Rugged Field Computer Buying Considerations

This article is intended to help you decide which features you require in your field computer or as some call them a field laptop. There are a few immediate considerations and uses/applications to consider. The table below offers some of these considerations along with sample placement, and applications. The purpose of this table is to get you thinking about what to consider when defining your needs and act as a primer regarding the selection of ruggedized laptops or field computers.

General Considerations Example Placements Possible Applications Waterproof Outdoor use as an Oil field Mobile workers Dust proof Used in a vehicle Police Shock Proof Exposure to the Elements Public Safety Temperature resistant Office use   Touch Screen Business Trips   Wireless, Bluetooth    

How Rugged:

Fully-rugged generally means the computer is built to withstand shock, vibration, elements, and is fully waterproof. Semi-rugged means completely ruggedized but not fully waterproof. Business rugged on the other hand means slightly ruggedized for frequent travelers. Beyond these, there is no common definition among rugged computer manufacturers. You should carefully consider which environmental conditions you need to protect against such as drops, shock, vibration, humidity, salt spray, temperature extremes, exposure to hazardous chemicals or gases, liquid spills, etc. Doing so will help you narrow down what level of rugged you need.

Display (screen) Size:

The size of the display generally dictates the size of the computer. The display size is fixed in a hand held, tablet or and Ultra-mobile PC (UMPC). Generally the screen size choices for laptops are: 3.6”, 5.0”,8.4”,12.1”, 13.3”, 14.1” and 15.0” Keep in mind that bigger displays are nice but that can mean bulkier computers that don’t fit well in a vehicle or on an airplane seat-back tray table. On balance, readability in terms of font size needs to be considered if there is a chance you or the user have vision problems. Place of usage and application influence the display decision as well. For example graphics-intensive software like CAD/CAM or GIS mapping perform better with the good display resolution, high-end graphics card and ample Video RAM you would only find in a high-end laptop. Another consideration is being able to easily read the display (screen) in the sunlight. Normal displays that come in traditional plastic computers are designed for indoor use. Vehicle-use and outdoor-use computers require a much brighter display. Choosing the best display for your needs will be a function of where the computer is intended to be used the majority of the time.

Form Factor (Overall Size & Weight):

If the application is forms automation or one-handed computing a tablet PC or UMPC would be the correct solution. Form factor choices include: Laptop, Tablet, Convertible (Tablet-to-Laptop), Hand held and Fixed Mount. If you need more definition on these choices visit http://whatis.techtarget.com , This site provides easy to read and understand details as well as links to other important and popular topics. With regard to weight: If your mobile computer will be carried around this becomes a very important consideration. Thus, you should look for a a computer that is as light as can be. At the same time keep in mind that you don’t want to trade off weight for features such as a good sized display. The more features you add or require, the more weight you add to the computer. For example, is a DVD drive or a floppy drive really necessary? Also a backlit or rubberized keyboard could add weight. Think in terms of what you need to get the job done, not just what would be nice to have.

The Keyboard:

Are you (or the user) going to need to use the laptop in darkened places or at night? If so, you may need to look at computers with a back light keyboard. Basically there are three ways to illuminate the keyboard and they are 1) keyboard light or task light, 2) Glow-in-the-dark phosphorus keyboards, and 3) back lit keyboards. There are a number of reasons to consider this such as: Lighted keyboards reduce squinting in low light situations and they limit the need for extra lighting or the use of a flashlight. No one of the three methods mentioned is necessarily better than the other but making sure you can see the keyboard in the dark is something to think about.

Integrated Options:

Many ruggedized mobile computers offer options not always available in traditional or commercial laptops. Items to consider in this regard include: Wireless cards (mobile broadband such s Verizon, Sprint or AT&T.) also, integrated GPS devices and Bluetooth wireless, fingerprint readers or smartcard readers and connection to a vehicle docking station. Speaking of wireless, it is critical that you ensure the rugged or mobile laptop you choose supports your carrier! Find out what card or other device your carrier uses and make sure that is supported or more than just “capable of use” in your laptop. Specifically, don’t settle for “yes, this will work” because while it’s true “this will work”, there may well be a few adjustments, tweaks, or other little factors that you don’t want to find out about after you’ve spent your money or when it’s to late, such as finding out about non-compatibility issues once in the field.