According to Motorola, the WT4090 VOW is a development of the earlier WT4000 (right), a wearable terminal for warehouse workers that was developed by Symbol prior to its 2006 acquisition by Motorola. While it has identical dimensions to the WT4000, the WT4090 VOW (below left) omits that device's 320 x 240 display, and is operated solely using voice recognition and text-to-speech technology.

Motorola says the WT4090 VOW is intended for applications such as taking inventory in freezers, where screens are often impractical to use. The device is said to have an operating range of -4 to 122 deg. F (-20 to 50 deg. C), which may be further extended (down to -22 deg. F or -30 deg. C) with the help of an optional "freezer pouch."

Motorola's WT4090 VOW (left) and optional RS507 scanner (right)
(Click either image to enlarge)

Other accessories include three different wearable scanners, including the RS507 hands-free 1D/2D barcode scanner pictured above right, and the RCH50 rugged cabled handset, the company says. The WT4090 VOW apparently has a single connector that's used both to supply power and connect USB host/client devices.

The WT4090 is ready to make and receive Voice-over-WLAN (VoWLAN) calls, and includes 802.11a/b/g wireless networking and Bluetooth 1.2, according to Motorola. The device has three front-panel function keys, programmable for various operations that no doubt include initiating scans or answering phone calls.

Deletion of the WT4090 VOW's display can only have increased the device's durability, and, sure enough, Motorola says the handheld can survive six-foot drops, multiple four-foot drops, and 500 1.6-foot tumbles. Meanwhile, the unit's 4600mAh battery is said to provide dependable "full-shift" operation even in sub-zero temperatures.

The WT4090 VOW runs Windows CE 5.0 on a 520MHz Marvell PXA270 processor, equipped with 128MB of RAM and 128MB of flash storage. An IDE (integrated development environment) and SDK (software development kit) are available for custom application development, Motorola adds.

Gerald McNerney, vice president of mobile computing product management for Motorola's Enterprise Mobility Solutions division, stated, "The hands-free, voice-directed WT4090 VOW and RCH50 offer warehouse workers support for voice-directed applications for increased productivity and streamlined operations. Meeting the industry's most stringent rugged standards, these solutions offer employees the competitive edge they need to do their jobs, even in the harshest and noisiest environments."

Specifications provided for the WT4090 VOW by Motorola include:

• Processor -- Marvell PXA270 clocked at 520MHz
• Memory -- 128MB of RAM and 128MB of storage
• Display -- none; operates via voice and three programmable function keys
• Networking:
  • WLAN -- 802.11a/b/g
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 1.2
• Other I/O -- USB host/client
• Battery -- 4600mAh li-ion battery; "full-shift" operation
• Operating range:
  • -4 to 122 deg. F (-20 to 50 deg. C)
  • -22 to 122 deg. F (-30 to 50 deg. C) with freezer pouch
• Dimensions -- 5.7 x 3.7 x 1.0 inches (142 x 93 x 26mm)
• Weight, with battery -- 12.2 ounces (346g)

Further information

According to Motorola, the WT4009 VOW will be available during the first quarter of 2010, though pricing was not cited. More information on the devices may be found on the company's website, here.

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