One of the great benefits of the Windows Mobile platform is its truly insane diversity. Literally hundreds of manufacturers fight for your purchase order – can Motorola’s entries stack up?
Before we look at the actual devices, here is a quick prologue on the history of these devices. They are sold under a funny brand called Symbol…which originally was a company making Palm OS handhelds for industrial use(look for them at fairs,..). The company eventually fired its Palm OS division(thereby forming Janam) and finally was sold to Motorola. Big M still sticks to the name because of the high brand awareness associated with it.
So far so good, here come the boxen(MC35 on the left, MC50 on the right, Treo 680 in the middle):
The bulge in the back of the MC50 is an extended battery – Motorola offers extended batteries with 2 times the normal capacity for all of its devices. With the ext. bat inserted, the box is said to reach a lifetime of approximately 8h:
Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to test if the devices really survive a 90cm(3 feet) drop to a concrete floor with a carpet on top – but the manufacturer’s promise probably is true.
Here’s a picture of the MC35 next to the Treo 680 – both are in action here:
Last but not least, our friend at Motorola’s told us that it’s very possible that we will see VGA screens next year. The reason for this is simple: screen manufacturers keep offering us VGA screens at more-less the same price QVGA screens cost(sic). As said, don’t expect anything now – but all is possible next year!
In the end, the MC35 and MC50 are very interesting devices not only for industrial use. While the price of 500-600€ is quite a bit higher than the price of a stock HP box, the long battery life time and higher sturdyness are very valid reasons for the premium price…
P.S. We were promised access to a review unit – stay tuned!
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