Symbol MC9094 & MC9097 takes on Blackberry

January 3, 2006

BREAKING! Symbol has two new ruggedized mobile devices coming out called the MC9094 and the MC9097, running Windows Mobile 5.0 with cellular/mobile phone access, a touch-screen, and a full-sized keyboard + dialpad that aims to dethrone the Blackberry. (Update: See my updated thoughts on the MC9097/MC9094 analogy with the Blackberry below) The difference between the two mobile devices is that the MC9094 supports the GSM cellular standard and the MC9097 supports OFDM and the IDEN two-way paging cellular standard created by Motorola. Both devices will support SMS and Bluetooth. This information is according to documents I obtained from the FCC's website.

If this follows the rest of Symbol's 9000 series, then this model will also feature a noise-cancelling, volume-controlled headset and voice recognition software, as maybe even a bar code scanner (the MC9060 has one, but no cellphone capability). Although, I'd be surprised if the MC9094 and MC9097 follows the MC9060 lead in embedding a bar code scanner, since it looks like Symbol is targetting this product to your traditional "Blackberry-type" user and not just "warehouse inventory/management-type" employees. More to follow when I find out more details...

(Update: Upon further reflection I realized that perhaps 'dethrone the Blackberry' is a bit misleading. Symbol's product is more of a "ruggedized mobile phone" that is bulkier than a Blackberry. It's probably more comparable to the Treo 700 mobile phone, but even that analogy is somewhat of a stretch due to the "ruggedized" casing of the MC9094 and MC9097, which lends itself to specific industries and not general enterprise or consumer usage. Thus, its target market is much different than a Blackberry with a specfic
"niche" audience.)



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