February 2015

It's always nice to see rugged mobile technology in action. A particularly impressive application is the use of a Getac V110 convertible notebook computer at the Cirque du Soleil Kurios touring production. The V110 runs the show's automation software, all of their inspection systems, operational and safety documentation, virtual sign-off processing, document management for all the schematics of all systems and every single connection and datapoint in the system. [See RuggedPCReview's detailed illustrated coverage of Getac V110 at Cirque du Soleil Kurios]

Microsoft announces first Windows 10 Technical Preview for Phones
On their blog, Microsoft announced that the first build of Windows 10 Technical Preview for phones is available now for Windows Insiders. Microsoft says the preview is still very much under development and those installing it will see some rough edges. Fo now, the build is limited to a number of Lumina phones (630, 635, 636, 638, 730 and 830). [See Microsoft blog] -- Posted Friday, February 13, 2015

Panasonic releases Toughbook 54, a lighter, thinner and state-of-the-art semi-rugged laptop computer
Panasonic introduced the Toughbook 54, a semi-rugged notebook that emphasizes light weight and a slim profile while providing high performance with a 5th generation Intel Core i5 processors as well as very good battery life (up to 18 hours with two batteries,). The new Toughbook is designed to a highly portable tool for mobile professionals who need durability, power and feature sets beyond what a standard consumer laptop can offer. [See description, analysis and specs of the Panasonic Toughbook 54] -- Posted Friday, February 13, 2015

AMREL announces new rugged night vision computing solutions
AMREL reports it now offers a full line of turn-key night vision solutions, fully compliant with MIL-STD 3009 and CECOM (CSLP) standards. The widespread use of night vision goggles has necessitated the adoption of light restricting filters for mobile computers. AMREL’s Night Vision Computing Solutions virtually eliminate all infrared emissions completely, which is important, since night vision goggles usually work in that part of the spectrum. AMREL Night Vision Computing Solutions are available for their ROCKY RS11 13.3-inch laptop, ROCKY DK10 12.1inch tablet, as well as their ROCKY DB6 handheld. [See AMREL media release -- Posted Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Corning plans to add sapphire-like scratch resistance to Gorilla Glass concept
At the annual investor meeting of Gorilla Glass manufacturer Corning, Corning Glass Technologies president James P. Clappin noted that the cover glass market is expected to grow, in part due to more and growing smartphones, and increasing business in emerging markets. Clappin also said “we have developed a new product that will provide sapphire-like scratch resistance while maintaining the legendary toughness and break resistance of Gorilla Glass.” The new glass is supposed to become available later in 2015.[ See Corning press release] -- Posted Monday, February 9, 2015

Motion releases Broadwell-based C5m and F5m rugged tablets
Motion Computing unveiled the next generation of its popular F5 and C5 rugged tablets. Both get a substantial performance increase with a switch to Intel "Broadwell" 5th generation Core processors (i3, i5, and i7 versions available), ultra-fast Gobi 4G XLTE WWAN, 802.11ac WiFi, m.2 instead of mSATA solid state disks, twice the base and maximum RAM, a higher resolution user-facing camera, and optional self-encrypting drives. The big news is the two generation processor leap, from Ivy Bridge to Broadwell, bringing higher processor performance, much more powerful graphics, and a 40% increase in battery life. [See Motion press release] and Motion CEO Poulin's blog] -- Posted Tuesday, February 3, 2015

iPhone 6 Plus isn't so big after all
Blast-from-the-past department: while Apple's iPhone 6 Plus is considered huge, it is actually dwarfed by Apple's Newton MessagePad 2000, which was introduced in 1997. Equipped with two full-size PC Cards and four AA batteries, the MP2000, which was considered small and handy at the time, weighs 1.48 pounds, almost four times as much as the sleek iPhone 6 Plus. Also of note: last used in 1998, the MP2000 came right up upon inserting four new AAs, all data intact. Will the 6 Plus do that in the year 2032? -- Posted Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Handheld Group strengthens product management
The Handheld Group announced it has strengthened its product management department with two new appointments: Johan He'd (left) is the company’s new Director Product Management and joins Handheld’s management team, while Johan Sätterman (right) is appointed Handheld’s new Product Manager. The new appointments are part of Handheld’s increased focus on product development and product management. [See Handheld press release] -- Posted Monday, February 2, 2015