Fujitsu Clipboard PC Takes Paper Out of Market Research
May 24, 1996 — Fujitsu Personal Systems is launching the new Fujitsu Stylistic 1000 colour clipboard PC. The introduction of the world's most powerful colour clipboard PC provides market research companies with an automated mobile data capture system to improve field staff productivity and survey turnaround times.
The lightweight, ergonomically designed clipbaord PC removes any need for paper and easy to carry and use in the field. It will provide more efficient data capture, better control of interviews, and faster data collation.
Rather than recording responses in the traditional way – by writing down responses to questions on a page – interviewers are guided through the questionnaire controlled by a computer programme and data is entered directly into the clipboard PC. This is done with a stylus which looks like a pen and functions just like a normal PC mouse.
Completed interviews can be down-loaded directly to a central computer database via modem, whenever convenient. This removes the possibility of keying-in errors occurring when questionnaire data are loaded to the computer for analysis. It also eliminates the time-consuming process of posting completed questionnaires back to base.
Leading UK market research and opinion survey company MORI, has equipped its field staff with Fujitsu clipboard PCS.
Laurance Gerrard, head of special projects at MORI, said: "We are continuously evaluating how different technology can be applied to our business to improve what we do. Computer aided personal inter-viewing (CAPI) has been used for some time in the industry but MORI has held off investing in systems until it was certain of the technology. It was clear that systems requiring a keyboard to operate would not satisfy the ergonomic requirements of the interview situation. Therefore pen computing has been critical to this decision. Keyboard driven DOS-based systems just didn't make practical sense so we decided to hold off until the technology had advanced enough to provide a purely pen driven system."
Research shows that there are four important criteria for any portable computer. They must be: * robust, because they are used out in the field everyday; * light weight, so that they are easy to carry; * provided with long life batteries, so the user can stay in the field for a full day's work and; * be equipped with good communications capabilities so data can be easily transferred between the clipboard PC and other computers.
The Fujitsu Stylistic 1000 delivers all of these. It is powered by a 100MHz 486DX4-class microprocessor, the fastest ever designed into a clipboard PC, and it weighs just 3.4lb. The clipboard PC has more screen options, including colour so that multimedia software can be run. It delivers at least a single working day of battery life and has more communications capabilities than any other computers of its type. This combination of features enables it to meet the latest computing requirements of mobile data entry and decision support applications used by the "walking worker".
Because Fujitsu understands that interviewers do not really want separate computers at home and out in the field, they have designed a desk stand, low-power keyboard and port replicator which allows the Stylistic 1000 to be used as a normal desktop 'PC. It allows the user to leave all the PC peripherals like a printer, keyboard and modem connected up at the desktop and the Stylistic 1000 can be easily removed to take into the field and replaced on return.
Louis Jouanny, vice-president of international marketing, Fujitsu Personal Systems, said: "Unmatched in terms of speed, battery life, screen options and connectivity, the Stylistic 1000 sets a new benchmark. No longer is the mobile computing market defined simply by size and weight. Today, our customers expect mobile computing solutions to combine the performance of a desktop PC with the flexibility of a system that can easily be used in virtually any environment. The Stylistic 1000 is the first system to meet that expectation."
Fujitsu also offers an extensive list of accessories and peripherals for the Stylistic 1000, including additional memory, hard disk drives, spare battery pack, battery charger, AC adapter, car adapter, screen protector, floppy disk drive, carry case, harsh environment case, and spare stylus kit.
Three-Year Warranty The Stylistic 1000 is covered by Fujitsu's three years warranty.
Pricing and Availability The Fujitsu Stylistic 1000 tablet computer is available immediately. It is priced from GBP 2,995, including a 260MB hard disk drive and the Windows 95 and Pen Services 2.0 operating systems.
About Fujitsu Fujitsu is Japan's largest computer company and one of the world's biggest corporations, ranked No. 61 in the "Fortune Global 500" league table, ahead of such companies as Coca-Cola, Hewlett Packard, BMW and American Express. It has a turnover of $36 billion and more than 160,000 employees worldwide.
Based in London, Fujitsu Personal Systems (U.K.) Ltd is a division of Fujitsu Personal Systems. It is a leader in providing highly integrated mobile computing solutions for vertical-market-specific decision support applications. The company's industry-standard tablet PCS feature advanced CPU performance, extensive connectivity options and lone, battery life in compact, fight weight form factors. A wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Ltd, Fujitsu Personal Systems has headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. and offices throughout North America and Europe.
CONTACT:
Peter Dixon, Fujitsu Personal Systems (U.K.)
Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)181 573 4444
David Rossiter/Andrew Wayland, Harvard Public
Relations
Tel: +44 (0)181 759 0005
Louis Jouanny, Fujitsu Personal Systems France
Tel: +33 1 47 85 80 20