Toughen up! Five rugged handheld solutions for your business

Socket SoMo 650-M Mobile Computer
www.socketmobile.com
Looking somewhat sleeker than your typical rugged device, the SoMo fills the gap between the trad PDA and the hardcore industrial unit. It has Windows Mobile, 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 2.0, and is powered by a 624MHz processor with 128MB RAM. Despite the compact(-ish) design (178g) it will still withstand mutiple 1m drops, and operate at temperatures up to 50˚.

GETAC PS535E
www.getac.com
GETAC specialises in rugged products for all levels up to and including the military, so you know you are getting something that will withstand more than day-to-day wear with the PS535E. Shock, drop, vibration and waterproof it also passed the tumble test of 1000 half metre tumbles. At 300g it’s a hefty device but comes with specs to match, with highlights including 2GB internal storage, CF and SD card slots, and eight-hour battery life.

Opticon H16
www.opticonmobility.com
The H16 looks like a more traditional business device with its compact design and slide-out qwerty keyboard. And while it is not ruggedised it is perfect for the shop floor with its integrated barcode scanner. Other devices would require an add-on, attached through the Compact Flash or SD card slots. Battery life is not so good though, delivering just four hours of talk time and it lacks the expansion options of some of the other devices.

Archer Ultra-Rugged PDA
www.junipersys.com
The Archer rugged PDA is lighter on features than some of its competitors but also offers a greater capacity for tailoring the device to your requirements. GPS, Bluetooth, cellular modems and more add-ons are available and attach via an extended cap, while wi-fi can also be added through either the CF or SD card slots. The bare bones system will deliver as much as 20 hours of use on a single battery charge. In terms of its ultra-rugged credentials, this PDA is tested against water, humidity, sand and dust, vibration, altitude, shock,
high temperature and low temperature.

Otterbox cases
www.otterbox.com
If you absolutely cannot do without your BlackBerry then an Otterbox is the next best thing. The BlackBerry-specific models are semi-rugged and not waterproof, so will withstand a few drops but not up to the same standard as a proper rugged device. Alternatively the Armor range of Otterboxes fits 99% of PDAs and is airtight, waterproof and crushproof.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Pages: 1 2