On January 30, 2019, the Handheld Group introduced the Nautiz X6, a new member of the company's Nautiz product line that includes both conventional rugged handhelds with keypads as well as toughened-up PDAs that can handle almost anything.
And now the lineup also includes a phablet, which Handheld describes as phone plus tablet, a device that merges the big-screen functionality of a tablet with the go-anywhere mobility of a (in this instance very rugged) smartphone.
When it comes to phones and tablets it's always good to know how big (and heavy), exactly, such a tweener product is, and where it fits into the overall scheme of things. Well, the Handheld Nautiz X6 is a beefed-up 6-inch Android device with a footprint of 7.5 x 3.5 inches, which is half again as much real estate as an iPhone XR. It is (a svelte) half an inch think and weighs 13.4 ounces.
This means the Nautiz X6 is at the high end of smartphone screen sizes (you can actually get phones with even larger screens, but those are also considered phablets), and at the very low end of small tablet size and weight. The image below shows how the new Nautiz X6 fits into the Handheld Group's current Nautiz product line. The new phablet has the biggest screen and the most modern smartphone-like appearance:
Do not, however, mistake the Nautiz X6 for just a fashionably large ruggedized smartphone. While Handheld certainly put the immensely popular smartphone look to good use here, we're talking a Shaquille O'Neill-sized implementation of the concept.
No "oh, our bezel is so thin it barely exists!" here. There is a bezel, because that means you can actually hold the device in your hand without touching the screen and inadvertently issue some command. And that bezel also includes substantial padding and protection. The can't-do-without protective case of every slender smartphone is built in here.
And the Nautiz X6 is available with a replaceable battery that packs three times the punch of that glued inside an iPhone XS. Let that sink in.
So this is a phablet, a small tablet with smartphone good looks but a definite tilt towards ruggedness, durability and functionality for the job. The image below shows the Nautiz X6 from the front and back and all sides. It is remarkably thin for such a tough device.
What about tech specs? Starting with the big capacitive multi-touch screen, it has 1080 x 1920 resolution, which means 367ppi (pixels per inch). That's super-sharp and definitely in the "retina" category. There's 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal mass storage, which can be complemented with up to 128GB via microSDXC card. The processor is an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 626 MSM8953 — a 14nm ARM Cortex-A53 design with an Adreno 506 GPU that's also used in Samsung, Motorola, Vivo and Meizu smartphones and tablets. The chip also makes possible fast 802.11ac WiFi and Bluetooth 4.1.
Unlike most of Handheld's products, the Nautiz X6 doesn't have an integrated industrial-grade scanner. You can have a 2D imager, though, as a snap-on accessory that works with the phablet's expansion connector. There is onboard NFC, and also an onboard GNSS receiver that can handle all four of the major satellite systems. And there is that very high capacity 30.4 watt-hours extended capacity battery. That's good for not just one, but several shifts.
On the software side, the Nautiz X6 comes with Android 8.0 "Oreo" with all the GMS (Google Mobile Services) apps. This is the most recent Android version with a major installed presence.
Further, the Nautiz X6 is one of the relatively rare enterprise handhelds with Google GMS (Google Mobile Services) certification. This means it's been certified by Google, comes with Google-branded apps (such as Maps, Gmail, Drive, etc.), and has access to the Google Play store. Handheld also mentions Android for Enterprise, a Google-led initiative to enable the use of Android devices and apps in the workplace. That means APIs and other tools for developers to integrate support for Android into enterprise mobility management solutions.
But that's not all as far as enterprise suitability goes. There's also the Handheld Group's MaxGo suite of Android apps that allows easy configuration of staging and security settings (see YouTube intro to Handheld MaxGo].
As far as ruggedness goes, while most premium consumer smartphones are now dust and waterproof just like rugged products, the Nautiz X6 goes well beyond that and provides real world ruggedness: No need for a case. No need to be babied. A screen with glove and rain modes. And physical Android buttons that are easier to see and work no matter what. And that on top of all the usual, actual MIL-STD-810G testing.
Overall, the Handheld Nautiz X6 clearly is a product for the time. Users love big screens and the look and feel and power of a modern smartphone. But they don't want to baby their device and stick it in a clumsy case. With the Nautiz X6 they can have their cake and eat it, too. -- Conrad Blickenstorfer, January 2019
Handheld is a manufacturer of rugged PDAs and mobile computers. Handheld and partners worldwide deliver complete mobility solutions to businesses in industries such as logistics, forestry, public transportation, construction, military and security.
