September 2018

With the fully-rugged TC72 and the mobile broadband-equipped but otherwise largely identical TC77, Zebra has launched an intelligent upgrade to its well-received TC70X/TC75X Series of ultra-rugged enterprise handhelds. It's an upgrade that not only enhances hardware performance, communication and performance, but also addresses OS software with the latest version of Android, and an expanded array of workforce productivity, security, management and connectivity enhancements. [See description, analysis and specs of the Zebra TC72/TC77]

Zebra TC52/TC57 rugged Android handhelds: first look
The job of enterprise handhelds is to be tools for jobs in retail, manufacturing, transportation, logistics and more. They should be as familiar and easy to use as smartphones, but be much tougher and more easily integrated into enterprise IT infrastructures. With Windows Mobile gone, providers of enterprise handhelds can finally fully concentrate on Android, and that's what Zebra's new TC52 and its mobile broadband-capable TC57 sibling are all about. [See description, analysis and specs of the Zebra TC52/TC57] -- Posted Thursday, September 27, 2018

Getac announces new F110-Ex tablet, for exceptional productivity in hazardous environments
Getac Getac has today announced the launch of the new F110-Ex fully-rugged tablet, as an enhancement to its popular F110 model, designed to deliver unrivalled efficiency, reliability and safety to workers in hazardous environments. In many industrial sectors, extreme temperatures, poor weather conditions and close contact with dangerous substances are all factors to contend with daily. Workers need devices they can rely on for efficient field maintenance, accurate safety checks and equipment monitoring tasks. IT failure not only has a significant impact on productivity, it also puts lives at risk. [See Getac media release] -- Posted Thursday, September 27, 2018

Zebra Technologies unveils next evolution of enterprise mobile touch computing solutions
Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, today unveiled the next generation of enterprise-class handheld mobile touch computers designed to help retail, manufacturing and transportation and logistics companies empower their front-line workers to deliver a superior level of customer service and satisfaction. These new models add to Zebra's industry-leading portfolio of Android-based, enterprise-class mobility solutions available to customers and to Zebra's PartnerConnect community. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Thursday, September 27, 2018

Panasonic remains leading rugged notebook in Europe
Panasonic has extended its position as Europe’s leading rugged notebook manufacturer for the 17th consecutive year, according to the latest market analysis from VDC Research. Its Panasonic TOUGHBOOK range maintained a leading share of the European rugged notebook market with a 57% revenue share of sales in 2017. The Panasonic Toughpad tablet range also continued to lead the European rugged tablet market with a 56% revenue share of sales. The company has now aggressively set its sights on the rugged handheld market with the launch of innovative new products for the fast growing retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics sectors. -- Posted Thursday, September 27, 2018

Aurora Plastics improves workforce productivity with Janam RFID solution
Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, announced today that Aurora Plastics, a leader in thermoplastic compounds, is using the XM2-RFID rugged mobile computer to identify and track railcars within its railyard. The recovery of the US housing market and a rise in construction have fueled increased demand for PVC building materials. With its focus on innovation and a commitment to consistently delivering highest-quality products and exceptional customer service, Aurora Plastics needed to improve processes for unloading more than 100 million pounds of PVC resin annually from railcars at its Streetsboro, Ohio facility. [See Janam media release] -- Posted Wednesday, September 26, 2018

AMobile earns International Design Excellence Award 2018 from IDSA
AMobile Intelligent Corp., a joint venture by MediaTek, Arbor, and Konka Group, an expert in industrial mobile computers, has achieved its design pinnacle by receiving the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) 2018 organized by The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA). The awarded product, Mobile Inspection Assistant G60, has won Red Dot, Good Design, Computex d&i, Taiwan Excellence, China Industrial IoT, and IDEA Award, which proves AMobile's capabilities of R&D and Innovations, as well as leading the industry to fulfill market applications and demands. [See AMobile media release] -- Posted Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Zebra introduces updated Personal Shopper device
You're in a store and can't find something, or you want to do a price check, see if there's a coupon, talk to a manager, have a question, pick up an order, check the running total of your items, or whatever. What do you do? Try to find someone to help you? Whip out your smartphone and see if you have the store app that might help? Zebra Technologies thinks there is a better way. Their PS20 Personal Shopper. [See description, analysis and specs of the Zebra PS20 Personal Shopper] -- Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Zebra rugged tablets power first digital incident command, fire roster solution in North America
Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, announced that Battalion 3 Technologies (BATT3) has exclusively chosen the Zebra® XSLATE R12 rugged tablet to deliver its digital Incident Command (ICx) and Fire Roster software to first responders nationwide. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Tuesday, September 25, 2018

IMC Companies relies on DT Research purpose-built rugged tablets for transportation system management in the field
DT Research, the world's leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced that IMC Companies, a nationwide leader in intermodal logistics and the largest marine drayage provider in the U.S., relies on DT301T rugged tablets for backend transportation system management and container maintenance coordination within IMC Companies yards. IMC Companies selected DT Research's DT301T rugged tablets based on the superior durability, reliability, sunlight readable and cost-effectiveness of the units, which is made possible through DT Research's unique purpose-built design. [See DT Research media release] -- Posted Monday, September 24, 2018

Tech: It is high time for IR sensor 2.0
The IR sensor is a crucial component in many everyday products, ranging from medical equipment to mobile phones. But the technology is 50 years old and in serious need of an upgrade. The next generation IR sensor 2.0 for IoT will be much thinner than old sensors and cheaper to manufacture. [Read It is high time for IR sensor 2.0 — and this is why, by Robert Ekström] -- Posted Monday, September 24, 2018

Rugged tablets help secure borders
RuggON Corporation, a leading provider of rugged tablets and vehicle mount computers, points out that in 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Much has changed since the country's first CBP agents got their revolver, a shiny badge, and had to get on their own horse to patrol on the 7500 miles of US land borders. Nowadays, agents use many vehicle-based technologies as well as land-based radar, video camera surveillance, and aerial reconnaissance to carry out their daily jobs. And with the transition of in-vehicle equipment from laptops to tablets, devices such as the RuggON PX501 can fit the flexible requirements for operation in the field. [See Rugged tablets help secure borders] -- Posted Thursday, September 20, 2018

Getac announces 12.5-inch high-performance rugged tablet with detachable keyboard option
Getac introduced the K120, a fully rugged 12.5-inch tablet designed to meet the challenges faced by public safety personnel around the world, but suitable for numerous other demanding applications. Implemented as a "detachable laptop," the K120 can be used either as a tablet or in conjunction with an optional value-added keyboard dock that allows use as a full-function laptop. The K140 further shines with an all quad-core 8th generation Intel Core processor lineup of available CPUs. [See RuggedPCReview's description, analysis and specs of the Getac K120] -- Posted Wednesday, September 19, 2018

DT Research designs 7-inch multifunctional rugged tablets that deliver unparalleled versatility
DT Research, the leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the DT372AP and DT370CR rugged tablets, which have been precision designed to serve the needs of a myriad of users across an organization. DT Research tapped into decades of experience within construction, field services, government, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, military, transportation and warehousing to design a sleek, military-grade tablet with a 7-inch sunlight-readable display that is high performance, yet energy-efficient and includes robust information capture and wireless communications for seamless indoor-outdoor workflow. [See DT Research media release] -- Posted Monday, September 17, 2018

First look: Janam XG200
Rugged handhelds computers with integrated industrial-grade scanning are big business. While they are handhelds, they are as completely different from consumer phones as it gets. Tough, rugged, ergonomic, functional, dedicated to their target applications. For many that includes physical keypads. Janam's newly introduced XG200 is such as device. RuggedPCReview.com took a first look at the XG200. [See description, analysis and specs of the Janam XG200] -- Posted Friday, September 14, 2018

Janam boosts workforce productivity with new Android-based rugged mobile computer
Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers that scan barcodes and communicate wirelessly, today introduced its newest and most technologically advanced addition to its XG series of gun-shaped, rugged mobile computers. The XG200 features industry-leading design, delivers superior barcode scanning technology and enables peak performance in the most demanding work environments. [See Janam press release] -- Posted Thursday, September 13, 2018

What happend in rugged computing 10 years ago: September 2008
In September 2008, we wondered if WiMax was for real and said LTE would probably win. Panasonic introduced the Toughbook F8, T8 and W8. Lenovo introduced the ThinkPad X200t convertible notebook. Psion introduced the rugged 9.7-ounce NEO handheld, and Intermec introduced the CK3 rugged handheld. We reviewed the Getac P470 semi-rugged notebook, and Getac also announced a new superbright display for their V100. And salt fog certification for their rugged B300 notebook. Motion computing upgraded their LE1700 tablet with Core 2 Duos, SSDs, and an ultra-sharp SXGA+ display. [See what happened in rugged computing 10 years ago] -- Posted Thursday, September 13, 2018

Winmate's newsletters
Winmate Inc's weekly newsletters are a great example of how to continuously inform potential and existing customers and any other interested parties of new products and developments. Concise, to the point, and beautifully designed and illustrated, we always look forward to them. The last few weekly issues covered Winmate military solutions, Winmate rugged mobile solutions for public safety, and update on Winmate’s latest Marine Grade Box PC, and the availability of Android 7 on several of Winmate's Android handhelds and tablets. Nice job! -- Posted Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Ditching laptops for tablets — evolution or disruptive paradigm shift?
Is wholesale replacement of laptops with tablets the hallmark of disruptive technology? One that has not evolved smoothly from what was there before, but leaped ahead to another way of doing things? One that cannot be smoothly bridged no matter how you try. One that means leaving skills and methods and experience behind and start over? [See full article Ditching laptops for tablets — evolution or disruptive paradigm shift?] -- Posted Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Lancashire NHS Hospital Trust improves information management and patient care with Zebra Technologies
Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, announced that Lancashire Teaching Hospitals National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust has deployed the Zebra's MC18 and MC55 mobiles computers along with technology from Zebra partner, Ingenica Solutions for enhanced information management and patient care. [See Zebra news release] -- Posted Monday, September 10, 2018

Juniper Systems announces strong fiscal year in 2018
Juniper Systems, a privately and employee-owned leading manufacturer of rugged tablets and handheld computers, announced today a second consecutive fiscal year of double-digit growth. The company’s fiscal year ended Aug. 31. “Juniper Systems’ success story looks different than many modern tech start-up companies,” said DeVon Labrum, the company’s CEO. “We’ve focused on strategic slow-burning, hard-fought disruption, and it has paid off. We’ve been around for a quarter of a century and don’t show any signs of stagnating. That’s unique today among tech.” [See Juniper media release ] -- Posted Monday, September 10, 2018

Cincoze launches P1100 Series slim embedded computer with CDS technology
Cincoze, a professional manufacturer of embedded computing platforms, is pleased to introduce its latest fanless slim embedded computer "P1100 series". The system is designed to be positioned as "One Computer, Two Appliances", it can be used as both embedded computer or system module for industrial panel PC. PC-1100 series is powered by Intel Apollo Lake processors including Intel® Atom® x7-E3950 and Intel Pentium® N4200. Compared to Intel® Bay Trail platform, Intel® Apollo Lake processor increases 1.7 times more computing power and supports faster memory speeds. Integrated with Gen9 Intel® HD Graphics 505, the processor can deliver greatly increased video encode and playback performance for media-rich applications. [See Cincoze media release] -- Posted Friday, September 7, 2018

Rugged World 2018 — The UK's Biggest rugged technology event
On 27th September, Rugged World 2018, will once again be hosted by Ci Distribution . Following on from the successful 2017 event, this year promises a day of insights for delegates to discover the latest products and trends within the Rugged Device Industry. We’ve got some fantastic speakers lined up, as well as market-leading vendors such as Getac, Panasonic and NetMotion, plus many more exhibiting their latest innovations, devices, software and accessories. Don’t miss out on this fantastic day, there are just a few FREE tickets left, so register here today. -- Posted Thursday, September 6, 2018

Honeywell mobile computers validated for Google-led Android Enterprise Recommended program
Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that three of its rugged mobile computers used by distribution center, logistics, delivery and retail workers have been validated for the Google-led Android Enterprise Recommended program, which helps businesses select the right devices to meet their needs. Inclusion in the program demonstrates that Honeywell's mobile computers meet strict technical specifications and extended lifecycle support requirements. Devices in the program provide customers with easy enrollment options, timely software and security updates, business-ready hardware features and support for multiple versions of the Android operating system. [See Honeywell media release] -- Posted Thursday, September 6, 2018

DigiTimes: Getac sees August revenues increase 17% on year
According to DigiTimes, rugged PC vendor Getac announced consolidated revenue of NT$2.4 billion (US$77.28 million) for August, up 17.08% on year with combined consolidated revenues from January to August rising 13.72% on year to reach NT$15.85 billion (US$510.4 million). -- Posted Thursday, September 6, 2018

Bealls Inc. optimized customer experience, omnichannel strategy with Zebra Technologies
Bealls Inc. knows the importance of using technology to meet the ever-increasing expectations of its customers. Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), an innovator at the edge of the enterprise with solutions and partners that enable businesses to gain a performance edge, announced Bealls, Inc. has equipped retail associates across their Bealls Stores, Bealls Outlet, and Burkes Outlet locations with the TC51 touch computer to improve productivity, enrich omnichannel fulfillment and enhance the customer experience. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Buyers confused by rugged mobile computing terminology
According to Panasonic, buyers of rugged mobile computing devices are confused by the terminology describing just how tough their notebooks, tablets and handheld devices are. New research reports 85% of business buyers of mobile computing devices believe standards for ruggedness are already in place – and yet none exist.
The independent research of 250 UK mobile technology buyers, conducted by Opinion Matters and commissioned by Panasonic, shows that the language being used by manufacturers of business and consumer devices is confusing the marketplace. [See Panasonic media release and RuggedPCReview’s Why ruggedness testing matters] -- Posted Wednesday, September 5, 2018