Technologically up-to-date versatile, customizable hard handle tablets for various markets
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

Estone Technology's mission is to provide premier OEM/ODM solutions focused on tablet and Panel PC products. An example is the versatile and highly configurable MD-100 "hard handle" tablet that comes in two different models, a go-anywhere tablet with a black/gray color scheme, and a white/blue one with special options for the healthcare market. Both are available in standard and MDK-100 labeled high performance versions.

Normally we would now get into the technical aspects of these interesting Estone products, but in this instance it seems appropriate to describe how the unique form factor with the integrated handle came about.

For that we need to travel back well over a decade when Intel researchers, ever interested in exploring new markets for their chips, came up with what they called the "Mobile Clinical Assistant" reference platform, or simply MCA. Intel described a compact clipboard form factor, lightweight design, and an integrated handle so it would be easy for clinical personnel to use and carry around during a work shift.

The idea was that, along with appropriate software, an MCA tablet computer would enable clinicians to access patient care records at the point of care and document a patient's condition in real time. This would result in fewer transcription errors, enhanced workflow, and quicker and safer patient care.

Motion Computing (now part of Zebra) was the first to pick up the idea and evolved the concept to remarkable and lasting success. Most other major rugged and vertical market computer manufacturers also offered MCAs at one time or another, including Getac, Panasonic, and Fujitsu.

Estone Technology now has developed a modern-day, technologically up-to-date version of this innovative tablet concept that's equally suitable for healthcare environments as for shop floor or outdoor use.

Moving on to technology, the Estone hard handle tablets all have a 10.1-inch capacitive multi-touch IPS display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution. That makes 224 pixels per inch — sharp enough for the intended applications. The basic display offers 400 nits luminance, an optional 1,000 nits version is available for outdoor/sunlight use, and Estone can provide screens with anti-glare, anti-reflection, and anti-smudge coatings. Since this is an IPS screen, there are perfect viewing angles and no color or contrast shifts when viewed from any angle. An active pen is optionally available.

Depending on intended use, the tablets can be equipped with a lower-end Intel "Apollo Lake" Pentium or Celeron chip, or with higher-end Intel 7th generation "Kaby Lake" Core M or Core Y processors. All are sophisticated chips that can idle along at battery-miser base clock speeds, but also rev up to much higher frequency when big work loads come along. For a detailed listing of all available chips, see here.

Basic onboard mass storage is 256GB of M.2 solid state disk, with optional capacities available up to 1TB. This can be complemented via SD card. On the communications side of things, the MD-100 comes with dual-band 802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.2, and also optional 4G LTE mobile broadband. Like most modern tablets, the MD-100 has a full complement of sensors, among them light, gyro and e-compass.

Wired onboard connectivity is via a Type A USB 3.0 port, HDMI-out, a 3.5mmm audio jack, as well as an RJ45 gigabit LAN jack, power and docking connection. The tablet also includes both front and rear cameras — 2mp and 5mp, respectively — with an 8mp rear camera option. The easily (hot-)swappable battery packs 42 watt-hours.

Designed for use in a variety of environments, the Estone MD-100 carries IP65 sealing where the "6" means the computer is totally protected from dust, and the "5" that it is protected against low-pressure water jets from all directions. It can handle an operating temperature range of 32 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, 4-foot drops, and has been tested according to a variety of other MIL-STD-810G procedures.

While the Estone MD100's unique hard handle form factor makes for a larger foot print than standard tablets, the design can easily accommodate internal options such as a 1D/2D scanner, a CAC card reader, a finger print reader, GNSS, and RFID. -- Conrad Blickenstorfer, February 2019