October 2013

With consumer tablets selling in the tens and hundreds of millions, makers of ruggedized computing equipment find themselves guessing how to best fill the rapidly growing demand for somewhat more rugged tablets with just the right combination of price, ease-of-use, performance, size, weight and features. RuggedPCReview examined the versatile, economically priced GammaTech Durabook CA10, a semi-rugged 10.1-inch Intel Atom-based Windows tablet with resistive multi-touch. [See review of the GammaTech Durabook CA10]

Apple remains on top of tablet market for Q3/2013
According to market analysts IHS, for the third quarter 2013, Apple shipped 14.25 million tablets (down a bit from the prior quarter), Samsung 10.7 million (up 23%). Asus, Lenovo and Acer followed, all shipping fewer than 2 million tablets. Total tablet shipments were at 48 million, up 5 million from Q2/2013, and mostly contributed by inexpensive 7-inch white box tablets from China. Rhoda Alexander, director, tablet research for IHS said "Cheaper almost always wins the volume race, and competitors were quick to adjust pricing when it became clear that it was impossible to achieve anything close to Apple's shipment growth at the same price level. The resulting surge in sub-US$250 alternatives catapulted Android to the leading operating system in tablets in the third quarter of 2012, but left vendors searching for profit in an increasingly competitive market." -- Posted Thursday, October 31, 2013 by chb

Motion Computing tablets used in medical simulation training
An important part of a healthcare professional's education is simulation training, where specially designed mannequins -- robots, really -- help prepare students for the real thing. Motion Computing has announced that McLennan Community College in Waco, TX, is now using Motion tablets with Gaumard software to wirelessly have the simulator mannequins respond according to the treatment provided by the student. [See Motion press release] -- Posted Tuesday, October 29, 2013 by chb

Xplore selects Red Bend for over-the-air software updates for rugged tablets
Xplore Technologies announced it has selected Red Bend, a leader in Mobile Software Management (MSM) with more than 1.75 billion Red Bend-Enabled devices, to provide firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates to Xplore's RangerX rugged Android tablet with Red Bend's OTA Updating Service for Android. The software will ensure that RangerX users will always have the most updated device, increasing efficiency and enhancing user experience. -- Posted Thursday, October 24, 2013 by chb

Bud Industries introduces IP65-sealed tablet enclosures
Bud Industries, a manufacturer of electronic enclosures, has announced tablet enclosures that meet the IP65 rating for waterproofing and dust. Bud enclosures are made of high-impact ABS plastic that is flame retardant, and are available with an optional, oil-tolerant silicone gasket that seals out water and airborne contaminants. Therefore they are well suited for industrial automation and control applications, where tablets may be used in harsh environmental conditions. [See Bud tablet enclosures] -- Posted Wednesday, October 23, 2013 by chb

Apple event: new iPads
At Apple's media event in San Francisco, the company mentioned that 65% of all iOS devices are running iOS7 already, and that a total of 60 billion apps have been downloaded, resulting in US$13 billion for developers.

Apple said over 170 million iPads have been sold to-date, and introduced a new iPad mini with a retina 2048 x 1536 display that's a bit smaller at 7.9 inches. It has a A7 chip, and the 16GB WiFi version is US$399, available November. The original iPad mini remains, now starting at US$299.

Apple also introduced the iPad Air that's thinner (7.5mm vs. 9.4 mm) and lighter (1 pound instead of 1.35 lbs.) than the 4th gen iPad. It has the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion processor (same as iPhone 5S), and still a 9.7-inch retina display, but with a smaller side bezel. There is now a 5mp iSight camera. The iPad Air replaces full-size iPads and starts at $499 for the 16GB WiFi version, and 16GB/cellular for $629. The iPad 4 is gone but the iPad 2 remains available at $399. The iPad Air can be ordered (and ships) November 1. -- Posted Tuesday, October 22, 2013 by chb

Getac announces technologically advanced, impressively thin and light rugged F110 tablet and V110 convertible
Getac is blazing new trails with the new V110—the thinnest and lightest rugged convertible—and the F110, the thinnest and lightest fully rugged large screen tablet. The V110 is a rugged convertible that is 1.34 inches thick and weighs 4.4 pounds, the F110 a tablet that's just under an inch thick, weighs just over three pounds. Both new rugged devices offer a choice of Intel "Haswell" 4th generation Core i5 and i7 processors, have 11.6-inch dual-input multi-touch displays, fast 802.11ac WiFi, and 4G LTE. Both carry IP65 sealing, have impressive -6° to 140°F operating temperature ranges, and battery life well beyond full shifts. [See RuggedPCReview's description, analysis and specs of the Getac F110 and Getac V110] -- Posted Tuesday, October 15, 2013 by chb

Motion expands their mobile technology platform, and unveils new software and productivity accessories for rugged tablets
Motion Computing, one of the original leaders and pioneers of tablet computers, introduced the next generation of their C5 (geared towards healthcare) and F5 (targeted at field operations) series of rugged Windows tablets. The new C5te and F5te benefit from changed Intel 3rd generation Core processor choices, increased RAM and solid state disk capacity, and new 10-finger multi-touch. At the same time, Motion also launched new image sharing and documentation software, an asset and inventory management UHF RFID reader, and workflow-enabling accessories. [See Motion press release and RuggedPCReview's description, analysis, and specs of the Motion F5te] -- Posted Tuesday, October 8, 2013 by chb

TabletKiosk announces trade-up program
TabletKiosk announced the availability of a new trade-up program designed to provide customers a hassle-free way to upgrade their existing TabletKiosk hardware. Through December 31, 2013, customers can trade in their older Sahara Slate PC or Sahara NetSlate Tablet PCs and receive $50 to $500 credit towards the purchase of a new Sahara Slate PC i575/i535 or Sahara NetSlate a525. Additionally, TabletKiosk may also accept trade-ins from competing Tablet PC manufacturers on a case-by-case basis. For more information about trading in competitors’ tablets, please call 310-782-1201. -- Posted Tuesday, October 1, 2013 by chb

Delta Air Lines to equip 11,000 pilots with Microsoft Surface 2 tablets
Microsoft reported that Delta Air Lines is equipping its 11,000 pilots with electronic flight bags using the Microsoft Surface 2 tablet. Device rollout to pilots flying the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 fleets will start later this year and all Delta cockpits are projected to be paperless by the end of 2014. The tablets will provide flight crews real-time access to essential tools and the most up-to-date flight-related resources including key charts, reference documents and checklists while saving the airline $13 million per year in fuel and associated costs. Our take: That's a big win for the much maligned Windows RT. But it's also a big loss for Microsoft's tablet hardware partners (like Motion Computing, Xplore, etc.) who, before Microsoft began making its own tablets, would have had a chance to land such contracts. [See Microsoft press release] -- Posted Tuesday, October 1, 2013 by chb