Overview of military tablet computers
Tablet computers are not only commercial products, but they are increasingly used by the military for a wide range of tasks, from combat control to viewing images
Canadian media mogul and style commentator Tyler Brühle, in his weekly column in the Financial Times, recently commented on how impractical it is to take an iPad with you on vacation. The danger of dropping Apple's flagship industry into a swimming pool or smearing sun cream over its monolithic black screen is just two examples given by Brühl. And how many other dangers!
Of course, the tablet computer quietly penetrated many aspects of everyday life. The terminals at the airport are increasingly losing the rustle of broadband newspapers when businessmen and vacationers want to see current news. There are heated backroom disputes (sometimes seemingly intractable) about individual preferences, whether to flip through magazines or instead read the printed content in electronic form sent directly to your tablet computer. Futurologists predict that the end of the printed paper is near. And as a result, beyond the civilian world, the presence of tablets on the battlefield is becoming increasingly noticeable.
Strengthened models that can withstand harsh conditions, such as vibration, shocks, jolts, moisture and liquid, while displaying data on the screen, despite the bright sunlight or dark night, are used by troops as a means of improving their situational awareness. While the number of tablets offered to military buyers may be significantly less than the model range available to civilians in local stores, but, nevertheless, the soldier is offered an increasing selection of paramilitary items.
Panasonic has occupied a niche in the market with its line of rugged Toughbook laptops. The company also used its experience in the development of hardened tablets, for example, presented in the Toughbook-H2 image.
The Panasonic product line is robust with the development of the Toughpad. It includes two models Toughpad A1 and Toughpad B1. Details on the second model should be made public in the fall of 2012.
Panasoni Company
Any visitor to the defense exhibition over the past decade will certainly pay attention to the abundance of Panasonic Toughbook laptops, which run a wide variety of applications, ranging from combat management systems to shot detection systems. Not surprisingly, the Osaka company expanded the Toughbook catalog to include its hardened tablets called the Toughpad.
Panasonic machines use the Android version of the Linux operating system 4.0, they incorporate high-speed wireless tools 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution is a long-term development) and a special security engine that ensures data integrity. The strength of the Toughpad is confirmed by its compliance with the Mil-Std-810 certificate providing for resistance to extreme environmental conditions: impact, rain, salt corrosion, sand, dust, vibration, and much more.
The product line includes two tablets, the Toughpad A1 and the Toughpad B1. The specifications for the Toughpad B1 are currently unavailable, but Panasonic has kindly promised that they will be revealed in the fall of 2012. Despite the fact that the Toughpad family uses the Android operating system, Panasonic offers a Windows-based tablet to users who prefer this system. The Toughbook-H2 Tablet PC has the Windows 7 Professional package installed and it has an 10 inch anti-glare screen. At the request of the user, an optional data channel 4G LTE can be added. The Toughbook-H2 tablet conforms to the same Mil-Std 810 certificate as the Toughpad family, while its magnesium alloy and polycarbonate chassis gives it a look that is very different from commercial equivalents, but allows you to have strength that does not jeopardize a combat mission.
Getac's rugged E100 tablet is particularly suitable for users at sea, as its design is salt-resistant. It also has a two megapixel camera.
Getac Company
If Panasonic is originally from Japan, then Getac has its roots in Taiwan, which is said to be the third largest computer group on this island. The company launched three different hardened tablets. E100 meets the requirements of Mil-Std-810 and has an 8,4-inch touchscreen. Sailors will no doubt appreciate the E100 corrosion resistance. In the E100, an optional GPS can be installed together in a two-megapixel camera; tablet weight is 1,4 kg. Getac E110 has a larger 10,1 inch screen and weighs 1,6 kg. The customer can choose the optional three megapixel camera.
As for the new products, the Getac Z710 model is “the world's first strengthened touchscreen tablet that allows you to work in gloves.” It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of using the touch screen when working in gloves on the snowy peaks of the highlands. The Z710 is running Android OS 2.3, it has a five megapixel autofocus camera plus an electronic compass and an acceleration sensor. Its total mass is 0,8 kg, which makes it one of the lightest systems on the market, while the battery life is six hours.
Amrel Company
Names such as Getec and Panasonic are, without a doubt, very well-known in the world of consumer and professional electronics, and yet they are not limited to companies that produce hardened tablets. California-based Amrel offers two products: Rocky DR8-M and Rocky DK8-M.
It is not by chance that these computers were named after the boxer played by Sylvester Stallone, because they have the power and fortitude of Mr. Balboa. Rocky DR8-M has an 8,4-inch anti-glare screen and is compatible with Windows-7 and Linux applications. The computer is compatible not only with the Mil-Std-810 standard, but also with the Mil-Std-461E EMC standards. The DK8-M tablet is very similar in characteristics to the Rocky DR8-M model, with the exception of its larger 12,1 inch screen. Both DR8-M and DK-8M models can use WLAN (Wireless Local Network) wireless LAN, WAN (Wide Area Network) WAN, GPS satellite navigation system and Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN) that are embedded in various vehicles at the request of the customer.
Trimble Company
Like Amrel, Trimble is based in California. The company offers a hardened tablet Yuma, certified by Mil-Std 810. A computer with a bright 7 inches screen weighs slightly more than two kg with its standard batteries, although its weight increases by an additional 1,4 kg when installing larger capacity batteries. Like many of the tablets covered in this article, Yuma is running Windows 7 Professional OS. For communication with the outside world, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS and Wi-Fi are installed. Trimble provides a range of accessories for Yuma, including office and car docking stations, a sturdy keyboard and vehicle charger.
The durable Yuma tablet from Trimble with a weight over 2 kg has a screen with good contrast when working in bright sunlight. A set of accessories is available from the company, including a docking station for vehicles and a hardened keyboard.
And this is already a version of the Trimble Yuma 2.
Mobile Demand Company
California is synonymous with the world of computers and software, and Iowa, of course, is less known in the computer community. However, this staff has housed the company Mobile Demand, which specializes in hardened computer systems. The newest product adorning the company's catalog is xTablet T7200. The xTablet T7200 seven-inch touchscreen has xView Pro technology from this company that automatically detects lighting conditions and adjusts the backlight levels of the screen according to the ambient lighting conditions. Along with the 4G LTE function, the xTablet T7200 includes an integrated mobile broadband 3G Gobi modem that allows you to connect to the Internet wherever this wireless carrier provides data coverage. The standard capacity of lithium-ion batteries allows you to work up to 10 hours, a five-megapixel camera is built into the computer.
The Mobile Demand xTablet T7000 tablet has a seven-inch display, it is installed Windows and it conforms to the Mil-Std 810 standards, as well as the xTablet T7200 described above. Although the xTablet T7000 undoubtedly has a durable appearance, it weighs just over one kilogram. It can even transform into something similar to a traditional laptop, as the company offers a full QWERTY keyboard along with an integrated GPS as an option. With xTablet T7000, two batteries can be used, including a lithium-polymer standard capacity that provides up to five hours of operation or a lithium-ion larger battery that allows up to eight hours of operation. A hot-swappable battery pack ensures availability during battery replacement.
“Write on it, drop it, sprinkle beer on it,” the Mobile Demand company official said on the xTablet T8700 tablet, which emphasizes its resiliency. The xTablet T8700 has a slightly larger screen compared to the two Mobile Demand products described above, the display size is 8,4 inches. This makes the tablet a bit heavier than the 2 kg. However, its design meets the requirements of the Mil-Std 810, it can work on Windows OS 7 Professional, Windows Vista Business and Windows XP Tablet PC.
The Mobile Demand xTablet T7000 tablet runs on a Windows-based OS and has a built-in QWERTY keyboard, all of which weigh a little more than one kilogram in a set
Mobile Demand's newest xTablet 7200 hardened model in which the seven-inch “smart” screen has proprietary xView technology that adjusts screen brightness to prevailing ambient lighting conditions.
Glacier Computer Company
Connecticut's Glacier Computer Company offers hardened tablets with screen sizes from 7 to 10 inches. T507K has Gobi 3000 3G and Bluetooth 2.0 communication systems in a 1,7 kg case that can withstand a fall on concrete from six feet. The T507K has a manual 64 lavish QWERTY keyboard plus a barcode scanner and built-in camera. With two hot-swappable batteries, the tablet can work eight hours. The T508 has a slightly larger eight-inch screen and weighs 1,8 kg.
Similar communications equipment is installed in the T607K model, which comes with a docking station for vehicles and an optional GPS. Users who need a slim, durable tablet can buy the T510F, which has an 10,4 inch display plus a front and back camera, Bluetooth and an optional 3G and 4G mobile communications standard. Despite the screen size, the compact T510F tablet has the weight of an entire 1,3 kg, while hot-swappable batteries allow it to work continuously for six hours. Meanwhile, the T510K model with the 23-keypad and 10-inch screen can work continuously for nine hours.
Glacier Computers hardened tablets have several useful additional features, including a built-in QWERTY keyboard, built-in camera and battery that provides eight hours of continuous operation.
Xplore Technologies
The durable 1X105C5M tablet from Xplore Technologies does not emit radio frequencies and is therefore extremely difficult to detect. In addition, its design is sealed, which prevents the "escape" of a random spark from a computer - a particularly valuable feature in an explosive atmosphere (data from Xplore Technologies).
Xplore Technologies launches the 1X105C5M hardened tablet computer, which the company defines as “the perfect device for combat conditions.” A noteworthy design feature is the high level of RF shielding that is standard on this computer. “These tablets do not emit radio frequencies and therefore cannot be tracked,” the company said. The design also prevents the release of any kind of sparks - a vital feature when flammable vapors can cause a real explosion hazard. Today, the 1X105C5M can be found aboard nuclear submarines along with Australian speedboats fleet, and these are some of the most difficult marine applications. Xplore Technologies says repairs and upgrades to the 1X105C5M can be done in the field.
Xplore Technologies ’1XXNNUXC105M strengthened tablet from Xplore Technologies does not emit radio frequencies, which makes it difficult to detect. In addition, its design is hermetic and prevents the escape of random sparks, which is especially important when working in an explosive atmosphere.
Itronix Company
As can be seen further, several “famous names” in the world of military communications have expanded their business with hardened tablets. And it is not surprising, since such computers are perfectly combined with modern tactical radio stations with which armies around the world are equipped. They not only offer voice communication, but increasingly process data, ranging from various written messages to large images. The accompanying hardened tablet is ideal for viewing similar materials.
General Dynamics is one of the specialists in the field of defense communications, separating the business on hardened tablets. The Itronix portfolio includes a “semi-strengthened” GD3014 tablet. This computer has an 10,4 inch anti-glare screen that weighs about one kilogram. Although the company's official documents describe this product as “semi-reinforced,” the tablet is very immune to dust and bad weather and durable enough to survive a fall from a truck or a bumpy journey. Windows 3014 Professional is built into the GD7, plus it has a two megapixel camera.
In addition to the GD3014 model, Itronix manufactures a full-fledged, hardened Duo-Touch II tablet certified according to the Mil-Std-810 standard. With a mass of less than two kilograms, the Duo-Touch II can be equipped with an optional 128 GB solid-state disk, the display size of 8,4-inch is Mil-Std-3009 certified for readability in sunlight. At the factory, the tablet installs the Windows XP Tablet PC OS 2009 or Windows Vista. Wireless communication is included in the computer, although customers can choose among several options, including integrated GPS, Bluetooth and up to three radio frequency modems.
Harris Company
Harris is also a prominent player in the world of tactical communications. The company says that it has released a seven-inch reinforced tablet in order to expand the tactical network that can be built on the basis of military communications offered by this company. The model RF-3590 is the Android OS, inside integrated wireless, cellular and Bluetooth communications. Not surprisingly, the tablet can also connect with the company's tactical radio stations. The ability to establish communication is the heart of the design, and as the company said, none of the competitors can offer “in one package such a number of interface capabilities” offered by RF-3590. Harris is developing specialized information distribution applications; this software is currently in a demonstration phase.
DRS Technologies is a well-known name in defense technology. The company entered the world of durable tablets with its Armor line. It can be purchased from Android OS or Windows OS
DRS Technologies
Along with Harris and General Dynamics Itronix, DRS Technologies is synonymous with defense products; the company is actively promoting its line of hardened Armor computers. "Small in size and mass, but strong in strength." So in the DRS characterize Armor X7. Mil-Std 810 durability is standard, and the seven-inch display is readable in bright sunlight. Duration of work is nine hours from two lithium-ion batteries, hot-swappable, the tablet is worth two gigabytes of memory, as well as built-in GPS.
Users requiring an Android machine can opt for the Armor X7ad Compact Rugged Tablet. ARMOR X7ad shares many similar characteristics with Armor X7 (see above), although it weighs less than 0,6 kg. Other built-in features include a gyroscope, an acceleration sensor, a light sensor, plus a five megapixel camera. Such a lightweight design offers Armor X7et weight 0,7 kg, which are Windows OS 7 Professional and Windows 7 Ultimate, built-in light and acceleration sensors.
DRS Technologies says its Armor X10gx is “the strongest tablet to date” and is compatible with military standards for shock, vibration and poor environmental conditions. The company added that this computer is "virtually impermeable to dust, sand, pollen and earth." Readers might think that increased strength means an increase in mass, but the tablet weighs about 2,2 kg due to its magnesium alloy construction.
With a seven-inch screen and a moisture-proof, dust-free design, the Logic Instrument Fieldbook A1 can operate for up to 20 hours from a fuel cell and ten hours from its own batteries.
Several manufacturers of durable tablets offer Android OS products. Logic Instrument supplies Fieldbook D1 tablet with Android operating system
Logic Instrument Company
Readers might think that US companies dominate the market of hardened tablets, but, nevertheless, there are European suppliers of such devices, to which Logic Instrument belongs. The company produces rugged Tablet PCs from the Fieldbook and Tetra series. Fieldbook A1, which have a seven-inch screen and completely sealed. Interestingly, the tablet can be powered by a fuel cell, providing 20 hours of continuous operation, while the built-in batteries allow you to work up to 10 hours. Salt mist-proof body weighs less than 1,3 kg. Consumers who need a tablet with the Android OS can purchase a Fieldbook D1 with a five megapixel camera.
Compliant with the Mil-Std 810 and Mil-Std-461E standards, the Tetralight XXS 8.4 tablet has an 8,4 inch screen, and from the very beginning it was created as a hardened computer. The batteries of this tablet allow you to work up to eight hours, it can be supplied with an optional night filter. Finally, the Tetralight XXS 12.1 has a large 12,1 inch screen, and is compatible with the same military standards as the Tetralight XXS 8.4, although with optional thermal insulation the computer can operate at -30ºC.
The number of hardened tablets in the armies, navy and aviation around the world. The memory size offered by these machines and user-friendly operating systems make them a valuable addition to many tasks, for example, from viewing battlefield control information, video images, communications control to military telemedicine. For recruits starting their military career today or preparing to start it in the coming years, the tablet computer will become their second nature as a means that they have already used in civilian life. Soon, many soldiers will be asked how they managed to walk for so long without taking their tablets with them.
Materials used:
Armada International 6 / 2012
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