January 2021

Panasonic TOUGHBOOK helps drive success at Raskone
Raskone, Finland's largest commercial vehicle repair business, has saved time and improved inventory management with the roll-out of Panasonic rugged handheld devices and a custom-designed TOUGHBOOK Omnia application. The company is using the Panasonic TOUGHBOOK T1 rugged Android handheld warehouse solution including pistol grip, charging dock and custom-designed application to deliver a future-proofed sales invoicing and inventory management solution that reduces errors and improves efficiency. [See Panasonic media release] -- Posted Sunday, January 31, 2021

RuggON SOL PA501 now upgraded to Android 10
RuggON Corporation, a leading rugged computing solutions provider, has taken the lead in upgrading its flagship Android GMS-certified rugged tablet SOL PA501 to Android 10 to better serve users and enterprises with forward-looking OS features that promise more advanced enterprise-grade security and improved battery consumption while also keeping connectivity, device management, and rugged standards at their best. [See RuggON media release] -- Posted Friday, January 29, 2021

Honeywell Q4 and full year 2020 financials
Honeywell reported Q4 2020 sales of US$8.900 billion, down 6% from US$9.496 billion Q4 2019. The Safety and Productivity Solutions segment (Honeywell AIDC) had Q4 2020 sales of US$1.940 billion, up 28% from US$1.515 billion Q4 2019. Safety and Productivity Solutions segment profit was US$297 million versus US$192 million Q4 2019. Honeywell reported full year 2020 sales of US$32.637 billion, down 11% from US$36.709 billion full year 2019. The Safety and Productivity Solutions segment (Honeywell AIDC) had full year 2020 sales of US$6.481 billion, up 6% from US$6.104 billion Q4 2019. Safety and Productivity Solutions segment profit was US$907 million versus US$790 million full year 2019. For 2021, Honeywell expects sales of $33.4 billion to $34.4 billion, representing year-over-year organic growth of 1% to 4% [See Honeywell Q4 and full year 2020 financials] -- Posted Friday, January 29, 2021

Global smartphone market grows 4.7% in Q4 2020 but COVID-19 causes 6.7% YoY decline
According to market research company Omdia, the global smartphone market continued its recovery in the second half of 2020, ending the year with 4.7% year-over-year growth in Q4 2020 compared to Q4 2019. For all of 2020, 1.294 billion smartphones were shipped, with Samsung having a 20% market share, followed by Apple (16%), Huawei (15%), Xiaomi (11%) and Vivo (8%). -- Posted Thursday, January 28, 2021

Zebra Technologies improves worker productivity with its first individually assigned enterprise mobile computer
Zebra, an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, today announced the EC5x series, a new category of individually assigned mobile computers designed to keep workers connected and informed while improving individual productivity, collaboration and the customer experience across multiple industries. Featuring the look and feel of a consumer smartphone with the Android™ 10 operating system (OS), an optional integrated scanner and a robust software suite specifically designed for front-line workers, the durable EC5x series is Zebra's thinnest, lightest mobile computer. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 27, 2021

RuggON VULCAN X joins the Navis Ready fleet
RuggON Corporation, a leading rugged solution manufacturer in Taiwan, has added its rugged vehicle mount computer VULCAN X to the repertoire of its Navis compatible rugged computing solutions. Freshly launched in September 2020, the vehicle mount is dedicated to addressing the acute communication needs for a semi- or fully automated port that can tremendously benefit from the real-time quay-yard insight promulgated within Navis N4 terminal operating system. [See RuggON media release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 27, 2021

First impressions: the new Getac S410 semi-rugged laptop
Semi-rugged laptops remain very popular. They are way tougher than consumer laptops and cost quite a bit less than fully rugged versions. As a result, there's fierce competition in this market. With their latest generation S410, Getac went all out. 11th gen Core processors, standard PCIe NVMe solid state storage, tougher, much more battery capacity, many new options. Impressive! [See description, analysis and specs of the latest Getac S410] -- Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Janam assists Detroit-based Olympia Entertainment with reopening
Janam Technologies LLC, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers and contactless access solutions, announced today it is working with Olympia Entertainment to deploy contactless ticketing and venue access at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons. Olympia Entertainment is also considering integrating Janam's technology at its other sports and live entertainment venues, including Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. Janam's GT1 mobile pedestal delivers rapid, reliable and contactless access control for sports, performing arts and live entertainment venues. Its "plug-and-play" design transforms Janam's proven and widely deployed handheld ticket scanners into contactless, self-service mobile pedestals that help venue operators promote safe "social distancing", take advantage of the most advanced digital ticketing technology and save enormous cost. [See Janam media release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Getac S410 provides extensive gains in CPU, graphics & WiFi performance
Getac Technology Corporation, a leading producer of rugged computing hardware and integrated solutions today announced the release of its next-generation semi-rugged S410, an industry milestone that combines a host of unique-in-class advanced technologies with Getac's legendary durability and the Getac Select® program's turnkey hardware, software, accessories and professional support solutions for specific end-user tasks. [See Getac media release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2021

Turkish search & rescue use Panasonic TOUGHBOOK devices to help save lives
Panasonic has donated TOUGHBOOK 20 rugged notebooks to the Turkish AKUT Search and Rescue Association to help its 27 teams of volunteers in their efforts to save lives. The TOUGHBOOK 20, which is resistant to water, dust and shock, supports AKUT in critical missions to save lives in the mountains, following earthquakes, snow or floods. Since its inception, over 3,500 domestic and international operations have been carried out by the organization. Panasonic TOUGHBOOK supports AKUT by providing mobile computing technology suitable for search and rescue environments. [See Panasonic media release] -- Posted Friday, January 22, 2021

Datalogic's Memor K compact keyboard handheld
Catching up on more recently introduced Datalogic rugged handhelds, we analyzed the very pocketable Memor K Android 9-based keypad handheld. Designed for mobile data collection, the Memor K has a much larger screen and much more performance than earlier Memor generations. [See description, analysis and specs of the Datalogic Memor K] -- Posted Thursday, January 21, 2021

Intel reports record 2020 revenue
Intel reported full-year fiscal 2020 revenue of $77.9 billion, up 8% from 2019's $72,0 billion. Total operating income for 2020 was $23.68 billion, up from $22.04 billion in 2019. Almost 2/3 of operating income came from the Client Computing group, i.e. the company's PC processor and related component sales. "We significantly exceeded our expectations for the quarter, capping off our fifth consecutive record year,” said Bob Swan, Intel CEO. “Demand for the computing performance Intel delivers remains very strong and our focus on growth opportunities is paying off. [See Intel 2020 Financial Results] -- Posted Thursday, January 21, 2021

First look: Datalogic Skorpio X5
Datalogic has almost half a century's worth of experience in optical sensors, scanners, and all sorts of data collection devices. Its Skorpio line of keypad handheld mobile computers has been one of Datalogic's most successful products for well over a decade. The new 5th generation Skorpio X5 represents a major step forward for the platform. Designed for Android, the latest Skorpio is far more powerful, has a much bigger display, USB Type-C, wireless charging and more. It represents a thoroughly modern data collection device with numerous applications. [See description, analysis and specs of the Datalogic Skorpio X5] -- Posted Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Datalogic launches the new Skorpio™ X5, the most advanced key-based mobile computer
Datalogic is pleased to announce the Skorpio™ X5, a new ultra-fast, high-performing key-based mobile computer featuring the largest multi-touch display in the Portable Data Terminal (PDT) market. Maintaining rapid, accurate and seamless data capture to provide real-time visibility is essential in applications like warehousing, fulfillment, inventory, store operations, shipping & receiving. The new Skorpio™ X5 enables Retail, Transportation, Logistics, Manufacturing and Healthcare companies to reach new levels of reliability and flexibility. [See Datalogic media release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 19, 2021

Blog: Consumer smartphones vs rugged handhelds
How can providers of rugged handhelds prevail against the competition from inexpensive consumer tech? That is a question that’s been asked ever since the advent of modern smartphones, which is generally since the Apple iPhone was introduced in 2007. The question comes up because the massive global (and initially unanticipated) success of smartphones has been both a big opportunity for the rugged handheld industry, as well as a frustrating challenge.... [read more] -- Posted Monday, January 18, 2021

Review: Winmate rugged USB Type-C display
Industrial displays come in many shapes and forms. And sometimes there is a need for one that's not only tough and rugged enough to stand up to use and abuse, but that is also easy to clean and disinfect, looks clean and elegant like a modern consumer tablet and — drum roll — needs just one single cable for power and video. And that is what Winmate's rugged USB Type-C display does. [See review of the Winmate W10L100-GCH2-C rugged USB Type-C display] -- Posted Monday, January 18, 2021

Xcel Energy to launch initial deployment of 900 MHz wireless private broadband
Xcel Energy will use a new wireless telecommunications tool that can help the company respond more quickly to local electric outages and support advanced grid 'smart meters' that will provide more information to customers about their energy use. [See Motorola Solutions media release -- Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Elo introduces M50 Android-powered mobile computer
Elo, a leading global provider of Android-powered interactive devices, today announced the Elo M50 mobile computer. The new M50 joins Elo's robust portfolio of Android-based devices used by world-class retailers, restaurant brands and manufacturers around the globe for applications from POS and self-order to endless aisle and automation. [See Elo media release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Creating perfect ski slopes with ALGIZ 10X
Skiers and snowboarders riding the slopes at destination ski resorts may not spend much time considering the effort needed to ensure their smooth glides, but hundreds of snow groomers working each night make it all possible. When it’s time to prepare the snow, the drivers start their Handheld Algiz 10X ultra-rugged tablets as soon as they start their grooming machines. The tablet is mounted to the dashboard at the front of the machine, like a navigation system. [See Handheld case study] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Interview with Mr. Allan Lin, CEO of Winmate Communication US Inc
Periodically, we ask industry leaders in the rugged computing and communications market questions about their products, their views, and their opinions on trends, emerging technologies and a variety of other issues. Winmate is a pioneer in rugged computing technology and RuggedPCReview had the chance to interview Mr. Allan Lin who is CEO of Winmate Communication US Inc. [Read Interview with Winmate's Mr. Allan Lin] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Zebra Technologies wins IoT Innovation Award for Enterprise Solution Of The Year
IoT Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global Internet-of-Things (IoT) market today, announced that Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA), has been selected as the winner of the "IoT Innovation Award for Enterprise Solution of the Year." Zebra Technologies, an innovator at the front line of business with solutions and partners that deliver a performance edge, was recognized in the 5th annual IoT Breakthrough Awards program for its Zebra MotionWorks Proximity solution. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Winmate receives 2021 Taiwan Excellence Award for ultra-rugged tablet M133 Series
Winmate Inc., a leading rugged industrial computing manufacturer, reports the company received the 2021 Taiwan Excellence Award. This year Winmate Inc. entered the awards with its renowned ultra-rugged tablets – the M133 Series – made specifically for vehicle diagnostics and other in-vehicle applications. The groundbreaking ultra-rugged design signifies Winmate's innovative capabilities when it comes to creating go-to-market solutions. -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Digitimes: Notebook demand remains strong
DigiTimes reports that with the persisting pandemic driving the stay-at-home economy, notebook makers saw strong shipments in December 2020, with the likelihood that order momentum will last through second-half 2021. Strong demand and rising production costs amid components shortages are prompting ODMs to consider raising notebook manufacturing prices. -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2021

Kyocera unveils DuraForce Ultra 5G UW, first ultra-rugged android smartphone for Verizon 5g ultra wideband network
Kyocera, unveiled its first 5G ultra-rugged Android smartphone today, DuraForce Ultra 5G UW, which delivers ultra-durability, ultra-fast speeds and ultra-low latency on the Verizon 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) network. DuraForce Ultra 5G builds on Kyocera's 10+ years of rugged device expertise to create the most advanced, rugged smartphone to date for public safety, enterprise, small business and adventurous consumers alike. [See Kyocera media release] -- Posted Monday, January 11, 2021

Full review: DT Research LT330 convertible laptop
2-in-1 hybrids have become quite popular, but not everyone likes the keyboard and the computer separate. That's where the new DT Research LT300 convertible laptops come in. They look and work like standard rugged laptops, but you can also flip the screen around in a unique way and they become tablets. RuggedPCReview analyzed and benchmarked the brand-new 13.3-inch DT Research convertible laptop (they also come in 11.6 and 15.6 inch versions). Read our full report. The LT330 is an impressive, very high performance rugged machine with unmatched battery capacity. [See full review of the DT Research LT330 convertible laptop -- Posted Monday, January 11, 2021

DT Research delivers first military standard 360 degree convertible laptops with antimicrobial enclosures
DT Research, a leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the new LT300 line of fully-rugged, 360 convertible laptops designed for ultimate versatility, durability and reliability in harsh conditions. Each laptop has an antimicrobial enclosure to inhibit the growth of microorganisms on the surface of the unit. The LT320, LT330 and LT350 laptops have a 360 degree rotating display purpose-built for military, first responder, law enforcement, field service, and warehouse environments with IP65, MIL-STD-810G/H, MIL-STD-461F ratings, EPEAT certification and TAA compliant. [See DT Research media release -- Posted Monday, January 11, 2021

TCL shows off futuristic 17-inch scrollable tablet and 6.75-Inch rollable phone concepts
Hothardware.com reports on low-cost TV maker TCL presenting some interesting tablet and smartphone concepts at the 2021 virtual CES show. Tablets that look like a scroll but then unfurl like window blinds, and a smartphone that expands with a rollable display. [See Hothardware article] -- Posted Monday, January 11, 2021

Winmate launches E430RQ8 next-gen rugged handheld
Winmate a global leader in developing advanced rugged mobile technologies for industries operating in some of the most challenging environments, is proud to announce the launch of the next-generation 4.3-inch rugged handheld computer E430RQ8 powered by Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 mobile platform and running on Android 9.0 operating system. [See Winmate media release] -- Posted Thursday, January 7, 2021

Farmacorp selects Zebra Technologies and Reflexis Systems to modernize on-site store audits
Reflexis Systems (now part of Zebra Technologies), the leading provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in retail, food service, hospitality and banking, today announced Farmacorp has selected Reflexis Q-Walk to streamline on-site inspections and automatically prescribe corrective tasks. Farmacorp, one of Bolivia's largest pharmacy chains, will deploy the store audit mobile solution in more than 100 stores in Bolivia. [See Zebra media release] -- Posted Thursday, January 7, 2021

Introducing Intel RealSense ID facial authentication
Intel introduced Intel® RealSense™ ID, an on-device solution that combines an active depth sensor with a specialized neural network designed to deliver secure, accurate and user-aware facial authentication. Intel RealSense ID works with smart locks, access control, point-of-sale, ATMs, kiosks and more. [See Intel media release] -- Posted Thursday, January 7, 2021

RuggON Rextorm PX501 is now certified to MIL-STD-461G
RuggON Corporation, a leading rugged solutions provider, announced that its Rextorm PX501 tablet is now MIL-STD-461G certified. MIL-STD-461G is a military standard that describes how to test electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) of devices and systems created for and used by the United States Department of Defense (DoD). This includes measuring radiated emission, susceptibility, and overall electromagnetic compatibility, all important for military communications and making emergency defense missions safe and efficient in any demanding environment. [See RuggON media release] -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Motorola Solutions expands cybersecurity services to secure mission-critical operations
Motorola Solutions today announced expanded cybersecurity services to help public safety and enterprises continuously secure their mission-critical operations. Today, cybersecurity breaches are occurring at a rate and level never before seen. Motorola Solutions' expanded cybersecurity services help public safety and enterprise customers better defend their information networks, employees and assets against today's threats. [See Motorola Solutions media release -- Posted Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Avalue Technology and GIPS Technology cooperate to create RENITY ARTEMIS high performance real-time locating and tracking solution
Avalue Technology Inc., a global industrial PC solution provider and associate member of the Intel Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, has launched the RENITY ARTEMIS high performance real-time locating and tracking solution. RENITY ARTEMIS uses tracking and locating technology of geographic information expert GIPS Technology to help customers in various fields improve management efficiency and reduce cost. As more and more IoT solutions are implemented, RTLS (Real-time Location System) indoor locating systems have become a significant field management technology that can reduce human resources and increase management efficiency. [See Avalue media release] -- Posted Monday, January 4, 2021

What happened in rugged computing 10 years ago: January 2011
January 2011 saw a flurry of rugged device introductions. AMREL introduced the DB6 rugged Atom-based Windows handheld, Trimble the Ranger 3, DAP Technologies the M8930 and M8940 full and half-screen rugged tablets, ARBOR the M1040 medical clinical assistant, DRS Tactical the ARMOR X7 rugged tablet, DT Research the WebDT 372 rugged tablet with encrypted PIN pad, Motion the CL900 Windows tablet, and Datalogic the Falcon X3. Intermec bought Vocollect and released the 70 Series of ultra-rugged handhelds. Psion removed "Teklogix" from its name, and we wondered if the Marvell PXA processors, for many years the mainstay of handheld device processors, were on their way out. Microsoft introduced Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5, Intel the "Sandy Bridge" 2nd gen Core processors, and Juniper began shipping its Mesa Geo 3G Rugged Notepad. [See full January 2011 archive]
-- Posted Friday, January 1, 2021