Portable barcode scanners are also termed as Portable Data Terminals or PDTs which are experts in mobile data collection. They are also predecessors of the modern laptops and effective in an environment where there is dire need for portability and durability. It is the champion of small screen displays and boasts of extremely low voltage memory and low consumption of battery technology. Proprietary technologies are used to power the applications so that they can perform data collection tasks for the enterprise.

With the popularity of personal data assistants, mobile data collection has commenced with enhanced capabilities with the help of new technologies. PDTs can run custom programs and now can widely perform various functions with available programs including worksheet, word processing and e-books. The market for such PDTs has extended to portable mobile computing and has been an instant hit with warehouse users. They have now utilized various mobile platforms and wireless connections and boasts of consistent communication with the use of email, SMS and voice.

With the development and evolution of the new devices, the new Symbol SPT-1700 and SPT-1500 utilized the PalmOS operating system considering the focus of the PDT market, while some of them even embrace the Windows operating system. The portable data terminals have now given way to mobile computers which are capable of many more tasks that the terminals used to perform. The cell phones and the ability of Windows Mobile operating system for efficient cell network identification gives the manufacturers for good "real time" data collection and even generates updates on a regular basis. One can fulfill data collection needs with the help of rugged devices and all types of barcode scanners which are being manufactured off late.

Mobile computers now include several diverse devices which even include laptops to cell phones but portable data terminals remain the most basic mobile computers.

The devices include an integrated Barcode Scanner and mainly used for light to industrial purposes. They boast of long battery life and primarily used for data collection by mobile workers and warehouse professionals in all types of job sites or work areas. It has a small display for showing data and a VGA screen which displays only 4 or 5 lines of data at a time. Users can see the data which is being collected depending on the query results related to data entry operations.

The devices also feature a robust UI which also include physical keys or a touch screen with a persistent memory.

It collects reference data for transfer to a PC with the help of wireless connectivity through WAN and WLAN using the latest connectivity standards. The wireless network connections are basically strong enough. The other connectivity option is PAN which sports Bluetooth wireless connectivity for connecting devices such as printers and keyboards. The data transfer connections from and to a PC are usually performed through a physical connection and include peripheral devices including printers and modems. The devices and PDTs also have a robust GUI interface which helps in an efficient working of the device for long period of time.