Palm with integrated SE900 laser
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Sometimes a product is so good it doesn't need to be changed for a long time. The venerable Symbol SPT 1550 is essentially an original Palm III with an integrated Symbol SE900 laser scanner and supporting software.

When it was released several years ago, it was a revolutionary device as no one before had used a simple, inexpensive consumer electronics PDA as the basis for an industrial data collection device. By marrying the low cost, simplicity, and friendly user interface of the Palm with its laser scanner, Symbol created an inexpensive tool that opened markets to automation where the cost was considered prohibitive before.

Over time the 1550 model received a faster processor, more memory, and other improvements. It is as outdated as the original Volkswagen Beetle, but continues to do the job, and hence Symbol continued selling it for a good long time.

Click here for the masterpage for support for all Symbol mobile computers.