DiadDude///New Diad

Cementups

Box Monkey
I must be the only driver in the world that likes DIAD 4 and wouldn't change too much with it outside of a complete overhaul.

My ideal DIAD would be worn on your belt and have a wireless ring scanner. Completely hands free. And Blackberry size.
 

brownrod

Well-Known Member
I must be the only driver in the world that likes DIAD 4 and wouldn't change too much with it outside of a complete overhaul.

I actually like DIAD 4 also. Prefer it to 3. The sig key is my only complaint. I don't even mind the toggle from alpha to numeric.

Sorry, DiadDude, not trying to stick the knife in deeper :peaceful:

I suppose more driver time would be wasted if the DIAD was kept right side up for the signiature.
 

Raw

Raw Member
After a lot of research, progress is being made in securing the next DIAD terminal.

The company had a desire to use "off the shelf" devices if possible with only minor customizations (color and logos). As some of you are aware, there were several tests performed in actual small package operations and that data was evaluated to figure out if "off the shelf" was a realistic goal.




All of the terminals tested had the following things in common.
  • Smaller and lighter than the current DIAD 4.
  • Have the display oriented in portrait instead of landscape (taller than wide instead of wider than tall).
  • Use a 2D imager as opposed to the 1D scanner in the DIAD 4.
The terminals were of differing shapes and sizes and had a mix of the following features
  • ABC and QWERTY keyboards
  • Scanners at various angles in relation to the top of the device
The following things were determined from our testing:
  • The smaller group of the terminals were too small to allow for adequate keyboard space.
  • Lanscape screen orientation was acceptable for displaying the DIAD application
  • The QWERTY keyboard, which has 10 keys in each row, required the keys to be too small to be usable by many drivers
  • 2D scanner was acceptable and often performed better when barcode might be unreadable by laser scanner
  • The scanner should be at an angle to the top of the terminal and should not shoot straight out the top of the device
Now for what's important to you.
  • I still lurk on here
  • An announcement of the selected vendor and device should be coming in the near future.
  • The device is expected to use the same software as the DIAD 4 with some improvements to take advantage of the capabilities of the new terminal.
  • There will be no "shift" key
  • The signature key should be a non-issue
I`m getting wood! :raspberry-tounge:
 

DiadDude

Well-Known Member
I must be the only driver in the world that likes DIAD 4 and wouldn't change too much with it outside of a complete overhaul.

My ideal DIAD would be worn on your belt and have a wireless ring scanner. Completely hands free. And Blackberry size.

Blackberry sized is tough. We still have a lot of text entry that requires you to actually take the device off your belt and interact with the screen and keyboard. For a driving population as diverse as ours, the blackberry sized device is unusable for many.

Actually DIAD IV can already use the Emerald Ring Scanner. Will the DIAD V?

The DIAD 5 will have similar wireless connection ability to the DIAD 4.

I actually like DIAD 4 also. Prefer it to 3. The sig key is my only complaint. I don't even mind the toggle from alpha to numeric.

Sorry, DiadDude, not trying to stick the knife in deeper :peaceful:

I suppose more driver time would be wasted if the DIAD was kept right side up for the signiature.

No problem on the knife thing. It's just something that I've wanted fixed for a long time and it makes it sound like people don't care that it is a problem for you. I assure you that is not the case.
 

bad company

semi-pro
Hey Diad dude,

Was adding some sort of printer option ever discussed? Doesn't FedEX have the ability to input information via their powerpad and print a label right from their truck? Sure would be faster than filling out 25 ASDs like I did today...
 

DiadDude

Well-Known Member
Hey Diad dude,

Was adding some sort of printer option ever discussed? Doesn't FedEX have the ability to input information via their powerpad and print a label right from their truck? Sure would be faster than filling out 25 ASDs like I did today...

I'm not sure if it was ever discussed by the people who decide what the app will do. I know that it was investigated by the technical people and there was actually a presentation done with DIAD 4 hardware running an external thermal printer.
 

Mapp

Choo Choo
So what year are we likely to get these Diad V's? seems like the IV's are dying left and right at my center, how far out of their lifespan are they?

Also, You work in Timonium per chance?
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
So instead of spending huge $$ to create an entirely new DIAD...why not just upgrade the DIAD 4's?

All we need to do...is switch out the functions of the 4 keys on the corners of the keypad. Currently, we have the signature key in the top right corner, the "cycle" key on the top left corner, and the arrow-over keys on the bottom right and left corners.

Flip them. Move the arrow keys up to the top, and the cycle and signature keys down to the bottom, away from where the customers thumbs will hit them. Problem solved.

As far as the "shift" key goes....move it off of the "friend" key and relocate it to the F5 key so that alphanumeric shipper #'s and waybills with an "friend" in them arent such a royal pain.

As far as I am concerned, these are the only real flaws with the DIAD 4, other than that I am very happy with it and it seems silly to spend the $$ to make a whole new one.
 

pretzel_man

Well-Known Member
So instead of spending huge $$ to create an entirely new DIAD...why not just upgrade the DIAD 4's?

All we need to do...is switch out the functions of the 4 keys on the corners of the keypad. Currently, we have the signature key in the top right corner, the "cycle" key on the top left corner, and the arrow-over keys on the bottom right and left corners.

Flip them. Move the arrow keys up to the top, and the cycle and signature keys down to the bottom, away from where the customers thumbs will hit them. Problem solved.

As far as the "shift" key goes....move it off of the "friend" key and relocate it to the F5 key so that alphanumeric shipper #'s and waybills with an "friend" in them arent such a royal pain.

As far as I am concerned, these are the only real flaws with the DIAD 4, other than that I am very happy with it and it seems silly to spend the $$ to make a whole new one.

That is A LOT more expensive than buying a new DIAD.

Think of your cell phone. When it breaks, you can't just get it fixed. The electronics become old and are no longer available.

The DIAD hardware is the same. The CPU, Radio, Memory, etc. is no longer available to buy.

Unless we have a need that cannot be purchased off the shelf, Its much more expensive to have custom devices like the DIAD IV.

P-Man
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
That is A LOT more expensive than buying a new DIAD.

Think of your cell phone. When it breaks, you can't just get it fixed. The electronics become old and are no longer available.

The DIAD hardware is the same. The CPU, Radio, Memory, etc. is no longer available to buy.

Unless we have a need that cannot be purchased off the shelf, Its much more expensive to have custom devices like the DIAD IV.

P-Man

I make no claim to any computer or electronics skills so this might be a stupid question but....wouldnt switching the key functions around be a software upgrade vs a hardware upgrade?

Its not like the keys would have to be physically moved....the program would be altered to change their function. We have DIAD upgrades all the time, how would this be any different?
 

pretzel_man

Well-Known Member
I make no claim to any computer or electronics skills so this might be a stupid question but....wouldnt switching the key functions around be a software upgrade vs a hardware upgrade?

Its not like the keys would have to be physically moved....the program would be altered to change their function. We have DIAD upgrades all the time, how would this be any different?

If what you are saying is why can't they disable the key that physical signature key.... If they did, the physical press by the customer would be irrelevant. I different key (probably an friend key could be used the end the signature event.

If that's what you were thinking then you and I are on the same page.

I asked the corporate guys this fairly recently, and they said they were looking at it.

By the way, this is much different than the hardware replacement for DIAD V. The DIAD IV hardware is old and needs replacing.

I've seen pictures of some of the replacement proposals. They look good to me.

P-Man
 

DiadDude

Well-Known Member
If what you are saying is why can't they disable the key that physical signature key.... If they did, the physical press by the customer would be irrelevant. I different key (probably an friend key could be used the end the signature event.

If that's what you were thinking then you and I are on the same page.

I asked the corporate guys this fairly recently, and they said they were looking at it.

By the way, this is much different than the hardware replacement for DIAD V. The DIAD IV hardware is old and needs replacing.

I've seen pictures of some of the replacement proposals. They look good to me.

P-Man

Lots of perceptive people on this thread :)

The DIAD 4 is going out of warranty and as P-Man said, we're approaching the point where the parts supply is dwindling.

Sober and P-Man are both on the right page that the sig key could be fixed with software. In fact it's already been done. The problem is that corporate has not decided to release the fix as they struggle to quantify how big of a problem the Sig key really is. We all know there are alot of people who are impacted by it but everything we do has to show an improvement on the bottom line. No one has been able to definitively prove that making this change will speed up more deliveries than it could slow down.

Mapp, I am in the Timonium building frequently :smart:
 
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