There are a small number of 10.4 and 12.1-inch rugged convertible notebooks on the market. Anyone needing a larger screen should look at the Samwell RUGGEDBOOK 970. It's an Intel Core i7-powered machine running at 2GHz (up to 2.8GHz in Turbo mode), carries IP65 sealing, has a very wide operating temperature range, a full-scale keyboard, and that wide-format 1280 x 800 pixel WXGA touch display. [See description and specs of the RUGGEDBOOK 970]

Intermec 2011 financials: now a US$850 million company
Intermec reported Q4 2011 net revenues of US$236.8 million, with a net loss on a GAAP basis of US$21.6 million, compared to Q4 2010 revenues of $200.0 million and GAAP net earnings of $7.9 million. Full year 2011 revenue was US$848.2 million, an increase of 25% compared to full-year 2010. For 2012, Intermec expects total revenue growth of 8-10% (which would make it US$915 to 933 million), and the company expects Q1 2012 sales of US$200 to $210 million compared to the prior year of $179 million. [See Intermec financials]
-- Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 by chb

New: Intermec CV41 rugged Windows CE-based forklift vehicle-mount computer
Intermec introduced the CV41 vehicle-mount computer designed primarily for fork lifts and similar warehouse operations vehicles. The handy Intel Atom-powered 3-pound device runs Windows CE, has an 8-inch WVGA touch screen with 900-nit option, a very complete 64-key keyboard, comprehensive wired and wireless connectivity, IP66 sealing, and it's also Vocollect voice-ready. [See description and specs of the Intermec CV41] -- Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 by chb

Are keyboards dead?
With all the emphasis on tablets, are keyboards dead? The folks at rugged computer maker AMREL just posted a very interesting essay entitled "The Death of Keyboards & the Japanese Experience" -- Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 by chb

Xplore scores US$2.8 million Oil&Gas PO
Xplore Technologies announced it has received a purchase order from one of the largest conventional oil and natural gas producers in North America for the purchase of over US$2.8 million worth of the company's iX104C5 (see RPCR's review) rugged tablet computers. -- Posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by chb

Intermec CV61: rugged vehicle mount computer gets major technology and functionality upgrade
Intermec's CV60 vehicle mount computer has been a fixture on fork lifts and such for several years. Now the company released an upgraded and updated version in the new Intel Atom D425-powered CV61. The new model is faster, brighter, tougher, can run Windows 7 (no more CE .NET), and benefits from a slew of tech advances, including dual band WiFi and the more secure Bluetooth v2.1. Best of all, the new model is completely compatible with CV60 mounting, cabling, keyboards, trays, scanners and printers. [See description and specs of the Intermec CV61 rugged vehicle mount computer] -- Posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by chb

United States Air Force selects Getac B300 for QEB fully rugged laptop category
Getac and NCS Technologies, a manufacturer of mission-specific computers and a few Getac products under license agreement, announced that the United States Air Force has selected the Intel Core i5 powered Getac B300 fully rugged notebook computer (see RPCR's full review of the B300) as part of its Quantum Enterprise Buy (QEB) program. The QEB configuration is loaded with the industry's-brightest 1400 NITs QuadraClear display, 100 mW high-power Wi-Fi, a 120 GB solid state drive with 128-bit encryption, and a dual-battery configuration that delivers up to 30 hours of battery life. [See the Getac B300 QEB configuration] -- Posted Wednesday, February 1, 2012 by chb

Added: Bluebird Pidion mobile computers

RuggedPCReview.com has added the complete lineup of Bluebird's Pidion rugged and semi-rugged mobile computers. These include the BIP-5000 and BIP-6000 enterprise handhelds, the flashlight-style BIP-7000 industrial handheld, and the BM-170 enterprise PDA/smartphone. All are based on the 806MHz Marvel PXA320 processor and run either versions of Windows CE or Windows Mobile, with the BIP-6000 and BM-170 also announced as capable of running Android. -- Posted Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by chb

MODEX 2012, Atlanta
Where can you see rugged system vendors Advantech DLoG, DRS Technologies, DAP Technologies, Datalogic, Honeywell, Janam, Juniper Systems, MobileDemand, Panasonic, Pideon, Psion, and RAM Mounts all in one place? That'd be at MODEX 2012, the industry's newest expo for the manufacturing, distribution and supply chain industries. MODEX 2012 takes place at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, February 6-9, 2012. [See MODEX 2012] -- Posted Monday, January 30, 2012 by chb

ADLINK releases 2nd gen Intel Core based rugged fanless MX5300 Series embedded computers
ADLINK Technology announced the release of the new Matrix MXE-5300 series of rugged, quad core, fanless computers, based on 2nd generation Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors and the QM67 chipset. Designed as an embedded computing solution for intelligent transportation, in-vehicle multimedia, and surveillance and factory automation applications, the MXE-5300 provides generous onboard I/O (including USB 3.0) and expansion (CFast, mini-PCIe, SATA-III), as well as DI/DO and legacy support. [See ADLINK press release] -- Posted Monday, January 30, 2012 by chb

Review: Advantech UTC-515 ubiquitous touch terminal
Businesses the world over are seeking new and innovative ways to automate and improve service, and the application potential for smart touch terminals seems endless. RuggedPCReview.com took a detailed look at the Advantech UTC-515 15.6-inch Intel Atom-D510/525 based "ubiquitous touch computer" that runs Windows Embedded Standard. It's an elegant, very solid and very expandable design that is also small enough (also looks good enough) to fit anywhere. [See review of the Advantech UTC-515 touch terminal] -- Posted Thursday, January 26, 2012 by chb

Intermec announces distribution agreement with UK-based Midwich
Midwich, a UK distributor of technology solutions in printing, security, barcode, auto-ID, and digital imaging announced it has entered into a distribution agreement with Intermec for Intermec's supply chain solutions in the UK and Ireland. [See press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by chb

Motion tablets help Nebraska utility save up to 75% in time
Motion Computing reports on how Norris Public Power District, a provider of wholesale and retail electric service to 44 communities in five counties across southeast Nebraska, relies on the Motion J3500 Tablet PCs to provide real-time access to schedules, service orders and business-critical information as well as the ability to process meter readings and update the database from the field. With the J3500 tablets, service orders that previously took three or four days can now be completed in a single day. According to an NPPD spokes person, "The tablets streamline our entire workflow, from the office to the field and back again, reducing errors, increasing productivity and saving time and costs." [See press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by chb

GD Itronix signs reseller agreement with In Motion Technology
General Dynamics Itronix has signed a reseller agreement to supply Canadian In Motion Technology's rugged and integrated mobile communications solution for mobile workers in a vehicle environment. This way, the company states, rather than having separate systems or mobile devices operate using their own cellular data plans, organizations can connect mobile workers to and from the enterprise through a single, secure, shareable, in-vehicle broadband connection, enabling improved productivity for users and reducing wireless communications costs for organizations. [See press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by chb

Motorola Solutions reports good Q4 and full-year 2010 financials
Motorola Solutions announced fourth-quarter and full-year 2011 results highlighted by Q4 sales of $2.3 billion, up 5% from Q4 2010, and full-year 2011 sales of US$8.2 billion, up 8% from 2010, both driven by solid demand in all regions across both its Government and Enterprise segments. Q4 earnings were US$276 million, slightly up from $272 million for the quarter a year ago. Full-year 2011 earnings were US$858 million, up from US$751 million in 2010. Total 2011 sales were roughly 1/3 from enterprise sales and 2/3 from government sales. Looking forward, Motorola Solutions expects 2011 sales to grow by about 5%. [See Motorola Solutions press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2012 by chb

Full review: Winmate G570Z 5.7-inch rugged handheld device
The Winmate G570Z may look like a large PDA, but it's actually a small Windows tablet. With a very bright 5.7-inch resistive touch screen and running embedded Windows XP on an Intel Atom Z510 processor, the 8 x 4.7 inch G570 weighs around two pounds, considerably less than larger rugged tablets. The device is highly configurable (1D/2D scanner, RFID, 3.5G WWAN), runs a full shift on dual batteries, and with a 4-foot drop spec and IP65 sealing can be deployed almost anywhere. [See review of the Winmate G570Z rugged tablet] -- Posted Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by chb

Android-based General Dynamics Itronix GD300 wearable computer deployed in Afghanistan
General Dynamics reports that its JTRS HMS Rifleman Radio and the General Dynamics Itronix GD300 wearable computer deployed this month to Afghanistan with elements of the 75th Ranger Regiment. The Rangers are equipped with the Rifleman Radio for intra-squad communications and with the Android-based GD300 (see our PDF on the GD300), running the Tactical Ground Reporting (TIGR) tactical 'app,' to send text messages, situation reports and other information to individual solders. -- Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by chb

Intermec: upgrade to new processors and Gobi 3000 for 70 Series rugged handhelds
Intermec announced two enhancements to its 70 Series of rugged handhelds. The first is a switch from the 600MHz TI OMAP 3530 processor, an older 65nm design, to a 1GHz TI Sitara 3715 chip, a newer 45nm design that is fully OMAP architecture compatible. While still using an ARM Cortex A8 core and a POWERVR SGX Graphics Accelerator, the 3715's faster clock speed, up to 2X graphics performance, and lower power consumption mean a considerable step up in performance. The second is that three of the four 70 Series models -- the CN70, CN70e, and CK70 -- can now be ordered with what Intermec calls its "Flexible Network radio" module based on Qualcomm's Gobi 3000 technology and usable on both CDMA and UMTS wireless networks, enabling automatic and seamless "in route" switching between different carrier networks. [See Intermec press release] -- Posted Monday, January 23, 2012 by chb

Rugged handhelds in commercials: Juniper Allegro MX
We always get a kick out of seeing a rugged device in a movie or commercial, and the Allegro MX ultra-rugged handheld from Juniper Systems certainly caught our eye in a commercial for the Waiariki Institute of Technology. [See commercial with the Juniper Allegro MX on YouTube] -- Posted Friday, January 20, 2012 by chb

RFI - COTS Ruggedized Computing Devices for Emergency Responders
The folks at the SAVER (System Assessment and Validation for Emergency Responders) program project staff at Eastern Kentucky University alerted to a newly released solicitation on the Federal Business Opportunities Website for information on commercial off-the-shelf Ruggedized Computers that support emergency responders. This solicitation seeks information from vendors regarding their ruggedized solutions, including usability characteristics, as well as company info to include in a national DHS publication that will be available on the SAVER section of the Responder Knowledge Base website (https://www.rkb.us). [See RFI - COTS Ruggedized Computing Devices for Emergency Responders] -- Posted Friday, January 20, 2012 by chb

Long-term review: Getac B300
Fully rugged notebooks bring enterprise-class computing power into the field, enabling advanced applications in places where consumer products cannot survive. RuggedPCReview.com conducted a long-term review of the latest and most advanced version of Getac's fully rugged B300 notebook computer. With a 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-2649M processor, 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, and superfast Intel SSD storage, the magnesium alloy, 8.75 pound Getac is 50% faster than its predecessor and one of the most powerful rugged computers we have tested. Add a super-bright 1,400 nit sunlight-readable touch display, a 5-year warranty, and exceptional battery life, and the big Getac should make the short list of anyone in the market for fully rugged machines. [See full review of the Getac B300] -- Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012 by chb

Axis introduces rugged HD video decoder
Network video specialist Axis Communications introduced the ruggedized AXIS Q7424-R Video Encoder that enables flexible migration of analog cameras to an IP-based video surveillance system in tough environments. Designed to comply with the American NEMA TS-2 standard for temperature, vibration and shock, the tough little encoder supports 30 fps multistream H.264 and Motion JPEG compression per channel, making it for ideal for demanding applications intraffic monitoring, city surveillance, airports, railway stations, etc. [See press release] -- Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012 by chb

NDP DisplaySearch: Wide viewing angle LCDs on the move
We've been preaching the virtues of wide viewing angle displays for many years and marveled at the fantastic viewing experiences on Hydis and other IPS (in-plane switching) and FFS (fringe-field switching) displays (HP used Hydis displays already in their 2003/2004 TC1100 Tablet PC). Well, according to NDP DisplaySearch, with the increasing use of tablet PCs and smart phones to view and share video, wide viewing angle performance is finally becoming a requirement in TFT LCDs. In our opinion, wide viewing angle displays are so much better as to make them virtually mandatory on most mobile computing devices. [See NDP DisplaySearch release on wide viewing angle LCD technologies] -- Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012 by chb

Intermec technology helps tracing food supply chain
In light of recent food safety news from around the globe, Intermec announced new food traceability initiatives designed to economically ensure accuracy and safety measures in the event of time-sensitive product recalls. A recent food traceability implementation at LoBue Citrus, a family-run grower and distributor of California oranges, improved accuracy to nearly 99%. To achieve that, LoBue automated their formerly manual tracking system with Intermec PM4i industrial printers, PB50 mobile label printers, SR30 handheld scanners and CN3 rugged mobile computers, coupled with FoodLogiQ PTI Traceability system and services. [See Intermec press release] -- Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012 by chb

Motion shows tekservePOS retail solutions on Motion Tablet PCs
At the National Retail Federation's (NRF) Annual Convention and EXPO, Motion Computing and tekservePOS announced they are providing retailers with a complete mobile POS solution that improves efficiency, increases profitability and provides a competitive advantage in the ever-changing retail marketplace. Motion products included the CL900 Tablet PC, F5v Tablet PC and the J3500 Tablet PC, as well as its integrated expansion solution for data acquisition and transaction processing, the CL900 SlateMate with magnetic stripe reader and barcode scanner. [See Motion press release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 by chb

Motorola Solutions Venture Capital invests in Retailigence’s $2.6 million funding round
Motorola Solutions, through its strategic investment arm Motorola Solutions Venture Capital, has invested in Retailigence, a mobile marketing service for retailers focused on local product and brand availability. The funding will be used to advance the development of the service, accelerate integration into major retail systems, and dramatically expand retailer coverage. -- Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 by chb

Trimble Yuma rugged tablet gets 80GB SSD
Trimble announced that its Intel Atom-powered and totally waterproof Yuma rugged tablet computer (see our full review of the Yuma) is now available with an 80 GB solid state drive. With more than double the storage, the larger SSD makes the Yuma an even better choice for software solutions developers, field researchers and mobile workers with substantial data and processing requirements in extreme environments. -- Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 by chb

MobileDemand announces partnership with Barcoding, Inc.
MobileDemand, a provider of rugged Tablet PC systems announced a reseller partnership agreement with Baltimore-based Barcoding, Inc., a mobility systems integrator focused on automated data capture and wireless technology. MobileDemand also announced software certification on one of Barcoding, Inc.’s partner offerings, Rutherford and Associates' eoStar route accounting software. [See press release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by chb

Modular Psion XT15: tougher, faster, more versatile
A while ago Psion began making its rugged handhelds modular so that users could configure them exactly as they liked. The company now introduced their new Omnii XT15 rugged handheld that's not only faster, tougher and more modern, but also offers more display, communication, scanning and general configuration modules and options than ever before. [See description and specs of the Psion Omnii XT15 -- Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by chb

Fujitsu releases advanced POS touch terminal
While we haven't heard much from Fujitsu in terms of mobile tablets as of late, the company is very active in the point-of-sale area where its TeamPoS all-in-one touch terminals represent the state of the art. The latest addition is the TeamPoS 7000, which Brian Yates, Director of Retail Product Marketing at Fujitsu America, described as follows: "The TeamPoS 7000 AIO terminal is a key building block for creating the retailing environment of the future. This vision starts with multiple in-store touch-points sitting atop an open architecture with remote system management. We then integrate CRM, multimedia and social media, and leverage cloud integration and mobile commerce solutions to provide customers with a holistic and interactive retail experience that will increase loyalty and drive powerful new marketing programs." [See Fujitsu press release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by chb

Wavelink announces terminal emulation for Moto E1 and other Android devices
Wavelink Corporation announced that its Wavelink Terminal Emulation (TE) will be the industry's first and only to run on Android-based devices, including the highly anticipated Motorola ET1 rugged enterprise tablet. This provides customers with additional options in mobile devices that can be used to connect to host systems in the warehouse and in the field. [See Wavelink press release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 17, 2012 by chb

DT Research's 430 POS handheld updated
DT Research announced that their DT430 POS handheld was updated to improve overall performance with a new ARM 11 core processor running at 800MHz, more RAM (512MB instead of 128), and 4GB flash instead of the original 128MB. 802.11a/b/g/n support provides faster network connection as well as support for Cisco CCX 4.0 for enterprise applications. A more powerful barcode scanner has a faster scan rate, better motion tolerance, and higher optical resolution -- Posted Monday, January 16, 2012 by chb

Added: General Dynamics Itronix GD4000
There are times when an enterprise doesn't need a fully rugged computer, but would like something more durable than a consumer product, and perhaps something from a rugged systems vendor they already know and trust. The GD4000 from General Dynamics Itronix fills that spot. It's a semi-rugged, high-performance (yet reasonably priced) Intel Core i5/i7 powered notebook computer with a 14-inch daylight-readable display and enough options to customize it for any conceivable deployment. [See description and specs of the General Dynamics Itronix GD4000] -- Posted Monday, January 16, 2012 by chb

Handheld Group expands in the UK
The Handheld Group is continuing what seems a rapid expansion with a new office in the UK. The new subsidiary, Handheld UK & Ireland Ltd, will cover the key UK and Irish markets and will enable Handheld to support existing and new partners generate new business opportunities in the UK market. The UK office, run by rugged computing industry veteran Dave Cawsey, is Handheld's fourth new subsidiary in the last 12 months. See Handheld Group press release]
-- Posted Monday, January 16, 2012 by chb

DAP Technologies upgrades super-compact rugged M100 data capture handheld
One of the smallest rugged handheld computers available, the DAP Technologies M1000, is getting a performance boost from RAM that’s been doubled to 256 MB. DAP’s IP65-sealed M1000 measures just 5.7 x 2.4 x 1 inches and weighs a minuscule 8.2 oz., making it a palm-sized and featherweight data capture solution for inventory control, picking and packing. -- Posted Monday, January 16, 2012 by chb

3M introduces 3M SmartPen
Capacitive touch screens have taken the world by storm, but unless they are combined with some sort of active pen technology, they rely on finger input, and that may not always be enough. You can buy pens, but none that we have tried work very well. Well, 3M Touch Systems has now introduced the 3M Smart Pen that's supposed to provide the accuracy other capacitive pens are lacking. [See 3M Smart Pen] -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Intermec's first 2012 Realtime newsletter
Intermec's first Realtime newsletter of 2012 (see here) highlights a number of videos that showcase the use of Intermec rugged handhelds in various businesses to save time and money. There's also an interesting article by scanning expert Cedric Molton on the state of laser vs. 2D imaging (see Industry Insight: Imaging Goes Mainstream). -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Aceeca shipping RFID handheld evaluation units
In Aceeca's latest newsletter, the New Zealand-based company says that RFID continues to gain momentum as RFID improves and prices decrease, with some tags now available for less than 10 cents. As a result, Aceeca is now shipping evaluation units of their first IP67-sealed Windows CE OR Palm OS Garnet based handheld. -- Posted Friday, January 13, 2012 by chb

Five ways to lower inventory costs with rugged Tablet PCs
MobileDemand's latest blog is entitled "Five Ways to Lower Inventory Costs with Rugged Tablet PCs" and summarizes proven methods for lowering inventory costs, and how businesses can use rugged tablets to help them with those methods. -- Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 by chb

Motorola Solutions demonstrates why 'The Experience is Everything' for shoppers at NRF's Big Show
Motorola Solutions will showcase its latest retail solutions and innovations at the National Retail Federation's NRF 101st Annual Convention & EXPO Jan. 15-18, 2012 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Under the theme "The Experience is Everything," Motorola, along with 25 partners, will demonstrate solutions that help retailers anticipate shopper needs, close sales, and inspire shopper loyalty and advocacy. [See Motorola Solutions' exhibits] -- Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 by chb

Datalogic realigns, combines divisions
Datalogic announced it will realign Datalogic Scanning, Datalogic Mobile, Enterprise Business Solutions and Evolution Robotics Retail to form the new Datalogic ADC (Automatic Data Capture) division. Datalogic Group CEO, Mauro Sacchetto said: "This decision plays a major role in the Datalogic Group's growth strategy. The new Datalogic ADC division maximizes our focus on Automatic Data Capture, allowing the customers to have one reference point for the most complete range of solutions in the market." [See the new combined website of Datalogic Automated Data Capture] -- Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 by chb

Xplore launches Xplorer Partner Program
Xplore Technologies, maker of the iX104C5 line of rugged tablet PCs, announced the launch of its Channel Partner Program. "Xplore seeks to solidify our channel network by augmenting online resources, offering sales and technical training as well as providing leads from our active marketing campaigns to our partners as we continue to successfully roll out the new iX104C5 line of tablet PCs," said Mark Holleran, President and Chief Operating Officer of Xplore. -- Posted Thursday, January 12, 2012 by chb

Trend seen at 2012 CES: Gigabit WiFi
Every CES has its number of major trends, and his year one of them is gigabit WiFi. Over the years we've seen a progression from 802.11b to 802.11g to 802.11n, with most organizations and individuals now using a mix of those standards, with the slowest link often determining overall network speed. That wasn't a major problem in the past, but by now even 802.11n is not really equipped to handle the emerging infrastructure of streaming video and connectivity. The answer is the 802.11ac standard that promises real world gigabit WiFi. At CES, companies such as Trendnet (see release), Buffalo (see release), Broadcom (see release), NetGear (see tech primer), D-Link (see release), etc., are all showing 802.11ac products. -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Bracing For Healthcare's Mobile Explosion
Ken Congdon, editor in chief at Healthcare Technology Online suggests bracing for a mobile explosion in the healthcare market. 80% of all doctors in the US already use smartphones and medical apps in their daily practice, nearly a third of healthcare providers use mobile devices to access EMR/EHR systems, and about 30% of all practicing physicians have already bought an iPad. Congdom, though, cautions about potential risks to protected health information and recommends plans and policies to handle such exposure. [See Bracing For Healthcare's Mobile Explosion] -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Synaptics announces single ASIC large touchscreen ClearPad solution for tablets
Synaptics announced the latest addition to its single ASIC ClearPad Series 7 touchscreen family, the single ASIC ClearPad 7300 solution. Supporting up to 12-inch touchscreens with tracking of 10 or more fingers, the ClearPad 7300 is designed for the tablet market. [See ClearPad Series 7 Product Brief (PDF)] -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Getac beta testing Android on PS236 rugged handheld
Getac Germany and Germany UK have issued press releases seeking beta testers for Android versions of the Getac PS236 rugged handheld computer in order to "capitalise on the possibilities that the Android platform offers for enterprise applications." Getac US is not participating in the beta test program for now. [See Getac UK release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 10, 2012 by chb

Atmel announces next-gen maXTouch S Series
Touch technology specialist Atmel Corporation announced the availability of its new maXTouch S Series family of touchscreen controllers, the next gen of their unlimited touch plus stylus technology with systems supporting touch screens from 3.5 inches all the way to 17 inches. The S Series facilitates thinner and lighter devices without sacrificing responsiveness, touch fidelity or battery life. [See maXTouch S Series YouTube video and white paper] -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

Escort Radar announces SmartOffice rugged tablet
None other than Escort, the radar detector folks, have announced the ESCORT SmartOffice rugged mobile PC that is said to consolidate office functionality into a single Windows 7 Tablet PC that offers navigation, POS credit card processing, fleet management, remote inventory/CRM management, barcode/RFID reader, reverse camera option and fleet transportation/logistics monitoring. The tablet looks familiar but we haven't quite been able to place it. One glitch that perhaps shows Escort's newness to the rugged field: the PR shot of the tablet shows the late and not-so-great Windows Vista. -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

Intermec Vocollect AccuNurse deployed at Texas nursing center
Intermec reports that its Vocollect business unit has implemented its interactive Vocollect AccuNurse voice technology at Pine Grove Nursing Center to deliver quality care to patients and residents while preparing for 2014 healthcare reform requirements. [See press release] -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

Xplore launches new range of rugged docking systems
Xplore Technologies is launching a new line of rugged docking systems at CES in Las Vegas, January 10-13, 2012. The new line includes the xDOC PRO built to withstand the shocks and vibrations found on forklifts or rugged all-terrain vehicles. The lightweight dock has a glass-filled industrial polymer body, a twist-release mechanism for easy docking and undocking, and a self-alignment tamper-proof key lock for security. The all-metal xDOC II for vehicle applications is designed for maximum strength, offers an easy pull-up docking/undocking mechanism and is compatible with the also new lightweight but very rugged plastic xDIM I/O expansion module. In addition, Xplore also launches the "smart" xDIM Pro dock with GPIO connectivity to interact with sensors and switches. This model will also be available in a wireless version. -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

Juniper System's Mesa fully secure via Apriva Authentication Suite
Juniper Systems announced that its Mesa Rugged Notepad has completed extensive testing and validation procedures to achieve full integration with the Apriva Authentication Suite that combines ISO 7816 based ID card reading via Bluetooth, lock-down without positive read, and AES 256 encryption of data transmitted outside the Mesa to deliver a secure access environment. [Read press release] -- Posted Monday, January 9, 2012 by chb

Getac hires industry expert as Director of Channels
Getac announced the addition of Scott Shainman as the Director of Channels for North America as the company further expands its national reseller channel. He comes to Getac from General Dynamics Itronix, where he served as the Director of Worldwide Channels and Strategic Alliances and he was named a 2011 Channel Chief by CRN magazine. -- Posted Friday, January 6, 2012 by chb

DTResearch DT410/415: no-nonsense POS handhelds
We have added product pages on the DT410 and DT415 handhelds by DTResearch. DTResearch designed them as point-of-sale/point-of-service handheld terminals weighing about ten ounces. Both models run either Windows CE or Windows Mobile on a 533MHz Samsung processor and 3.5-inch resistive touch screen. Both are rugged enough for POS jobs and both have an integrated magnetic stripe reader. The DT415 adds a 1D/2D imager. [Read description and specs of the DTResearch DT410 and DT415] -- Posted Friday, January 6, 2012 by chb

Handheld acquires TimbaTec to strengthen Central European presence
The Handheld Group, a manufacturer of rugged PDAs and mobile devices, reports that it is strengthening its presence in the important German, Austrian and Swiss markets with the acquisition of the hardware division of its distribution partner Latschbacher. -- Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by chb

Neonode announces single chip optical touch controller
Neonode is the company that offered touch and swipe-controlled smartphones years before Apple, but simply was ahead of its time (see our review of the Neonode N2) and the phones are long gone. Neonode, however, marched on as a provider and licensor of its innovative optical touch technology that uses an infrared grid to detect the position of the finger or pen. Now they announced what they claim is the world's first ultra-low power single-chip optical touch controller, developed in conjunction with Texas Instruments. Suitable for handheld and small to midsize devices, Neonode's touch technology combines elements of resistive and capacitive digitizers, and the new single chip solution makes for a lower chip count and lower cost. The technology has some issues, but is attractive and usable enough to score a number of high-profile licensees. -- Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by chb

Full review: the tough little US$299 GoPro Hero2 HD camera you can use anywhere
No sooner did we publish a big feature on the tiny high definition GoPro Hero camera that's taken the world by storm than GoPro released the Hero2 that's supposed to be twice as fast and twice as sharp. And since the GoPro comes with a nearly indestructible housing and can be used in a thousand ways out there in the field with all of its mounting options, we did a full review of the latest version of this amazingly affordable tough little camera. [See The GoPro phenomenon: how much better is the new GoPro Hero2?] -- Posted Wednesday, January 4, 2012 by chb

Rugged tablets used by motorcycle riders in Taiwan
There are a lot of motor scooters in Taiwan. In fact, every second citizen has one. However, due to the nature of Taiwanese traffic laws, there are hardly any larger bikes. Well, the laws have changed now and big bikes are suddenly quite popular. Given Taiwan's expertise in mobile electronics, it's not surprising to see rugged mobile computers integrated into big bikes, where they serve as big-screen GPS, information centers, and for weather forecasts, traffic reports, and more. The image shows a Samwell RUGGEDBOOK SR820 tabled mounted on a Honda. The Intel Atom-powered, 2.9 pound SR820 with its magnesium alloy chassis and housing and a 8.9-inch WSVGA touch display (see our review) seems well suited for the task. [See Rugged tablets used by motorcycle riders in Taiwan] -- Posted Monday, January 2, 2012 by chb

Advantech launches embedded lineup based on new Intel Atom N2000 and D2000 Series
Advantech announces a new range (Computer On Modules, Single Board Computers, industrial motherboards and embedded Box PCs) of embedded platforms based on the latest generation of Intel Atom processors, the N2000 and D2000 Series (see Intel N2000/D2000 page here). These low-power platforms serve a wide range of applications targeted at handheld devices, POS, kiosks, digital signage, medicine, and factory automation. Examples are the tiny 84 x 55 mm N2600-based COM-Express Mini SOM-7565, the COM-Express Compact SOM-6765 (N2600/2700), the single board computer MIO-5250 MI/O-Compact (N2600/2800, D2700, also see our review of the MIO-5270 platform/standard), the AIMB-214 industrial motherboard (N2600/2800, D2700), and the ARK-2120 box PC (N2600/D2700). -- Posted Monday, January 2, 2012 by chb

IEI Mobile launches new website
IEI Mobile, a new business unit of Taiwanese IEI Technology Corp., has launched a new website focusing on industrial, ruggedized tablets, PDA and automotive PCs as well as on mobile systems solutions for a variety of markets. Mobile hardware products currently include the Intel Atom-based ICEFIRE and ICEROCK tablets; the MODAT 100, 200 and 328 industrial PDAs; and the iKarPC and VTT-1000 on the vehicle computing side. -- Posted Friday, December 30, 2011 by chb

Added: full lineup of Janam rugged handhelds
Janam is a new York-based provider of an interesting lineup of rugged handheld computers that all aim to supply tried-and-true functionality in handy, durable packages and employing mature technology, both on the hardware and the software side. On the Windows side of things, Janam offers the Windows CE-based XM60+ and Windows Mobile-based XM66 (see here), and the XG100 with a gun-style handle that includes the unit's battery (see here). For those who seek to continue using Palm OS-based applications, Janam has the XP20 (160 x 160 mono) and XP30 (240 x 320 color) using the Palm 5.4.9 Garnet OS (see here). -- Posted Thursday, December 29, 2011 by chb

MobileDemand: Rugged Tablet PCs ideal for the battlefield
MobileDemand posted their latest Ruggeddized Computing Blog entry entitled "Rugged Tablet PCs Ideal for the Battlefield." In it, MobileDemand explains why rugged tablets are a cost-effective way to enhance a wide range of battlefield functions. -- Posted Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by chb

Winmate unveils ruggedized, Intel Atom/Windows Embedded Standard 7 powered 9.7-inch tablet with projected capactive touch
Winmate announced the attractively styled R09ID9M-RTL1, also known as the Winmate 9.7-inch Compact Rugged Tablet PC. Running Windows Embedded Standard 7 on an 1.6GHz Intel Atom N2600, the semi-rugged device brings the elegance and ease of use of projected capacitive touch to embedded systems custom applications. There's also USB and LAN/HDMI connectivity, WiFi, Bluetooth, optional 3.5G WWAN, and despite the extra ruggedness, the tablet still only weighs two pounds. [See description and specs of the Winmate 9.7-inch Compact Rugged Tablet PC] -- Posted Sunday, December 25, 2011 by chb

Intermec receives increased line of credit
Intermec announced that it has expanded its Line of Credit with Wells Fargo to US$150 million. While there are no immediate plans for the proceeds, the new three-year agreement increases the company's current borrowing capability from $100 million to $150 million, and extends the maturity date to December 31, 2014. “The expansion of our financing agreement reflects Intermec’s solid financial position and enhances our flexibility in operating our business as well as our ability to consider strategic opportunities on favorable terms,” said Patrick Byrne, president and chief executive officer of Intermec. -- Posted Saturday, December 24, 2011 by chb

HABEY USA introduces Atom E600-based rugged fanless PC
HABEY USA has released the BIS-6625 ultra compact connected embedded computer designed around the latest Intel Embedded Atom E600 series System-on-Chip (SoC). On a footprint of only 5 x 5 inches and weighing just two pounds, the aluminum/steel BIS-6625 has two Gigabit Ethernet ports for high speed networking, three mini-PCIe slots, is ready for wireless and 3G/4G connectivity, and has four COM ports. There's also a CAN bus header to support IEEE 1588 in-vehicle, industrial automation and medical device data transmission. [See HABEY BIS-6625 product page]
-- Posted Thursday, December 22, 2011 by chb

Motorola Solutions retail survey: vendors and customers positive on mobile technology
Motorola Solutions' annual Holiday Shopping Survey reports that 75% of surveyed retail associates and managers feel they provide a better in-store customer experience when equipped with the latest mobile technologies. Shoppers echoed a similar sentiment as more than two-thirds (67%) reported heightened satisfaction with retailers where in-store associates utilized the latest technologies to assist in the shopping experience. [See Motorola Solutions press release] -- Posted Wednesday, December 21, 2011 by chb

u-blox achieves sub-meter GPS accuracy with Precise Point Positioning
u‑blox announced the availability of the NEO-6P GPS module with standalone sub-meter Precise Point Positioning (PPP). PPP is made possible by a proprietary algorithm combined with ionospheric correctional data received from satellite based augmentation systems such as WAAS (USA), EGNOS (Europe) and MSAS (Japan). [See u-blox NEO-6P product page] -- Posted Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by chb

Datastick introduces new rugged VSA-3300 Vibration Spectrum Analyzers
Datastick Systems announced four new rugged VSA-3300 models in its line of affordable, handheld VSA Vibration Spectrum Analyzers, which are used to detect and diagnose problems in rotating and reciprocating machinery before breakdowns occur. The new rugged VSA-3300s use the IP67-rated Palm Garnet-based Meazura MEZ-1500 handheld computer, so that an external rugged case is no longer required. [See VSA-3300 webpage] -- Posted Monday, December 19, 2011 by chb

Motion announces exhibition schedule for early 2011
Motion Computing announced it will share key insights and display its vertically-focused enterprise tablet PCs at a variety of industry events throughout January and February, including the 2012 International CES (January 10 – 13, 2012, Las Vegas, NV), NRF 101st Annual Convention & EXPO (January 15 – 18, 2012. New York, NY), DistribuTECH Conference & Exhibition (Jan 24 – 26, 2012, San Antonio, TX), B2B Demand Generation Conference (Jan 31 – Feb 1, 2012, San Francisco, CA), and HIMSS12 Annual Conference & Exhibition (Feb 20 – 24, 2012, Las Vegas, NV). -- Posted Sunday, December 18, 2011 by chb

Winmate introduces hybrid 4.3-inch rugged handheld with capacitive touch
While most consumer smartphones run Android or the iOS and have capacitive touch screens, most rugged industrial handhelds still use resistive screens and Windows CE/Mobile. Winmate has now introduced the S430T hybrid device, a rugged industrial handheld with a conventional form factor, but equipped with projected capacitive touch and capable of running either Android 2.3.4, Windows CE 6.0 or Windows Mobile 6.5. The IP67-sealed device includes u-blox GPS, and can be equipped with optional WWAN, scanner or RFID. [See description and specs of the Winmate S430T] -- Posted Friday, December 16, 2011 by chb

GammaTech introduces updated, faster 13.3-inch rugged convertible Tablet PC
GammaTech announced the R13C, a very significantly upgraded version of its R13S convertible tablet. The new model is much faster with an Intel Core i7-620LM processor, can have up to 8GB of fast DDR3 RAM, much larger disks, and ingress protection goes from IP54 to IP65. The 13.3-inch display now supports multi-touch, and it has an extremely bright 1,000 nits backlight. [See the GammaTech R13C spec page] -- Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by chb

VIA announces Android support for embedded x86 boards
VIA Technologies announced Android support for its VIA x86 embedded platforms, starting with support for the VIA EITX-3002 Em-ITX board. VIA states that running Android on an x86 platform offers increased flexibility, great multimedia support and cost saving advantages for embedded applications such as in-vehicle entertainment and interactive kiosks. [See video demo of Android running on VIA x86 board] -- Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by chb

InTouch newsletter #111
We received TouchStarGroup.com's always informative InTouch newsletter, 111th edition (see here). -- Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by chb

Army finds non-rugged smartphones lacking
One of the most frequent questions we receive is what mobile computing form factor the military will go with. Well, our friends at AMREL just reported on the US Army's second Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) that included an assessment of the potential use of non-rugged commercial smartphones. The results were negative, with failures at high temperatures, displays that washed out in sunlight, connectors that broke, and dirt gumming up the works. In addition, many soliders found the flood of information on smartphones distracting. [See AMREL blog on NIE -- Posted Thursday, December 15, 2011 by chb

Motorola Solution introduces MC2100 mobile computer
Motorola Solutions introduced the MC2100, a value-conscious enterprise mobile handheld computer for inventory management and similar tasks. Weighing just 8.5 ounces, the rugged MC2100 runs Windows Embedded CE 6.0 on a 624MHz Marvell PXA320 processor, has a 2.8-inch QVGA display, offers the choice of 1D laser, 1D imager, or 1D/2D imager, and includes push-to-talk. [See description and specs of the Motorola Solutions MC2100]
-- Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by chb

Intermec partners with intrinsic safety specialists to create explosion-protected mobile computer product
Intermec and German ecom instruments, a manufacturer of intrinsically safe mobile solutions for over 25 years, have entered a partnership to develop and deliver an explosion-protected mobile computer product for key markets requiring computing solutions for hazardous environments in 2012. In essence, this means that ecom will apply its expertise in modifying mobile devices to meet a variety of intrinsic safety standards to one or more of Intermec's handheld computers. -- Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by chb

Review: Advantech-DLoG MTC6 vehicle mount terminal
RuggedPCReview.com analyzed the Advantech DLoG MTC6, an ultra-rugged Intel Atom Z510-powered vehicle mount terminal designed for logistics applications in distribution centers, port yard container cranes, warehouses, mining vehicles, forklifts, and even in deep-freeze areas. The MTC6 comes in two screen sizes (10.4 and 12.1 inches), can run a variety of standard and embedded operating systems on lean hardware, can be mounted in numerous ways, and offers a wealth of communications and data capture options including VoIP, scanning and RFID. [See review of the Advantech DLoG MTC6] -- Posted Sunday, December 11, 2011 by chb

ADLINK to support Kontron's new ARM/SOC-centric COM platform
ADLINK Technology announced it will support Kontron's new Computer-on-Module (COM) standard (see here) for ultra low-power embedded architecture platforms with a new line of products. Building on their design experience with ARM/RISC in OEM and Intelligent Display projects, this marks ADLINK's first endeavor outside x86 boundaries for a standard form factor product offering. -- Posted Thursday, December 8, 2011 by chb

Getac notebooks to be deployed in rebuilt Warren 911 system
Tribtoday.com reports that the Warren, Ohio City council will purchase of 27 Getac rugged laptops as part of rebuilding their 911 system. Officials state that the new system will improve response capability and also save the city money. -- Posted Thursday, December 8, 2011 by chb

AIM/Intermec interview: RFID: Fixed vs. Hand-held Data Collection
AIM (Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility) ran an interesting interview on the issue of fixed vs. handheld data collection with Kurt Mensch, RFID product strategist at Intermec. [Read interview] -- Posted Thursday, December 8, 2011 by chb