Elevate First Responders with in-vehicle Computing

The role of the smartphone in our world

As we all know by now, our phones are our daily companions, so much so that they perfectly blend our personal lives with our work lives. But working efficiently with such a small screen is a bit difficult. That’s why Samsung pushes a new concept of how we should use our phones. Samsung DeX – a new blend of phones and external devices aimed at centralizing your workflow into one device.

So, what is this DeX?

Samsung DeX is a new software platform used for mobile-powered desktop computing that allows you to turn your phone into a work-ready PC. With the help of an external monitor, the DeX platform can mirror programs and access files from a Samsung phone. You simply have to add a keyboard and mouse and you can work like a champ. If you want to know more about the solution check out this our previous blog.

This opens up new possibilities

This new approach is of great usefulness to people who are always on the go and can’t carry a laptop all the time because it’s too bulky. It is especially interesting for first responders like police officers.

With Samsung DeX, one smartphone can replace a variety of single-purpose tools including a vehicle-mounted laptop, a desktop computer, a video/audio recorder, a high-resolution camera, a bar-code scanner, and even a body worn camera. The sheer utility of the smartphone makes it ideal for public safety and provides significant savings.

Two things are missing for first responders

They are:  Secure access to data & In-vehicle workstation solution.
Let’s start with the latter. As you might know, most first responders use their car as an office on wheels because the action happens out on the field and not in the office. Reporting, searching and filing are key parts of their daily tasks.
Currently, most first responders maintain a built-in rugged laptop as their workstation. While this often gets the job done, the usability is not great since the machine is not so portable.

A solution like the Samsung DeX device comes in very handy – but for the accessories like monitor, keyboard and so on, they have very specific needs. The set-up needs to work on very little space, it must be movable, and of course, extremely robust.

For those looking for a get-it-and-go mobile workstation, RAMs  GDS Ecosystem bundle makes it easy to start using Samsung DeX in your vehicle instantly with no hassle (and with an easy installation process). It checks all the boxes and convinces users with it’s full 13.3″ touchscreen monitor, as well as it’s robust keyboard with a trackpad, phone mount and vehicle base.
It  offers plenty of visibility out of the driver’s windshield and space for a passenger. And since the RAM Mounts are highly adjustable and modular, you can swap the monitor for a tablet holder or ditch the keyboard to add a printer mount. Whatever the case may be, RAM Mounts are always customizable to fit your needs.

So what about the secure access to data?

There are countless examples when Samsung DeX could save the day. Lots of people now envision themselves commuting with just a smartphone to work. But there is a catch. In the current enterprise environment, this mobile vision does not work as you would expect. You often find that, because of your company’s IT setup, you are still dependent on a computer workstation and the usability will not be as seamless.

Let me explain:

You have to authenticate yourself

Security is key when working with sensitive data. Therefore, you have to authenticate yourself whenever you want to get access to work-related apps or company’s web apps. Just think about how many times you open up apps per day and how long it takes to type in your username and password.

You are still dependent

Whenever you have a problem with your password, you need to contact IT-support or find a windows desktop computer to fix it. This goes for expired passwords as well as password resets.

Limited user experience

Imagine needing to access a sensitive document file on the go. Most likely, this data is saved on an on-premise server and not on the cloud. This matters because accessing and editing this data is limited because of your current infrastructure. To overcome this, the document will not be opened in the dedicated editor like Word, instead editing is only possible via non-standardized editors. Editing a file in an unknown editor can be frustrating and time consuming.

The Hypergate solutions enable enterprises to roll out a mobile first strategy.

Hypergate Authenticator and Hypergate Files improve the workflow on DeX by securely and seamlessly authenticating the officer (or user) and helping them access applications and on-prem shares. This helps to improve the efficiency of evidence collection as well as data sharing in the station.

Focus on the street

A smartphone in the car can be a huge distraction while driving; incoming messages and our belief that we are able to multitask have caused numerous accidents.
Hypergate has a nifty feature in place to overcome the distraction. It’s SmartAccess feature detects if you are driving and automatically disables your apps so you no longer have the temptation to multitask.
That’s just one example of how the SmartAccess feature can be used. Simply put it allows the IT administrator to use Context Data to trigger pre-programmed actions. If you are curious to know more about SmartAccess check out one of our latest blogs.

New possibilities

Getting officers out of their vehicles and on foot is a critical component of modern police work. The combination of Hypergate, a RAM Mounts and a Samsung DeX device enables Police Departments to transition fully into mobile devices and improve officer access to critical information.

How Can I Try This Myself?

Simply request a 30-day free trial or ask for a mobility reseller to help you.