Anyway, in terms of numbers and dimensions, the Ranger is about 10.5 inches long, 5.2 inches wide, and between an inch and a half and two and a half inches thick. It weighs 2.3 pounds including the battery. That is actually less than a small netbook, and no one ever complains about their weight, so it's all a matter of perspective.

The Ranger's display is large, too, at least for a handheld. Microsoft-style Pocket PC displays are generally between 2.8 and 3.5 inches, but the Ranger's measures a full 4.2 inches diagonally. That makes a difference, especially since the Ranger's display uses the landscape orientation as opposed to the portrait layout used in most phones and PDAs. While the Windows Mobile 6.5 user interface eats up a lot of screen real estate in its effort to be more touch-friendly, the Ranger's full-VGA 640 x 480 pixel screen offers plenty of space for applications.

The keyboard is large, too. Here size comes in handy, and Trimble never had to combine all sorts of functions into one tiny keypad. Instead, there is a full QWERTY RIM-style thumbtype keyboard, a full and full-size numeric keypad, and a large PDA-style navigation diamond with the accompanying function keys. Size also comes in handy with onboard connectivity. There are not that many handhelds that offer a full-size USB port and a standard DB9 serial port.

As far as construction and handling go, the body of the Ranger is made of hard plastic. The black parts around the perimeter have a rubberized feel to it, providing for a good grip. The Coke bottle shape of the body makes the big Ranger much easier to hold and handle than you'd expect. You still feel the weight, but it's actually a design easy to hold and work on (though it gets a bit top-heavy when you hold it in both hands for thumb-typing). Keys on handhelds often have a wobbly, imprecise feel to it. That is not the case here. All keys feel very precise, with no play, short travel, and good tactile feedback.

In the picture above, you can see the backside of the Ranger with its battery compartment open. The 11.1 Volt, 2.5Ah (27.8 watt-hour) battery is replaceable. It snaps onto the battery compartment cover. The cover presses against a silicone gasket, providing a seal to the outside. In many designs, such a battery cover seal represents the only defense against water entering the guts of the machine. Not so in the Ranger: while the SIM and SD card slot are in the compartment and would get wet if water ever entered there, a secondary silicone seal provides a barrier between the battery compartment and the inside of the Ranger where all the electronics are. If we interpret that right, it's a most commendable engineering solution.

The picture above to the right shows the Ranger's expansion slots located underneath the battery. There is a standard SDHC Card slot and above it a standard SIM card slot.

One of the benefits of the Ranger 3 being so large is that it's easy for Trimble to offer different configurations or, presumably, to accommodate special requests. If you open the Ranger's large bottom cover you're presented with a view akin to that when you open the hood of an old full-size American car: tons of space and everything in plain view and easy to work on. Everything is neat and clean and there is plenty of room to mount components.

To prove that, the image to the right shows the Ranger with its back cover open. Quite obviously, there is a lot of space to accommodate whatever might be needed in terms of custom configurations or extra circuitry.

That all worked well for many years, but then Apple introduced the iPhone and that pretty much changed everyone's expectation on how a handheld device should work. Instead of a resistive digitizer and a small stylus, the iPhone and its many imitators use projected capacitive multi-touch for elegant, effortless operation including zooming in and out, dragging things around, and just generally getting things done far more elegantly than was ever possible with Windows CE. That posed a big problem.

On the one hand, Windows CE/Mobile fit very nicely into Microsoft legacy enterprise IT systems everywhere and as a result it's definitely the choice of corporate programmers who can leverage their experience and programming tools, and it is the standard platform for VARs and system integrators to develop custom apps.

On the other hand, with tens of millions of iPhones out there and the rival Android OS also going the projected capacitive multi-touch route, Microsoft mobile operating systems have largely vanished from the consumer market. Even Microsoft itself is now pushing the very consumer-oriented Windows Phone 7 instead of its older legacy mini OS, and Phone 7 is specifically not an upgrade path for earlier versions of Windows Mobile. Instead, the former Windows Mobile group at Microsoft has become part of the Windows Embedded team, and so for now (April 2011), for industrial devices it's either Windows CE 6.0 or Windows Mobile 6.5. Or Windows Embedded Compact 7, but that was not available yet when the Ranger 3 was created (and that we haven't seen in action yet). In addition, Embedded Compact 7's primary new features (multi-touch support, media transfer, updated Office) would not be a high priority for the Ranger anyway.

Which gets us back to Windows Mobile 6.5 installed on the Ranger 3. For those used to older versions of Windows Mobile, under 6.5 the Windows home screen looks quite different. There is a lefthand-adjusted list of the major device functions (such as phone, email, calendar, favorites, Windows live, etc.) Then there is a horizontal bar in the middle of the screen that provides current information for the category it rests on. Under Pictures it'd show the last one viewed, under Phone the missed calls, under Emails how many new ones are waiting to be read, under Calendar your current appointments, and so on. You can drag the list of topics up and down, and you can also drag the detail viewer bar up and down. It's an approach that's unusual at first, and it's quite easy to drag the wrong element, but you quickly get used to it and it's a good way to get an overview without having to deal with too much tiny print as was the case with earlier Windows Mobile home screens.

The design of the 6.5 interface seeks to do two things: First, to give an overall more modern look with a mix of Microsoft Zune and Apple iPad design elements. Second, to make the interface more touch-friendly. Neither effort was very successful. A resistive digitizer just doesn't work well with touch, and the touch buttons and menus are too large and clumsy and take away valuable screen real estate. If that all sounds negative, it really just represents the curious situation makers of vertical market mobile hardware currently find themselves in: waiting for Microsoft to get back on track but not quite ready to abandon the platform for something like Android after all these years.

Anyway, below you can see what the Home and Start screens look like on Windows Mobile 6.5 (you can click on any of the screen shots below to see full-scale versions):

The Ranger's large 4.2-inch display with its nice 640 x 480 pixel resolution makes up for some of the software platform's challenges. While web browsing on a small display with a resistive touch screen is never very convenient, the larger screen and higher resolution definitely ease the pain. And while there is no multi-touch for that effortless zooming in and out, WinMo 6.5 has a large zoom slider that's a big improvement over zooming via menus (sadly, it's confined to just the browser). All fonts remain sharp when zoomed. Below you can see the sharpness of even small text (well, when you look at the full-size version anyway), and what it looks like when you zoom.

Many Ranger users may primarily use the browser for custom web apps optimized for the landscape display.

One big advantage of Windows Mobile versus plain Windows CE has always been that Windows Mobile comes with a wealth of often very useful utilities and apps. Below you can see File Explorer (left) that let's you browse and manipulate the file system, the Notes application (center), and the Facebook app (right) that we downloaded from the Windows Phone Marketplace.

The Ranger 3 also comes with Office Mobile 2010. Microsoft has been offering these limited versions of its standard Office applications for many years, and whether you like them or hate them depends on how willing you are to accept limited functionality. I consider Mobile Word to be perfectly capable and useful, and Mobile Excel as well, though spreadsheets are more difficult to handle on a small screen. Mobile PowerPoint is really just a viewer. However, all three were able to handle all the Office files I threw at them. Below you can see Word (left), Excel (middle), and PowerPoint (right):

You also get the mobile versions of OneNote and SharePoint WorkSpace.

Adobe Reader serves as a workable PDF viewer, though this is one app where the new non-menu slider would come in handy as you'll probably zoom in and out a lot.

Going around the unit:

• On the top is the window for the integrated Symbol SE-955 laser scanner. On the right side is the garage for the supplied passive stylus, and right next to it the sturdy 3.5mm headphone jack. Note that the four "feet" of the Ranger have rubber pads on them so that the unit stays put when you set it down on a flat surface.

• On the bottom is the I/O block. We're showing it with the protective plugs in place. Underneath the plugs you find, from left to right, a standard-size USB 2.0 connector, a standard DB9 serial port, a mini-USB 2.0 port that accepts a mini-A connector, and the power plug. This is one area where the new Ranger 3 differs from older versions: the "PowerBoot" and nose cap have been replaced with more integrated design solutions.

• The left and right sides of the Ranger 3 have no connectors or anything else.

• The front side has—in addition to the large 4.2-inch landscape-oriented touch screen—one of the largest and most elaborate keypad layouts in the industry. There's the 38-key QWERTY thumb-type layout, there's the standard 12-key numeric keypad, there's the PDA-standard navigation pad flanked by two buttons each, and on top is a row of four keys, including the often used WIndows key, Okay, and two application-specific physical keys.

The lens of the Ranger's camera is mounted on the backside of the unit, pointing away from the user. Which means it's a documentation camera, and not one for conferencing. While mobile computing cameras are usually several steps behind dedicated consumer cameras, the one in the Ranger offers fairly high resolution (5mp for stills, and VGA for video).

As is, you can take pictures with the Windows 6.5 Pictures & Videos application that provides basic` image capture and playback options. You can play slide shows, designate a picture as the Today wallpaper, beam a shot via Bluetooth, email in various sizes, and so on. In capture mode you can set a self-timer or do 5-picture burst mode (not very fast but maybe still useful) and you can also set brightness. In video mode you record at 640 x 480, 320 x 240 or 176 x 144 pixel resolution and set time limits (15/30/60/90 seconds or unlimited). Picture resolution goes from 320 x 240 up to 2592 x 1944.

Most such cameras use simple LEDs as illuminators. That works to provide a bit of extra light, but it doesn't come close to serving as a flash. The Ranger 3 does better with a dual LED flash that acts more like a real flash. We managed to get acceptable pictures in total darkness.

Below you can see three screen captures from the camera app. The left one shows the app in camera mode where you can switch between still and video, set resolution, self-timer and burst mode shooting, The center image shows the preview feature where you can zoom in. The right shows a movie (WMV format) playing back in the Windows Media app.

Do note that while the Ranger's camera is one of the better ones we've seen in handheld computers, it is still nowhere near the quality of even an inexpensive point & shoot camera. Operation is slow and tedious, files seem overly compressed, video frame rate is slow. Given the potential importance of high quality stills and video, and given the space available inside the Ranger, we hope that Trimble will go for a higher end imaging sub-system with the next rev of the Ranger.

The Ranger comes with Trimble's SatViewer utility that provides a visual of available satellites as well as extensive configuration and data capture options (see below):

Trimble offers numerous industrial strength GPS and mapping software applications for their handhelds, but none were installed on our review unit. To get a sense of what mapping looks like on the Ranger 3, we downloaded the free Google Maps (see below).

This high scanning frequency makes for a feel of responsiveness without making the scanner overly sensitive to rapid movements. The little SE-955 also uses advanced focusing optics specially designed to handle medium and high density bar codes. And the SE-955 can even be configured to scan at a wider or narrower angle, allowing for optimization for specific tasks.

Below are screen shots of the Scanner Setup app. Data can be scanned into this app, or it can be scanned into any other app that accepts input.

On the PAN (Personal Area Network) front there's Bluetooth version 2.0 + EDR. Bluetooth is most often used to communicate with peripherals such as printers, keyboards, headphones and such. Bluetooth version 2.1 would have been nice as it reduces power consumption and includes secure simple pairing.

While Trimble doesn't stress the Ranger's phone capabilities, given that the unit has a standard SIM card slot, there's no reason why it can't be used as a cell phone. WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) functionality, though, will be the primary focus for most users, and here Trimble offers the 3XC and 3XE models with quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE/HSDPA (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) radio and 850/1900/2100 MHz UMTS support.

The Ranger also provides 802.11b/g WiFi, which is par for the course for handhelds where few support the 802.11n protocol yet.

The picture below is a close-up of the Ranger's I/O block. Many users will greatly appreciate the standard full-size USB and serial ports.

Handhelds such as the Ranger must be able to handle vibration (a device may rattle around in a vehicle or it may be mounted on something that vibrates a lot). Trimble tested according to MIL-STD-810G, Method 514.6, Procedures I (general vibration) and II (loose cargo).

Any handheld computer that's carried around on the job will eventually be dropped. The US MIL-STD-810G military standard suggests a drop height from four feet, because that's as far as something carried will usually fall, and Trimble tested the Ranger according to MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6, Procedure IV (26 drops at room temperature from four feet onto plywood over concrete, and then they did an addition six drops each at extreme temperatures). We suspect that the big Ranger could actually survive higher drops.

Most commercial aircraft cabins are pressurized to the equivalent of about 7,000 feet altitude. The same doesn't hold true for industrial and military craft, and some users may take a Ranger on high altitude expeditions. Trimble certifies the Ranger for 15,000 feet at 73F and 40,000 feet at -22F according to MIL-STD-810G, Method 500.5, Procedures I, II, and III.

Proper sealing is a big part of ruggedness, and the Ranger carries an IP67 rating. The "6" in the rating means it's totally dustproof, and the "7" that it can also handle immersion in water to about three feet. That means the Ranger can survive not only any downpour, but even a drop into a stream.

The Ranger is a large handheld, definitely not pocketable, but it still weighs less than a small netbook. Among the benefits of its large size are exceedingly robust construction, a large 4.2-inch landscape display with full VGA resolution, standard-size interface ports, and a very elaborate and precise keypad that combines numerous functions. And the large size of the Ranger also means a large battery that easily lasts through several shifts.

Now based on an 800MHz Texas Instruments OMAP Sitara AM3715 ARM Cortex-A8 processor, the Ranger 3 comes with a full 8GB of Flash (and a standard SDHC card slot for up to 32GB more).

The OS has been upgraded to Version 6.3 Professional—leveraging Microsoft programmer expertise, software and IT infrastructures, but unable to match the elegance and sleekness many users, spoiled by iPhones and Android devices, now expect from their handhelds.

The Ranger includes very accurate GPS, a workable 5-megapixel camera with a good flash that can also do video (though it doesn't replace a dedicated camera), electronic compass, accelerometer, an optional integrated laser scanner, and optional WWAN mobile broadband radio. A special Ranger 3 software development kit with a hardware-specific API makes custom software development with access to all of those hardware functions and features easy.

Among the few areas of improvement are a faster, better camera, and a less glossy display surface. We also hope that Trimble is paying close attention to emerging OS and digitizer technologies that will bring industrial handhelds more in line with changed consumer expectations.

Designed to survive in the field under the harshest conditions, the Ranger 3 appears capable of handling just about any abuse. The device feels rock-solid, very well made, and covers all ruggedness expectations.

All of this combines to make the Ranger 3 a superb, and superbly functional tool for tough jobs in the field.

-- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, April 2011

Trimble Ranger 3 Specifications Added/changed Added 01/2011; full review 04/2011 Type Rugged handheld computer Processor Texas Instruments OMAP AM3715 Sitara ARM Cortex-A8, 800MHz CPU TDP unknown OS Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional RAM/ROM 256MB/8GB Flash Card slots 1 SDHC (up to 32GB), 1 SIM Display type Sunlight-readable transflective TFT Display size/res 4.2"/640 x 480 pixel VGA Digitizer/Pens Resistive touch screen Keyboard/keys 58-key QWERTY keypad with number pad, directional buttons and 4 programmable buttons Navigation Nav pad, onscreen Housing Polycarbonate shell Temperature -22 to 140F (-30 to 60C) Enclosure Class 8 hours of operation with blowing talcum powder; IEC-529, IP67 Humidity 90% relative humidity, temperature cycle -4F/140F per MIL-STD-810G, Method 507.5 Drop 26 4-foot drops onto playwood over concrete per MIL-STD-810G, Method 516.6, Procedure IV Tumbles NA Altitude 15,000 feet at 73F and 40,000 feet at -22F per MIL-STD-810G, Method 500.5, Procedures I, II, III Safety unknown Regulatory FCC, CE, R&TTE, IC (Canada), C-tick, GCF compliant, RoHS compliant, Section 508 compliant, AT&T certified, Wi-Fi Alliance certified, MIL-STD-810G, IP67, MIL-STD-461 Size 5.2 x 10.5 x 1.9 inches Weight 2.3 lbs. with battery Power 11.1 V, 2500 mAh, 27.8 Wh Li-ion rechargeable pack ("idle: 33.9 hours, with WWAN in use: 17.2 hours") Communication Bluetooth ver. 2.0 + EDR, 802.11b/g WiFi, HSDPA 3.6 Mbit/s, Tri-band; HSDPA/UMTS: 850/1900/2100 MHz, Quad-band; GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz; SiRFstarIII GPS (2-4 meters with SBAS correction); optional: 5mp camera, 1D barcode laser scanner, LED flashlight function Interface USB host and client, 3.5 mm stereo + mic audio port, dock, 9-pin RS232 serial Price Inquire Product page Ranger 3 product page on Trimble website Brochure Ranger 3 brochure (PDF) Presentation Ranger 3 Video