Panasonic for the Environmental Friendly

Panasonic's Toughbook line just became even more appealing to those who are conscientious of the environment. The current line of Panasonic Toughbook's are EPEAT certified. What does this mean exactly?

EPEAT evaluates electronic products in relation to 51 total environmental criteria -– 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria. To qualify for registration as an EPEAT product, the product must conform to all the required criteria. Products are also ranked in EPEAT according to three tiers of environmental performance - Bronze, Silver, and Gold. All registered products must meet the required criteria, and achieve Bronze status. The Panasonic Toughbook's have a silver EPEAT rating meaning that they meet all 23 required criteria plus at least 50% of the optional criteria.

Here is a list of the Panasonic Toughbook's that have the silver EPEAT rating:

• Toughbook 19
• Toughbook 30
• Toughbook 52
• Toughbook 74
• Toughbook W5
• Toughbook Y5
• Toughbook T5
• Toughbook W7
• Toughbook Y7
• Toughbook T7
• Toughbook U1

On each product page an image signifying the silver EPEAT rating is found at the bottom of the overview page. It will look like this:
More Toughbook products will continue to be added as they are released and approved by EPEAT.

For anyone interested in a full list of the criteria that has to be met in order to become EPEAT certified, click here: http://www.epeat.net/Criteria.aspx#criteriatable

Click here for more information on Panasonic's EPEAT approved Toughbook products.

Panasonic Toughbook H1 (MCA) Mobile Clinical Assistant

Panasonic recently announced it's newest product to be added to their line-up: the Toughbook H1 MCA (mobile clinical assistant). The Toughbook H1 is lightweight, durable and ideal for the healthcare environment. Based on Intel's reference design, Panasonic's new Toughbook H1 features a bright 10.4" dual-touch display that offers both tablet and touchscreen functionality. It weighs only 3.4 lbs, with hot swappable twin batteries, and dimensions of 10.4" x 10.6" x 1.3-2.3". This mobile computing platform features an 80GB shock-mounted hard drive, the latest Intel® mobile processor technology, embedded wireless capabilities, and is designed to meet the specific needs of healthcare professionals. Below is a list of noteable features to the Panasonic H1.

• Fully-rugged durability for healthcare use with sealed fanless design for easy sanitization
• Long-life hot-swappable twin batteries provide limitless hours of use
• Built-In Camera, RFID reader, and Optional Barcode reader
• Lightweight, ergonomic design with carry handle and strap
• Daylight readable 10.4" dual touch display
• Complete range of integrated wireless features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional Gobi 3G, and GPS

It will begin shipping in January of 2009.

Click here for more information on Panasonic's Toughbook H1 MCA (Mobile Clinical Assistant)

General Dynamics GoBook XR-1 Display Screen Technology

BLUtube is powered by PoliceOne.com

Swiss Army Carrying Cases

Not only is Wenger the maker of the genuine Swiss Army Knife, but also the makers of carrying cases. Their line of cases includes:

• Notebook Cases
• Computer Backpacks
• Wheeled Cases
• Executive Accessories
• Notepad Refills

With such a variety of cases, you are guaranteed to find one to suit your needs. These variety of carrying cases can fit notebooks ranging from 15.4" to 17". These cases are made of strong materials that will last. They also contain a number of compartments and pockets to store all your accessories and files in an organized manner.

Click here for more information on Wenger's Swiss Army Cases.

Panasonic Announces 8 Series

Panasonic just recently announced its up and coming line of business rugged laptops called the 8 Series. The 8 Series consists of the F8, T8, and W8. All three of these laptops come with optional Gobi 3G wireless capability. This latest wireless technology allows you to have wireless capability virtually anywhere. A big upgrade with the 8 series is the increased hard drive storage. The F8 features a 160GB hard drive, and both the T8 and W8 feature a 120GB hard drive. These hard drives are removable and shock-mounted. The F8 and W8 come standard with a DVD Super Multi Drive with dual layer support. All three of the 8 Series laptops feature Intel Core 2 Duo processor technology. Another notable difference in the wireless options for the 8 Series laptops is the addition of draft-n Wi-Fi capability. The video adapters also got an upgrade to the Intel GS45. They all feature a lightweight and durable rugged design. The F8, T8, and W8 all have full magnesium casing and spill-proof keyboards. Their weight ranges from 3.0 lbs to 3.7 lbs. There is not a set release date on the 8 Series yet.

Click here for more information on the Panasonic Toughbook F8.

Motorola MC35 Handheld Mobile Computer

The Motorola MC35 handheld mobile computer will keep your on-the-move workers connected, responsive and productive. This pocketable device puts the combined power of a mobile phone, notebook, camera and bar code scanner at the fingertips of your employees, in a durable device whose product life well exceeds that of the traditional consumer smartphone or PDA. The convergence of voice and data translates into one device for employees to carry and one device for IT to manage — simplifying your mobility architecture and your capital and operational costs. The robust mobile data capabilities include email, instant and text messaging, image capture and casual bar code scanning.

The MC35 offers business-essential durability, as it is built and tested to be able to withstand everyday use in a variety of environments. It's Intel XScale PXA270 (416 MHz) processor allows for desktop-like multimedia performance with lower power requirements. The Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition or the optional Mobile 6.0 operating system enables comprehensive voice and data enterprise functionality, including multimedia support and persistent memory. The audio speakerphone, headset, and push-to-talk functionality are flexible voice communication options that meet the needs of any business environment. It also has a high quality speakerphone, microphone, and transducer that provides outstanding voice quality and performance. The MC35 comes with EDGE GPRS/GSM compatibility for voice and high-speed wireless data. The optional wireless capability of 802.11 b/g allows for cost-effective data connectivity in the office. Bluetooth v1.2 comes standard with the Motorola MC35 and it functions as a wireless modem to allow for printing synchronization and much more. The GPS radio supports a wide range of value-add location-based services and applications.

An optional integrated high-resolution 2 megapixel camera with macro focus and LED flash enables on-the-spot high-quality imaging and enables the capture of documents as well as 1D and 2D bar codes. The MC35 features a 2.8" QVGA color touchscreen display that is easy to view in any lighting. Optional keyboard functionality choices allows multiple data input methods to maximize application functionality and serve user preference. It's user accessible SDIO card and multiple battery options gives ample power for full shifts in nearly any environment.

Click here for more information on the Motorola MC35.

Motorola MC3000 Rugged Handheld Mobile Computer

The Motorola MC3000 handheld mobile computer is small, lightweight and rugged for applications requiring high-quality data capture and high-performance real-time computing. you can customize this device to the specific demands of individual jobs, allowing employees to complete their work faster and with better results. The well-balanced brick form factor is ideal for scan-intensive environments, offering the best in comfort for your workers throughout an entire shift. The MC3000 excels at bar code scanning and wireless mobile computing within retail stores, warehouses, on loading docks, postal routes or any location demanding application performance and ruggedness.

The MC3000 has a light and ergonomic design that reduces user fatigue for higher productivity in scan-intensive applications. It's well-balanced brick form factor makes it comfortable to use in intensive scan environments for prolonged periods. The adjustable rotating scan turret with left, right, and front positions (laser version) allows the user to adjust the scanning positions for maximum comfort and productivity. The Motorola MC3000 has a 320 x 320 resolution color/mono display with backlighting. This is a 30% higher resolution than 1/4 VGA allows for, creating easy viewing in many environments for increased accuracy. The wireless 802.11 a/b/g LAN connectivity provides real-time data exchange. There is also an option for Bluetooth which enables the use of and wireless connection to a range of devices. The MC3000 has a rugged design that can withstand multiple 4' drops to concrete and up to 500 tumbles. It's IP54-rated sealing protects against water and dust for reliable performance in rough environmental conditions. The Intel XScale PXA270 processor and Microsoft Windows CE 5.0 (or Windows Mobile 6.1) operating system delivers high-speed CPU performance through familiar interfaces with wide software application support. The end user has keyboard options of 28, 38, and 48 keys to provide multiple data entry modes for maximum efficiency of the MC3000. It's device management with mobility services platform (MSP) enables real-time monitoring of critical mobile computer and wireless infrastructure parameters.

Click here for more information on the Motorola MC3000.

Motorola MC909X-K Rugged Handheld Mobile Computer

Designed for inside and outside work, the rugged MC909X-K offers advanced data capture options and integrated wireless, delivering true voice and data connectivity for salespeople, field repair personnel, and workers on the manufacturing, warehouse or retail floor. This versatile rugged handheld mobile computer scans 1D and 2D bar codes and images, while converging voice and multimedia running on nearly any application worldwide. This single cost-effective device offers rugged construction for harsh environments, combined with support for centralized remote management, to deliver the superior reliability and performance you need to put outstanding voice capabilities in the hands of your mobile workers.

The MC909X-K has an Intel XScale PXA270 624MHz processor that supports simple to complex multimedia applications. Enhanced memory architecture, 64MB expandable to 128MB, enables persistent storage. The operating systems Windows Mobile 5.0 Premium (non-WAN) or Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition (WAN) are offered with the Motorola MC909X-K and provide an intuitive user interface. The 1D and 2D bar code scanning allow for image capture and have intuitive laser aiming for automated real-time data capture. The integrated quad band EDGE/GPRS/GSM or iDEN radio WWAN options support converged applications world-wide through a single platform. The Bluetooth v1.2 radio allows for wireless synchronization, printing, and connection to a headset. The Motorola MX909X-K has an exceptionally rugged construction that is IP64 compliant and designed to withstand 6' drops to concrete across the operating temperature.

Click here for more information on the Motorola MC909X-K.

Motorola MC70 Rugged Handheld Mobile Computer

Put the power of a cell phone, PDA, computer, scanner and imager in the hands of your mobile workers with the first rugged enterprise digital assistant. Designed to withstand all-day everyday use in nearly any environment, this rugged Motorola MC70 handheld mobile computer delivers true anywhere, anytime wireless WAN/LAN/PAN voice and data communications, including superior voice functionality, data capture and the power to run nearly any application. This device provides everything your mobile task workers need to achieve a new level of enterprise productivity — whether they are in the warehouse, on the delivery route, on the retail floor taking inventory, or in a hospital.

The 3.5" color touchscreen display with LED backlighting makes for easy viewing in any lighting. The Intel XScale PXA270 624MHz processor it has offers desktop-like multimedia performance, but with a lower power requirements. End users can automate and error proof data collections, allowing for increased productivity, with use of the MC70's 1D and 2D bar code scanners which can scan from near contact to 55in. Users have the option of a 26-Key Numeric or 44-Key QWERTY keyboard. The Motorola MC70 offers support for standard and extended cards for expandable functionality. For the operating system the end user has a choice of Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Premium or Phone Edition. The MC70 is lightweight, yet rugged and built for year-round use in nearly any environment. The Motorola MC70 stood up to industry-leading double impact teting (drop and tumble) earning itself an IP54 rating.

Click here for more information on the Motorola MC70.

Motorola MC75 Mobile Computer

The Motorola MC75 Worldwide Enterprise Digital Assistant combines an unparalleled number of business capabilities into an easy-to-carry rugged device. 3.5G HSDPA and 3G CDMA-EVDO (Rev A) support provides high performance voice and data services around the globe. You will enjoy having all the features you need right at your fingertips in one device that is designed to endure all-day, everyday use outside the enterprise. The MC75 offers an array of features that set the bar for rugged design of the EDA-class devices. It has a rugged rating of IP54. Motorola's drop test is performed over the entire operating temperature range, ensuring dependable operation whether drops occur at room temperature or in exteme cold or heat.

The MC75 features a 3.5" (640 x 480) Transflective Color full VGA Touchscreen display that has LED backlighting. Choose from a number of options for the keyboard: 26-Key numeric, 44-Key QWERTY, 44-Key AZERTY, or 44-KEY QWERTZ. It comes with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional operating system and has 128MB memory with 256MB of storage available. The MC75 has a wireless configuration of GPS, WWAN GSM/GPRS, WPAN, and Bluetooth and also features a 1D scanner. Integrated optional upgrades include: WLAN 802.11 a/b/g, a 2D Pico Imager, and Sprint EVDO Rev A.

Click here for more information on the Motorola MC75.

Changing Trends in Notebook Design

According to studies, 15% of notebook computers will have some type of operational malfunction within the first 12 months. This is not caused by the manufacturers, but by the users themselves.

Some recent research conducted by Panasonic revealed that the leading cause of the damage done to notebooks is dropping, followed by water spillage. Dropping adds up to 46% of notebook damage, water spills cause 24%, and shock impact to the hard drive due to turbulence contributes to 19%. There are 7 key contributors to laptop damage and they all involve some form of avoidable human error. The hard drive disk is most commonly at risk when a laptop computer is damaged.

Repairing damages and recovering lost data can be expensive. It is estimated that the average cost of a notebook breakdown for a company or individual, including repairs, lost productivity, loan units, and customer dissatisfaction, has been put at over $3,000 per incident.

Industrial designers and computer programmers have collaborated to create portable and durable computing devices. Panasonic has designed the Toughbook line of computers. This includes fully, semi, and business rugged computing devices that have been developed to work in almost any environment with advanced resistance to bumps, knocks, drops, and spills. The Toughbook models have a sturdy magnesium casing which are proven to be water resistant, even by military standards.

These features reflect a growing trend in notebook design.

Find out more about the full line of Panasonic Toughbooks available at Group Mobile.

Getac PS535E Rugged PDA

Getac recently released their new PS535E rugged PDA. It features a 3.5" transflective sunlight readable LCM. The sunlight readable screen allows for increased viewability in bright light or sunlight. It's 3.7V, 2400 mAh Li-Ion battery pack provides up to 8 hours of life. The PS535E comes standard with 64MB of memory and 2GB of storage. Storage can be expanded using the SD card slot. The PS535E's integrated features include:

• 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth v2.0 class 2
• GPS

It runs the Microsoft WIndows Mobile 5.0 operating system. The PS535E's 5.56" x 3.24" x 1.13" dimensions are not much bigger than the dimensions of most PDA's and it's 10.6 ounce weight makes it light and easy to carry or travel with. It has a MIL-STD-810F rugged rating that means it can withstand 5' drops on all faces, edges, and corners. It also has an IP54 rugged rating for rain and dust resistance.

Click here for more information on the Getac PS535E Rugged PDA.

M230 vs M230N

Getac's fully rugged M230N is the replacement of the M230. The differences between these models are:

• Processor
• NVidia
• Hard Drive
• Optical Drive
• EVDO
• Touchpad

The M230N model comes with Core 2 Duo processor technology as opposed to the Core Duo processor of the old M230 model. There is still a touchscreen option available, but it is only for the 14" screen. Also an option for the 14" screen models is an upgrade to discrete video with Nvidia 256MB chip. The M230 model came standard with an 80GB hard drive. The M230N comes standard with a 120GB hard drive. Optional upgrades for the hard drive are a 160 or 250GB, or a spare 120GB hard drive w/ a canister. A DVD-Super Multi drive comes with the M230N. There is a choice between HSDPA or EVDO (Sprint) wireless communications for the M230N. Lastly, with the M230N there is an optional pressure sensing glove touchpad available.

Click here for more information on Getac's Fully Rugged M230N.

Trimble Ranger

Designed specifically for forestry, law enforcement, utilities, and other applications where an alpanumeric keypad is required for positive data-entry, the Trimble Ranger offers versatility and ruggedness to perform under the harshest conditions. The color TFT display is bright and clear in sunlight and includes a bright display light for dark conditions. It comes standard with two user-accessible CompactFlash (CF) slots and one Secure Digital (SDIO) slot for peripheral devices and additional storage. Embedded Bluetooth and 802.11g (wLAN) are an optional upgrade. It also comes standard with Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system and is RoHS compliant.

The Trimble Ranger comes with a 312MHz processor (300 X model) which can be upgraded to a 520MHz processor (500 X model). The 312MHz processor model comes with 64MB of memory and 256MB of storage. Upgrading to the 512MHz processor model also upgrades your memory to 128MB and your storage to 512MB. It features alpha and numeric keypads, an 8+1 directional pad, and 53 tactile keys with separate navigation. Under normal operating conditions, the Trimble Ranger's can have a battery life of 30 hours. It features a 320 x 240 pixel color TFT touchscreen display with LED blacklight. The Trimble Ranger has a IP67 rugged rating for Water and Dust and MIL-STD-810F rugged ratings for Humidity, Water, Drops, Dust, Vibration, and Altitude.

Click here for more information on the Trimble Ranger.

Trimble Nomad

The Trimble Nomad outdoor rugged handheld computer has power and capabilities to help you do more in the field. The Nomad is extremely rugged, meeting rigorous MIL-STD-810F and IP67 standards for water and dust, yet is light and easy to carry. Featuring an 806 MHz processor, the Nomad also includes 128 MB of memory, a long-life 5200 mAh lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery, a daylight-readable full VGA display, integrated Bluetooth, user-accessible CompactFlash (CF) and SDIO ports, plus I/O ports that include USB host/client and an audio jack. All units come standard with Windows Mobile 6 and are RoHS compliant.

The Nomad features a sunlight-readable color TFT touchscreen display. This allows for great viewability in sunlight when outside. This display is 480 x 640 pixels and has LED backlighting for increased viewability in low-light situations. The Nomad's keypad also features backlighting for night use. It's 2300 mAH Li-Ion rechargeable battery pack allows for up to 15 hours of battery life with active use when using default settings. The Nomad comes with a PDA or Numeric style keypad, depending on what use benefits the end user most. One of the many options for the Nomad is an integrated color, 2 megapixel resolution digital camera. Some other options include integrated 802.11 b/g wireless capability, Integrated GPS, and an Integrated laser 1D bar code scanner. The Trimble Nomad has a IP67 rugged rating for water, as well as sand and dust. It has an MIL-STD-810F rugged rating for water, drops, sand and dust, vibration, and Altitude.

With it's rugged design and advanced technology, the Trimble Nomad is tough enough to withstand the toughest work environment.

Click here for more information on the Trimble Nomad.

Trimble Recon

The Trimble Recon handheld computer adds new capabilities to help you do more in the field. Lightweight and extremely rugged, the Trimble Recon features an Intel XScale processor, a long life 3800 mAh battery, and a daylight readable display. Optional Bluetooth and 802.11 wireless technologies allow cable-free access to peripheral devices and connection to local area networks and the Internet. Two user-accessible CF slots provide expansion for additional storage and peripheral devices.

It features a touchscreen display with LED frontlight for easier viewing in certain lighting situations. Their 6.50" x 3.75" x 1.75" deminsions and light weight of just 17 ounces makes the Recon the perfect pocket size PC. It can go where you need it, and it's extreme ruggedness can alleviate any worries of dropping it, or spilling it, or taking it in harsh condition environments. It's long-life 2800 mAh battery can give your Trimble Recon up to 15 hours of continuous life under room-temperature operations and default settings. The Trimble Recon handheld PC's are MIL-STD 810F and IP67 compliant. The MIL-STD 810F ratings apply to temperature shock, humidity, water, drop, sand, dust, vibration, and altitude. The IP67 ratings apply to water, sand, and dust.

So if you're looking for an ultra-rugged handheld PC, look no further. The Trimbe Recon is the perfect candidate for any job that requires a lightweight handheld device that can stand up to tough conditions.

Click here for more information on the Trimble Recon.

Xplore’s iX104C4 Tablet PC

Xplore’s newest addition to their product line is the versatile and durable iX104C4 Tablet PC. The iX104C4 powered by an Intel dual core processor and contains a 120GB IDE hard disk drive. It comes standard with 1GB of DDR2 RAM, with the option to upgrade to 2GB. It supports both Vista Business and XP Tablet PC Edition operating systems.

The triple-layer magnesium housings, patented bumper system, and customized gaskets allow for the durable iX104C4 to survive in the most challenging environments. The iX104C4 is warranted to US Military Standards (MIL-STD 810F), withstanding exposure to drops on concrete, vibration, extreme temperatures, as well as dust and moisture.

The iX104C4 tablet PC features a 10.4” XGA TFT display with an active digital sensor. There is the option to upgrade to a resistive tough digitizer (dual mode) display, or an optional dual mode AllVue Xtreme LCD display for enhanced indoor/outdoor viewability.

With a starting price of $3,895, the iX104C4 Tablet PC is a great deal for a tablet PC that packs power and function into the most rugged mobile computer in the industry.

Click here for more information on Xplore’s iX104C4 Tablet PC.

Mobile Printers and Scanners

Mobile printers and scanners are a great addition to a rugged computer. They are extremely portable and can be mounted in vehicles or carried in a small bag. With access to a printer at all times you can print such things as:

Airplane Boarding Passes

Directions/Maps to a Location

PowerPoint Presentations

Photos/Diagrams/Graphs for Presentations

Diagnostics

These are just a few of the many possibilities. Portable printers and scanners can deliver print quality that is as good as desktop models, and they can do so in a speedy manner. They have a lightweight design that makes them easy to travel with.

Group Mobile offers mobile printers and scanners manufactured by HP (Hewlett Packard), Canon, Fujitsu, and Pentax.

Click here to view a list of mobile printers and scanners offered by Group Mobile.

Rugged Fixed Mount Computers

Rugged fixed mount computers are designed to be fix-mounted to or on something such as a forklift, tank, bulldozer, or emergency response vehicle. There are two typical applications for a fixed mount computer:

• In a factory or industurial environment
• In or on a vehicle or any mobile conveyance

In a factory or an industrial environment, the fixed mount computer is often mounted to a wall or a piece of equipment for monitoring/control. Examples of a vehicle or mobile conveyance would be: cars, trucks, semis, forklifts, tractors, backhoes, ATVs, cement mixers, aircraft, ships, barges, etc.

These fixed mount computers are one-piece display computers and so they do not include internal batteries. Thse computers are not made to be carried around away from sources of power such as an AC outlet or a vehicle battery. Fixed mount computers are typically ultra-rugged, totally sealed, and designed to run and last for many years without problem. They are ready to face some of the harshest environmental conditions. Each computer meets stringent military specifications for vibration, shock, dust and moisture. The exterior housing is comprised of two solid precision milled aluminum halves with integrated passive heat-sinking, which increases the ability to handle temperature extremes. The interior is designed so that all boards are securely mounted with multiples screws and there are no loose wires or cables inside the machines to cause early failures.

Click here to view a list of fixed mount computers offered by Group Mobile.

Absolute Software - Computrace

Computrace software provides a robust and multi-layered security solution that allows organizations to address issues of regulatory compliance, data protection, computer theft recovery, and asset tracking. Major computer manufacturers have embedded the Computrace agent in the BIOS or Firmware of the computer to prevent Computrace from being removed by unauthorized users. Many IT professionals use Computrace to:

• Track & Recover Stolen Laptops
• Delete Data Remotely to Protect Confidential Information
• Detect Unauthorized Software of Missing Hardware
• Ensure Regulatory Compliance
• Create Predefined Alerts to Manage Appropriate Use Policies

Using any type of internet connection, Computrace works behind the scenes on your computer to silently and securely contact the Absolute Monitoring Center every 24 hours to report its location. If a Toughbook computer is reported missing or stolen, the machine is flagged to call in every 15 minutes. Even though these computers have Computrace embedded into them, you will have to pay a small price to activate the software within the computer. The starting price for Computrace is $125 for the 3 year subscription. This is a small price to pay to protect your investment. If data were to be stolen or lost, a lot of money could potentially be lost from that. Paying for Computrace can prevent that from happening.

Group Mobile’s lineup of computers that come with embedded Computrace include all Panasonic Toughbooks and the General Dynamics Itronix XR-1.