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Need help choosing the right rugged laptop computer?
At Steatite, we recognise that purchasing a rugged laptop computer can be a confusing task. We take an impartial view to assisting our customers with advice on the best product for their requirements.
- 1 What is the difference between semi & fully rugged?
- 2 Definition of HSDPA and what it means
- 3 LAN versus WAN - What's the difference?
- 4 An overview of sunlight readable display technology
- 5 How can I improve my battery life ?
- 6 Windows XP Professional versus Windows Embedded Standard
- 7 Windows Mobile versus Windows CE
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between semi & fully rugged?
The differences between "semi-rugged" and "fully-rugged" are often confusing. Only a few standards are generally accepted to rate most rugged portable computing devices, and it is safe to say that portable computers in the ‘rugged’ category are a better value and offer distinct advantages over most conventional laptops and notebooks.
Until recently most of the brands associated with the rugged niche were not household names. Some of the top companies known for producing military style computers (Mil-Std 810F) include, Panasonic, Getac, and General Dynamics.
Rugged laptops are generally more expensive than regular off-the-shelf consumer models, and you need to know some of the benefits. Much of this has to do with your working habits and working conditions. Two of the most important aspects of owning a rugged laptop are flexibility and mobility. Rugged laptops give you the ability to work in a wide variety of conditions and environments. If your work requires you to work in the outdoors, in inclement weather, or in other harsh conditions, then you will probably like the advantages of going rugged.
SHOCK RESISTANCE This is a measure of how much shock load a rugged laptop can withstand and still operate properly. This test is typically measured by the height and number of the drops that a rugged laptop can endure. The drop surface is usually defined as two-inch-thick plywood over a steel plate over concrete and a drop distance of 36 inches. Laptops are inspected after each drop and booted up for a function check performed after each drop.
WATER RESISTANCE Water and moisture is hazardous to many electrical components of any laptop. This specification measures the performance ability of a rugged laptop after being exposed to different amounts of water and moisture levels.
DUST RESISTANCE Air venting systems for cooling tend to collect dust and dirt. For this reason most rugged laptops are designed to dissipate heat without the use of fans. Materials in the casing are use as heat sinks to prevent dust and dirt from entering the inside of the case - CPU heat is released through the casing.
VIBRATION RESISTANCE Rugged laptops are often used in vehicles, and around other equipment. These workhorses need to stand up to continuous vibration. Constant vibration can cause keyboard damage and damage to internal components of regular office or home laptop computers.
TEMPERATURE RESISTANCE Rugged computers need to perform while exposed to extreme temperatures. From arctic condition to dessert conditions, some rugged laptop can operate in a temperature range between -32° to 60° C (-10° to 140° F). Usually an optional feature, rugged laptops can also be equipped with a hard drive heater for startup and operation in freezing temperatures. Diagnostic software can even monitor internal conditions to prevent outages due to extremes of heat and cold.
Definition of HSDPA and what it means
HSDPA is a mobile acronym. It stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, although it’s probably easier to think of it as ‘mobile broadband’ or ‘3.5G’. It is a means of connecting to the internet using the mobile phone network. Many of our laptops offer an upgrade option into which you can insert your mobile phone sim card. It is then possible to browse the internet or check your email when you are in a remote location provided you have a mobile phone signal.
LAN versus WAN - What's the difference?
The below table aims to clarify the difference between a LAN connection and WAN connection:
| LAN (Local Area Network) | WAN (Wide Area Network) | |
| Definition | LAN is a computer network covering a small geographic area, like a home, office, or group of buildings | WAN is a computer network that covers a broad area (i.e., any network whose communications links cross metropolitan, regional, or national boundaries |
| Example | Network in an organisation can be a LAN | Internet is the best example of a WAN |
| Ownership | Typically owned, controlled, and managed by a single person or organization | WANs (like the Internet) are not owned by any one organization but rather exist under collective or distributed ownership and management |
| Technology | Tend to use certain connectivity technologies, primarily Ethernet and Token Ring | WANs tend to use technology like ATM, Frame Relay and X.25 for connectivity over the longer distances |
| Data transfer rates | LANs have a high data transfer rate | WANs have a lower data transfer rate as compared to LANs |
| Geographical spread | Have a small geographical range and do not need any leased telecommunication lines | Have a large geographical range generally spreading across boundaries and need leased telecommunication lines |
| Connection | one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves | Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. They can also be connected through leased lines or satellites |
| Set-up costs | If there is a need to set-up a couple of extra devices on the network, it is not very expensive to do that | In this case since networks in remote areas have to be connected hence the set-up costs are higher |
An overview of sunlight readable display technology
Have you ever tried to read the sreen on a commercial notebook outside? Even on the most overcast of days, the display can still be extremely difficult to read. Rugged laptop computers are designed with outdoor use in mind, and in order to ensure that the product remains functional in all weather and lighting conditions, sunlight readable displays are strongly recommended.
The average screen brightness of a commercial laptop computer is between 200 - 300 nits (candella per square metre). Most fully rugged notebook displays start at around 500 nits, increasing to an optional industry leading 1200 nits on the latest models. These sunlight readable displays mean that you can still view the display in perfect clarity, even if the sun is shining directly onto the screen.
Sunlight readable displays come in two types - transflective or high brightness:
Getac have released a technology breif to explain how the sunlight readable display works on their new B300 notebook. The document may be viewed here
How can I improve my battery life?
Battery life is one of the most important aspects to consider when purchasing a rugged laptop computer. Rugged notebooks are primarily used out in the field, usually away from a power source, so it is imperative to make sure that you choose a notebook with battery life suitable for your type of application.
There are several ways in which battery life can be improved.
Windows XP Professional versus Windows Embedded Standard
Windows Embedded Standard is the componentized version of Windows XP Professional but can deliver greater security at a lower administrative overhead resulting in the need for lessâexpensive and smaller hardware devices. The major difference is, that Windows XP Embedded is engineered specifically to support embedded devices and their manufacturers
Windows Embedded Standard offers the full functionality of Windows XP Professional at reduced footprint and enhanced performance. Based on Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows XP Embedded offers a high level of componentization. Using a toolkit called the Windows Embedded Studio, Steatite can create a fully customised Windows XP Embedded environment for whatever device you choose to buy, and that environment includes only the functionality your device will need. Please refer to our Windows Embedded Standard section for full details on the benefits of selecting Windows Embedded Standard on your rugged mobile computer.
Windows Mobile versus Windows CE
You’ve probably heard of handheld devices being advertised with a Windows Mobile or Windows CE operating system – but what’s the difference?
There have been a range of operating systems for handheld units over the years - Handheld PC 2000, Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, and now Windows Mobile – At the core of all of these devices is the Windows CE operating system.
Any further questions?
Some more useful information on rugged notebook technology may be found in our FAQ section
Alternatively, please feel free to give us a call on 01527 512400 - we'd be pleased to help!
