VAR Handheld PCs has begun its transition into an ISV with the development of its own software for hand-held devices.

Pierre Lams, co-founder of Handheld PCs, told CRN: “We started to get requests from customers across various industry sectors. They wanted to be able to capture an image on their hand-held device, pinpoint the image’s geographic location and feed the information back to their office. This is why we began developing the software.”

Although not officially due to be launched until October at a services trade show, Handheld PCs has already implemented the software – hand-e-pix – for construction company McNicholas, and is about to implement it for a local authority.

Hand-e-pix works by using a global positioning system (GPS) satellite to plot a location at the time the picture is taken. A web-based database application is updated in real time via GPRS, making the data available to authorised staff from any site.

“Hand-e-pix can work on hand-held devices that don’t have built-in GPS, but users would need a separate Bluetooth receiver,” Lams said. “It works particularly well with Hewlett-Packard’s [HP’s] Ipax 6915 or the Mio A701, which both have GPS built into them.

“We will be developing more software; this is just the start. We are morphing from a system integrator into an ISV.”

Neil Dagger, HP’s iPaq and wireless devices business manager, said: “It’s a great development for a reseller to move into an area where it can really add value. Traffic wardens and police forces in particular would benefit from this software.”

laura_hailstone@vnu.co.uk