 47%. So even though it's only a 1440 mAh battery, it will probably carry you through the day. Opticon makes a holder for your car and charging adapter to keep it fresh during the day. By the way, these are the only two accessories they list.

To sum it up, the Opticon 16 is a smartphone with a real laser scanner that your sales force, regional managers, or route service personnel will find very useful. Just don't put it in harm's way.

Brett Birdsong
Sr. Editor