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GETAC's ultra-rugged V100 convertible tablet PC
GETAC's latest rugged laptop does something that most other units simply can't, as it conveniently converts into a tablet while maintaining that beefy stature and war-tested agility. The V100 is fresh out of FCC boot camp, and judging by the documentation, it looks like it's been cleared for civilian handling. Inside the 11.2- x 8.7- x 1.9-inch enclosure sits a 1.2GHz ULV Intel Yonah U2500 Core Duo processor, up to 2GB of RAM, Intel's 945GMS integrated graphics set, a shock-mounted SATA hard drive, gigabit Ethernet, a 56k modem, WiFi, and of course, optional 3G, Bluetooth, and GPS connectivity. You also get your choice of a 10.4-inch XGA or 12.1-inch WXGA screen, a smorgasbord of ports, Windows XP, a 1.3-megapixel webcam, and a magnesium alloy case that shouldn't have any issues with vibrations, drops, shocks, or extreme temperatures. Unfortunately, there's no details concerning price or a planned release date, but we can't imagine a battlefield-ready convertible landing without some sort of premium.[Via MobileWhack]
Twenty20 helmet camera records sweet jumps
It's not like the world really needed yet another alternative when it comes to helmet cams, but considering just how diminutive Twenty20's iteration really is, we can't kvetch too much. The ten-ounce device comes ready to record with a battery pack, helmet mount, external microphone, and a CMOS image sensor. The company claims that the OmniVision-equipped camera can last a whopping 16 or so hours from a single 9-volt cell, and the aluminum exterior supposedly protects it from any bangs, bruises, and extreme temperature damage. As expected, you will want to bring along your own video recorder to capture the action that the unit records, and just in case you're hoping to capture a bit more of what's going on, the outfit even sells a wide angle lens kit, motorcycle mount, and wired controller for your convenience. The basic camera set is available right now for a reasonable $249.99, and while we wouldn't recommend endangering your life just to capture a jaw-dropping vid, we're sure the collective YouTube universe will appreciate your valorousness.
Persides announces ruggedized, waterproof VEEcam
British manufacturer Persides has announced a new digital video camera for those in need of something that can take a bit more abuse than your run-of-the-mill DV cam, with its VEEcam catering to the military and extreme sports crowds alike. Likely to appeal to the latter of those two is the detachable camera module that can be affixed to your helmet, with the video output on the main unit's 2.4-inch LCD. Supposedly, you'll be able to record between four and eight hours of "DVD quality" video (depending on the model), although the company isn't specifying what that translates to in gigabytes. It also isn't getting very specific with a release date, only saying that it'll come out sometime this summer for around £800 (about $1,600).
Vision Research's Miro 3 snaps 2200 frames-per-second
We've seen cameras with megapixel numbers that defy logic, and while Vision Research's latest camera doesn't quite do one million frames-per-second, it holds its own in the fast-snappin' game. The first member of the Phantom lineup, dubbed the Miro 3, is a lightweight, rugged device "targeted at industrial applications ranging from biometric research to automotive crash testing." Essentially, this little bundle of joy is meant to be strapped into daredevil-type situations in order to grab as many photos as possible within a split second, as it can programmed to snap 2,200 frames-per-second at 512 x 512 resolution, or up to 95,000 fps if you only need 32 x 32 images. It touts shutter speeds as low as two-microseconds, an ISO rating of up to 4,800 in monochrome, selectable 8-, 10- or 12-bit pixel depths, and a "number of external control signals allowing for external triggering, camera synchronization, and time-stamping." The Miro 3 looks to be available right now, but unless you need to capture stills of your next stunt, we wouldn't bother inquiring about the (presumably lofty) price.[Via Wired]
Dell joins the fray, offers SSD in Latitude D420, D620
Not a moment too soon, Dell has finally decided to bite and offer up solid state disc drives in a couple of its Latitudes. Joining Sony, Fujitsu, and Samsung (just to name a few), the Texas powerhouse has just announced that users can satisfy their SSD cravings by snapping up a D420 or D620 ATG laptop, both of which can contain a 1.8-inch 32GB SSD drive from SanDisk. According to the release, the drives should be available right now as an add-on option for the US market (Europe and Asia to "follow soon"), but opting for one of these suckas will cost you $549 more than a traditional HDD.[Via Electronista]
Yet more G'zOne Type-S details
It seems anticipation is running pretty high for this one, so we thought it was in everyone's best interest to rush out additional deets just as quickly as they fell into our hands. We hear now that the G'zOne Type-S will lack VCAST; not necessarily a big deal for a large portion of its target demo, but more devastatingly, it lacks EV-DO data entirely. Rumors also now point to a lack of expandable memory, rendering any on-board media support of rather limited use in our books. On the plus side, though, it appears VZ Navigator is in the cards, as is Bluetooth and a healthy 2 megapixel cam. But why, Casio, hast thou forsaken us speedy data? Heck, "Type-S" even sounds fast.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]Update: It seems the camera may be nothing more than a pedestrian VGA unit, despite a tip that we'd be seeing a full 2 megapixels. Eh, whatever. At least it's waterproof, right? [Thanks, everyone]
Rugged xTablet T8600 tablet PC handles barcode, magnetic stripe reading
Joining the curious workhorse UMPC / tablet PC arena is the xTablet T8600, which boasts about its ruggedness, barcode scanning, and magnetic stripe reading abilities that it handles when not checking your email and making dinner reservations on the go. Furthermore, the unique design allows for a backlit numeric keypad and directional arrows to be installed beside the 8.4-inch SVGA display, and internally, you'll find a 1.1GHz Intel Centrino processor, up to 1.28GB of DDR2 RAM, a "dual digitizer / touchscreen standard," integrated 802.11a/b/g, shock-mounted 40GB hard drive, optional EV-DO / EDGE / GPRS / GSM, Bluetooth, a nine-pin serial port, and a Li-ion battery that can reportedly keep things running for "up to seven hours." To account for all the beatings it'll presumably endure, it sports military-grade water-, dust-, and shock-proof characteristics, and can also operate at extreme temperatures. Hope you aren't too excited, though, as there's no word just yet regarding pricing or future availability.[Via PCLaunches]
ZDNet Netherlands trashes a Dell ATG laptop
While we don't think Dell ever intended for its ruggedized ATG Latitude laptop to be taken for an indestructible laptop, the smash-happy folks at ZDNet Netherlands nonetheless decided to see just how far that supposed ruggedness would take it when pushed to the limits. As you can see for yourself in the video linked below, the battery of tests they put the laptop through are definitely not for the faint of heart, with it facing coffee spills, drops onto a concrete floor, and the wrong end of a hammer -- not to mention the grand finale seen above. While the laptop managed to stay in one piece it certainly didn't come out unscathed, so the ATG users among you out there will probably still want to take it easy on it -- and if you don't, be sure to send us the video.
Algiz intros ruggedized Algiz 8 tablet PC
While there's certainly no shortage of ruggedized tablet PCs out there (or laptops, or UMPCs), upstart Algiz seems to think there's enough room for it to squeeze itself into the mix, recently announcing its beefy Algiz 8 tablet. According to the company, the device is "dedicated to defend and protect," although it may be somewhat hampered in that task by its low-power 1.0 GHz ULV M Processor, which gets complemented by an 8.4-inch SVGA display, a 40 GB hard drive, and a maximum 1GB of RAM. On the upside, that should translate to some decent battery life, which can be further extended thanks to its hot-swappable 5800mAh battery. It also looks like you'll get plenty of connectivity options to choose from, with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, as well as optional GPRS/CDMA connectivity and GPS should you decided to haul it into uncharted territory. Unfortunately, there's no word on how much it'll cost, nor is there any indication of when it'll be available -- although, judging from the image above, we wouldn't expect it very soon.[Via Navigadget]
Fujitsu's 2.5-inch MHW2040AC HDD doesn't sweat extreme temperatures
Continuing on the path of kicking out a large variety of hard drives over the course of a couple months, Fujitsu is at it once again, and this time its the MHW2040AC getting the spotlight. The RoHS-compliant HDD looks like your everyday hard disc drive upon initial inspection, but underneath its sly facade lies an ability to function in temperatures ranging from 30 below to 85-degrees (read: near face-melting heat) Celsius. As expected, the drive is being marketed as a rugged alternative for automotive / marine uses, where the internal storage is likely to face extreme temperatures from time to time. Additionally, it can reportedly withstand "operational shock of up to 300G" while requiring just 1.8-watts of power to read and write data. No word just yet on how much this temperature resisting beast will run you, nor if it'll ever arrive in sizes other than 40GB, but if you're planning a relocation to Moscow or Death Valley Phoenix, the pricetag isn't likely to matter.[Via AkihabaraNews]
MyGuide Splash S navigation system shows off at CeBIT
Joining the array of GPS systems showing off at this year's CeBIT is MyGuide's Splash S, which doesn't really strive to be different outside of its tethering abilities, but gives us all one more option in the saturated 3.5-inch GPS market if nothing else. Encased in a rugged enclosure that can purportedly resist shocks and extreme temperatures, this navigation system touts a 320 x 240 resolution screen, 300MHz Centrality Atlas II processor, handsfree Bluetooth capability, 64MB of built-in RAM, integrated RDS / TMS traffic information receiver, an SD / MMC card slot, rechargeable Li-ion battery, music / video playback, an image viewer, and a copy of Windows CE to run the show. Per usual, no details regarding price or availability were divulged, but feel free to click on through for a few more snapshots.[Via NaviGadget]
HP shows the HTC of yesterday as concept of tomorrow
We've seen concept phones galore over the years, but a recent prototype spotted at the If Design Awards at this year's CeBIT convention piqued our interest a bit more than usual. Purportedly envisioned by Teague, the sure-to-be-renamed "Data Center Communications Vision of the Future Server" for HP looks to be a Pocket PC / rugged handheld hybrid with a slideout QWERTY keyboard, oversized touchscreen display, and quite a chunky motif. Of course, we doubt this will turn out to be your average PDA / phone, as it reportedly boasts "integrated hardware / software mobile technology to allow IT personnel to monitor data center equipment, diagnose and track problems, and perform system services" as well. Essentially, this presumably beastly device is intended to interface with HP servers and data centers rather than catering to the typical style-conscious consumer, as it even touts RFID / Bluetooth connectivity options to assist administrators in resolving outstanding issues sans wires. As with most products still stuck in the Photoshop stage, there's no word on whether this thing will actually hit the market, nor if it'll show up primarily through enterprise channels if it makes it that far, but it looks like the diagnostic handheld market is just starting to get interesting nonetheless.
ACME's tri-fold rugged field PC: Beep-beep zip bang!
Check it Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote will soon have a new Rube Goldberg machine certain to bring a tasty end to your tortuous reign. Just look at this ruggedized, semi-portable PC with three-up display from ACME. It's only an early prototype but it would seem that those bolt-on LCDs will likely gain some folding action before this in-the-field PC ever hits production. No, it's not waterproof or dustproof -- it does, however, feature a reinforced aluminum frame. Our attempts to communicate with the ACME team here at CeBIT were met with a lot of blank stares, but it would seem that you can build the unit out with just about anything you'd like to toss into the chassis. Great, we'll take ours with jet powered roller skates.%Gallery-2186%
Pretec unveils waterproof i-Disk RFID flash drive
No question, vendors are constantly throwing out those "world's smallest" bits in a halfway futile attempt to wow consumers who simply don't know any better than to continually fall for it, but for those even mildly in tune with yesterday's news, they know better. Pretec's latest in the i-Disk Diamond series claims to be the "world's smallest," but measuring in at 45.7- x 12.2- x 2.2-millimeters, it simply can't be true without some sort of fine print stipulations. Nevertheless, the i-Disk RFID differs from most USB flash drives by sporting a rugged, waterproof enclosure as well as a built-in RFID tag, which should work wonders in tracking where your employees carry the company's precious data until they find a way to circumvent The Man. While we won't be the first to recommend a Big Brother-enabled thumb drive without a sound reason, these strange sticks will hit the market for a currently undisclosed price in Q2 and range from 128MB to 1GB in capacity.[Via Gadgets-Weblog]
Rayservers Cerberus laptop touts rugged frame, thick security
While there's already a fair amount of competition in the rugged laptop realm, Rayservers is taking its uber-secure approach and blending it with military-grade toughness for its Cerberus MIL-STD-810F Crypto Toughbook. Aside from borrowing the "100-percent encrypted hard drives and privacy protected internet access" from its other models, this "Secure-Out-of-the-Box" machine also touts a sealed plastic keyboard, 80GB shock-mounted removable hard drive, magnesium alloy case (with handle), and moisture / dust resistance to boot. If these amenities sound familiar, it's because the actual hardware is a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30, but the AES 256 Encrypted Linux is all Rayservers, and you'll also find Intel's 1.66GHz L2400 processor, GMA 950 graphics set, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 13.3-inch XGA touchscreen, DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, PCMCIA, 802.11a/b/g, FireWire, 56k modem, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports on the machine. Of course, the 8.2-pound beast demands a hefty premium for all this literal and theoretical security, as it'll reportedly cost you about $10,000 (saywha?) to weather a data-jacking invasion and mountainside fall simultaneously.
Gotive teases "emotional," yet rugged communicator
Gotive may still be best known for its ridiculously large H42 PDA, but it looks like it's now trying to make up for that unintentionally hilarious device, starting a teaser campaign for a new, considerably smaller handheld set to be introduced at CeBIT later this month. Unlike most teaser campaigns, however, Gotive's spilling quite a few details on the device right out of the gate, revealing that it'll run on Windows CE 5.0 and pack an Intel Xscale PXA270 processor, 128MB RAM, and 256MB of flash memory, along with a built-in bar code reader, WLAN connectivity, and VoIP capablities. Most importantly, as you can see above, the device is not only "rugged with style" but has "emotional value added" -- and really, is there anything more can you ask for in a gadget?
Makita intros giant rugged on-site AM/FM stereo
Japanese power-tool slinger Makita's new BMR100 Job Site Radio boasts a burly exterior to protect against "rough handling," is water-proof for up to 5 minutes in the rain, and features AM / FM radio technology, a backlit digital display, and two integrated 5W speakers -- not exactly the kind of tech treasure you'd expect to be outfitted for on-site performance. Think of this as the Toughbook of behemoth radios. But hey, even construction workers enjoy a few jams throughout the day, and conveniently enough, the stereo can be powered by either an AC adapter or cordless Makita batteries. Unfortunately, Makita opted to dismiss any kind of aux-in options -- a sure disappointment to the DAP-toting blue collar crowd. On the plus side, there'll be no worries about losing the 9.2-pound BMR100 in a pile of sawdust. [Via Akihabara News]
Casio G'zOne Type S for Verizon?
Owners of Casio's G'zOne series of ruggedized handsets seem to be, by and large, pretty enthralled with their performance. Pretty, they're not -- but when it comes to cellphones you can toss in the pool without turning them into paperweights, beggars can't be choosers. It turns out that the original model released on Verizon probably won't be the last, either, with a picture surfacing of a new model being referred to as the "Type S." Besides seemingly improving by leaps and bounds in the looks department, the Type S should add Bluetooth and expandable memory (in the battery compartment to maintain water resistance), bringing some media capabilities to an otherwise all-work-and-no-play clamshell. No word on a release, but something tells us the G'zOnes out in the field should have no problem lasting long enough for this one to come out.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
Dell's ruggedized Latitude ATG D620 launched, reviewed
If you're interested in getting into the semi-ruggedized laptop game, but aren't quite ready to sacrifice those Dell, um, good looks, then you might dig this new ATG D620 Latitude from your boringbook manufacturer of choice, which claimed to be considering going rugged late last year. The new laptop plays off of that plain vanilla D620 we saw early last year, but beefs up the exterior, shock-mounts the hard drive, spill-resists the keyboard and covers up those ports to defend against the harsh outdoors and / or occasional board meeting skirmish. The 1280 x 800 14.1-inch display is the same as its non-rugged counterpart, with the notable exception of 500 nits of brightness, making the display much more viewable outdoors. The laptop also includes ATG task lights for finding the keyboard in the dark, and that lovable selection of WWAN options Dell is so fond of providing these days. No pre-loaded Vista here, but the laptop does come Vista ready, and with Core 2 Duo processors and room for 4GB of RAM, there should be plenty under the hood to manage the new OS. Prices start at $2499. The folks over at Notebook Review already got their hands on one of these, and they seemed to enjoy the 500 nit screen, thought the battery life to be good with the 9-cell option, and found the rugged feel to be "convincing." Downsides of the laptop include the lack of dedicated graphics, the 1.8-inch HDD (since the full-size drives don't fit with all that padding) and a few other more minor quibbles.Read - Dell Launches its First Ruggedized NotebookRead - Dell Latitude ATG D620 Semi-Rugged Notebook Review
Twinhead Durabook D13RY and D14RY rugged lappies
If you like your laptop beefy and drop kick-able, you might be into Twinhead's new Durabooks, the D13RY and D14RY. The laptops feature magnesium-alloy cases, spill-resistance and anti-shock mounts. As for specs, the 13.3-inch D13RY and 14.1-inch D14RY feature 60-100GB HDDs, 802.11a/b/g WiFi, Bluetooth options, and combo drives on up to super-multi DVD drives. Apparently these laptops include an "exclusive" optical disk tray, which protects against accidental tray ejection, drops and vibration. Both units are rated at US military 810F standards, so each can withstand 29-inch drops onto hard surfaces. No word on specific procs, pricing or availability.
