March 2018

Few remember that tablets are not new. In the early 1990s tablets were the hottest thing. Unfortunately, the technology wasn't there yet, and the designers of those early tablets built them around handwriting recognition. Which also wasn't there yet, and may never be. Fast-forward to today. Tablet technology has arrived, but mostly without pens. It's usually just finger-tapping. And handwriting recognition is a non-issue. Heck, cursive writing has even dropped from the Common Core Curriculum Standards! The folks at Xplore Technologies think that's most unfortunate. Because a rugged tablet can be one of the best platforms for real-time handwritten documentation when you’re far away from your desk. [See Mobile Workers Take Note of Tablets’ Handwriting Skills]

Getac 2017 revenues up 8.8%
According to DigiTimes, Getac Technology has reported consolidated revenue of NT$22.3 billion (US$762 million) for their fiscal year 2017, up 8.77% from fiscal 2016. Net profit was NT$1.91 billion (US$65.5 million). -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018

First look: Janam's new XM75 Android-based rugged mobile computer
There was a time when all industrial handhelds ran proprietary operating systems, and then a time where most used one of Microsoft's mini operating platforms or another. No more. Modern rugged handhelds are now based on the hugely popular Android OS, and their technology is as advanced as what you find in a state-of-the-art smartphone. But they are built tough from the ground up and provide industrial-grade scanning and reliability. An example is the just-introduced Janam XM75. [See description, analysis and specs of the Janam XM75 rugged mobile computer] -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018

Behind the ergonomics of the Juniper Mesa 2 Rugged Tablet
In its latest blog entry, Juniper Systems looks at one of the real issues in today's workplace, how hand and arm fatigue is a real impediment to remaining efficient during the workday. Juniper's Sarah Merrell explains how with help from their experienced product design team, all Juniper enclosures are designed to minimize pressure points and fit in the user’s hand like a glove. And how the very materials used to create an ergonomic product also play a major role in creating both a comfortable and functional handheld. [Read Behind the ergonomics of the Juniper Mesa 2 Rugged Tablet] -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018

Janam launches industry's most versatile rugged mobile computer
Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, today introduced the newest and most powerful addition to its XM series of key-based, rugged mobile computers. The XM75 optimizes productivity for organizations that require a flexible device for capturing and processing business-critical data. With a brilliant 4.3-inch capacitive touch screen and backlit numeric keypad, the XM75 is one of the only rugged mobile computers that is specially designed for mobile workers that prefer keypad and touch screen functionality in the same device. [See Janam press release] -- Posted Thursday, March 29, 2018

Oracle vs. Google: It ain't over til it's over
Like monsters and bad guys in low-budget "B" movies, the Oracle versus Google battle over Google's use of Java in the development of Android just won't die. Today, some U.S. Court of Appeals decided that Google's use of the Java platform (which Oracle had inherited when they took over SUN Microsystems) was not protected under the fair-use copyright law. So the battle, which goes back to 2012 and has been decided several times, is back alive. And it isn't low-budget, what with Android owning the smartphone market and much of the tablet market: Oracle wants $9 billion in damages. -- Posted Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Harris Corporation introduces new two-channel leader radio that significantly improves US Army battlefield communications
Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS) has introduced a new advanced two-channel handheld radio that simultaneously delivers voice and data networking to U.S. Army leaders, significantly improving critical battlefield communications. The AN/PRC-163 Army Radio is easy to use, lightweight and rugged, and features a flexible software-defined architecture — enabling users to quickly add new waveforms and applications from the battlefield. [See Harris press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 27, 2018

JLT Mobile Computers' rugged tablet Verizon Wireless certified
JLT Mobile Computers, a leading developer and manufacturer of reliable computers for demanding environments, announces that the recently launched MT2010 rugged tablet has granted Verizon Wireless carrier certification. With 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and options for 3G or 4G LTE, and GPS, the MT2010 offers reliable connectivity and wireless communication in the most demanding environments. [See JLT Mobile press release] -- Posted Monday, March 26, 2018

New: JLT Mobile JLT6012 rugged vehicle-mount supports both Windows 10 IoT and Android 7
Not so very long ago, virtually every computer ran Windows. That's changed. Enterprise systems and desktops still mostly run Windows, but almost all smartphones and a good many tablets run Android now. So it makes eminent sense to offer a vehicle computer with the choice of Windows 10, but also Android, the OS that was designed for quick touch and which is familiar to almost everyone by now. And that's exactly what JLT Mobile Computers has done with its new JLT6012. [See description, analysis and specs of the JLT Mobile Computers JLT6012] -- Posted Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Panasonic Toughbook launches Partner programme for continued rugged handheld market growth in Europe
Panasonic Toughbook has recruited 60 specialist rugged handheld resellers across the major European markets for its new Edge channel programme. The expanded specialist channel will help further accelerate Panasonic's growth in the European rugged handheld market, following year-on-year growth of 176%. With almost a third of its rugged mobile device range now dedicated to the handheld market and the recent appointment of ScanSource as a European specialist distributor, Panasonic sights are now firmly set on expanding its success from the rugged notebook and tablet markets to this sector. [See Panasonic press release] -- Posted Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Samsung's ruggedized Galaxy Tab Active2 — a tablet built for today's digital business needs
Samsung Electronics America, Inc. today announced the U.S. availability of the Galaxy Tab Active2, a rugged tablet designed for mobile workers who conduct business outdoors or beyond office walls, including in the field, industrial locations, and harsh weather. The device provides easy access to essential functions in extreme conditions—such as high/low temperatures and wet environments—and advances seamless workflow by combining high durability and LTE connectivity with a range of innovative capabilities for business users. [See Samsung press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 20, 2018

DURABOOK U11 rugged tablet-- First look
There is increasing demand for fully-rugged Windows tablets. To address that demand, on March 15, 2018, Durabook Americas, introduced the fully-rugged Intel Kaby Lake Y-Series powered DURABOOK U11 Windows tablet. Designed for use in military, public safety and other demanding environments, the DURABOOK U11 is beefed-up, tougher sister product to the company's successful semi-rugged DURABOOK R11. [See description, analysis and specs of the DURABOOK U11] -- Posted Thursday, March 15, 2018

Durabook Americas expands product line with introduction of fully-rugged U11 tablet
Durabook Americas, Inc., the North American branch of Twinhead International Corporation, today introduced the newest member of the DURABOOK family, the fully rugged 11.6" DURABOOK U11 tablet. The new device features an Intel® 7th Generation CPU, Windows® 10 Pro, MIL-STD-810G and 461F ratings, DOD-level security and a full HD sunlight readable LCD. The U11 is ideal for flight line maintenance, field diagnostics, and data collection applications, found in a variety of demanding markets, including defense, law enforcement and field service, where users often operating in extreme conditions. [See Durabook Americas press release] -- Posted Thursday, March 15, 2018

Havis introduces three docking series for Panasonic Toughbooks
Havis Inc., a leading manufacturer of mobile office solutions, has introduced three new series of docking stations and cradles for Panasonic Toughbook computers. Each of the new series are Panasonic Toughbook Certified, which means they have passed a rigorous testing process, met demanding performance standards, and shown the electronics are fully compatible. The Havis docking station series (DS-PAN-1000) is available for Panasonic's Toughbook 20, 2-in-1 Laptop, and is designed to be compatible in full laptop mode or tablet only configurations. Havis docking solutions for Panasonic's Toughbook 33 includes the DS-PAN-1100 for the full 2-in-1 Detachable Laptop, while the DS-PAN-1200 is for the tablet only. [See Havis press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Winmate launches new IP69K Stainless Panel PC and Display
Winmate launched a new IP69K Stainless Panel PC and Display designed for applications with high hygienic requirements. The IP69K series is completely waterproof with IP69K level of protection allowing for easy cleaning and sterilization using water with temperatures of up to 80°C and pressure of up to 30 Bar. Powered by Intel Broadwell i5-5200U, Intel Bay Trail-M N2930 processor or in display configuration, equipped with M25 type waterproof connectors covered by protective caps, and featuring projected capacitive multi-touch screen in an elegant, and yet rugged construction, Winmate IP69K Stainless Panel PC and Display go beyond that of the standard industrial panel computers. [See Winmate IP69K Stainless Panel PC and Display] -- Posted Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Estone Android/Linux Panel PCs with rich I/O and Power over Ethernet offer extreme adaptability
Today, more and more commercial and industrial equipment manufacturers are seeking solutions to improve adaptability and tablet like interactive functions to products, while also reducing costs and time to market. An easy and reliable method for both can be the inclusion of a smart panel PC as a control center and HMI for any equipment — as long as it's durable enough to last, flexible enough to work for virtually any use case, and interfaces simply with existing equipment and designs. That's why Estone Technology developed the PPC-4207 & PPC-4210 smart panel PCs — enclosed, drop-in panel PC solutions featuring powerful and efficient NXP i.MX6 processors, a wide variety of features and I/O options, and support for various Android, Linux, and Yocto Linux operating systems. [See Estone press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 13, 2018

RuggON announces MT7010 Android/ARM rugged mobile terminal
RuggON Corporation, a leader in the design and manufacturing of ruggedized computing products, announced the launch of the MT7010, a new rugged mobile terminal with a large, intuitive touchscreen display and a huge variety of connectivity and communications options that make it flexible, easy to customize, and perfect for various platoon and fleet management. This versatile mobile terminal is ideal for a diverse range of applications, including in-cab vehicle navigation, electronic logging, trip and route management, critical event reporting, and trailer and vehicle monitoring. Well designed for platoon and fleet applications, MT7010 supports various vehicle status monitor such as the OBD II standard and SAE J1939 protocol. [See RuggON press release] -- Posted Thursday, March 8, 2018

Motorola announces LEX L11 mission-critical LTE device
Motorola Solutions introduced the Android 7.1 "Nougat"-based 5.0-inch LEX L11, which the company calls a "Mission-Critical LTE Device." We'd call it a rugged Android smartphone/handheld computer supporting global broadband networks including FirstNet in the US, and designed specifically for first responders so they can access secure apps for increased situational awareness. [See description, analysis and spec of the Motorola LEX L11] -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Digitimes: Mobile workstations becoming new enterprise trend
According to Digitimes, moble workstations — notebooks with the power of a traditional desktop — reports that whereas mobile workstation shipments were 1.35 million in 2016, sales were already more than that in the first three quarters of 2017. Advances in discrete graphics modules accelerate the trend. HP currently dominates the market, but this bodes well for rugged workstations such as the Getac X500 and X500 Server. -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Motorola Solutions completes acquisition of Airbus DS Communications
Motorola Solutions, Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI) today announced it has completed the acquisition of Plant Holdings, Inc., which holds the Airbus DS Communications business, from Airbus Defense and Space, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of Airbus SE. [See Motorola Solutions press release] -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Mass storage issues — Will the emergence of PCIe-based SSDs redefine mobile computing performance?
First there were rotating hard disks, then came various types of solid state disks, bringing a number of improvements. But cost per gigabyte was high, which meant that storage capacity was limited due to cost. Then costs came down and industry leaders began looking at remaining bottlenecks. And found them in PCIe-based solid state disks. RuggedPCReview takes a look at the mass storage issue and amazing performance improvements. [See Mass storage issues] -- Posted Tuesday, March 6, 2018

At Janam, breaking the mold (by not breaking)
Innovate Long Island ran a nice article entitled "At Janam, breaking the mold (by not breaking)" on Woodbury, Long Island, tech firm Janam Technologies. [Read At Janam, breaking the mold (by not breaking)] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2018

Rugged vs Non-Rugged: Considering Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) when selecting a handheld computer
For obvious reasons, truly rugged mobile computing gear costs more than consumer tech. But does it really? In its latest blog, Juniper Systems says, "When the upfront cost of a rugged handheld computer is being compared to the upfront cost of a non-rugged handheld computer, it’s easy to quickly jump into weighing the obvious replacement costs of a damaged consumer device to the upfront cost of a rugged handheld computer, and deciding to chance the odds." And Juniper goes on to explain why that is not a good idea, and looks at Total Cost of Ownership in detail. [See Rugged vs Non-Rugged: Considering Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) When Selecting a Handheld Computer] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2018

Added: MilDef DF8A 5-inch rugged military Android handheld
MilDef, now handling the former AMREL computer lineup, introduced an updated version of the AMREL DF7A. The MilDef DF8A, designed for dismounted platoon/company commanders and specialists, runs Android on a bright 5-inch procap screen, provides excellent versatility and configuration options, including the choice of optional rugged connectors or connecting the DF8A with a single cable to a breakout box with extra interfaces. [See description, analysis and specs of the MilDef DF8A] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2018

JLT Mobile Computers launches next generation vehicle-mount computers boosting user productivity in tough environments
JLT Mobile Computers, a leading developer and manufacturer of reliable computers for demanding environments, launches the JLT6012 logistics computer, the first product of a new generation of rugged vehicle-mount computers with innovative platform design. Making its debut in Europe at LogiMAT (Stuttgart) and SITL (Paris) and first shown to the US public at MODEX (Atlanta), the JLT6012 presents a major step change in rugged computing, as the new terminal not only delivers unparalleled productivity and better user acceptance today, but also constitutes a platform for building innovative mobile IT solutions, including hardware, software and services for the needs of tomorrow. [See JLT Mobile Computers press release] -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2018

Truman Medical Xenters transform patient care with Zebra Technologies' mobile computing solution
Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), the market leader in rugged mobile computers, barcode scanners and barcode printers enhanced with software and services to enable real-time enterprise visibility, today announced that the Truman Medical Centers, an academic health system in Kansas City, selected Zebra's TC51-HC mobile computer running Cerner Corporation's (NASDAQ: CERN) CareAware Connect solution to streamline care-team communications and clinical workflows designed to increase patient safety through more efficient and effective care. [See Zebra press release] -- Posted Sunday, March 4, 2018

Rugged Computing Case Studies: Handheld ALGIZ 10X improves order fulfillment at 150,000-square-meter warehouse
Today's shoppers can place orders in seconds with the tap of a button — and they expect order fulfillment and shipment processes to be equally streamlined. Because fast, accurate order fulfillment is so critical, Swedish chain store Jula is using Algiz 10X ultra-rugged tablets to assist order pickers and shipping employees in its massive warehouse facility. [See ALGIZ 10X improves order fulfillment at 150,000-square-meter warehouse] -- Posted Friday, March 2, 2018

First look at the Janam XT100
Enterprises are buying millions of consumer smartphones and handhelds, just to find that those often do not live up to expectations. Too flimsy. Too fragile. Janam's just introduced XT100 4.3-inch Android touch computer presents a tougher, more durable alternative, one made for business, with replaceable battery and industrial-grade scanner. Yet as simple to use as any Android phone. [See description, analysis and specs of the Janam XT100 -- Posted Thursday, March 1, 2018

Janam delivers value-driven, rugged smartphone without sacrificing power and performance
Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, today announced the launch of the XT100 rugged touch computer. Packed with every business-critical feature that enterprise organizations require, the XT100 surpasses its competition by delivering the latest enterprise-grade technologies in a stunning package, all at an extremely attractive price point. The XT100 packs the power and performance of an industrial rugged mobile computer in a slim smartphone design and is built to survive demanding work environments. [See Janam press release] -- Posted Thursday, March 1, 2018

Sonim announces two new ultra-rugged devices coming to FirstNet
Sonim Technologies, maker of the world's toughest cell phones, is bringing two new ultra-rugged mobile devices — the XP8 and XP5s — to first responders on FirstNet, the country's first and only communications platform dedicated to public safety. Together, FirstNet and Sonim are unlocking innovative, specialized tools that will help advance first responders' communications capabilities, allowing them to focus on keeping both themselves and our communities safer. [See Sonim press release] -- Posted Thursday, March 1, 2018