Trimble Tablet Is Mighty Rugged
Ever had the desire to place a standard UMPC-type computer within a rugged chassis
and check your email while trudging through mud, rain and sleet?
Trimble has, and it's making sure that those of you needing a rugged
portable computer don't go away empty handed. The all new Trimble
Tablet is described as a rugged, versatile and fully connected handheld
computer for heavy and highway and marine construction professionals.
Of course, you could replace that last bit with "for anyone who
computes in extreme environments" to make it more applicable to you.
We're told that it was engineered specifically to take on the perils of the construction job site. That means it's "extremely rugged, with an IP67 environmental rating, long battery life and tough washable housing." Yes, a computer you can wash! Not surprisingly, it relies on a rugged SSD rather than a fragile HDD, and it possesses fully sealed USB and serial communication ports. Around the edges, it has rounded rubberized bumpers, making it both easy to hold as well as providing protection for the computer.
Since you'll certainly be far, far away from an
Ethernet cable when you fire this up, it also comes with built-in Wi-Fi
and cellular connectivity modules. Powering it is a 1.6GHz Intel Atom
processor, and you'll also notice Bluetooth, GPS, twin digital cameras
and an ExpressCard slot. Unfortunately, the company doesn't mention how
expensive this 2.6-pound handheld will be, but considering that you can
probably use it to out-maneuver pythons in the Amazon, we suspect it
won't be affordable.
We're told that it was engineered specifically to take on the perils of the construction job site. That means it's "extremely rugged, with an IP67 environmental rating, long battery life and tough washable housing." Yes, a computer you can wash! Not surprisingly, it relies on a rugged SSD rather than a fragile HDD, and it possesses fully sealed USB and serial communication ports. Around the edges, it has rounded rubberized bumpers, making it both easy to hold as well as providing protection for the computer.
Since you'll certainly be far, far away from an
Ethernet cable when you fire this up, it also comes with built-in Wi-Fi
and cellular connectivity modules. Powering it is a 1.6GHz Intel Atom
processor, and you'll also notice Bluetooth, GPS, twin digital cameras
and an ExpressCard slot. Unfortunately, the company doesn't mention how
expensive this 2.6-pound handheld will be, but considering that you can
probably use it to out-maneuver pythons in the Amazon, we suspect it
won't be affordable.
