February 2024

Getac enhances its range of versatile Android devices with launch of AI-ready tablet
Getac today announced the launch of the AI-ready ZX80, a brand new 8-inch fully rugged tablet, powered by the versatile Android operating system. The announcement expands and diversifies Getac's portfolio of Android devices, giving customers in industries such as utilities, manufacturing, and transportation even more choice when selecting rugged solutions to solve day-to-day challenges and boost productivity and efficiency. [See Getac media release] -- Posted Thursday, February 29, 2024

Winmate unveils latest 15.6-inch rugged laptop
Winmate Inc., a global leader in rugged computing solutions, proudly announces the launch of its newest innovation — the 15.6" Rugged Laptop powered by the 12th Generation Intel® Processor Family, also known as Alder Lake Processor. Designed to excel in challenging environments, this rugged laptop introduces a new era of computing performance, resilience, and adaptability. [See Winmate media release] -- Posted Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Durabook expands rugged tablet portfolio with ATEX-certified models for explosive environments
Durabook today announced the availability of two rugged tablet models specifically designed for use in locations where gases, vapors, dust, and other substances create a significant risk of explosion. The new Durabook R8-EX and U11-EX Windows 11 tablets are certified to meet the European Union's ATmosphères EXplosibles (ATEX) Zone 2/22 certification, meaning they can be used in environments where potential ignition sources include lightning strikes, stray currents, static electricity, open flames, and mechanically generated sparks. [See Durabook media release] -- Posted Tuesday, February 27, 2024

DT Research's DT302RP transforms rugged tablet design for peak performance in field environments
DT Research, a leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the DT302RP rugged tablet, which elevates the standards for rugged tablets designed for field environments. Set to be showcased February 27-29, 2024 at DISTRIBUTECH International in DT Research's booth 3174, the DT302RP redefines the landscape of rugged computing and introduces a suite of cutting-edge features designed to elevate the dynamic demands of field professionals in harsh environments. [See DTResearch media release] -- Posted Monday, February 26, 2024

MobileDemand launches value-priced, 2-in-1 xTablet Flex 12B for rugged enterprise productivity
MobileDemand, provider of rugged tablets, cases, and mobile all-in-one computing solutions for enterprise productivity, today announced the launch of the xTablet Flex 12B, the fourth generation in the Windows®-based Flex range. The new 12.6-inch xTablet Flex 12B complements the 10-inch xTablet Flex 10B, MobileDemand's best-selling rugged tablet. The xTablet Flex 12B presents a rugged, yet thin and lightweight, tablet and keyboard solution that balances performance at a competitive price point, delivering unparalleled flexibility for frontline workers. [See MobileDemand media release] -- Posted Friday, February 23, 2024

Winmate to showcase military solutions at Military and Aviation 2024
Winmate, a global leader in rugged computing and military solutions announced its participation in Military and Aviation Exhibition 2024, March 13, 2024, one of the premier events for the military industry. The event will showcase cutting-edge products, innovations, and solutions meeting the highest military and aviation standards, and it will bring together industry leaders, professionals, and innovators to present the latest technologies in military solutions. Winmate will showcase rugged computing solutions in Pavilion 10, Booth #12. -- Posted Thursday, February 22, 2024

Zebra announces disappointing Q4 and full-year 2023 financials
Zebra Technologies announced net sales of $1,009 million in Q4 2023 compared to $1,503 million in Q4 2022, down 32.9%. Net income for Q4 2023 was $17 million, compared to $86 million for Q4 2022, down 90.9%. Full year 2023 sales were $4.584 billion compared to $5.781 billion in 2022, down 20.7%. Net income for 2022 was $296 million, compared with a net income of $463 million in 2022, down 36.1%. Net sales in the Enterprise Visibility & Mobility ("EVM") segment (formerly Enterprise segment) were $663 million in Q4 2023 compared with $986 million in the Q4 2022. Asset Intelligence & Tracking ("AIT") segment (formerly Legacy Zebra segment) net sales were $346 million in Q4 of 2022 compared to $517 million in the prior year period. The company expects full-year 2024 net sales to be in the range of a 1% decline and 3% growth compared to 2023. [See Zebra Q4 2023 and full year 2023 financials] -- Posted Thursday, February 15, 2024

Enhanced Ericsson portfolio focuses on performance, sustainability and Open RAN
Ericsson, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announced extensive enhancements to its radio, transport and antenna portfolio with 12 new hardware and software solutions for communications service providers (CSPs) to deploy in high-performing, sustainable and open networks. Unveiled at the company's pre-Mobile World Congress 2024 event in London, the portfolio enhancements are led by the flagship product AIR 3255, a Massive MIMO time division duplex (TDD) radio with more than 25 percent energy savings and 20 percent lower embodied carbon footprint* compared to the previous generation radio. [See Ericsson media release] -- Posted Thursday, February 15, 2024

Trimble introduces the TDC5 Data Collector
Trimble introduced the Trimble TDC6 handheld as the successor to the Trimble TDC600. The new 6.3-inch TDC6 is lighter, more compact, has a hot-swappable battery, 5G capability, 5mp and 16mp cameras, and offers 2160 x 1080 resolution for razor-sharp graphics. The TDC6 integrates seamlessly with Trimble data collection apps such as TerraFlex, Trimble Access, as well as third-party apps such as Esri ArcGIS Field Maps. The TDC6 also connects with Trimble GNSS solutions like the Trimble R580 GNSS receiver and Trimble Catalyst DA2 system to provide high-accuracy GNSS data for any workflow. [See Effortless Flexibility: Introducing the Trimble TDC6 Data Collector] -- Posted Monday, February 12, 2024

Havis, Inc. and Farmwave Pioneer AI solutions for harvest optimization
Havis, Inc. is proud to play a crucial role alongside Farmwave in revolutionizing agriculture technology, particularly in vision artificial intelligence for harvest loss. Since 2019, Farmwave has been dedicated to bringing AI to the field, and our partnership underscores the pivotal role our docking stations play in supporting this endeavor. Farmwave's visionary artificial intelligence software operates autonomously, continuously monitoring harvest loss in real-time without interrupting the process. [See Havis media release] -- Posted Monday, February 12, 2024

MilDef reports Q4 and full-year 2023 financials
MilDef Group AB reports that for Q4 2023 net sales increased 12% to SEK 353 million ($33.9million). Adjusted Q4 2023 EBITDA amounted to SEK 59.8 million ($5.75 million). In the quarter, MilDef subsidiary Handheld won a SEK 67 million order for Algiz RT 10 rugged tablets from Makin. For the full year 2023 net sales increased by 56% to 1,151 million ($110.6 million) and adjusted EBITDA amounted to SEK 168.0 million ($16.1 million). "MilDef is entering 2024 with a record order backlog and important framework agreements in place, while also being well-prepared to meet the rapidly growing needs of the market. All this makes me very optimistic as I look forward to 202.," said Daniel Ljunggren, CEO MilDef Group. [See MilDef 2023 financials] -- Posted Monday, February 12, 2024

Motorola Solutions reports Q4 and full-year 2023 financials
Motorola Solutions reported 2023 full-year sales of US$9.978 billion, up 10% from US$9.112 billion in 2022. 2023 operating earnings were US$2.294 billion, up 38% compared to 2022's US$1.661 billion. The company reported 2023 Q4 sales of US$2.848 billion, up 5% from US$2.706 billion in Q4 2022. Q4 2023 operating earnings were US$738 million, up 7% compared to 2022's US$692 million. For full-year 2024, Motorola Solutions expects revenue growth of approximately 6%. Motorola Solutions ended the fiscal year with a backlog of $14.3 billion, down $88 million from the prior year. [See Motorola Solutions 2023 financial media release] -- Posted Monday, February 12, 2024

Trimble announces Q4 and full-year 2023 financials
Trimble announced revenue of $932.4 million in Q4 2023 compared to $856.5 million in Q4 2022. Net income for Q4 2023 was $63.0 million, compared to $85.63 million for Q4 2022. Full year 2023 sales were $3.798 billion compared to $3.676 billion in 2022. Net income for 2023 was $311.3 million, compared with a net income of $449.7 million in 2022. For the full year 2024, Trimble expects to report revenue between $3.57 billion and $3.67 billion. [See Trimble financials] -- Posted Monday, February 12, 2024

Handheld: Rugged computers conquer extreme challenges in Patagonia
It's always interesting to see how rugged computing equipment holds up in extreme environments. Handheld, a MilDef subsidiary, just published a case study on how their PDAs were part of the Centre Terre exploration group that embarked on its 10th expedition to the Chilean Patagonia Archipelago in 2023. Serving as “all-purpose tool” for the team, the Nautiz handhelds helped the team in its mission to explore and document information about Madre de Dios Island and creating a Geographic Information System for enhanced exploration. [See Handheld: Rugged computers conquer extreme challenges in Patagonia] -- Posted Thursday, February 8, 2024

FULL REVIEW: Getac B360 Pro rugged laptop
With the next generation of the B360 Pro, Getac leapfrogs its primary competition in the modern, full-size, fully rugged laptop race. What's the difference to the standard Getac B360? In essence, the 13.3-inch B360 Pro is a taller and more substantial version of the lighter, thinner standard Getac B360 for customers with emphasis on more connectivity, more features, more expansion and, perhaps most importantly, much more battery capacity. [See full review of the Getac B360 Pro fully rugged laptop] -- Posted Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Omdia: Final quarter shipment figures show Apple overtook Samsung to be the largest smartphone brand of 2023
Latest research from Omdia has found that in the fourth quarter of 2023, the smartphone preliminary shipment total reached 328 million units. This marks an 8.6% increase compared to 4Q22, and highlights 4Q23 as the first quarter to see a significant increase since 2Q21. It is also an 8.6% increase compared to the previous quarter. This growth signals an end to nine consecutive quarters of year-on-year declines in overall smartphone shipments, a sign that the industry is stabilizing after a period of strong smartphone demand between 4Q20 and 3Q21, followed by supply chain problems in 2022. [See Omdia: Final quarter shipment figures show Apple overtook Samsung to be the largest smartphone brand of 2023] -- Posted Monday, February 5, 2024

What happend in rugged computing 15 years ago: February 2009
In February 2009, we reviewed the RMT Duros 1214 fixed-mount computer. Intermec was on a roll in Australia and Saudi Arabia with its CN3 handheld, and ended its fiscal year with no debt. Fujitsu published a paper on the many uses of capacitive touch (but also backed WiMAX over LTE). Lenovo designated eight ThinkPad laptops as "semi-rugged." Trimble introduced the 7-inch Yuma tablet and support the Iditarod with rugged Nomad and Yuma computers. General Dynamics moved its rugged business (née Itronix) from Spokane to Florida. Microsoft introduced Windows Mobile 6.5 and an app store. ARM announced Cortex-A9 multi processing on the Symbian OS mobile OS. HP began selling Getac rugged PCs. Dell updated its Latitude XT2 tablet with enhanced multi-touch. [See February 2009 rugged computing archives] -- Posted Monday, February 5, 2024

Snom to demonstrate range of advanced wireless DECT phones at IT Expo SuperShow
Snom Americas, a pioneer in VoIP technology and phone systems, today announced plans to demonstrate their latest range of cordless phones, setting a new standard in business communication technology. The M series of wireless DECT phones will be showcased at this year's IT Expo Supershow in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from Feb. 13-15, where Snom is the "Official Phone of IT Expo." [See Snom Americas media release] -- Posted Monday, February 5, 2024

Janam launches next-generation smart access control solution
Janam Technologies, a leading provider of rugged mobile computers and contactless access solutions, today unveiled its next-generation mobile entry pedestal at the 45th Annual INTIX Conference and Exhibition at Caesars Palace. Janam's new GTX builds on the success of Janam's industry leading GT1 mobile entry pedestal to improve ingress and elevate the patron experience with the most versatile and affordable solution for access control. [See Janam media release] -- Posted Thursday, February 1, 2024