cgavula
07-30-2006, 11:39 PM
The Symbol MC50 is a ruggedized PDA. This means that things have been done to make it physically more durable than the average consumer device. Not only is the outer shell more durable, they’ve gone and built durability into details like the battery contacts (because people using the device all day during a work day are likely to swap batteries) to the speaker/microphone (because they certify it to be VoIP ready), to the keypad (tested for millions of clicks). Because of the commercial/industrial application of a device like this, they have to be certain it won’t fail at an inopportune time.
In this device, almost every possible opening has covering - even the SD card slot has a protective cover. They are going to protect the internals as much as possible. There’s a wide elastic strap on the back of the device that you slip your hand through to make it more difficult to drop the unit. There’s even the capability to tether the stylus to the device so you won’t accidentally lose it!
They went so far as to make a special set of connections so that when you attach peripherals to the device they will not break the device should everything accidentally be dropped. In conversations with Symbol I learned that they do extensive drop testing under a variety of circumstances to make sure the device will hold up.
I think it’s important to repeat, however, that the rugged nature of the device extends to the OS and usability as well. The OS isn’t the latest and greatest – that was traded for the sake of stability. A sense of solidity goes throughout this device – inside and out. The applications and drivers are tested thoroughly with the OS. All the parts of the OS are designed to work as smoothly and solidly as the hardware. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to confirm this, Symbols states that in testing their 520MHz device out benchmarks some 624MHz devices! My casual use of this device makes me inclined to believe this statement is true.
The Symbol MC50 is a device that takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
Next time around, I’ll be looking at this device in the real world and some uses to which it’s been put and how some of those things may translate to the corporate enterprise.
Navigation: Day 1 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=3700) Day 2 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=3702)
In this device, almost every possible opening has covering - even the SD card slot has a protective cover. They are going to protect the internals as much as possible. There’s a wide elastic strap on the back of the device that you slip your hand through to make it more difficult to drop the unit. There’s even the capability to tether the stylus to the device so you won’t accidentally lose it!
They went so far as to make a special set of connections so that when you attach peripherals to the device they will not break the device should everything accidentally be dropped. In conversations with Symbol I learned that they do extensive drop testing under a variety of circumstances to make sure the device will hold up.
I think it’s important to repeat, however, that the rugged nature of the device extends to the OS and usability as well. The OS isn’t the latest and greatest – that was traded for the sake of stability. A sense of solidity goes throughout this device – inside and out. The applications and drivers are tested thoroughly with the OS. All the parts of the OS are designed to work as smoothly and solidly as the hardware. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to confirm this, Symbols states that in testing their 520MHz device out benchmarks some 624MHz devices! My casual use of this device makes me inclined to believe this statement is true.
The Symbol MC50 is a device that takes a licking and keeps on ticking!
Next time around, I’ll be looking at this device in the real world and some uses to which it’s been put and how some of those things may translate to the corporate enterprise.
Navigation: Day 1 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=3700) Day 2 (http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=3702)