Melard Technologies, Inc., the leading provider of business-to-business mobile data systems, today unveiled its SIDEARM All-Terrain Handheld PC(TM), a Microsoft Windows CE based, rugged computer with integrated wireless communications. SIDEARM provides field service workforces of any size with real time, wireless access to information that enables them to be more productive and in turn, deliver a higher level of service to their customers.
Unlike other devices in its class, the SIDEARM leverages Melard's 15-plus years of experience with wireless data communications to provide field service organizations with real-time wireless access to the Internet, automated dispatch and peer-to-peer communications in the field.
"With the SIDEARM, we are now able to provide solutions to increase field productivity for a wide range of field service organizations," said Russell Schmidt, Melard's vice president of marketing. "It is the perfect complement to our wireless subnotebook and laptop products, giving us the most comprehensive mobile system offering in the industry."
Extending a product line recognized for its rugged durability and high performance, the Melard SIDEARM premiers a 206 MHz Intel StrongARM processor that provides fast performance without compromising power consumption. In addition, the Melard SIDEARM uses the Microsoft Windows CE 2.12 operating system that will enable the SIDEARM to run a wide variety of field service applications created specifically for the CE platform.
"Having designed a Windows CE based application specifically for the Field Service industry, FieldCentrix is excited that Melard has delivered an advanced ruggedized, wireless hardware platform to meet the needs of our clients," said Judy Johnson, senior vice president of marketing at FieldCentrix.
"The SIDEARM combines Melard's decades of experience in developing wireless solutions with the latest processor technology from Intel," said Bob Wright, SIDEARM product manager. "Melard's SIDEARM is a feature rich solution specifically designed to optimize computing power, wireless integration, battery life and cost of ownership."
"We developed the StrongARM microarchitecture to achieve a quantum leap in processing performance while keeping power dissipation extremely low," said Mark D. Casey, Intel's marketing director, handheld computing division. "Many handheld applications find the StrongARM SA-1110 processor to be an ideal solution, and we are pleased to see it used in wireless field service applications like Melard's SIDEARM product."
Melard's SIDEARM will be commercially available in the third quarter of 2000 at an estimated price of 2,100 dollars per unit. It will be available directly from Melard at (914) 273-4488 or at www.melard.com and through a variety of reseller partners.
SIDEARM Fact Sheet
--Intel(R) 206MHz StrongARM processor
--Windows(R) CE 2.12 operating system
--Includes 16MB RAM, expandable to 32 MB
--Optimized for use with cellular and wireless RF modems from DataTac (American Mobile Ardis), Mobitex (BellSouth Wireless Data), CDPD, GDM and wireless LAN modems
--8-10 hour battery life with rechargeable lithium ion battery; also provides 72-hour memory retention after main battery becomes depleted
--Features sunlight readable monochrome or color transflective display with 640 x 240 pixel resolution
--75 key keyboard including 10 number keypad and 10 programmable key
--Includes one Compact Flash slot and one Type II/Type III slot, one serial (DB9) port, one USB host connector and one 115K IrDA port
--SIDEARM is 8.66-inches long by 7.25-inches wide by 1.5-inches high; weighs 2.4 pounds with battery
--Meets MIL-STD 810E for shock (withstands five foot drop), humidity, rain and sand/dust
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