July 2021

Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, announced today the introduction of its dramatically upgraded Z14I fully-rugged laptop. The unit includes a slew of remarkable features, including an 11th Gen. Intel® Core™ processor, latest Thunderbolt™ 4, NVMe PCIe SSD drive, 14" FHD 1,000 nits display with proprietary DynaVue® sunlight-readable technology, fanless and hot-swappable battery design, MIL-STD-810H and MIL-STD-461G certifications, and ANSI/ISA 12.12.01-2000, CI/D2 classification. In addition, the newly upgraded Z14I delivers 1.6x faster CPU performance than its predecessor. [See Durabook media release]

First look at the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK G2
With the new TOUGHBOOK G2, Panasonic merges their Toughpad G1 tablet and Toughbook 20 hybrid laptop into one single product, only this time emphasizing the tablet aspect rather than the laptop aspect of the 10-inch high-end 2-in-1 hybrid. That may be because primary competitor Getac did the same with their UX10 tablet, which is clearly Panasonic's target. Of note is a modular design that allows extensive customization. [Read our description, specs and analysis of the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK G2] -- Posted Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Customizable TOUGHBOOK G2, a fully rugged, modular 2-in-1 tablet built for versatility
Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today announced availability of the new Panasonic TOUGHBOOK G2 product in the U.S. and Canada, which is a fully rugged 2-in-1 detachable tablet with optional keyboard that features an innovative modular design and user-removable expansion packs (xPAK's). Built on the TOUGHBOOK brand's legacy of durability and reliability, the TOUGHBOOK G2 is designed to address the evolving needs of today's mobile workforce and help users tackle the toughest, mission-critical jobs and assignments. [See Panasonic media release] -- Posted Wednesday, July 21, 2021

New post: Thunderbolt 4
Is Thunderbolt 4 the crowning "one wire" connectivity and charging answer to the increasingly fragmented USB landscape? A look at how USB developed and how it all culminated (for now) in Thunderbolt 4. Plus putting it to the test with Getac's latest Intel 11th-gen rugged 2-in-1s and the Anker PowerExpand 5-in-1 Thunderbolt 4 Mini Dock. [Read Thunderbolt 4 -- Is it the crowning “one wire” connectivity and charging answer to the increasingly fragmented USB landscape?] -- Posted Tuesday, July 20, 2021

MobileDemand launches sleek and powerful rugged xTablet T1190
MobileDemand, provider of rugged tablets and mobile all-in-one computing solutions for enterprise productivity, today announced the launch of the xTablet T1190 as part of their portfolio of rugged xTablets. Optional add-on functionality such as multi-payment systems and barcode scanner enable the dynamic tablet to support today's ever-changing retail environment. At only 15 millimeters in depth, the company's thinnest tablet is designed to be easily carried and operated throughout the day. The new Windows® xTablet T1190 is available now for immediate delivery. [See MobileDemand media release] -- Posted Friday, July 16, 2021

Handheld NAUTIZ X6 simplifies job-site management
The Handheld Group's latest newsletter alerts to an interesting customer solutions study. It shows how Handheld's Nautiz X6 allows construction companies to determine in real time what materials are needed at a job site. It's done via €asyGIS, a cloud-based GNSS receiver solution that supplies precise survey data, paired with the rugged Nautiz X6 data collector at the construction site. [See Measurement and Billing at the Push of a Button] -- Posted Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Full review: Getac S410
With the latest generation of the S410, Getac keeps their semi-rugged laptop platform state-of-the-art and beyond, providing the very latest in scalable performance and economical operation. Between 11th generation Intel Core processors with their Iris Xe graphics, super-fast PCIe NVMe storage, unmatched battery capacity, and vastly customizable connectivity and functionality, Getac aced this upgrade to their popular S410 notebook platform. [See full review of the Getac S410] -- Posted Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Zebra Technologies to acquire Fetch Robotics
Zebra Technologies, an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced it intends to acquire Fetch Robotics, a pioneer in on-demand automation. Fetch's Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) are used for optimized picking in fulfillment centers and distribution centers, just-in-time material delivery in manufacturing facilities and automating manual material movement in any facility. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Thursday, July 1, 2021