Pioneering rugged flashlight-style handheld
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

The MX5 was one of the first "new generation" Pocket-PC based ruggedized industrial handhelds with capabilities far surpassing anything available in older, proprietary terminals. Knowing it had a good thing going, LXE kept improving the MX5. Technologywise, it has been upgraded to a 400MHZ Intel PXA255 processor with plenty of RAM and Flash (128MB/256MB), and it is now using Microsoft's very well supported CE.NET 4.2 OS.

With its magnesium housing, the MX5 sports superb environmental specs that put it into the ultra-rugged category. This is one of the few handhelds out there with IP67 sealing. With a PC Card and a CF Card slot it is very expandable, and field workers will love the 52-key backlit alphanumeric keyboard, the available scanner options, and the optional pistol grip with trigger. The MX5 is fairly large and heavy, but there is little it cannot do even under the harshest conditions.

Recent upgrades included faster WiFi (802.11b/g instead of just 802.11b), the availability of Windows CE 5.0 Professional, and more Flash memory.