i-Mate, Smartphone Maker, Shutters Doorsi-Mate, Smartphone Maker, Shutters Doors

i-Mate's story came to a bitter end this week, as the one-time manufacturer of Windows Mobile smartphones officially locked the doors and told employees not to come back.i-Mate's devices were enterprise-focused handhelds. Some were tough, others not so tough. They were industrial in their design, but still empowered mobile workers -- those who actually bought the devices.

According to a report from ITP.net, i-Mate is no more. The company had set up shop in the United Arab Emerites. Employees there were recently told to take a two-month unpaid leave in an email sent out last Wednesday. A day later, employees were told that the business was closing and found the office itself locked up. ITP says that i-Mate's retail partners were told unofficially that the company was no longer able to do business and make good on deliveries.

The company had launched a new device as recently as February. The i-Mate 810F was a rugged handheld, targeted at field force operations. One retailer noted that it has been expecting a delivery of hardware, but the devices never arrived.

The company reorganized as recently as several months ago, changing its distribution and sales channels. Unfortunately for i-Mate, competition from the likes of HTC and others proved to be too much.

And so we bid adieu to i-Mate.