At CES, Motorola Demonstrates Enterprise Capabilities

13.02.2011
Fresh off the split of Motorola into Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions, both companies demonstrated some key mobile enterprise capabilities (important to note that while CES is traditionally a consumer show, there is plenty of enterprise activity at the event). Motorola Mobility made a big splash announcing the Xoom Tablet, the Atrix "Superphone" and a companion Laptop Dock that trumps the many Tablet announcements. The Atrix superphone with a dual-core processor, HSPA+, fingerprint reader, mobile hotspot, DLNA, HDMI TV-out, 5-megapixel camera, HD video capture, and front-facing camera with Qik video chat.

But where the product becomes very interesting in the mobile enterprise space is its ability to hook into the Laptop Dock -- a shell of a laptop that resembles a Mac Air with no storage or processing power. The Atrix (with 48 GB of memory - 16 GB on board and an optional 32 GB microSD card) powers this impressive Laptop Dock. The Laptop Dock is super-thin (half-inch thick) and lightweight (2.4 lbs), with a 11.6 inch monitor, stereo speakers, HDMI capable, USB ports full keyboard, mouse pad and sports up to 8 hours of battery life.

With the Laptop Dock a user can leverage all of the power of the Atrix and a full browser experience for any web applications, but also runs Citrix Receiver to get access to any other desktop, back-end or any other cloud-based applications. The Laptop Dock challenges many of the Tablets with a super thin feel, larger screen and full keyboard with laptop form factor. Motorola recently priced the Laptop Dock at $299.99. Given its questionable pricing of the Xoom Tablet at $799.99, the Atrix at $199.99 and Laptop Dock provide a powerful and intriguing enterprise experience, where the combination is significantly cheaper than the Xoom. This with Motorola's Ready for Business platform currently available on the Motorola Droid Pro demonstrates the push by Motorola Mobility into the enterprise.

In addition, Motorola Solutions at the AT&T Developer Summit, the day before the start of CES demonstrated the company's enhanced play in the mobile enterprise software space with a discussion by Suhas Uliyar, Chief Solutions Architect. Motorola Solutions discussed critical requirements of enterprises today for the OS and what Motorola Solutions adds to that. Key in that discussion includes a list of device management, mobile security and application management functions as well as significant enhancements for developers. Motorola Solutions also outlined its position of strength in the enterprise, with a broad set of partners and customers across government, retail and hospitality, transportation and logistics, manufacturing and field mobility, energy and utilities and healthcare. Motorola Solutions then reconfirmed Microsoft's commitment to the ruggedized device market, provided a product roadmap and highlighted the reasons why Windows Mobile 6.5 is the right OS for the enterprise. The company also outlined how Android is the next best alternative OS for the enterprise, yet pointed out the number of shortcomings that exist today and how Motorola Solutions can assist in filling those gaps.

As Motorola has separated into two separate entities, 2011 bodes an important year for both companies and it is clear, that both have made significant new and deeper entries into the enterprise market, where both warrant attention by enterprise customers.