Where Will You “Spot the Zebra” Device This Holiday Season?
Multiple reports have come in lately about sightings of Zebra devices “in living color.”
We’re not talking about the majestic zebras you might have seen running in the wild across the Serengeti or being chased down the streets of a San Antonio, Texas, area neighborhood this past summer, either.
We’re talking about the “Zebra” devices that have been jumping out at people both on screen and in real life… at stores, restaurants, hospitals and even their homes.
In some cases, the spotted Zebra devices were helping doctors and nurses communicate…
In other scenarios, they were tracking an astronaut’s medical history...
And multiple people have repeatedly spotted Zebra devices scanning black-and-white-striped barcodes on packages and products in stores…
On their front doorsteps…
And even their favorite dining spots. (A welcome sight given how much faster food comes out when a Zebra device is helping to manage the order.)
Honestly, this influx of sightings isn’t surprising given the large number of Zebra touchscreen handheld computers, tablets and scanners that have migrated into the field lately (and cast in starring roles in blockbuster movies such as Jurassic World and Ad Astra and hit TV shows such as Superstore and Chicago Med.)
“Zebras” – as our mobile devices were affectionately called in a recent Superstore episode – have been living and working somewhat behind the scenes in retail, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping, hospitality, healthcare, government and utilities for over 50 years. Their contributions to society have been countless: they have been improving the quality of our healthcare and our communities. They’ve been playing a central role in the production of your favorite things (think cars, electronics and clothes) and the delivery of basic necessities (think water, power, gas and internet). They have made us more “intelligent” as individuals and businesses. And they’ve helped to speed up services, whether it’s food service, the postal service or in-home appliance services, in a way that doesn’t compromise quality.
And now that mobile devices are prevalent in every part of our public lives, you can spot a “Zebra” device almost anywhere you look. We bet you’ve actually encountered a Zebra device at least two or three times in the past month, even if you didn’t realize it.
Perhaps it was at the store when you were picking up a mobile order or when the delivery person dropped off your online order at your house. It could have been when the cable technician was installing a new service or when the meter reader came by to capture your power usage for the month. Or, you could have seen a Zebra device taking your order at McDonalds or helping you checkout at the grocery store. And, Zebra devices can be spotted everywhere in hospitals and doctors’ offices these days printing and scanning patient wristbands, checking the labels on specimen collection vials and prescription bottles, among other things.
Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the brand name on the mobile device, kiosk or even printer used by the businesses you frequent – or the service providers and delivery drivers that visit your home. You might be surprised by how many times you lay eyes on a Zebra device this holiday season as you’re on the hunt for the perfect gift, feeding your hunger and completing those end-of-year medical appointments.
In fact, we’re inviting you to join us in a little game over the next month, just for fun to earn your own stripes!
How to Play “Spot the Zebra” Device This Holiday Season
Keep count of how many times you “spot a Zebra” device between now and December 31 and submit your tally in the Comments section below. Add two points each time you hear someone actually say the word “Zebra” out loud, as in “you’ll hear a beep beep on your Zebra” device. And don’t forget to tell us about any cool or unexpected places where you’ve seen a Zebra device at work and how it may have impacted your life in that moment.
Full disclosure: all sightings “in real life” and “in living color” – i.e. on any screen – are fair game. So, if you plan to binge-watch shows like Chicago Med or Superstore over the next few weeks, you’ll see your “Zebra device spot count” tick up really fast. More of a movie buff? You may want to check out Jurassic World, Ad Astra, Stronger, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Rampage, Godzilla and Ant Man and the Wasp. (No, it’s not cheating if everyone gets the same leads on places where Zebras have reportedly been seen.)
Want to turn this into a friendly competition with your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers or even complete strangers? The more the merrier. Send them this blog as the official invite. We can’t wait to see who can spot the most Zebra devices “in the wild” or, in this case, their own backyards.
Good luck!!
Zebra’s “Your Edge” Blog Team
The “Your Edge” Blog Team is comprised of content curators and editors from Zebra’s Global PR, Thought Leadership and Advocacy team. Our goal is to connect you with the industry experts best-versed on the issues, trends and solutions that impact your business. We will collectively deliver critical news analysis, exclusive insights on the state of your industry, and guidance on how your organization can leverage a number of different proven technology platforms and strategies to capture your edge.
