PORTABLE BAR CODE SCANNER APPARATUS

A portable bar code scanner apparatus having a keyboard and a display mounted on the front face of the housing. The housing is configured to be held in the palm of one hand with the keys on the keyboard engageable by the thumb or fingers of the hand holding the housing. Only one hand is required for scan actuation and key entry and to maintain a comfortable precision grip. The portable bar code scanner apparatus may also include a radio for transmitting data to or receiving data from a host computer, and may be mounted on the back of the operator's hand for hands-free operation while in an object-sense mode.