New Android handheld computer built on Honeywell's Mobility Edge platform and industrial-grade barcode scanner help store associates provide superior customer service, manage store inventory
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Honeywell continued fleshing out its line of enterprise-oriented Dolphin mobile computers with the introduction of the Dolphin CT40 on May 23, 2018. The new Dolphin CT40 was designed to be a one-stop device for retail store associates and other mobile workers that can handle everything from order picking at a distribution center to in-store merchandising to home delivery and more.

In contrast to Honeywell's Dolphin 70e and 75e that were conceived as more durable, more rugged versions of consumer smartphones, the CT40 places more emphasis on the handheld computer side. This is both a productivity tool as well as an industrial-grade scanner.

The Dolphin CT40's 3.0 x 6.4 inch footprint is roughly that of an Apple iPhone 8 Plus in a protective case. The CT40 was designed to be considerably more durable than consumer devices and that adds a bit weight, but at just just under 10 ounces the CT40 won't weigh users down.

While trendy consumer phones now have screens that fill the entire surface of the device, the more practical nature of a handheld for business mandates a bezel around the LCD perimeter. That allows a stronger chassis and eliminates inadvertent touches as are common on consumer phones with edge-to-edge screens.

The Dolphin CT40's display measures 5.0 inches diagonally and features 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, or 294 (dpi dots per inch). That's a bit less than premium consumer phones, but sharper than anything available on a desktop or notebook, and also a good deal more than the retina iPads.

The CT40 uses capacitive multi-touch and its display surface is protected by Gorilla Glass 5 that's specially formulated to protect against high falls onto hard, rough surfaces.

Impressive technology