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Motorola MC3100 Series Adds to Rugged Device Lineup
By: Michelle Maisto
2009-11-03
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Motorola's ruggedized MC3100 Series of mobile devices features gun, turret or straight-shooter form factors, keypad options, faster processors and a choice of Microsoft operating systems.
Motorola introduced the MC3100 Series of ruggedizedhandhelds on Nov. 3, in three form factors: a "straight shooter," aturret head and a gun scanner. The handheld devices are updates to Motorola'sMC3000 family and intended for indoor use, such as warehousing, retailenvironments and distribution centers.
In September, Motorola's updated MC9500, a rugged field-service handheld foroutdoor use, was introduced with new features,such as the ability for a company to switchbetween CDMA-EvDO (Code Division Multiple Access/Evolution Data Optimized) andGSM HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) cellular radios, optimized forthe strongest network in the area where the device was deployed.
The scanning-focused MC3100 Series interacts with an enterprise's WLAN via802.11 a, b and g bands. Several new features in the MC3100 series, however,mimic innovations presented in the MC9500. For example, a Motorola Max Sensorenables the device to sense when the display is face down and put itself intosleep mode to save battery life. Also, when a user offers a view of the screento someone else, the screen can automatically shift from landscape to portraitmode, without the user having to let go or shift the device to a less ergonomicposition.
The accelerometer in the devices can track how often they're being dropped,enabling an enterprise to address any use issues.
In addition to the three form factor choices, there are three keypads to choosefrom, and the option of a Symbol SE950 1D laser scanner—for accurate scans ofeven damaged bar codes—or a Symbol SE4500 1D/2D scanner, which can capture 1Dand 2D bar codes, as well as direct part marks, images and documents. Eachhandheld includes a 624MHz Marvell XScale PXA320 processor and a choice ofWindows CE 6.0 Pro or Windows Mobile 6.X Classic.
"Microsoft is pleased to work with Motorola to extend the power of thePC by fueling the rich user experiences and streamlined connectivity [that]enterprise users and consumers demand from emerging specialized devices," MicrosoftDirector of Product Management Mukund Ghangurde said in a statement. "Motorola'sMC3100 is a strong example of a device offering a choice of Microsoft operatingtools for application developers."
The MC3100 series features Motorola's MPA (Mobility Platform Architecture)2.0, which enables applications from other Motorola mobile computers to be portedover to the new devices. MPA also increases security options through MaxSecure, which includes FIPS 140-2 certification, required for governmentdeployments, as well as authentication algorithms and VPN support.
The ruggedness of the devices has been boosted. "When we do our droptests, we do it six times on each side across a range of temperatures,"Sheldon Safir, a Motorola director of product marketing, told eWEEK. The MC3100Series can be used in uncomfortable temperatures from -4 degrees F to 122degrees F.
Safir added, "The [3-inch], 320 by 320 color touch screen providesabout 30 percent better resolution than you get with a QVGA. We worked onmaking the glass and touch panel as strong as we could, and they can be usedwith a stylus, [a] finger or even while wearing a glove."
In the current economy, Safir said, productivity is key, and Motorola's goalwith the new series was to enable enterprises to be as effective and efficientas possible. This led to features such an integrated RFID (radio-frequencyidentification) tag in the handle of the scanner, enabling it to be located inbustling warehouse, for example.
Pricing for the MC3100 series, which is now shipping, ranges from $1,295 to$1,995.
"We're seeing an approach [calling] for more planning and moreexpectation than we did a year ago," Safir said, "and we're trying toprovide [a] product that enables each of those dollars to be spent in a moreproductive manner."
© 2009 Ziff Davis Enterprise, Inc.
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