Symbol Technologies has unveiled two ruggedised
Windows-based devices, the MC9000K and MC9000S.
Both units include an Intel XScale 400MHz processor, VGA or mono
display, 64MBytes of memory, a 1D laser scanner for reading UPC
codes, and a combination of any three wireless modes: IEEE 802.11b
(Wi-Fi), wide area (GSM or GPRS) and Bluetooth.
List price for a VGA model with Wi-Fi is $2,895 (£1,614),
wide-area connectivity is an additional $600, and Bluetooth support
an additional $150.
While four or five times the price of a similarly configured,
non-ruggedised consumer handheld, the total cost of ownership is
far less for a Symbol device than if companies bought off-the-shelf
devices and replaced them as they broke, according to Steve Schmid,
senior director of product marketing for embedded technology at
Symbol.
"Our customers understand the value. Coca-Cola is buying as many
as 28,000 ruggedised devices for its route sales and delivery
people," said Schmid.
The MC9000K/S comes with either Microsoft CE .net 4.2 or Windows
Mobile 2003.
Symbol is not offering the devices with the Palm operating
system. However, one industry analyst said too much should not be
read into the decision.
"Symbol is always in customer response mode. If there is one
large customer or a set of clients that make a request for a
particular product, Symbol will build it. They are not abandoning
the Palm platform," said Gerry Purdy, principal at MobileTrax, a
mobile and wireless consultancy. The tri-mode wireless
configuration includes internal antenna's for Wi-Fi, wide area and
Bluetooth.
Symbol's AirBeam software is included for system management,
seamless roaming between wide area and Wi-Fi, and for connection to
the corporate network using a VPN.
Both models are listed at $2,800 but do differ in form factor,
weight, and battery life. The K model has a 15.8 watt-hour life,
weighs 22oz to 25oz depending on configuration, and measures 9.2in
by 3.6in by 1.7in thick.
The S model has a battery life of 11.1 watt-hour, weighs between
20oz and 23oz, and measures 7.6in by 3.6in by 1.7in thick.
Both the MC9000 K and S are shipping in volume now.
Ephraim Schwartz writes for Infoworld