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By Rob Garretson
Motorola has taken the wraps off an enterprise-targeted Windows smartphone designed to be a sleek yet durable device for a wide range of mobile workers.
The forthcoming ES400, which Motorola calls an enterprise digital assistant, is a touchscreen smartphone that will run a new Microsoft mobile OS called Windows Embedded Handheld, based on Windows Mobile 6.5 technology. It sports a customizable user interface that lets both users and their IT administrators tailor the ES400 on-screen taskbar for easy access to specific applications. The phone, which has a 3.2 megapixel camera that also scans, a 3 inch touchscreen and a biometric fingerprint reader, is designed specifically for IT manageability, security and durability, according to Motorola.
The ES400 will be available later this year from unspecified carrier partners, said company officials, though they did not provide pricing or a precise release date. The model demonstrated at its introduction in New York is a world phone compatible with Sprint's 3.5G CDMA EVDO network in the U.S., as well as GSM/HSPA networks in other countries.
Motorola touted the Windows Mobile-based operating system as a reliable platform that will help ensure security, device management and compatibility with legacy applications. A subsequent version of Windows Embedded Handheld reportedly will be based on Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Phone 7 mobile OS, but will not be available before the end of 2011, according to Microsoft.
The ES400's camera can function as a scanner for reading both 1D and 2D barcodes, and the device has dedicated scanner button to provide quick access.
The new device is designed for field workers, traveling salespeople, service technicians, healthcare representatives and other mobile professionals, according to Motorola. Thus, its "PenTile" touchscreen does not support multi-touch input, because of the need for the screen to provide signature-capture capability with its built-in stylus. The ES400 screen is almost twice as bright as the displays found on common consumer smartphones, says Motorola.
Another feature designed for the enterprise is the ES400's durability, Motorola says, which meets the military's MIL-STD 810G drop specifications. The phone is built to resist dust, drops, bumps and minor weather-related damage, and still perform at full capacity.
In addition to the ES400's biometric fingerprint-reader, which is designed to limit access to authorized users, the phone is compatible with Motorola's Mobile Security Suite software, to provide additional device-level security, the company said.
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