Getting started with the Follett Falcon
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The Follett Falcon® PDA is a hand-held wireless device. It has a customized browser that communicates with Wireless Destiny, allowing you to perform real-time transactions. It also has a self-contained application, Destiny Remote, that allows you to collect barcode scans offline for circulation and inventory when you are out of range of your wireless network or when your Destiny server is not available.

With these two applications, you can use your Falcon for several circulation, cataloging, and inventory activities.

Getting started

If you've just received your Falcon, make certain your package contains everything on the enclosed packing list.

Once you've verified that you have everything you need, you'll first need to charge the batteries.

Initial charging of the batteries

You must charge both the battery pack and backup battery for at least thirteen (13) hours before using. You can use either the power adapter or the dock to charge the batteries. Subsequent full-battery charging requires four (4) hours.

To charge the battery pack, complete the following steps:

  1. If the hand strap is in place, detach it by releasing its hook from the connection at the base of the Falcon.
  2. Slide the battery lock upwards and remove the battery cover from the battery compartment.
  3. Insert the battery pack into the battery compartment with the label facing out. Set the lower edge of the battery cover into the bottom edge of the rim of the battery compartment.
  4. Slide the battery lock up and press the cover into place, sliding the battery lock down again.
  5. Note: When you put the battery pack into the Falcon, it may turn on automatically. Press the Power key () to turn off the Falcon before charging.
  6. Connect the Power Adapter to charge the Falcon.

While the battery pack is charging, the power indicator on the Falcon turns red.
When the battery pack is fully charged, the power indicator turns green.

Features of the Falcon

Take a moment to become familiar with the layout of the keypad and the functions of the various keys.

Key

Function


Power/Backlight

To turn the Falcon on, press the Power/Backlight key briefly. The backlight comes on automatically.
To turn the Falcon off, press this key again briefly. To turn the backlight off while the Falcon is on, press and hold the key for at least a second.


Scan (left and right)

To activate the scanner, press either the left or the right scan key.
Either one also wakes up the Falcon from sleep mode.


Home

To activate the scanner, press the Home key.


Navigation

To move the cursor, press the edge of the 4-way navigation rocker key.
The Up arrow moves the cursor up one line.
The Down arrow moves the cursor down one line.
The Right arrow moves the cursor to the right one character.
The Left arrow moves the cursor to the left one character.

Alphanumeric
keys

To enter numbers and letters, use the alphanumeric keys.
Numerals are the default output.

Starting the Falcon

Powering On

Press the Power/Backlight key briefly to turn on the Falcon.

Powering Off

To turn off the Falcon, press the Power/Backlight key again. This action puts the Falcon into sleep mode, but does not actually turn it off. All running applications remain as you left them until you press the Power/Backlight key again to resume operation.

Recharging the battery pack

When the battery pack is low, the power indicator flashes blue.

To check the amount of power left in the battery pack, double-tap the battery icon () in the taskbar.

To recharge the main battery, use any of the following methods:

If you remove the battery pack or it completely discharges, there is a 2-hour window in which to insert a charged battery pack before the backup battery fails and the contents of the memory are lost.

Understanding sleep mode

The following conditions cause the Falcon to enter sleep mode:

The following actions wake up the Falcon:

Calibrating the touch screen

To recalibrate the touch screen if it seems out of alignment, simultaneously press the FN2 and Enter () keys to open the Align Screen window.

Press and briefly hold the stylus on the center of each target as it moves around the screen.
Press ESC to close the Align Screen window.

Setting the Date and Time

You can change the year, month, date, time, time zone, or choose to automatically adjust for daylight savings time:

  1. Double-tap the time displayed in the taskbar at the bottom of the touch screen.
  2. In the window that appears, tap the month, year, date, time, or time zone with the stylus and adjust as needed.
  3. To save your changes, tap Apply.

Adjusting the sound volume or screen brightness

To adjust either setting, hold down the FN2 button and press one edge of the Navigation key:

Working with the Falcon

After powering on the Falcon, the Destiny Desktop appears with shortcuts to Wireless Destiny and Destiny Remote. To open the browser or the application, tap either one with the stylus.

Important:  Never use a pen, pencil, or other sharp object on the Falcon’s touch screen.

There are several ways to enter data once you’ve opened an application:

Scanning barcodes

To turn on the laser scanner, press either scan key or the Home key. The scanner automatically turns off when the barcode is read successfully, when you release the scan key, or after 10 seconds, whichever comes first. When scanning, a yellow scan indicator signals that the scanner is on. A green LED and a beep signal a successful read.

To verify that the scanning application, Quick ScanSet, is running, make sure its icon () is in the taskbar. If not, simultaneously press the FN2 and TAB/Alpha () keys to restart it.

Entering alphanumeric characters

For alphanumeric characters, use either the keypad or the pop-up keyboard panel on the touch screen.

With t+he keypad:

With the pop-up keyboard panel:

To close the pop-up keyboard panel, tap the keyboard icon (), then tap Hide Input Panel