Earlier generations of the machine were available with a variety of display technologies for different working environments. For indoors, customers could consider either an SVGA (800 x 600 pixels) or an XGA (1024 x 768 pixels) transmissive LCD for its brightness. For outdoor use there was a reflective XGA screen that worked best in direct sunlight, and also a transflective "All-Vis" SVGA display as a compromise for indoor and outdoor use.

A Hammerhead Xtreme review unit we tested in 2005 had the front-lit XGA reflective screen. Anyone remembering the earliest Compaq iPAQ Pocket PC knows how that type of screen worked. It provided good contrast in direct sunlight and acceptable readability indoors. However, screen illumination came from the front via a light tube mounted along the top bezel of the screen, making for glare and uneven illumination of the display. For several years, transflective displays that merged transmissive and reflective technologies were used as a compromise. For the past two or three years, the momentum has swung to transmissive LCDs with special optical coatings (anti-reflective materials and circular polarizers) that cut ambient light reflected by the screen way back.

This appears to be the approach DRS has taken with the ARMOR X10's display. Realize that a touch screen makes providing good sunlight viewability even more difficult as there are several additional layers sitting on top of the LCD, and each layer can reflect light if not properly treated/coated.

When you first take the ARMOR X10 outside and into bright sunlight, the screen doesn't appear to be very bright and clear, and there is a bluish cast to the display. DRS applied significant anti-glare treatment to the display, almost eliminating the annoying "mirror" effect of the glossy displays most consumer notebooks have today. However, while anti-glare treatment cuts down on glare, it can also make the display look duller and more difficult to read.

One big thing the DRS display has going for itself is that its surface is completely flat, something that does not apply to all displays we see in rugged equipment. A flat surface does not confuse the eye with warped reflections. That seems like a little thing, but it is not.

The picture on the left shows the ARMOR X10 outdoors on a sunny day, but not in direct sunlight. As you can see, the screen is clearly visible and readable. The anti-glare treatment removes mirror-like reflections, but some reflection can still be seen. For best impact, anti-glare treatment must work in tandem with effective anti-reflective treatment, else the reflections are simply diffused, cutting down readability.

Another quality of a LCD display is its horizontal and vertical viewing angle. We've become spoiled by the incredible BOE Hydis display with its near-180 degree viewing angle in all directions, and viewing angle has thus becoming a judging criterion for LCDs. The X10's LCD has an acceptably wide vertical viewing angle, though there is some color shift as you vary angle. The horizontal viewing angle is very wide, almost 180 degrees, but the display gets milky when viewed from extreme horizontal angles.

Overall, one must realize that there are no perfect sunlight-viewable displays today. All current technology can do via optical treatments and strong backlights is provide enough effective, or "real world," contrast ratio to make the display usable outdoors. The X10 display does that. You need to work with it, though, and try to find an angle that works for you and avoids glare and reflections.

• About shows BIOS, EC, LED and other version info as well as the serial number.
• Batteries shows full charge capacity, present capacity, percent remaining, cycles, and serial number for both of the X10's batteries.
• Health shows temperatures of the CPU core, the system, as well as of the primary and secondary battery.
• Backlight is where you determine whether backlight intensity is controlled manually or via light sensor. You can set the brightness level, and there is also a separate Advanced Backlight Control where you can construct a custom backlight template with minimum brightness and start and end ramp settings.
• Serial/OEM is where you toggle the GPS, three OEM lines, and Port B routing on and off.
• OEM Button lets you set the side hardware button to backlight cycling, sleep, or Windows defined.

The Hammerhead will operate fine with just one battery, and so you can keep replacing batteries without ever needing to shut the unit down. You cannot, however, remove both at the same time without an external power source. This would require an internal backup/bridge battery, which the X10 does not have.

The ARMOR X10 also has a trusted platform module (TPM) security chip that can be used to create and manage computer-generated digital certificates. Combined with software, these certificates can be used to:

• Send and received secure email,
• Set up the browser for client identification,
• Sign Word macros,
• Encrypt individual files or entire folders, and
• Create secure network connections.

Environmental specs are impressive. The X10 can operate within an extremely wide temperature range of between -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It can survive the 26 drops on each face, side and corner mandated in MIL-STD-810F 516.5, Procedure IV. Sealing against the elements is generally measured by an Ingress Protection rating. The X10 scores an IP66, which means it is totally protected against dust, and also against water from all sides. However, the machine is no longer certified to survive immersion in water as was its IP67-rated predecessor. The ability to handle vibration was tested in accordance with procedures mandated in MIL-STD-810F 514.5, and DRS also addressed all pertaining EMI/EMC and safety issues.

From personal experience, we'd recommend the above-described carry case whose shock-absorbing materials add even more ruggedness and which also prevents scratching that is almost inevitable with metal housings. The case has changed a bit to provide access to ports and doors. Velcro is used now instead of the zipper, and the dense foam roll handle has been replaced by sturdy rubberized plastic (see above).

The X10 is a compact, uncompromising ultra-rugged tablet computer for use in the harshest environments. The basic design of this machine was conceived by pioneers in the rugged computing industry in the early 1990s, and has been refined and improved over the past 15 years in no fewer than nine product generations. The result is a field-proven design with no weaknesses.

This latest model has updated electronics that put its performance on par with the competition. It also has more externally accessible connectivity than before while retaining its internal expansion and configuration flexibility. The machine has an outdoor and sunlight-viewable 10.4-inch display and is available with either a touch screen panel or an electromagnetic digitizer.

Technologically up-to-date, this latest generation Hammerhead remains an excellent tool for rugged computing jobs in fields such as utilities, public safety, construction, manufacturing, military, and other applications that require computing power in a nearly indestructible package.