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Itronix GD2000: a rugged handheld for your skydiving, bullet-dodging, building-scaling lifestyle
Taking a break from BASE jumping to shop for your next rugged computer? If you can't wait for Panasonic's Android Toughbook slate, consider the just-announced General Dynamics Itronix GD2000. The PR mavens promise this handheld performs like a full-sized notebook, thanks to an Intel Core Solo processor. Weighing in at 2.4 pounds, this beast can run for six hours on a lithium-ion battery; it also boasts a sun-friendly 5.6-inch, 1024 x 600 LED touchscreen. Fully integrated satellite GPS will help you reach your top secret rendezvous point, and WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity will keep your Twitter feed updated along the way. But how rugged is it really, you ask? The case is Ingress Protection (IP) 54 rated, the company answers, meaning your new purchase is protected from dust and splashing water. When you're ready to build your own – maybe upgrading the standard 64GB SATA drive and adding cellular networking – prices start at $4,900.
ThinkPad X1's keyboard is spill-proof, not flood-proof (video)
The ThinkPad X1 thought it was safe. It foolishly believed that, having reviewed it in full, we would spare it from further scrutiny at Lenovo's UK launch event this evening. We quite naturally did no such thing, poking and prodding at the slimline laptop -- which still feels supremely well built -- but we also went that one step further, by putting it through a trial we didn't dare subject our review unit to: a spill test. Well, it was a less a spill and more of a steady stream of water that we doused the X1 in, which might explain why it eventually gave out and shut down on us. Lenovo says that the keyboard tray can only handle 25cl of water before throwing a self-protect switch and turning the computer off. Given enough time to fully dry out, our unfortunate test subject might even have been brought back to life, but our efforts at restoring it were met with failure. You can see the H2O-based carnage after the break, though we should note that Lenovo managed to perform this test three times without taking the X1 out of commission... before we came along and ruined its spotless record.
Rugged Notebooks hatches Eagle series for 'demanding' work environments
Rugged Notebooks has just launched a new series of ruggedized laptops called the Eagle Series. As one would expect, these laptops are meant to sustain drops, spill and shocks, meeting the FBI's guidelines user-authentication guidelines for computers accessing National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data, though you pay for that in the weight of the beast: the Eagle weighs in at a hefty five and a half pounds. Specwise, the 14.1-incher boasts a 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Dup CPU, up to 8GB of RAM, and HDMI out standard. Options include dual RAID 0/1 hard drives, 3G, GPS, touchscreen, a webcam, and Windows XP or Windows 7 operating systems. The Eagle Series is available now and prices start at $1,695. Full press release is after the break.
MIT-based Grassroots Mapping mapping the oil spill with digital camera, kites
Grassroots Mapping, a project born out of MIT fellow Jeffrey Yoo Warren, is seeking to photograph and "map" the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Their project seeks to come up with cheap and easy to find tools for aerial photography. Their newest project is using cameras attached to kites to photograph the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in order to assess the damage and help along the response to it. The Gulf mapping project got under way on May 5th, and the project is now accepting donations to help fund its research. The results (which you can see above) are incredibly striking. A video is below -- hit up the source link for more images.
HP's ProBook 6x45b line handles a spill with aplomb (on video!)
While we don't normally find ourselves terribly jealous of laptops designed for massive rollouts at medium and large businesses, the new ProBook and 6545b (15.6-inch) and 6445b (14-inch) almost have us ready to reassess that assumption. They're pretty boring AMD-powered workhorses on the surface, but HP has reworked the keyboard tray so that it automatically drains spills through the laptop and out through the bottom -- without running past any of the vitals. It's not foolproof, but it's a great first stab at making us all a little safer from accidents -- and hopefully finds its way into consumer lines sooner rather than later. We're similarly jealous of the new energy management software that HP has packed on here, which has a configuration panel that provides battery-squeezing estimates based on various settings, letting a user pick a goal for battery life and set the specs to match. The corporate end of that is an IT app that lets a business actually set its own power consumption goals and constrain user laptops to match -- we don't know how well that would play out in practice, but the delicious string-pulling it entails is enticing. Prices start at $799, and there are naturally configurations as far as the eye can see. Check out a video of the spill-proof-ness in action after the break. %Gallery-75372% %Gallery-75373%
Don't panic: Liquid damage, and what to do about it
We've all had an "oh poopie" moment involving liquids: Time slows down, you watch as the glass tips over, its contents cascading (beautifully, in another context perhaps) over the rim and onto the table. The rivulets of beverage roll in a miniscule tidal wave across the surface, over the edge, and drip to the floor. All in the span of a few seconds. The worst part is when there's a computer between the cup and the table. That's when an oops becomes a crisis. What's the best thing to do when there's a spill on your laptop? Keep calm and carry on: 1. Don't panic. First, know that your data is safe. Hard drives -- while not hermetically sealed -- are tightly put together. If you act quickly, you can prevent the liquid from getting to your hard disk, and damaging your valuable data. (I'll save the bad news for later.) 2. Turn off the computer. Even before you run to get a towel, turn the computer off. If you can't shut it down normally (the keyboard won't respond for example), try pressing the power button for several seconds to force the computer to shut down. Unplug the laptop, and disconnect any cables and USB devices. 3. With the lid open, turn the computer upside down. This prevents the liquid from getting too far into the computer. While the computer is upside down, remove the battery and set it aside. 4. Wipe up the liquid. All joking aside: use toilet paper. Ounce for ounce, it's the most absorbent material you're likely to have handy. It's also thin, so it can reach down into crevices in and around your keyboard to soak up the liquid. This is especially important for sugary drinks like colas and juice: Sugars are sticky, and if they dry, you'll have a bigger problem. Next: If you're prepared, you can take your computer apart to clean up any liquid inside.
Optimus Maximus survives coffee spill test... or does it?
Maybe it's the ambiguity and possible masking of truth that just adds to the allure here, but whether it really lived or not, you now know what an Optimus Maximus looks like after an impromptu greeting with lukewarm java. Sir tema clearly states that the keyboard "survived" its first recorded coffee spill "thanks to the construction of the upper tray," but judging by the looks of this thing... um, we're not so sure. Oh, and he also mentions that spilling liquids on the 'board is not only "stupid," but it obviously voids any applicable warranties. Thanks for the memo.
