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WPI Husky fex21

A smaller, lighter Husky that may just fit the (much smaller) bill. (June 1999 issue)

You may have seen Husky's ads for its new Windows CE device, the fex21, in the last couple of issues of Pen Computing Magazine. If you are familiar with Husky's family of FC series you probably noted the strong family resemblance. After all, nothing else looks like a Husky with its unique curved Òopen bookÓ design that cleverly combines a keyboard with a easily accessible pen/touch screen. We've reviewed several of WPI Husky Technology's tough and rugged mobile computers over years and always came away impressed with their durability and performance. They did, however, weigh almost five pounds and occupy a footprint of 8.5 x 11 inchesÑmobile for sure, but terribly so if you're on your feet for most of an eight hour shift.

Big name for a tough little machine Enter the new fex21, which is short for ÒField Explorer for the 21st Century.Ó While that moniker is perhaps not quite as melodious as HP's choice of ÒJornadaÓ or as descriptive as Panasonic's ÒToughbook,Ó the device itself is a stunner. It's much, much smaller than the FC series computers. In this regard, Husky's ad, where the fex21 looks quite substantial, is somewhat misleading. In reality, WPI Husky's latest has a footprint that's actually smaller than an opened handheld PC such as the Philips Velo 500 or the HP Jornada 680. Yes, the Husky fex21 measures just 7.5 x 6.1 inches, is about an inch and a half thick, and weighs 1.63 pounds, a third of Husky's big guys. Veterans of the handheld computing and communicator arena might compare the overall shape to the Sony Magic Link 2000.

Powered by Windows CE The reason for all of this is that the fex21 is powered by Windows CE which means it doesn't need a hard disk or a big battery to drive a power hungry Intel processor. Instead, the dex21 is built around a 75MHz MIPS R3900 series RISC chip from Toshiba, basically the same chip that drives several second generation handheld and palm-size PCs from Philips, Sharp, and Compaq. Unlike those products, however, the fex21 is built from the ground up to comply with military style drop and sealing specifications. To be honest, at first sight the little Husky doesn't look that tough. Unlike its bigger magnesium-clad brothers, its case is made of aqua and gray plastic (make that Impact Modified Plastic). Yet, due to the laws of physics that in some instances are kinder to small, light objects than to big, heavy ones, the fex21 is actually almost as tough as the big guys. It can handle a 48-inch drop onto a hard surface, is IP65 water resistant (as opposed to IP67 water proof for the FC-PX5), and can operate within a temperature range from 14 to 122 degree Fahrenheit for the monochrome unit, and 32 to 104 degrees for the color unit. The Husky's unique "open book" design means that it doesn't any hinges that could break. For a detailed listing of all the environmental standards that the fex21 meets or exceeds, check the Husky web site.

Screen options WPI Husky offers a choice of three different 640 x 240 pixel screens for the fex21. If you primarily work outdoors, select either the color or monochrome transflective screens. For indoor usage, the color DSTN is probably the best choice. Our pre-production preview unit had the monochrome screen. It was reminiscent of all first and second generation HPC displays. Fairly dark black over sort of a military green background. We didn't see the color transflective screen which may be the prefect compromise for most users. Like all CE-based HPCs, the fex21 uses a touch screen.

Keyboard: small but functional The Husky's keyboard on the other hand, IS a compromise, that of providing the functionality of keyboard in a very small package. The 75 hard, glossy chiclet-style keys are arranged in rows that ergonomically curve away from you, thus easing some of the pain of the 68%-scale affair with its organizer-like 12.9mm key pitch. The point, however, is that this Husky has a full keyboard with all the pertinent keys. The little unit also shines in the interface and I/O department. It has the Windows CE-standard serial and IrDA ports, speaker and microphone, CompactFlash compartment, room for not one but two Type II PC Cards (or one Type III), an RJ-11 jack for the internal 33.6kbps V34bis softmodem, and even an optional second DB9 serial port. The Docking station provides serial communication, charging, and even an USB port. Among the options available for the fex21 are a vehicle mount, a docking station, a carry case, and an integrated Symbol Technologies SE900 laser scanner. On the software side, the fex21 runs standard Windows CE 2.11 and contains the entire H/PC Pro application suite, all in 16MB of flash ROM. This means that users will be able to not only run whatever job-specific applications their device may be deployed with, but also the pocket versions of Word, Excel, Internet Explorer, and Access. Synchronizing the fex21 with a desktop or notebook computer is no different from synchronizing any other CE device. Data storage is on the internal 16 to 32MB of low power DRAM.

Battery life: good news Since the fex21 has a very energy-efficient processor, an equally energy-efficient LCD display (the DSTN color screen is somewhat less efficient), and no hard disk, the device can easily operate on a rechargeable NiMH battery pack or even four AA alkalines (also contained in a battery pack). A rechargeable backup battery retains all data for up to 72 hours if the main battery pack is removed or empty. Though the fex21 lasts through an entire shift and most likely several, it pays to bring along a few spare batteries: as in some other CE devices, power is indicated only as "good," "low," or "very low." The Husky fex21 is one of the first ruggedized Windows CE device designed specifically for vertical markets. It stays true to Husky's "open book" design philosophy and innovative combination of keyboard and touch screen functionality in a tough package. The big difference, however, is that the Windows CE platform permits that package to be considerably smaller and lighter, and also considerably less expensive. -

­ Conrad H. Blickenstorfer