DataBug Frequently Asked Questions | Landel Telecom | MailBug™, DataBug, CommentCatcher™

Basics

What is DataBug?

DataBug is a simple way to safely and easily collect data, from virtually anywhere, without the cost or complexity or vulnerabilities associated with collecting data on computers.

How affordable is DataBug for my business?

The cost of a DataBug kiosk depends upon its hardware configuration. Since it can be supplied either with or without an optional wireless card, DataBug prices can range from as little as $125 (standard model) to about $200 depending upon its specific configuration and the quantity purchased.

Why NOT a computer?

In a great many cases, the cost of a DataBug kiosk can be hundreds of dollars less than the cost of a computer-based kiosk solution. With a DataBug kiosk, there are no requirements for IT support, no risk of viruses or malware, no service contracts, and it is configured specifically for your application and cannot be used for other purposes for which it is not intended. And, since the DataBug is not a PC, a laptop, or table, it represents much less of a theft target.

Customization

Can DataBug be customized for my specific business needs?

Absolutely. In fact, that is the point of DataBug. It is designed to be a flexible system to securely and simply capture data, without the use of computers, but what kind of data it captures is entirely up to you. If you need customer information, or human resources information, or market surveys, or any other type of data, DataBug will be customized to get exactly what you need.

How is the customization accomplished?

You can send us a specification in any format you wish. We get postcards, paper sheets, word documents, spreadsheets, and webforms. We take what you give us, and turn it into customized code which DataBug uses to bring your data capture application to life.

Do I need to learn Landel's programming language in order to get DataBug customized to my needs?

No. The point of DataBug is to make things easy for you. You just tell us what you want the DataBug to collect for you, and Landel takes care of making it happen. Send us a sheet of paper with a form of some kind on it, and we will turn that into DataBug-usable code for you.

Can DataBug execute complex data tasks, or just simple ones?

DataBug is often asked to perform simple tasks, like capturing data that customers had previously collected on postcards with fishbowls. And DataBug is also asked, even more often, to perform very complicated data collection tasks, such as employment applications or research forms. The simpler tasks are often just a small set of sequential questions, and the complex tasks require a large set of questions along with skipping logic and math and hidden data fields and many other features. DataBug can handle both the simple and the complex.

How long does it take to customize DataBug?

Simple tasks can often be done in only a day or two. More complex tasks take a bit longer, but we can generally go from your request to a working prototype in only two weeks or less, no matter how complex. How can we do things so fast? DataBug is built from the ground up to be flexible.

Is DataBug capable of branching — if a certain selection is made can DataBug jump to a specific point?

Of course. If your data needs require conditional branching, that’s no problem for DataBug. If your data needs require that a respondent only get a certain amount of time to complete, that’s no problem for DataBug. In short, DataBug needs to be flexible, and intelligent, in order to accomplish the data capture tasks Landel customers demand, and it’s up to the task. Just tell us what you need.

Can DataBug perform promotional and sweepstakes functions to attract customers or encourage data entry?

Sure. Landel currently has many customers that offer prizes and sweepstakes. Some of them just require that DataBug collect information and display acknowledgements, and they perform the sweepstakes with the data once they have it. Other customers want the DataBug to actually perform simple instant win promotional contests.

What if I need to change what DataBug does while it's in the field?

We expect you to need changes. That’s just what happens in business today, things change. We will ship DataBug customized for you, but flexibility doesn’t end there. On each connection to the server, DataBug checks for the availability of an update, and if necessary it will download the update. Whether you need a simple change, or a complete overhaul, DataBug is always ready to keep pace with your changing business needs.

Data

Can you describe the overall data flow process?

Landel takes your specification and creates code to make DataBug customized for your needs. That code resides in the DataBug and drives what respondents see and what data is collected. When a respondent enters data, a data record is created, encrypted, and temporarily stored in the memory of the DataBug. When the DataBug connects to the server, which it does using a simple telephone line or an optional ethernet link, data records are securely transmitted, decrypted and converted into XML to make ready for your retrieval, and then deleted from the local memory of the DataBug. All of your DataBug kiosks, whether you have one or a thousand, and no matter where they are, all aggregate their data for you at the Landel transfer point. You can then retrieve all of your data with a simple SSL query to the Landel transfer point, using either automated systems or a simple web browser. You receive your data in XML form, so that you can easily populate a database, make a spreadsheet, create files, or perform whatever tasks you want to perform with your data.

What about data security?

When data is collected by the kiosk it is saved in encrypted form. Once the data is safely transmitted to the Landel transfer point, it is decrypted and stored for you to retrieve using standard security protocols. When you retrieve your data, you will need a password that you can define and provide to Landel. If you wish, you can also lock down your password to an associated IP address, adding even more comfort. The retrieval process, or the transfer of data from the Landel transfer point to you or your systems, is accomplished using SSL, which is the same standard that enables the banking system and other secure sites to work. DataBug is therefore secure from one end to the other.

In addition, the DataBug kiosk is designed to NOT be a computer. One of the many reasons for that is that computers have the capability of storing a great deal of information, which is really still there and still recoverable, long after it has been ‘deleted’. DataBug doesn’t expose you to that kind of long term risk. DataBug only holds limited data, by design, because it is meant to be a temporary store. Data is created, stored temporarily, transferred, then deleted. The same is true for the Landel transfer point. It is not meant to be a data store, but merely a short term transfer point. The only place your data is kept long term, by design, is in your systems, when under your careful and personal control. Everything else is meant to be short term.

Data security is a significant issue, especially when your data capture needs require the capture of social security numbers or credit card numbers, and Landel takes data security very seriously. Ask for more information if you have specific questions.

Other

Is DataBug portable?

DataBug is small enough to go where you need it to go. The standard DataBug is AC powered, however, so if you need an optional battery we can add that for you.

Can DataBug connect by Ethernet?

A standard DataBug is designed to connect using a simple telephone line, freeing you from worries over networking and other hassles. If you want DataBug to connect over Ethernet, however, Landel can provide that as an option.

What if I am a small business, are there standard Ready-to-Use DataBug kiosks that do common tasks that don't need customization?

Yes, absolutely. Landel has several ready-to-use DataBug data capture options for you, all of which are ready to use as soon as the shipping box arrives. For example, the DIY (Do It Yourself) Survey is meant to enable you to personalize a survey for your business, just by typing on the keyboard and answering a few questions, freeing you from worry about the complex customization that large corporate customers often need.