COBI.wms can be installed on any device using the Android operating system, version 5.0 or higher. However, Android 8.1 or higher is strongly recommended for new installations.
The minimum supported screen resolution is WVGA (800×480). For more comfort, an HD display (1280×720) is recommended.
For efficient scanning, a device with a built-in barcode scanner is strongly recommended. Otherwise, the device's photo camera may also be used, but scanning will be slow and cumbersome.
Most built-in barcode scanners on Android devices only support scanning from a short distance (less than 1 meter / 3 feet). If you need a device that can scan from large distances, make sure that you buy a device with an extended-range scanner, which may support up to 20 meters / 60 feet.
Devices on the lower price range usually don't offer much protection from harsh physical conditions such as high amounts of dust, deep-freezing temperatures, accidental dropping on concrete ground, and so on. If you need a device that will last under such conditions, make sure to buy a properly rugged device that conforms to your specifications.
The CPU and RAM of the device are not very important, as the app does not do any heavy computations. Any modern Android device seems to have 2 GB or more RAM which is more than enough for COBI.wms.
Following is a list of Android devices with built-in barcode scanners that are tried and tested with COBI.wms, as well as information about a few devices that are explicitly not recommended due to known limitations.
https://sps.honeywell.com/us/en/products/productivity/mobile-computers/handheld-computers
The ScanPal series from Honeywell are known to work seamlessly with COBI.wms. The built-in barcode scanner of these devices will be detected and configured automatically by the app without any user interaction.
The ScanPal EDA51 offers a good price/performance ratio. The 5-inch HD display (1280×720) offers comfort while using the app, and the 4,000 mAh battery should last for a full work-day of use (advertised as 12h). The battery can be replaced without tools. The device is not ultra-rugged but relatively durable. There are variants of this model with and without SIM card support.
The ScanPal EDA71 is essentially equivalent, just with a larger physical size. The 7-inch display actually has the same resolution as the 5-inch display of the EDA51, meaning that while it's physically larger, the icons and text in the app will simply be stretched to fill the same area, so it won't fit more content on the screen. As the larger screen drains more power, the duration of use is advertised only as 8h.
Other devices from Honeywell should work with COBI.wms just as well, such as the Dolphin CT40 or Dolphin CT60, but please consult before committing to a purchase.
https://www.zebra.com/gb/en/products/mobile-computers/handheld.html
Any Android device from Zebra that has a scanner which can be configured with the DataWedge app is supported by COBI.wms. Refer to the DataWedge Settings for details on how to integrate the scanner with the app.
The TC21/TC26 is the smallest and most price-saving Android device that COBI.wms is known to work well with. The 5-inch WVGA display (800×480) corresponds to the minimum resolution that is supported by COBI.wms. The standard 3300 mAh battery lasts for a fair duration (advertised as 10h). The optional 5260 mAh extended battery is advertised as running for 14h. The battery can be replaced without tools. The TC21 does not support a SIM card, whereas the TC26 does.
The TC52/TC57 is a more expensive device, but still offering a fair price/performance ratio. The 5-inch HD display (1280×720) offers comfort while using the app, and the 4150 mAh battery lasts for a very long time (advertised as 14h). The battery can be replaced without tools. The TC52 does not support a SIM card, whereas the TC57 does.
Other Zebra devices should work with COBI.wms just as well so long as they support configuring the barcode scanner via Zebra's DataWedge app. For example, if you need a device with an extended scanning range (up to 20m), you might want to look into the MC33xx series.
Android scanners from the TOUGHPAD / TOUGHBOOK series are known to work with the app. The built-in barcode scanner will be detected automatically by the app, but you must disable the “Keyboard-Wedge” option in the device's own scanner settings.
The TOUGHPAD FZ-X1 model has been discontinued and only supports Android 5.1.1, therefore it is not recommended to buy this device although it is still supported by COBI.wms.
The TOUGHBOOK FZ-N1 is a more modern variant that supports newer Android versions. In terms of price and performance it could be considered in the same class as the Honeywell ScanPal 51 and the Zebra TC52/TC57.
The barcode scanners of the Memor-1 and Memor-10 will be detected and configured automatically by the app without user interaction, however there are problems with detecting GS1 barcodes and therefore these devices are not recommended if you wish to use COBI.wms with GS1 barcodes such as GS1-128 or GS1-DataMatrix.
The Scorpion series from BRESSNER Technology GmbH sadly cannot be configured for proper integration with the app. The barcode scanner will only function like a keyboard, filling in the currently focused text field in the app with the code that was scanned. In screens of the app where no text field is visible, nothing will happen upon scanning a barcode, whereas with other scanners the app can react intelligently to the scan event.