Why Android™?
Rugged devices are designed to tolerate the abuse of being outdoors in harsh environments on a regular basis. The are often sealed to prevent rain, moisture and dust from getting inside, and engineered with cases sturdy enough to survive falls onto concrete. Workers in field services like telecom, utilities, oil and gas typically carry these devices. You’ve seen them in the hands of delivery workers, and now we are seeing healthcare providers carrying rugged tablets and handhelds for viewing patient records and vital signs.
With the evolution of Windows and Android platforms, new market opportunities are being created to enhance user experience, create efficiency, and improve productivity in the workforce. Selecting the best rugged mobile device and operating system really depends on feature set, form factor and environment needs. The good news is that the operating system is becoming less critical as development moves towards a cross-platform paradigm. Device manufacturers are paving the enterprise road for next generation devices, providing stable, secure, and feature-rich rugged mobile computers. A few reasons one might consider Android over Windows would include affordable pricing, wide array of software and apps, largely supported by Google, and full personal customization.
Until recently, Android was only an option available on consumer-grade smartphones and tablets, which made it a risky and uncertain bet for more demanding application environments. Today, a number of major rugged mobility manufacturers including Getac, Xplore, and Panasonic have designed Android-based industrial mobile devices. A few options for Rugged Android devices available at Group Mobile include:
- Xplore XSLATE D10 Rugged Android Tablet — The XSLATE D10 runs Android 5.1 (Lollipop) and is powered by a 1.9GHz Quad-core Intel Atom E3845 processor, 4GB RAM, and a 64GB M.2 solid state drive. Inspired by over a decade of customer feedback and experience in the rugged tablet space, the Xplore XSLATE D10 Android tablet features a lightweight and highly portable form factor. With MIL-STD-810G and IP65 certifications, the XSLATE D10 is engineered to protect critical data under the most challenging conditions such as 5′ operating drops to plywood over concrete, heavy rain, blowing sand and dust, continuous vibration, temperature extremes, and more. Learn more about the Xplore XSLATE D10 Rugged Android Tablet here…
- Getac Z710 Rugged Android Tablet — The Z710 operates on the Android platform. This highly-customizable, open source operating system is well-known for its simplicity and energy-saving capabilities. Expansion possibilities are nearly endless via access to over 350,000 applications at the Android Marketplace. The Z710 is powered by a Texas Instruments® OMAP 4430 Dual Core 1Ghz processor, 1GB RAM and has a 16GB solid state drive. It meets MIL-STD-810G and IP65 standards for durability and protection against dirt, dust, water, motion, vibration, temperature and other factors that would quickly damage or disable a commercial-grade tablet computer. Learn more about the Getac Z710 Rugged Android Tablet here…
- Panasonic FZ-B2 Rugged Android Tablet PC — The rugged Panasonic Toughpad FZ-B2 Android tablet PC runs the Android™ 4.4.4 operating system and gives mobile workers all the integrated features and options they require in a tablet that goes anywhere business takes them. The Toughpad FZ-B2 is perfect for one-handed use, fits in a coat or cargo pocket, and is one of the lightest Panasonic mobile computers weighing only 1.2lbs. It is designed to MIL-STD-810G and to IP65 specifications to protect against environmental conditions and accidental situations, such as bumps, drops, or exposure to wind, heat, and rain. Learn more about the Panasonic FZ-B2 Android Toughpad here…
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