Archived This is a joke right?

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I can see the use of them for Workbench and e-mail access, but that's about it. iPods/iPads are great devices, I've used them and bought them as gifts, but I still can not see them replacing PDAs/LPDAs completely. On a per item basis they may be cheaper compared to the Symbol scanners, but the long term reliability isn't there to make them dependable enough to roll out roughly 350,000 new devices to all the stores in the chain. I've seen PDAs take a fall and keep on working that would make an iPod's screen crack just recording it. They would have to have a completely new support system put in place to handle repairs with that volume. Are they even capable of communicating with our mobile printers? What about hardware changes with future models? Would we have to replace the entire line every few years? There are valid reasons why you go with a basic, dependable product when it's something you rely on so heavily. What about theft by guests with sticky fingers around careless TMs?

Again, the device itself is great(and trust me, it's hard saying that as I LOATHE Apple as a company), but I just can't see it as a reliable, practical replacement for our established equipment. As a supplement device to those who need it sure, but nothing more.


TM's wouldnt be given the apple products.. they would be given the PDA and LPDA's we have now. The apple products would be for TL's and ETL's Only
 
Apple has proven that iPod touches and iPhones work great in a retail environment. However, Apple Stores are a much different environment then a Target store. As far as the basic RF app tasks, the PDA's do that job so much better, there is no sense to have an iPod touch for back stocking or NOPing merch. However, for the iPod touches to take place of the LPDA's would be an excellent idea. Like I said before, more for the purposes of internet access, email, Alerts, ect. I can see them even working well for like the In-Stocks team and GSA's The functionality is there, and Target can easily make Apps that will work with printers and stuff. Heck, the interface we use now is just a web page anyways. The iPod's have the power to take all of that processing off the servers and do it on the device. Imagine scanning research and having the device respond instantly. Apple developed an incredible case for the touches in their stores. It has a barcode reader a card reader and an extra battery. Target could easily develop a similar case.

Apple actually used devices similar to the LPDA's we use today, I seem to remember a interview where the head of Retail at the time said how the devices were absolutely horrible. Apple then realize they make a much better product, and replaced them with that. Here is Apples solution.

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...es_new_ipod_touch_based_easypay_checkout.html

Lowes is also rolling out iPhones in all stores.

http://9to5mac.com/2011/09/08/lowes...s-for-payment-system-similar-to-apple-stores/

Man Imagine Item Search on these puppies, you could scan a product for a price check and not have to wait 10 seconds looking like an idiot while the guest waits.
 
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I think eventually we will see some of these things rolled out... I doubt we could do Iphones to every TM (really could the 4AM backroom team handle those?)... I think the first (if anything) we would see in stores is a few Ipads to every store, mainly for the LOD to carry instead of a clipboard, and maybe one for the PTL (basically what they tried with MSAs that epically failed)
 
The MSA's were a fantastic concept that suffered from poor execution and delivery.
 
Details!?!
I had reported here, that etl's were getting "upgrade" to iPhones on a store level about 6 months ago. I have seen many times district groups folks using iPads to help guests. I have a friend who works for a big company & has the iPhone in a business/customer database app. They will be upgrading to the ipad next month. they Say it works great for them. Less time in the office. The hard part was the training & setup of the devices for the support staff & sales reps.
I am expecting rollout for spot very soon.
 
I once had a customer complain about an employee using a cell phone while talking to another guest..... it was the mobile rep assisting a customer with their new phone. After I explained that to resolve the complaint, they pointed at an ETL that was using an LPDA and said "see! she is using a cell phone too! Employees shouldn't use cell phones at work!" and stormed off. Later on I saw a comment on a survey that said the same thing..... I wouldn't worry much about that.

As if anyone carries a cell phone that big anymore. Oh, guests... :facepalm:
 
I've seen PDAs take a fall and keep on working that would make an iPod's screen crack just recording it.
As someone else had said OtterBox cases. I've seen someone literally throw one across a room in one of those and it survived. My oldest has one for his and trust me, he's pushed that thing to it's LIMIT! After 6 months, his phone still looks brand new!
 
I could really care less what employees at stores do. Hell I dont care if my coi workers are texting when they should be working. (and some do)
 
I could really care less what employees at stores do. Hell I dont care if my coi workers are texting when they should be working. (and some do)

Texting while on the clock - not impressive anymore. Now, if you and your coworker are texting each other while you're in consecutive aisles....lol. I've actually seen that.
 
Wow! can you say that again. Look at the amount of Fast signing that gets tossed during ad prep! I know that at least 300-500 each week gets tossed. due to: not carried in your store, or just there stupid duplicates that don't have schematics on them. This week there were triplicates of several aisle. wooo hoooo! ya lets be green. NOT
 
You are lucky you even have PDAS. Try unloading crap from the pallets and place on the shelves. No PDA. nothing. but hey gets me moving around and knowing where ************ is. Plus 99% of the time those PDAs are slow and crash a lot.
 
Related Question: For those who utilize their smartphones when working electronics, what are the best mobile online resources for this purpose? I remember using yoopsie.com sometimes when I was a Service Desk TM (when I didn't have a PDA ... They need to add a text search capability to Merch-Locate in POS?!!).
 
(when I didn't have a PDA ... They need to add a text search capability to Merch-Locate in POS?!!).

Yeah, it's only so useful when all it can take is the UPC or DPCI. And if you're at Guest Service, the GSTL/GSA can only spend so much time over there with their PDA. Of course, it would take even longer to load if it had a text search function.
 
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