March 2010

Will industrial tablets benefit from the iPad?
On April 3rd, the Apple iPad tablet will be available in Apple stores. According to various reports, almost 300,000 iPads have been ordered before the device even became available. The hype is enormous, with experts falling all over themselves proclaiming why the iPad will succeed or fail. [... read more] -- Posted Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by chb

Xplore's Holleran says iPad launch shows growth of tablet market
Xplore Technologies president Mark Holleran believes that the launch of the Apple iPad indicates "that the tablet PC industry is poised for wider acceptance and accelerated growth" as more and more people are becoming comfortable with the tablet form factor. This, Holleran argues, bodes well for Xplore which recently introduced additional military and clean room versions of its rugged iX104C4 tablet computer. -- Posted Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by chb

Group Mobile adds rugged NEXCOM tablets
Group Mobile, a Phoenix, Ariz. based online reseller of rugged computers has added NEXCOM's MRC 2100 and MRC 2300 rugged tablet PCs to its product offerings. NEXCOM is a Taiwanese technology firm that first introduced the tablets in 2008, and has been adding to the lineup ever since. The latest model, the rugged MRC 2300 tablet PC, is based on Intel's new Atom processor, the 1.6GHz N450. [See description and specs of the NEXCOM MRC 2300] -- Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2010 by chb

Full review: Logic Instrument FieldBook
In a phenomenon that caught the computer industry by surprise, consumers have been buying tens of millions of "netbooks." They did that because netbooks are smaller, lighter, handier and less expensive than full-size notebooks. We're starting to see a similar trend in the mobile rugged computing industry with the introduction of smaller, lighter and handier tablet computers that weigh three pounds or less, yet provide performance that's more than adequate for many jobs. RuggedPCReview.com has just completed a full review of the Logic Instrument FieldBook. [See full review of the Logic Instrument FieldBook] -- Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2010 by chb

Xplore introduces Clean Room version of its rugged iX104C4 tablet
Xplore Technologies, struggling to survive and become profitable in a tough economy, has been staying in the news with a succession of special-purpose version of its flagship iX104C4 rugged tablet computer. The latest one is a special "Clean Room" model for use in environments designed to avoid any sort of contamination in the manufacturing process (such as chip making or the pharmaceutical industry). 500 of the tightly sealed iX104C4CR computers are currently being used in clean room settings. [See Xplore iX104C4 Clean Room brochure] -- Posted Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by chb

New: Panasonic Toughbook C1
Panasonic introduced the Toughbook C1, an ultra-light "business-rugged" notebook convertible with Intel's latest 2010 Core processor technology. The dual input (digitizer/capacitive multi-touch) C1 is the first Panasonic ultralight that uses a convertible tablet PC design, therefore bringing this versatile form factor to those who do not need the ruggedness and weight of the company's Toughbook CF-19 that uses the same approach. It is also the first keyboard-based Panasonic Toughbook that incorporates innovations pioneered in Panasonic's Toughbook H1 tablet, such as dual hot-swappable batteries and an integrated strap for easy holding and carrying. [Read full description and specs of the Panasonic Toughbook C1] -- Posted Wednesday, March 3, 2010 by chb

Motion announces first annual Excellence in Mobile Point of Care Award
Motion Computing also announced the first annual Motion Excellence in Mobile Point of Care Award, designed to recognize a commitment and dedication to deploying Mobile Point of Care Solutions that focus on enhancing clinician satisfaction and delivering the highest possible quality of patient care. The first winner is Springfield, IL-based St. John's Hospital. With more than 600 C5s in use, the hospital has seen an increase in bedside patient scans from just 20 percent to 97 percent – resulting in improved accuracy of data collected and an increase in data efficiency. [See Motion's healthcare solutions page] -- Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2010 by chb

Motion announces new peripherals for its rugged tablets
At the 2010 HIMSS conference, Motion Computing announced new peripherals and solutions for its tablet PCs. The new ReadyDock with Ethernet and Mobile Dock with built-in lock for the Motion C5 mobile clinical assistant (MCA) and F5 Rugged Tablet PC offer more storage, charging and management options while the Motion Medical Dictionary streamlines documentation processes for healthcare professionals. [See Motion press release] -- Posted Tuesday, March 2, 2010 by chb

Thinix demos medical software on Advantech MCA
Thinix, a developer of touchscreen user interface technology announced it will demonstrate its Thinix Touch software on the Advantech MICA-101 mobile clinical assistant and the Advantech PIT-1702 patient infotainment terminal at HIMSS, which is taking place March 1-4 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA, USA. Also, see detailed paper on Thinix Touch for MCA Devices. -- Posted Monday, March 1, 2010 by chb

HP Elitebook 2740p: a tech update of the 2730p
HP has also updated its elegant and durable Tablet PC convertible to the new generation of Intel Core processors. The HP Elitebook 2740p is a technology update to the earlier HP 2730p with Core i3/i5 processors, more and faster memory, larger disks, multi-touch and optional Gobi/GPS. [See description and specs of the HP Elitebook 2740p] -- Posted Monday, March 1, 2010 by chb

Haleron iLet Mini -- A US$199 iPad killer?
Whenever a major player announces or introduces a ground-breaking product, there will then quickly be imitators that will be described as potential killers of said product. Halon Technologies' iLet Mini HAL (now there's a name!) is a prime example. It's a sleek little tablet that costs only US$199. So it costs less than the iPad and, unlike the iPad, it also has a SD Card slot. And two USB ports. The 7-inch display has 480 x 800 pixel resolution, the battery is said to last 16 hours, and you can get the iLet Mini HAL, which is said to ship as of March 1, 2010, with either Android or, for a small extra charge, Windows CE 6.0. Interesting product? Yes, but not an iPad competitor. Haleron's iLet 10 Extreme 3G with its 10-inch multi-touch display comes closer, but it is really a tablet version of an Atom N270-powered netbook and costs US$699. [See Haleron's tablets] -- Posted Monday, March 1, 2010 by chb