Ultra-mobile rugged tablet computer
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Laporte, Indiana based Data Ltd Inc. was founded in the early 1990s as a manufacturer and reseller of wireless data collection devices. They carry mobile computers, vehicle mounted terminals, handhelds, scanners and rugged ultra-mobile tablets like the DLI 8400 shown here.

The DLI 8400 is something that we always felt would make a lot of sense--a rugged UMPC (Ultra-Mobile PC). Measuring a very compact 9 x 7.3 x 1.6 inches (and a bit more with the bumpers and other protrusions) and weighing a tad over three pounds, the DLI 8400 is powered by an ultra-efficient Intel Atom Z530 processor running at 1.6GHz. Depending on its intended application, the DLI 8400 can be configured with Windows XP, Embedded XP, Vista Business, or Debian Linux, and run on either a 60 or 80GB shock-mounted hard disk or an 8 to 64GB industrial SSD. The dual 2,600mAH Li-Ion battery packs are said to provide up to nine hours of life between charges.

The DLI has an indoor/outdoor viewable 7-inch display with a strong 350 nit backlight, a touch screen or active digitizer, and WSVGA (1024 x 600 pixel) wide-format resolution. There are three USB 2.0 ports, RS232 serial, an SD Card reader, gigabit Ethernet, a biometric reader, and a pass-through connector to a cradle. Also available are an integrated Honeywell Adaptus Imager, an integrated 3-track magstripe reader, RFID, SiRFstarIII GPS, 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi, Class 2 Bluetooth, dual 2-megapixel cameras (front and back), VoIP, and various WWAN radios supported by Verzon, AT&T and T-Mobile.

There's a backlit 30-key QWERTY or numeric keyboard, and an impact-resistant ABS+PC polymer housing provides IP54 sealing and a 4-foot drop spec. The operating temperature range is a very wide -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Data Ltd targets their rugged UMPC at applications in field service, fleet management, police/fire/EMS, warehouse & distribution, building inspection, route accounting, direct store delivery, field payments and other areas where a small, rugged device is needed.