CalAmp, a maker of wireless products, has announced that it has added Bluetooth support to its line of Mobile Resource Management (MRM) and M2M devices.
"The addition of Bluetooth capability to our broad line-up of MRM and M2M wireless products assures that we can reliably connect with a broad set of peripherals to create a seamless local area communications capability in the field," Greg Gower, senior vice president and general manager of CalAmp's MRM business, said. "We are committed to simplifying remote communications for the enterprise to increase business efficiencies, improve management of mobile resources and better protect valuable assets."
The updated products will target the fleet tracking and remote asset tracking, monitoring, and control markets. CalAmp suggested that managing its devices with its MDT-7 mobile data terminal, a modified Android tablet, would be even easier.
The company’s Location Messaging Units (LMUS) allow operators to connect to the devices they’re managing over Bluetooth, including sensors, PCs, smartphones, and tablets.
The devices will support Bluetooth 4.0, giving them support for traditional Bluetooth devices in addition to new Bluetooth low power support. The lower energy consumption needs of the latter have the potential to greatly expand the M2M and MRM markets.
Since Bluetooth low energy devices have the same range as older Bluetooth devices but with lower energy consumption, more customers might be able to install sensors in places where it might have been too difficult to do so before. Technicians won’t have to change batteries for these devices as often.
The company’s first Bluetooth-enabled devices are scheduled to become available in March.
In addition to Bluetooth, CalAmp also introduced a line of devices based on next-generation wireless technologies. They will be aimed at the fleet tracking and insurance markets, similar to the Bluetooth devices. Targeting all of the mobile wireless technologies will be a good move in encouraging M2M adoption.
Edited by
Cassandra Tucker