Roper Mobile Technology intros rugged Duros tablet PC

There's certainly no shortage of rugged tablet PCs out there, but those still undecided computing options for their next trek through the wilderness now have yet another possibility to consider, with Roper Mobile Technology introducing its new Duros tablet. On the ruggedness front, this one is sealed to IP-65 levels for dust and water protection and tested to MIL STD 810F standards for vibration, shock, high/low temperatures and the inevitable drops. Of course, all that comes with a slight compromise in computing power, with your only processor options being a 1.0GHz Celeron M processor or AMD Geode LX800, along with a max 1GB of RAM. The optional 64GB SSD hard drive is decidedly not low end, however, and neither is the tablet's connectivity options, including optional GSM, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS and, of course, built-in GPS. No word on a price but, like most things excessively rugged, that's probably best kept on a need to know basis.

[Via I4U News]

[Gian @ Feb 20th 2008 3:02PM]

Cool. Get OS X on it and I'm sold.

[makishima @ Feb 20th 2008 3:12PM]

Ya know maybe its just me but I must have missed the part of the article that stated it only comes with some form of windows on it. Just because thats what they show in the pic doesn't mean thats your only option. Down Macboy down.

[johnnychipface @ Feb 20th 2008 3:15PM]

People who own macs generally only purchase them because they think it gives their lives some kind of meaning.

[Hax Or @ Feb 20th 2008 3:33PM]

OSX or it's not really a computer.

LOL

[Gian @ Feb 20th 2008 3:37PM]

Come on. I've used Windows and Linux systems for years. I just like things to be simple and effective, with the flexibility of low-level control when necessary. I made the switch to OS X a couple of years ago, and I couldn't be happier with it....okay, if it did the laundry and cooked me dinner and mowed the lawn for me, I would be happier...but you know what I mean. :-)

[Argot @ Feb 20th 2008 4:03PM]

Why would someone who prefer Apple products need this? It's used by people who enjoy the great outdoors not metrosexual latte sipping segway owners with smug problems...

[phanbouy @ Feb 20th 2008 5:58PM]

dude. Gob Bluth uses a Segway and that's good enough for me

[Gian @ Feb 20th 2008 6:37PM]

Umm...Argot, your assumptions are about as stupid as they come. I have a degree in geology, not exactly a field for the outdoor-adverse (granted I have chosen an alternate career path). I have spent plenty of outdoor time in the Sonoran Desert, the Rockies, the Andes, and the Amazon Basin. I hate coffee. And, I think the Segway is as dorky as they come.

Something to think about: If outdoors equipment were as reliable as Windows, no one would ever go on extended camping trips or too far from their vehicle. There would be too many cases of starvation, dehydration, and hypothermia. As someone who loves the outdoors, I love reliable equipment. That's why I tout Mac OS X. I like stuff to work all the time.

[johnnychipface @ Feb 25th 2008 2:47AM]

@ Gian

Shows exactly why mac guys are so stupid; windows is just as reliable as osx if you run it on decent hardware with decent drivers, something you don't really have to worry about since you don't decide what goes inside your machine. I can only think of two valid reasons for owning a mac which are logic and motion; that said the only real reason to use windows is the fact that it has all of the best software and you can piece a machine together out of pretty much anything. Oh and btw, Argot wasn't making assumptions he was playing on a stereotype.

[chrisaroz @ Feb 20th 2008 3:10PM]

Why don't companies ever replace the stock WinXP dekstop with their own logo? If they want to show it running XP you could still customize it a bit so it looks better.

[Byzil Mystwing @ Feb 20th 2008 3:14PM]

In this case, recognizability. You don't even have to see the start bar or anything to know that it's a handheld tablet computer due to the generic XP desktop

[Chebwa @ Feb 20th 2008 3:24PM]

That's not really the standard theme anyway. That's called "Royale," you can download it if you look around enough. I think Microsoft released it for a short time, and then ended up "taking it back." It's basically the same as Media Center, I think. There's a few different themes floatin' around out there...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Blue

[Blaktornado @ Feb 20th 2008 3:25PM]

Actually, if you look closely, it's not the generic XP look ;)

[chrisaroz @ Feb 20th 2008 3:28PM]

You're missing the point. It's still a standard theme...
You'd think they'd change it to a frozen tundra with a naked guy standing on a mountain screaming about the fact that he has frost-bite on his specials but can still check his email.

Something like that...

[Esat @ Feb 20th 2008 3:29PM]

Will it survive Doom?

[johnnychipface @ Feb 20th 2008 3:34PM]

Your blue peter badge is in the mail ;)

[derX @ Feb 20th 2008 3:36PM]

"On the ruggedness front, this one is sealed to IP-65 levels for dust and water protection and tested to MIL STD 810F standards for vibration, shock, high/low temperatures and the inevitable drops."

What do you think MIL STD 810G standards are?
It's the oh-so popular Doom-and-blending test.

Everyone knows that.

[teej @ Feb 20th 2008 5:30PM]

@derX
it's only 810F, not 810 revision G standards..."F" standard only includes strenuous Super Mario Brothers operability testing.

[blarvh @ Feb 20th 2008 4:12PM]

I bet the response time on the screen is great in the cold too.

[sky @ Feb 20th 2008 4:20PM]

Doesn't beat the Husky FC-486 :-) (1995 computer).
http://pencomputing.com/old_pcm_website/PCM_5/review_husky_fc486.html
(picture on page 4 of this PDF: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/econf/C951114/papers/031.PDF )

[kastonie @ Feb 20th 2008 4:51PM]

when did the air conditioner company start to make rugged outdoor tablet pc's?

[Magallanes @ Feb 21st 2008 7:26AM]

Damn, i'm running out of battery (it's say "5 minutes left") and the next power outlet is a thousand miles away.