Itronix's Duo-Touch ruggedized Tablet PC

We feel just the slightest bit sorry for you if have the kind of job where you need a Tablet PC that'll operate in sub-freezing temperatures, but Itronix just announced the Duo-Touch, a new ruggedized Tablet PC designed for use in extremely cold environments. The Duo-Touch meets military-grade specs for ruggedness, and has a die-cast magnesium casing, an 8.4-inch LCD screen that can flip between active digitizer and passive touch screen modes, a 1.1GHz Pentium M processor, integrated GPS, 1280MB of RAM, a 128MB video card, support for both 802.11g WiFi and cellular data (UMTS, GPRS/EDGE, or EV-DO) add-on modules, and a hard drive heater to ensure that this thing boots up when it's below zero.

[Carl Abramsson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Hard drive heater? =)
Plug it in next to the outlet for my car in the winter?
(Yes, in north of Sweden we plug our cars into a electrical outlet at night. No, our cars run on petrol.)

[Ross @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but what good is all that ruggedness if the screen isn't bulletproof or at least shatter proof?

[Gregorio @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I�m a mechanichal engineer in an Ice cream factory and my job is to be sure the freezers work in a -35 to -25 C (-31 to -13 F)temperature range, be free to feel sorry for me. By the way, this thing will work only up to -20C (near sahara temperature).

[Nic Seow @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

1280MB of RAM!!!??? That's crazy for a tablet! I'm pretty sure it's a typo.

[Jazzay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

yea, 1280 doesnt work, its have to be like 1256 (1.25 gigs) so looks like a typo to me

[Rob Bushway, Tablet PC MVP @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

actually not. that's only 1.2gb of ram. 512mb is minimum.

[Tan The Man @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

8.4 in screen seems like a reasonable size for a tablet if it is more like a compliment to a regular laptop.

[alex @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

It's not a typo. 1024MB + 256MB = 1280MB.

[Anton Olsen @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Looks like a rebranded HP tr3000 hardened tablet with better video, or maybe HP's is a rebranded version of this one. Either way HP discontinued theirs early this year. HP doesn't have a product page for it anymore, but if you google for tr3000 you'll see plenty of pictures.

The duo touch makes me wonder if it actualy works as a touch screen or requires the stylus like the HP did.

The HP had 256MB of RAM soldered onto the board, and one SODIMM slot that would accept a 1G chip. So 1280 is correct.

If this thing has any of the same problems the tr3000 had, stay away from it. I would easily over-heat and lock up, the WIFI was a strange chipset on the USB bus plus and a number of other problems.

[Marie @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

Hi Anton,
HP's was a rebranded version of Itronix' original GoBook Tablet PC. The Tablet PC is being replaced by the new and enhanced dual-mode Duo-Touch Tablet PC, also by Itronix, which can be used as a passive or active touch Tablet PC. Hope that helps!

[Steve Underscore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:16AM]

I have a HP tr3000. Does anyone know if the Itronix Duo-Touch has a better outdoor (brighter) display than the HP?