The MC9090 is Motorola's latest member of the MC9000 series. Constructed for industrial use, the MC9000 family is the gold standard of ruggedized handheld computers. Every time another manufacturer talks about how tough their handhelds are, they compare their units to the MC9000's; and with good reason. The MC9000's are designed for the rough and tumble world of the warehouse loading dock, and are built like tanks. The unit I tested included the following features:

• 3.8 inch QVGA color screen
• 1D laser scanner
• 802.11 transceiver
• Bluetooth
• 53 key keyboard. 28 & 48 key models available 
• 64 megs of RAM standard
• 64 megs of Flash storage standard, 128 megs available
• Intel X-Scale Bulverde PXA270 624MHz Processor

With the pistol grip installed (and looking more than a little like a sci-fi weapon) the MC9000 series is built to make long days of data capture as comfortable as possible. The pistol grip allows your employee's wrist to remain in a neutral position while performing repetitive scanning tasks, reducing the threat of repetitive strain injuries. Physically, the MC9000's are some of the largest units on the market. Weighing in at 25 ounces (including battery and radios) they are also very heavy, so a good holster is recommended. The size and weight are the result of its armor cladding. Drop the MC9090 and it will land on a rubber bumper. Every corner, every bulge, is protected. The bumpers around the face of the unit protect the touch screen if placed face down. Want more details? A detailed data sheet is available here.  Motorola also has a wide selection of accessories, including cradles, holsters, card readers and cables.

The MC9090 laser scanner is rock solid. It's fast. It's accurate. It handles damaged barcodes well. Of course Motorola's Symbol unit pioneered rugged scanning technology, so it's no surprise that this scanner is a champ. Options include short and long range 1D laser scanners, 2d area imagers and a DPM engine that reads a wide variety of DPM marks.

The unit I tested has the 53-key alpha-numeric keypad. The alpha keys are laid out in alphabetical order, which means you don't need to be a typist to use it.  However, if you're familiar with the QWERTY layout, this keypad will feel awkward at first. The numeric keys are in the 10-key layout. 28-key numeric and 24-key alpha-numeric layouts are also available.

At 9.1 inches long, 3.6 inches wide, 7.6 inches high (including the handle) and weighing in at 25 ounces, the MC9090 is huge. Ergonomically, it's all about the pistol grip. Without the handle, these units are too awkward to use continuously. The handle is well placed, giving the unit a balanced feel, with the scan trigger located under the index and middle fingers. The adjustable hand tether allows the user to let the unit swing momentarily from the wrist in order to free up both hands. Need constant connectivity? The MC9090 gives you 802.11a/b/g. The wireless antenna is internal, removing a common break point with other machines. The stylus is stored in a spring loaded port on the bottom of the handle.

If you happen to see a MC9090 used to prop open a warehouse door, don't worry, it can take it. Motorola built this monster right. It can take multiple 6 foot drops to concrete and 2000 1 meter tumbles (4000 hits).  Pull the battery and look inside. What you see is a rubber gasket surrounding spring loaded battery terminals. Unlike other units I've seen, you don't see interior circuitry.  When you decide to install an SD card, don't worry if you can't find a door or hatch. Motorola has hidden the SD/MMC card interface under the keyboard. Remove the two screws at the top corners of the keyboard, and pull the keyboard down and out. You'll see that the interface is protected by a rubber gasket. Also, while you've got it open, note that the keyboard is held tightly in place by twenty pairs of interlocking tabs.

Got a damp or dusty work environment?  No problem. The MC9090 carries an IP64 rating, which means it's been tested in both the dust bowl and the monsoon season. The operational temperature range runs from a frosty -4° F to a torrid 122° (-20° to 50° C). It will handle humidity ranges from 5% to 95%, just keep condensation off the scanner window.
 
And now for the battery report: The MC9000 family runs on a 7.2 V, 2200 mAh Li-Ion battery. Motorola only makes one size battery for the MC9000's, and it's a good one. After putting the unit through our standard test day, plus the extra 1000 scans, it still had 60% of its battery life left. Nice!

In closing, this is the unit you want inside your warehouse, on the loading dock, out in the yard or in your stock room: anywhere you require always connected data capture.

Brett Birdsong
Sr. Editor