The new MC55 Enterprise Digital Assistant is intended as a midrange, semi-rugged mobile device, aimed at hard daily use in markets such as healthcare, field service, warehousing, government and public safety. Two models support VoIP, improved Wi-Fi, and integrated Bluetooth to enable IP-based voice and data and work with an array of peripherals.

Semi-rugged handhelds and notebooks are aimed at business users who are on the move inside the enterprise, such as in warehouses, or outside in field service jobs. The products, like the MC55 and recently announced semi-rugged Windows notebook, are designed to stand up to hard use and hard conditions that are not part of the typical office.

Like its predecessors, the MC55 combines a cell phone, two-way radio, barcode scanner, digital camera and mobile Windows-based computer in one handheld. The 5590 model has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; the 5574 model adds to that quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE cellular and integrated GPS.

Priced between US$1,625 and $1,8295, the MC55 is somewhat more expensive than the aging MC50 and somewhat less expensive than the PPT8800 series handhelds, both of which the new product replaces. Both were originally developed by Symbol Technologies, which was acquired by Motorola. About 500,000 of the older products have been sold, according to the company. The top-of-the-line, fully-rugged, Windows-based MC7090 will still be available, priced between $1,195 and $2,195.

The MC55 offers the same display as the models it replaces -- a big 3.5-inch QVGA (320x240 pixels) resistive touch screen. It can be ordered with a cellphone-like keypad or a full QWERTY keyboard. With dimensions of 5.78 x 3.03 x 1.06 inches (slightly longer and thicker for the cellular model), it's the smallest Motorola handheld with this size screen and keyboard. Just for comparison, the Apple iPhone is 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.48 inches.