July 2016

On the case study front, Artemis Racing, a professional sailing team with a long tradition and Swedish heritage, sealed the preliminary victory at America’s Cup World Series Chicago, a global classic sailing race from June 10 to 12, 2016. Remaining consistent throughout all four rounds of the race was key to achieving the victory, and RuggON's Intel Broadwell-based 10.1-inch PX-501B helped in tracking and recording data and performance throughout the practices. [See RuggON case study and RuggedPCReview's detailed assessment of the RuggON PX-501]

Juniper Systems: Using the Mesa 2 rugged tablet as a desktop PC
With the great proliferation of smartphones and tablets, more and more work is being done on mobile devices. But there will always be a need to sit down in an office and work on a full keyboard and a large desktop screen. A recent blog by Juniper Systems' Katelyn Heiner describes how to use the company's super-rugged Mesa 2 Windows 10 tablet as a desktop PC. [Read How to use the Mesa 2 rugged tablet as your desktop PC] -- Posted Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Xplore: When rugged tablet displays show their true colors
In a new blog entry, Xplore's Tom Kost mused, "Unfortunately, the loose definition of 'outdoor viewable' and the wide variations of display technology used within each mobile device class make a confident decision challenging sometimes without seeing a laptop or tablet’s true colors for yourself — in the actual outdoor working environment, not a simulated one." That, of course, is ever so true, and Tom's article is a good trigger to think the outdoor viewability issue through again. [Read When rugged tablet displays show their true colors] -- Posted Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Full review: ARBOR Gladius GT-500 rugged 5-inch Android handheld computer with WorldMode communication
While ARBOR Technology Corp. already has the sleek 5.5-inch Gladius 5, with the new IP67-sealed Gladius GT-500 the company offers a more substantial, more field-oriented Android 5.1-based handheld computing device with industrial-grade scanning for tough jobs in even the most challenging environments. Built around the MediaTek "WorldMode" MT6735 smartphone platform, the dual-SIM Gladius GT-500 merges 2G, 3G and 4G communication technologies and is capable of seamlessly roaming across high-speed 4G LTE networks uninterrupted. [See full review of the ARBOR Gladius GT-500] -- Posted Monday, July 25, 2016

Verizon to acquire Yahoo
After rejecting a US$45 billion offer from Microsoft back in 2008, Yahoo's operating business is now being acquired by Verizon for just US$4.8 billion, a quarter of what Facebook paid for WhatsApp. Verizon bought AOL last year and will integrate Yahoo into AOL. Interesting how the mighty internet companies have fallen and are getting snapped up by telcos. [See Verizon media release] -- Posted Monday, July 25, 2016

Unitech first to be certified for Android version of IntelliTrack Stratus
IntelliTrack and Unitech America announced the official certification of the new Stratus Mobile Inventory App on Unitech’s PA700 and PA692A rugged handheld computers, providing customers a powerful, yet easy to use cloud-based inventory control solution. [See Unitech media release] -- Posted Saturday, July 23, 2016

Corning unveils Gorilla Glass 5
Seems like only yesterday that we spoke with Corning's Dr. Nagaraja Shashidhar in 2009 about their Gorilla Glass, on the occasion of Motion being the first to use Gorilla Glass in a tablet. By 2010, Gorilla Glass was used in 200 million phones, and by 2012 in over a billion. Gorilla Glass 2 (2012) was thinner, Gorilla Glass 3 (2013) more scratch-resistant, and Gorilla Glass 4 (2014) was "twice as tough." Now, Corning introduced Gorilla Glass 5, which provides better protection against breakage from everyday drops. Corning said that "In lab tests, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 survives up to 80% of the time when dropped face-down from 1.6 meters onto rough surfaces." [See Corning media release] -- Posted Friday, July 22, 2016

GammaTech adds detachable keyboard option to Its popular DURABOOK R11 tablet
GammaTech announced the addition of an optional detachable keyboard for its 11.6-inch DURABOOK R11 rugged tablet. "Rugged mobile tablets, such as our DURABOOK R11, make it possible to have the Internet, high-definition cameras, spreadsheets, GPS capability, and more at users' fingertips, no matter where their jobs take them," stated Tom Wang, GammaTech president. "Add in a keyboard, and that handy tablet now acts like a laptop, with all of the pluses of easily using word processing programs, updating files, and writing emails at the job site thrown in." [See GammaTech media release] -- Posted Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Microsoft's Q4/2016 financials
Microsoft reported revenue of US$20.6 billion and a profit of US$3.1 billion for its Q4/2016. Of revenue, Productivity and Business Processes (Office, Exchange, etc.) contributed $7.0 billion, Intelligent Cloud (Azure, Windows Server, etc.) $6.7 billion, and More Personal Computing (Windows, hardware, Xbox) $8.9 billion. Revenue from Surface tablets was up 9% to $4.1 billion. Which is just abut the size of the entire worldwide rugged computing market. [See Microsoft media release] -- Posted Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Demand for metal injection hinges to grow, along with 2-in-1 hybrid devices
DigiTimes reports that demand for injection molding-made (MIM) hinges is expected to grow as many upcoming 2-in-1 devices will use them. According to research firm Canalys, despite an overall 16% on-year decline in PC shipments, 2-in-1 device shipments will grow 13% this year. -- Posted Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Unitech releases Verizon 4G LTE/XLTE certified rugged Android PA700V indoor/outdoor handheld
Unitech is not just for inside the proverbial "four walls" anymore. The company announced it has partnered with Verizon to bring Verizon 4G LTE and XLTE to its rugged Android-based high-resolution 4.7-inch PA700V data collection tool. The PA700V has an integrated 1D/2D imager, is IP65-sealed, offers a wide operating temperature range, and can handle 4-foot drops. [See description, analysis and specs of the Unitech PA700V] -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

SoftBank buys ARM
SoftBank, the Japanese telecom and internet company that, among many acquisitions, once bought the storied Comdex tradeshow and then also Sprint, announced they are buying ARM for about US$31 billion. Chip architectures licensed from ARM, of course, power most smartphones, tablets, smartwatches and similar in the world. -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

Preview: DT Research DT311H
With the large-screen 11.6-inch capacitive multi-touch DT311H, DT Research offers a high-performance Intel Broadwell-powered thin-and-light Windows tablet for complex applications that require extra screen real estate. An optional active digitizer with high-precision pen is available as well. And the addition of a 2-in-1 version of the DT311H makes the platform that much more attractive [See RuggedPCReview's description, analysis and specs of the DT Research DT301H] -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

Preview: DT Research DT301S
With the handy and compact 10.1-inch capacitive multi-touch DT301S, DT Research offers a state-of-the-art, Intel Skylake-powered thin-and-light Windows tablet that's tough enough to be deployed in vast array of applications that require more than run-of-the-mill consumer tablets can provide. And the addition of a 2-in-1 version of the DT301S makes the platform that much more attractive [See RuggedPCReview's description, analysis and specs of the DT Research DT301D] -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

DT Research announces two ultra-rugged 2-in-1 tablets
DT Research announced new 2-in-1 ultra-rugged versions of its 10.1-inch DT301 and 11.6-inch DT311 series. Built to withstand extreme outdoor environments, the slim, lightweight designs with numerous customizable options are also well-suited for the office with water-resistant detachable keyboards, full 1920 x 1200 pixel capacitive multi-touch displays, IP65 sealing, internal hot-swappable batteries, and advanced hardware-software security. [See DT Research media release] -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

U.S. Army Reserve expands deployment of DT Research's ultra rugged tablets
DT Research announced the U.S. Army Reserve is expanding use of the DT311H rugged tablets into other army facilities to support training missions and other logistics. This marks the second Army Reserve contract for Rugged Tablets that DT Research has been awarded this year. “We are delighted that the Army Reserve has decided to leverage our Ultra Rugged Tablets within additional environments,” said Daw Tsai Sc.D., president of DT Research. “The U.S. Army Reserve sets a high bar for hardware and software solutions with many specialized requirements and their expanded deployment of our DT311H tablets underscores our commitment to deliver the highest quality purpose-built computing products in the industry.” [See DT Research media release] -- Posted Monday, July 18, 2016

Janam teams with FieldStack to empower retailers
Janam Technologies LLC announced that its XM5 has been selected as the preferred rugged mobile computing platform for retailers using FieldStack’s lean retail software that provides inventory automation as well as optimization of the POS experience, e-commerce, loyalty programs and staff management. Doug Lloyd, Janam VP of Global Sales Operations said, “It is very gratifying when the strengths of a product like the XM5 – specifically, its small size, light weight, blazing fast computing speed, all-day battery life and best-in-class barcode scanning – come together to support a winning software solution like the one from FieldStack.” [See Janam media release] -- Posted Thursday, July 14, 2016

Disk drive maker Seagate to cut 6,500 jobs
Venerable hard disk maker Seagate reported preliminary Q4 of US$2.65 billion. The company said it shipped 37 million hard drives with an average capacity of 1.7TB per drive, making for a record 62 exabyte capacity, up 46% year-over-year. Seagate's plan, however, includes reducing the global headcount by about 6,500 employees, or 14% of its global headcount by the end of fiscal year 2017. [See Seagate media release] -- Posted Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Handheld Group introduces rugged Nautiz X2 enterprise-level Android smartphone with integrated scanning
Handheld Group introduced the Nautiz X2, an iPhone 6s Plus-sized rugged Android "Lollipop" device designed to merge contemporary smartphone sophistication with enterprise-level capabilities and toughness as well as industrial-grade 1D or 1D/2D integrated scanning. [See Handheld Group media release and RuggedPCReview's description, analysis and specs of the Handheld Nautiz X2] -- Posted Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Consumer Reports: Samsung S7 Active fails water resistance test
Samsung claims its Galaxy S7 Edge smartphone is IP68-sealed and can handle 5 feet of water for 30 minutes. Consumer Reports put that to the test. When they removed the phone, "the screen was obscured by green lines, and tiny bubbles were visible in the lenses of the front- and rear-facing cameras. The touchscreen wasn’t responsive." A second sample failed as well, and the phones were ruined. [See Consumer Reports release] -- Posted Friday, July 8, 2016

Rugged computers tame wind’s hard-knock work conditions
Windpower Engineering & Development published an article entitled "Rugged computers tame wind’s hard-knock work conditions," written by Tom Wang, president of GammaTech Computer Corporation. Mr. Wang describes how working in remote and sometimes hostile conditions presents unique challenges that make garden-variety portable computers or tablets almost useless in the middle of a wind farm, on land or at sea. -- Posted Thursday, July 7, 2016

Dell retreating from Android
According to PC World and c|net, Dell has stopped selling Android devices and is directing its focus on upcoming 2-in-1 Windows hybrids. Which means that, unlike in Smartphones where Android has a dominating marketshare, in tablets it's going back and forth between Windows and Android. -- Posted Thursday, July 7, 2016

GammaTech introduces highly customizable ultra-rugged, Broadwell-powered all-in-one military PC
Field computing hardware available to military and homeland defense customers is often quite obsolete. That's where GammaTech's new Intel Broadwell powered DURABOOK V10BB all-in-one military PC comes in. Providing no fewer than 24 programmable buttons and astounding ruggedness specs, the V10BB skillfully merges state-of-the-art tech with legacy standards and requirements. [See GammaTech media release] and our description, analysis and specs of the DURABOOK V10BB] -- Posted Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Premio introduces three families of rugged fanless PCs for embedded applications
Premio has introducee three families of rugged fanless PC for machine automation, security surveillance, IOT gateway, outdoor signage player, etc. Offerings include the RCO-1000 Series, RCO-3000 Series and RCO-6000 Series Fanless PC series, which incorporate Intel Bay Trail, Broadwell-U and Skylake processor support respectively. All models support extended operating temperature (-25 to 70C), 9~48VDC input with over/under-voltage and reverse polarity protection, 5Grms vibration and 50G/11ms shock protection, and cable-less design. -- Posted Tuesday, July 5, 2016