Appendix 3.1, News release from Tadiran Communications, Ltd., March 7, 2004.
March 7, 2004
Tadiran Communications' Fully-Owned US Subsidiary, Talla-Tech, Wins Contract to Supply
Rugged, Military Pocket-Size Computers
Prime Contract from US Marines Worth Approximately $3 Million
ISRAEL, March 7, 2004 - Tadiran Communications' fully-owned US subsidiary, TallaTech, has received a prime contract to supply the US Marines with RPDAs (Rugged
Personal Digital Assistants). The order, which is valued at over $2.9 million, follows in
the footsteps of a previous $12 million order awarded to Talla-Tech. According to the
terms of the earlier order, the company supplied its military RPDAs to various branches
of the US Armed Forces.
"Thousands of our RPDAs have been supplied to US and other armed forces throughout
the world," said Hezi Hermoni, President and CEO of Tadiran Communications. "These
orders are the result of Tadiran Communications' sustained and substantial investments in
R&D in this field, positioning our company as a prime supplier of rugged
computers/tactical communications terminals to the US and other modern armies
worldwide".
In another recent win, the company has also been awarded a tender from the Israel
Ministry of Defense for the supply of 1000 rugged pocket-size computers, similar to the
RPDAs ordered by the US Armed Forces, along with accessories.
The company regards its success in the Israeli market as a natural outgrowth of its
success in the US, and hopes to become the prime supplier of handheld computers to the
Israel Ministry of Defense, matching its position in the US market.
RPDA – for the Modern Digital Battlefield
Field proven in operational use in dense EMI/RFI environments and harsh military field
conditions, the pocket-sized RPDA places situation awareness, along with secure and
immune communications capabilities, right into the soldier's hand. With navigation,
tactical digital messaging, remote radio control, built-in GPS, wireless LAN and
Bluetooth capabilities, the RPDA serves as a tactical solider terminal. Thanks to its
modular design and unique features, the rugged unit is suitable for use in bright daylight
and can be mission-tailored to conform to specific demands. The RPDA conforms to the
most rigorous military standards.
In airborne use, the RPDA provides pilots with flight data and pre-flight check lists,
while also enabling communications with ATE systems for pre-flight inspection tests.
Appendix 3.2, Government Computer News April 7, 2003 v22 i7 p7(1)
Handheld And Portable Pcs Speed War Data. (In Brief: IT in Iraq). (Brief Article)
William Jackson.
Appendix 3.3, Technical specifications of Rugged PDA (RPDA-88) from
http://www.tadiran-com.co.il/products/military_compu/PDA/pda.asp, 09 April 2004.
Rugged PDA - RPDA-88
With today's technology the Rugged Personal Digital Assistant (RPDA-88) makes it possible to put
Situational Awareness and Communications capability into the soldiers hand or pocket.
The Rugged PDA (RPDA-88) modular design allows an operator to reconfigure the R-PDA
hardware and software for a specific mission without changing the basic unit.
Features
Processor:
Intel StongARM SA1110,206 MHz RISC Processor
SDRAM:
32/64 MB
ROM:
16 MB Flash
Operating System:
Windows CE (Pocket PC)
Audio:
Loudspeaker Built In
Microphone:
Built In
Display:
Touch sensitive color reflective TFT LCD,4096 colors (12 bit),240 x 320
(QVGA), 3.77" diagonal
Interfaces
(Standard):





Serial port 115 Kbps
USB
Stereo audio output
Infrared Port 115 Kbps
Internal Bluetooth (Optional)
PC Card slots:
Multiple configurations, See Accessories Type B,C below.
Tactical Modem
(Optional):
Internal Dual Channel Communications Controller, Mil-Std-188220,JVMF,Tacfire,AFAPD, MTS,TCP/IP,X.21,X.25,2/4 Wireline.
Power:
Internal Lithium Polymer,BA5800 battery accessory,AA battery
accessory,AC/DC adapter
GPS:
PCMCIA Commercial GPS, growth to SAASM GPS
Physical
Dimensions:
Type A -3.5"x 5.7"x .9"
Type B -3.5"x 5.7"x 1.4"
Type C -3.5"x 5.7"x 1.6"
Weight:
Type A -<12.3 oz.(380 grams)
Type B -<13.8 oz.(430 grams)
Type C -<15.4 oz.(480 grams)
Enviromental
Altitude:
Operational 15,000 ft, Storage 40,000 ft
Operating Temperature:
-4 °F to +131 °F / -20°C to +55°C
Appendix 3.3, Technical specifications of Rugged PDA (RPDA-88) from
http://www.tadiran-com.co.il/products/military_compu/PDA/pda.asp, 09 April 2004.
Storage temperature:
-31 °F to +149 °F / -35°C to +65°C
Leakage:
1m of water
Environmental:
MIL-STD-810E
EMI:
MIL-STD-461D
Accessories

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
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
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




AC &DC Power Supplies /Battery Charger
Serial RS232 cable
USB cable
Battery charger
Type B -1 Type II PCMCIA module
Type C -2 Type II or 1 Type III PCMCIA module
Field carrying case
Display Protective Cover
Wrist Strap
Leg Strap
GPS antenna and cables
Appendix 3.4, The New York Times, Nov 8, 2001 pD1(N) pG1(L) col 3.
Ready For Battle, Wielding A Stylus; Palmtop Makers And Software
Writers Are Taking Aim At The Military Market. (Circuits) Nancy Beth
Jackson.
Abstract: Hand-held device-makers Palm and Handspring are working to enhance the
potential military applications of their hand-held computers. A firm called Military
Advantage already sells Palms with military applications and software to meet the needs
of special operations troops and other military personnel. Software company Warrior
Solutions offers software for the Palm that can replace the hefty Army administrative
books with a digital version. While all branches of the armed forces now use hand-held
computers, it is the Navy that has led the way, having issued Palms to its commissioned
officers since 1999, over 12,000 in the last two years alone. Before the hand-helds can
reliably be used in the battlefield, however, various technical and security-related
problems will have to be solved.
Appendix 3.5, Government Computer News, April 7, 2003 v22 i7 p7(1)
Wireless Lans Join Marines In The War Zone. (In Brief: IT in Iraq). (Brief Article)
Susan M. Menke.
Appendix 3.6, The Boulder County Business Report, 2 April 2002.
Warrior Solutions puts Palm Pilots on battlefield
By John Aguilar
Staff Writer
The Boulder County Business Report
BOULDER -- After enough time spent leading soldiers on military exercises at Fort
Hood in Texas, Army Lt. Fred Weigel knows how cumbersome it is to haul around the
thick and heavy field manuals used by platoon leaders. Thanks to a Boulder company, he
can now take the necessary information into the field in a lightweight, digital format and
leave the bulky manuals back at barracks.
“In the past, a company leader would have to carry a big organizer and worry about
getting it wet and muddy,” he said. “Now with the technology we have, you can put (that
information) in your pocket.”The pocket-sized technology Weigel and other leaders in the
U.S. Army have access to comes from Warrior Solutions Inc. in Boulder. Not yet three
years old, Warrior has developed Platoon Warrior, a software package for handheld Palm
Pilots that is being used by soldiers in the war against terrorism.
Platoon Warrior has two major functions. The first is Platoon Personnel, which allows
Army leaders to instantly get and input information on the soldiers under their command,
replacing the heavy leader book. Information, like a soldier’s medical history, equipment
list, awards and licenses earned, and educational background, is available to a platoon
leader with the tap of a stylus on a Palm Pilot’s screen.
The commanding officer can take the information from his Palm device and, using the
device’s docking cradle, can move information back and forth between the Palm and his
desktop or laptop computer back at the office. With this ability to constantly update the
information in the Palm device, Warrior says it is a vastly more efficient way for the
military to conduct roll call.
The other part of the Platoon Warrior program is Platoon Leader, which gives leaders
access to relevant military data, regulations and protocols while in the field. Platoon
Leader is an electronic version of the combat regulations, battlefield logistics, riskmanagement strategies and medical information that military leaders currently carry in
the form of thick and heavy field manuals.
“The Platoon Personnel is our bread and butter, and Platoon Leader is complementary to
Personnel,” said Catherine Lawrence, president and chief executive officer of Warrior.
Lawrence, who has worked with IBM and Exabyte Corp. to bring to market new hightech products, co-founded Warrior with retired Lt. Col. Charles M. Stibrany in late 1999.
“The trick of it all for us was defining the key elements in a checklist or outline format to
minimize the time needed to find the information,” said Stibrany, who over his 24-year
Appendix 3.6, The Boulder County Business Report, 2 April 2002.
Army career has led platoons in Bosnia and South Korea. After being exposed to Palm
technology in Bosnia, Stibrany felt the small device could have useful applications on the
battlefield and elsewhere in military life.
Not long after, Warrior was born. It quickly developed a partnership with Palm Inc.,
writing its Platoon Warrior program to function on the Palm operating system. “They
have the dominant market share. We liked the simplicity of their operating system. We
wanted it to be intuitive – you tap it and it works,” Stibrany said.
Palm controls about three-quarters of the market for personal digital assistants (PDAs)
and openly allows programmers to write to its devices. At least 175,000 software
developers have registered to develop programs based on the Palm operating system.
“We have multiple partnerships with vendors like Warrior,” said John Inkley, manager of
federal sales for Palm Inc., the market leader in the manufacture of handheld computers.
“You can’t have every soldier carrying around two-inch Army survival manuals. Instead,
you can carry a one-quarter-inch Palm. This changes the way a soldier, sailor and airman
does his job.” Stibrany used his extensive military connections to begin selling the
program to the Army about six months ago. An individual can buy the program for $50,
platoon packages with six licenses go for $250, and battalion packages with 150 licenses
cost $5,700. All versions of the program are available for download from
www.warriorsolutions.com. The nine-person company, surviving off of angel funding,
would not disclose revenues, but Lawrence said Warrior is not yet profitable. She hopes
to reach profitability sometime this year.
While Warrior’s primary customer is the Army, it has done limited sales to the Marine
Corps and to the Air Force. It is also working on a British version of its software and is
planning on building versions for the militaries of other NATO countries. Meanwhile, it
continues to develop up to nine more modules to add to its military software suite.
If its preliminary negotiations with Broomfield-based SoftSource Corp. pan out,
Warrior’s future software products may look a lot different than what it currently offers.
SoftSource, which will change its name to Catarra Inc. this month, develops graphic-rich
platforms for mobile computers, giving the content on handheld devices the same look as
desktop machines.
“We use very sophisticated mathematical technology and high-end programmers to
design a vector-based graphics solution,” said Rick Brennan, SoftSource’s president and
chief executive officer. “It’s transparent to the people who use the program and to the
people who build for it.” Lawrence said the richer interface could be a real advantage for
soldiers, particularly in the kind of urban and uncertain warfare currently going on in
Afghanistan. “You can imagine how useful it would be to have photos of people you need
to watch out for,” she said. “It could also provide layouts of buildings, equipment and
street maps that go into very fine detail.” The only limitation to the Platoon Warrior
program that Lt. Weigel noticed was its inability to directly import data from a database
Appendix 3.6, The Boulder County Business Report, 2 April 2002.
like Microsoft Access. Weigel said Warrior told him it was working on adding that
functionality in the future.
Appendix 3.7. The Independent, 17 December 2002.
Title: Motorola, FedEx to develop pocket PC Authors: N.A. Source: Independent, The
(Bangladesh); 12/17/2002 Country of Publication: BANGLADESH Accession Number:
2W82093259214 Persistent link to this record:
http://search.epnet.com/direct.asp?an=2W82093259214&db=buh Database: Business
Source Premier View Links:
***
Motorola, FedEx to develop pocket PC
FedEx Corporate Services, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, and Motorola are
developing FedEx (R) Powerpad, a Microsoft Windows-Powered pocket PC designed to
enhance customer service by providing 40,000 FedEx Express couriers with online, near
real-time, wireless access to the FedEx network, says a press release. The device is part of
Motorola's extensive portfolio of integrated communications and information solutions.
Exclusively designed for FedEx, the FedEx PowerPad will enhance and accelerate
package information available to customers by enabling couriers to wirelessly send and
receive near real? time information and updates from any location. Additional
functionality will be added, such as up? to? date information on shipping rates and
inclement weather advisories.
The FedEx PowerPad will replace the current hand? held courier device, the FedEx(R)
Supertracker. The new device is under testing and is expected to be widely available in
early 2003.
FedEx continues to lead in developing its cutting? edge advances in wireless technology,
rolling out solutions that make FedEx shipping information readily available anytime,
anywhere to customers and employees. The company pioneered the use of wireless
technology for shipping more than 20 years ago when it created its own private radio
network, on of the world's largest. FedEx was the first transportation company to offer
package tracking via wireless hand? held devices and wireless? ring scamers. FedEx was
a1so the first to offer real? time package? tracking and drop? off location information via
most types of PDAs and wireless phones.
"We continuously explore ways that technology can help us improve customer service,
and the FedEx PowerPad is the latest example," said Winn Stephenson, senior vice
president of IT Development for FedEx Services. "The FedEx PowerPad will give FedEx
Express couriers convenient online access from any location, allowing them to update
customer? package in information almost immediately. We expect to be adding even
more customer service features."
As soon as a package is scanned, the FedEx PowerPad immediately uploads information
into the FedEx network. The signature capture capability on the PowerPad's touch screen
is also loaded onto the network, enabling confirmation of signature proof of delivery.
Appendix 3.7. The Independent, 17 December 2002.
The FedEx PowerPad will act as a personal network gateway and convey data directly to
and from the FedEx internal network within minutes. Courier will not no longer need to
return to the van to upload package information or refer to cumbersome manuals for
additional shipping and service information, boosting courier efficiency and maximizing
visibility.
"Motorola and FedEx worked together from the start to develop a product that meets
unique needs for convenience, flexibility, and ease of use, ensuring that it functions as a
virtual online courier," said Dave Nairn, Motorola Communications and Electronics vice
president. "The FedEx PowerPad can also be easily supported by various networks to
optimize and expand coverage into international regions, and take advantage of new
network technologies.
With annual revenues of $21 billion, FedEx Corporation is the premier global provider of
transportation, e?commerce and supply chain management services. The company offers
integrated business solutions through a network subsidiaries operating independently,
including: FedEx Express, the world's largest express transportation company.
Best Practice Case Studies
UPS Parcel Delivery Tracking Application - updated in June 2001
When Fedex introduced a wireless network application to keep track of document
and parcel shipments, UPS was pressured to respond with a similar or better
service. The result was the introduction in February 1993 of a nationwide cellularbased wireless data service. This was the start of a major exploitation of wireless,
Internet and supporting technologies to achieve a competitive advantage as well as
to improve worker productivity.
Pre-1996 Implementation
Through cellular technology and a broad alliance of more than 70 cellular carriers, packagedelivery information is transmitted from the company’s 50,000 vehicles to the UPS mainframe
repository in Mahway, NJ, thus enabling UPS to provide same-day package-tracking information
for all air and ground packages. Previously, this information was not available until the next day
after delivery.
With its delivery information acquisition device (or DIAD, a custom-built electronic data collector),
UPS is currently the only carrier able to capture both delivery information and customers’
signatures. This data is then entered into the cellular network through Motorola-supplied cellular
telephone modems. The cellular network provides the connection between UPS vehicles and
UPSnet, UPS’ private telecommunications network. These systems are set up to be fail-safe, with
cellular redundancies, dual access to UPSnet, and multiple connections to the data system.
Competitive Business Advantages and Benefits
UPS believes that their circuit-switched cellular data network service is the most comprehensive
radio system available today. It covers a greater area and is more reliable than other mobile radio
network alternatives. Key customer benefits quoted by UPS include:



Immediate access to delivery information on more than five million UPS packages daily.
The most extensive geographic coverage of any mobile communication alternative. (More
customer shipments can be given real-time information on delivery status.)
A high degree of reliability as a result of the service’s redundancies and backup systems
Appendix 3.7. The Independent, 17 December 2002.

Flexibility to accept future network technologies.
How UPS’ Delivery Status Application Works
The DIAD is inserted into a DIAD vehicle adapter (or DVA, which looks like a notebook computer
docking station). The DVA in turn is connected to a cellular telephone modem (CTM) that
transmits information from the UPS vehicle to the cell sites, where it is routed through the carrier’s
cellular switch and special primary access equipment. This equipment directly connects to a
UPSnet packet switch, which transmits the information to the UPS mainframe in Mahwah, NJ.
Once the information is incorporated into the delivery-status database, it is available to the
company’s customer service representatives.
UPS Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD)
The DIAD is a hand-held electronic data collector that UPS drivers use to record, store, and
transmit information, thereby helping UPS to keep track of packages and gather delivery
information. A linchpin in UPS’ nationwide, mobile cellular network, the DIAD digitally captures
customer signatures and package information — an industry first. This capability enables UPS to
keep accurate, paperless delivery records. Drivers insert the DIAD into a module in their delivery
vehicles to transmit information over UPS’ nationwide cellular network for immediate customer
use.
Key Features of DIAD

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
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


Contains 1.5 megabytes of RAM - old, not 1999 DIAD III
Consolidates multiple functions into single keys — saves time and space
Digital signature-capture is an industry first
Built-in acoustical modem; if a driver cannot access the vehicle, data can be transmitted
via telephone
Built-in laser scanner reads package labels quickly and accurately
"Smart" software knows driver’s next street
Interacts with UPS cellular service
Both DIAD and DVA were custom built for UPS by Motorola. Southwestern Bell, GTE and PacTel
all played key roles in putting together the cellular network consortium of more than 70 carriers.
1999 Update to UPS Infrastructure: UPS has replaced its DIAD hardware to DIAD III - again
manufactured by Motorola and are now employing Motient network - transit time for dispatch of
information in real time has been reduced significantly.
Project Costs and Benefits
UPS has estimated the total cost of the project at around $150 million. Senior executives point
out that the resulting increase in market share — let alone retention of the company’s competitive
edge — completely justifies the investment. In addition to the business imperative, UPS cites the
following benefits from the application:




Higher productivity of operational staff resulting from the revamping of processes and
reductions in parcel-handling times.
Improved accuracy; elimination of illegible handwritten records
Speedier package delivery and tracking
More information available for customer verification of package delivery and receipt
Unique Features of UPS Application
The UPS project is characterized by the following features:
Appendix 3.7. The Independent, 17 December 2002.

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

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A unique implementation of analog circuit-switched cellular networks that meets UPS’
wireless and OLTP file transfer application designs. (The customer service inquiry
application is based on wired networks.)
The business justification for implementation was based on a perceived need to maintain
a competitive advantage, rather than on economic considerations.
The complete reengineering of package-handling business processes.
A unique ability to capture signatures on hand-held, pen-based custom computers.
Huge backend legacy systems (primarily IBM) - 15 mainframes with over 16,000 MIPS
processing power and 149 terabytes of Database store - considered world's largest IBM
Db2 installation.
Lessons from UPS & Fedex Projects for Courier Industry (Source - Editors of MobileInfo Site)
As mobile computing consultants, we would like to suggest the following points to other
organizations investigating similar solutions:



Most courier companies including small ones can benefit significantly from mobile
computing solutions with positive ROI in 2 to 3 years. Question you should ask is not if
but when, what type of harware and network solution and how to implement.
You need not (and should not, unless you are that big) utilize custom hardware. There is
off-the-shelf hardware available now to serve most functional needs.
CDPD, American Mobile's Motient, Bell South Wireless Data offer attractive wireless
networking solutions. Satellite coverage is required for transportation companies, not for
parcel delivery companies. If this is a serious requirement, consider hybrid networks contact Motient.
2000-2001 Update to UPS's Use of Wireless & Mobile Technology
(As reported in Information week magazine - June 2001)
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
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
UPScan - brand name of UPS's future parcel tracking application. UPS has started
investigating both Bluetooth and wireless LAN technologies for local area access within
its warehouses and customer drop off centers in order to automate various business
processes to a greater degree than what it was able to do before. UPS says that this
initiative might cost UPS over $100 million during the next five years. While this capital
expenditure sounds high, UPS expects quick payback in 16 months. This is quite
significant, indeed.
UPS will replace 9 different wireless platforms to three over the next five years.
Currently UPS uses 200,000 RF (wireless) terminals of different flavors - 18 models from
13 different vendors. This variety of devices is expected to be reduced to a small number
(may be two to three).
Most important wireless device is the new Delivery Information Acquisition Device (DIAD)
- code named Rub. This new device will be the fourth generation DIAD ( DIAD I was
installed in 1989, DIAD II in 1992 and DIAD III was installed in 1999). y - computer tablet
that the drivers will use. Vendor was not identified as of June 2001 - an RFP is expected
to be issued.
Another device that UPS is using internally in the warehouse (not in the driver's van or
truck) is called Emerald - built by Symbol, equipped with a scanner attached to
employee's fingers and connected to a device worn on worker's belt. As soon the
information is scanned from a parcel, it is transmitted in real-time and updates UPS's
backend databases. Emarald is expected to be used for other in-warehouse tasks, such
as tracking hazardous materials, fuel consumption, and issuing routing instructions to
forklift operators.
Within warehouses, UPS will use wireless LANs - it will install access points in these
location.
Appendix 3.7. The Independent, 17 December 2002.


UPS expects to install a fixed-mount wireless system called Saphire - either attached to a
wall or inside a vehicle. Saphire is like a wireless access point. Within a building, Saphire
is connected to either a fixed line network or a wireless LAN. In the vehicle, it will be
connected through a wide-area wireless network.
UPS expects to reduce the number of OS platforms for devices and servers as well
during the implementation of its future mobile architecture.