New Products and Product Updates

Published: March 31, 2008

Cisco-Certified Enhanced Wi-Fi Companion Software for Windows Mobile

In February, Socket Mobile released Enhanced Wi-Fi Companion (e-WFC), a software platform that adds robust, enterprise-class wireless connectivity to the Socket Mobile SoMo 650 handheld computer for the business mobility market. With CCX version 4.0 certification, e-WFC greatly increases Wireless LAN (WLAN) security, mobility and overall network management.

The e-WFC software works in conjunction with the Socket Mobile Wi-Fi chipset that is used in the Socket Mobile SoMo 650 handheld computer, and is available for purchase by Socket Mobile customers as an upgrade to their pre-existing Wi-Fi Companion software or as an optional feature that can be ordered with their Socket Mobile handheld computer purchase.

For more information about Enhanced Wi-Fi Companion software, please visit: http://www.socketmobile.com/products/software/enhanced-wi-fi-companion/

USB-to-Serial Adapter

In February, Socket Mobile began shipping our new shielded USB-to-Serial Adapter, a USB bus powered cable adapter adds a serial port to almost any laptop, desktop, or PDA through the computer’s USB host port. It’s great for external modems, bar code scanners, mag stripe readers, GPS receivers, court reporting stenotype machines and other RS-232 (EIA-232) serial devices, and you can connect multiple Adapters using a USB hub.

For more information about the USB-to-serial Adapter, please visit: http://www.socketserial.com/

SoMo 650 Accessories and Replacement Parts

A variety of accessories and replacement parts are now available for the SoMo 650 handheld computer, including:

• Portable Power battery pack
• 2600 mAh extended battery set
• audio headset
• charging/synchronization cradle kit

For a full list of accessories, please visit: http://www.socketmobile.com/products/accessories/

More accessories for the SoMo 650 are in the works. Please check back for updates.

Service Patch for the SoMo 650

There is a service patch for the SoMo 650 handheld computer, which updates the device to Windows Mobile 5.0 version 1.04. The service patch resolves several known issues, including:

• The ability to charge the SoMo 650 through the ActiveSync port without requiring an ActiveSync connection
• Added support for the Enfora CompactFlash GSM/GPRS modem
• Resolved power management issues when the SoMo is docked in the cradle overnight
• Resolved problem when a mouse/keyboard is connected to the cradle prior to docking the SoMo

• Bluetooth Adaptive Frequency Hopping 1.0.2.00
• Connect!Agent 1.2.22
• Radio Manager 1.0.5.00
• Ethernet Utility 3.0.24.00
• Serial Utility 3.0.6.00
• Modem Utility 3.0.20.0
• SocketScan 7.2.4
• Wi-Fi Companion 2.11.16

To download the service patch, please visit: http://www.socketmobile.com/support/downloads/handheld-computer/somo-650/

SocketScan Update for Windows XP Coming Soon!

Socket Mobile will soon release an update of SocketScan software for Windows XP. The new software version includes the following changes:

• Support for the CompactFlash Scan Card 5X (2D bar code scanner)
  
  
• Support for 2 Socket Mobile data collection devices simultaneously. This is ideal for combining bar code scanning with magnetic stripe or RFID reading capability in a single computer (e.g., for POS applications).
  
  
• Support for ActivePairing™ for the Cordless Ring Scanner (CRS) Series 9. This enables users to scan special bar codes to quickly pair or unpair with a host PC.
  
  
• Support for multi-core processors such as Core 2 Duo, with backwards compatibility with single core processors
  
  
• Fast user switching and usage from a lowered privilege account. Multiple users can log into a system to access a full range of scanner functionality. Installation, however, remains restricted to an administrator account.
  
  
• Improved software installation and uninstallation.
  
  
• Removed support for Windows 98SE, NT, Me and 2000. An older version of SocketScan can be downloaded from the Socket Mobile website.

To download software, please visit: http://www.socketmobile.com/support/downloads/