Smartphone-inspired rugged handheld with procap multi-touch can run Windows Mobile or Android
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Trimble introduced the Juno T41 rugged handheld computer in August 2012. The T41 is designed to be a smartphone-inspired option for industries requiring a rugged field computer for data collection and mobile workforce management. It is a developer-friendly device for real-world field conditions, available with either Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 or Android OS (initially version 2.3.4., as of early 2014 version 4.1).

Over the years, the size of Pocket PC/PDA displays has been going up and down. First it was 3.8 inches, then they got smaller and smaller, and now apparently the trend is reversing, likely due to the advent of ever larger smartphone screens. Perhaps this is why Trimble's new T41 rugged handheld has a nice and large 4.3-inch display. Or perhaps it's because Trimble likes to address different tastes and applications, and the new T41 fits between their 3.5-inch handhelds and 7-inch Yuma tablet.

Any which way you look at it, the June T41 is an attractive unit, and with capacitive multi-touch and being able to run the Android OS as well as Windows Embedded Handheld it's technologically up-to-date as well. In Trimble's product literature, the new device is referred to as a smartphone inspired rugged handheld computer. One might well argue that Android versions account for the "smartphone inspired" part and Windows Embedded Handheld versions for the handheld computer part. That's because while Android versions very much operate like any other of the tens of millions of Android smartphones, Windows Embedded Handheld versions feel less natural with the procap multi-touch digitizer. Our guess is that those who seek a rugged smartphone with great GPS will prefer the Android version whereas those who want to run custom software in a Microsoft infrastructure will gravitate to the Windows Embedded Handheld model.

While the look of the T41 is certainly smartphone inspired, the weight isn't, and it's a much larger unit than it looks in illustrations. The 6.1 x 3.2 inch footprint is squarely between an iPhone and a 7-inch tablet. The T41 is also almost an inch thick, and it weighs 13.9 ounces. That's compared to the 4.7 ounces the Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone with its even larger 4.7-inch screen weighs. That's simply the difference between a sleek and slender consumer smartphone and a tough, rugged tool for outdoor jobs.

In terms of tech specs, Trimble's latest is based on the Texas Instruments DM3730 processor running at 800MHz or 1GHz. This is an OMAP-compatible package with an ARM Cortex-A8 core, a NEON SIMD coprocessor, and a POWERVR SGXTM Graphics Accelerator. The large 4.3-inch capacitive multi-touch display offers 480 x 800 pixel WVGA resolution, with both the touch technology and the screen resolution up to current smartphone standards, rather than legacy handheld technology. Other new-era tech includes a high-res 8 megapixel camera (that can automatically add time and location data from the GPS receiver), a micro-SD card slot that can accommodate cards up to 32GB, speedy 802.11n WiFi, optional 3.75G mobile broadband, and — this being a Trimble device — integrated WAAS/SBAS capable GPS with an MCX port for an optional external antenna. Later, Trimble also made available real-time enhanced GPS with 1-2 meter accuracy.

For wired communication there is a special custom connector that can provide connectivity to a USB device, a 9-pin serial device or a battery charger.

As far as controls go, the T41 platform has four physical buttons below the display. In Windows based units, two of them are unmarked and relate to whatever software choices appear on the display, the other two represent the Windows and OK functions. Android based units use the Android standard home, menu, escape and search.

As one would expect from a rugged Trimble handheld, the Juno T41 can take quite a bit of abuse. It can handle 4-foot drops to concrete without additional protection, it can handle a wide operating temperature range of -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, it carries IP65 (yellow models) or IP68 (gray models) sealing, which means it's completely impervious to dust and can either handle water jets from all directions or is totally waterproof.

What all this means is that Trimble's new Juno T41 represents a definite step forward into an era where workers on the job can enjoy smartphone-class functionality and ease of use instead of having to fumble with a little stylus. However, since much of the vertical market is still running Microsoft's older Windows Mobile and Windows CE, the T41 covers that, too.

Juno T41 product family