Earlier this week, we caught a story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about UPS’s plan to test and deploy the next generation handheld device that their drivers use to manage the flow of packages in pickup and delivery operations.  According to this story, this will make the 5th generation of their “DIAD” (Delivery Information Acquisition Device) handheld terminal — this one apparently from Honeywell (the conglomerate which acquired HandHeld Products aka HHP), though previous versions have been built by Motorola and Symbol Technologies (Symbol was subsequently swallowed by Moto in another acquisition).

The DIAD V will feature video capability which could provide some additional utility in the capture of the condition of damaged packages (if a picture is worth a thousand words, a video must be worth even more!) and will be even smaller weighing in at 1.3 pounds.

To us, this announcement from UPS and Honeywell underscores the power and value delivered by enterprise mobility applications.  Delivering significant information resource to workers at the point of service permits enhanced productivity, reduces overall costs and improves customer experience every time.   That’s why you see organizations like UPS, famous for their ability to analyze and improve business processes, continue to invest in leading edge enterprise mobility technology.