Additional comments. I hope to provide further details.  The iniitial inquiry was about using E-Connect and the new cradle.  There are no plans to allow e-connect to be used with the new cradle.  Repair option is open for the older cradle but we are limited by the fact that there are parts at EOL and no way to source them. Mobile Dox is a cradle management utility for the cradle itself.  It allows a user to set DHCP or static functionality for the cradle.  There are no plans to use MobileDox for the new cradle. For MC90xx with WM 5.0/CE 5.0 or greater where I-Dock-it it is concerned, we plan on performing testing to see how the terminal with a I-Dock-It already loaded interacts with the new usb cab file.

Ken, I would reach out to: Al Smith, MCD RPM for North America Kevin Lollock, Executive Technical Architect for North America

Greg - 1) From a hardware point of view, the MC9100, if equipped with idockit (or eConnect) software should work in the older orignal Cradles including Ethernet 4 Slot Cradle. 2) The new Cradle (release 2012) will NOT support MC9060 since the MC9060 does not support USB Host mode.  There is no plan for MC9060 support of any kind going forward. 3) The new (refreshed) Cradle expects the Terminal to play USB Host.  This should be fine (once the Terminal gets upgraded software, CAB file) for the MC9090, MC9100 and any follow on MC9xxx Terminal. Our BIG CONCERN is "How will the existing Customer (who sues idockit) be impacted by the new refreshed Cradle?".  If I can get Program Manageror Software folks to get a meeting going to discuss idockit and its impact upon Customers, who would you suggest to be invited? We need insight into How Customers utilize the idockit functions.

Can we assume that Mobile Dox, the current 9000 e-cradle management utility, will also not be supported in the refreshed cradle?

At this point, we cannot say that.  Here we simply do not understand enough about the Customer environment and how they use eConnect-idockit-MobileDox. Our current goal is to understand this in detail including how MobileDox is invoked.  To try and answer your question, if a Customer has Mobile Dox (I assume this is similar to eConnect and idockit) and they place this Terminal into a new refreshed Cradle, the following will happen:  - Terminal will enter USB Host mode (assumes CAB file for new Cradle is loaded)  - Terminal will load driver for new chip in Cradle (USB/Ethernet converter chip) Here is where the behavior is unknown:  - MobileDox (or equivalent) may or may not be started at all.  This is what we are trying to ascertain.  - Terminal may or may not build a DHCP request and try to obtain an IP address from external DHCP server.

I have a major grocery chain that uses 1 device per store in a cradle for ethernet connectivity. Today they use econnect for MC9060 and idockit for MC9090. MC9060's will all be retired in 2012 so econnect not a big concern. The 9090's will be in the field for a few more years so they would need to continue this functionality. However, as long as we can service the cradles they have and inform them that new cradles won't work, it should be manageble.

I think we need a deeper explanation of what the change implies. We have customers using the 4-slot Ethernet cradles on MC-9060s and are migrating to MC-9190s. We've touted compatible accessories from the MC-9060s to MC-9190s as part of the upgrades. Are we saying that the MC-9190s won't work with the older cradles, or the newer cradles won't work with the older MC-9060s? Thank you, Greg

Lance, Will the redesigned cradle still require I-Dockit on the MC9190 or will it auto-detect as a USB device like on other MCD devices (i.e. MC75, etc.)? Thanks, Ken

Ken, The goal is to follow the same connecitivty methods as the mc7x, mc55, etc.  The team is looking to move away from using I-Dock-It and subsequently mobiledox.   Lance

Our primary concern is for Existing Customers who utilize eConnect/I-Dockit, if/when they buy a New Cradle, what will the impact be to their environment. It is a given that the MC910/MC9100 will require a new driver (CAB file) for SMSC LAN9500 chip (USB/Ethernet) in cradle.  In addition however, when placed into a New Cradle, the MC9190/MC9100 will become USB HOST and then load SMSC LAN9500 driver.   Here is where it gets fuzzy, normally (in the new environment) I would expect the Terminal to build a DHCP request and go get an IP address. I do not think that eConnect/I-Dockit will be invoked at all but this is where we are not sure and are asking for feedback who understand the Customer environement with regard to I-Dockit.  - Ken Rivalsi