June 2014

Xplore Technologies blog's latest
On the very active Xplore Technologies blog, you can read what IP67 is and why it is important in rugged tablets, why rugged tablets are the new "must have" for the fleet industry, and three applications to empower a more resourceful cable technician. -- Posted Monday, June 30, 2014 by chb

OLED Tablet Display Technology Shoot-Out
DisplayMate — which is an industry standard for optimizing, calibrating, testing, evaluating and comparing all types of displays — published a very detailed analysis of the 2560 x 1600 pixel OLED displays used in Samsung's new Tab S tablets, and called them "best performing tablet display that we have ever tested." [See OLED Tablet Display Technology Shoot-Out] -- Posted Monday, June 30, 2014 by chb

7-inch tablet prices keep dropping
Digitimes reports that the lowest price point for a 7-inch tablet dropped to below US$80 in June 2014. And unlike earlier low-cost tablets that didn't measure up, even inexpensive tablets now offer almost the same specs as top-of-the-line models. This puts increasing pressure on high-end, premium-priced tablets from the likes of Samsung. (And it also makes you wonder if a decent smartphone really should cost US$700...). -- Posted Monday, June 30, 2014 by chb

Xplore Technologies blog's latest
Recent entries at the very active Xplore Technologies blog cover the manufacturing industry excelling with a mobile workforce, how agricultural industry is relying more on mobile technology, how the oil and gas industry is managing big data with rugged tablets, and there's also a new white paper on Android or iOS in the enterprise. -- Posted Monday, June 23, 2014 by chb

Case study: Winmate rugged tablets in vehicle diagnostics
Almost all of our automotive systems are being controlled and monitored by computers. To improve the quality and reduce errors in these systems, Automotive OEMs and suppliers are requiring good diagnostic tools to detect and discover any failures which appear in automotive systems. When Daimler was looking to upgrade their vehicle diagnostic equipment. Winmate’s next generation 8.4” tablet running Windows 7 was the perfect tool for the job. [See Winmate rugged tablets in vehicle diagnostics] -- Posted Tuesday, June 17, 2014 by chb

Smith Micro delivers Android and Windows 8.1 connectivity and security solutions for enterprise and public sector
Smith Micro announced the release of two new QuickLink Mobility solutions targeted for enterprises and public safety agencies. QuickLink Mobile VPN for Android and QuickLink Unified Connection & Security Manager for Windows 8.1 provide flexibility and control to expand mobile security and connectivity to a variety of mobile devices beyond legacy Windows-based platforms. Smith Micro said that in many industries where field equipment must be ruggedized, demand for smaller form factors is driving rapid replacement of larger laptops to ruggedized Windows 8.1 and Android tablets and smartphones. [See press release] -- Posted Friday, June 13, 2014 by chb

Added: Data Ltd. DLI 9008
With the DLI 9008, Data Ltd offers a remarkably light and handy, yet still rugged, Intel Bay Trail-powered tablet computer primarily intended for retail and hospitality deployment. The DLI 9008 has a 8-inch indoor/outdoor 1024 x 768 XGA display with projected capacitive touch. Note the innovative 5-in-1 module that attaches to the back of the tablet and offers scanning, RFID, MSR, keypad, and smart card reading. [See description, analysis and specs of the Data Ltd DLI 9008] -- Posted Wednesday, June 11, 2014 by chb

Technology achievement: RAM Mounts IP65-sealed 2.5-pound composite docking station
It's always been our belief that docks should be just as rugged and well-sealed as the devices they are being used for. That's what RAM Mounts offers with their new RAM docking station for the Harris RF-3590 rugged Android tablet. Weighing just 2.5 pounds, the dock carries an IP65 ingress protection rating and can be mounted in numerous ways. [See description and analysis of the RAM IP65 sealed dock and the RAM IP65 product page] -- Posted Wednesday, June 11, 2014 by chb

Panasonic adds Bay Trail powered version of its rugged 7-inch FZ-M1 Windows tablet as lower cost alternative
Panasonic announced an Intel "Bay Trail" Celeron N2807-powered version of the FZ-M1 7-inch rugged Windows tablet as a more affordable alternative to the standard FZ-M1 (see here). Panasonic targets the Celeron version, which starts at US$1,299, as a platform for cloud-based applications, delivery routing, email connectivity and other everyday tasks in the field. -- Posted Tuesday, June 10, 2014 by chb

MobileDemand: A rugged PC mounted on a forklift can set you apart
No matter how well-designed a warehouse is, it can be a difficult working environment. It's for storage, but the warehouse is also inherently one of the most mobile environments. Which means it must run smoothly and efficiently. And that's where rugged tablets come in. As a result, a rugged PC mounted on a forklift can set you apart, says MobileDemand CEO Matt Miller. [See A rugged PC mounted on a forklift can set you apart] -- Posted Monday, June 9, 2014 by chb