(Click here for a larger view of Glacier's Ridgeline Q100)Glacier's Ridgeline Q100 features a rugged, sealed case that is built to withstand five-foot drops onto concrete, and to meet IP67 standards for sealing against water and dust, according to the company. In addition to bumpers on each of its corners, the Q100 has oversized buttons and labels, for operation by gloved fingers. It includes three locking doors on its left and right sides, designed to protect the ports for its wired interfaces when not in use.
Industrial Computing's Guardian Model 37
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When we laid eyes on the Ridgeline Q100, we were certain we'd seen its chunky face before. As checking our
Mobile Device Showcase confirmed, the device is indeed visually identical to the Industrial Computing
Guardian Model 37 (right) announced last year.
Whether Glacier is reselling that device, or has merely chosen a similar OEM case in which to put its device, we can't say, but the Guardian Model 37 and the Ridgeline Q100 do share most of the same specifications. The Guardian was said to offer a special "terminate" key which could instantly wipe all data from any installed CompactFlash card. Glacier lists a "terminal" key for the Q100, but doesn't provide any further explanation.
In any case, the Ridgeline Q100 has a 3.7-inch touchscreen display that is available in either VGA or QVGA (320 x 240) resolutions. It uses a 624MHz Marvell PXA270 processor with 256MB of RAM and 256MB or 512MB of flash memory, and more storage may be added via a CompactFlash slot, says Glacier.
Wireless capabilities include 802.11b/g wireless networking, Bluetooth 1.2, and a receiver that's said to provide location information via either American GPS or European
Galileo satellites. The Q100 also has a GSM/GPRS (general packet radio service) cellular modem, according to Glacier.
Meanwhile, the device provides a much greater than average number of wired interfaces, including two USB 1.1 host connectors, a USB 1.1 client connector, an RS232 port, an RS232/422/485 port, and a 10/100 Ethernet jack. In addition, the Ridgeline Q100 has an internal microphone and monaural speaker, an external microphone input, a stereo headphone jack, and a bottom-mounted docking connector.
One of several little differences between the Guardian Model 37 and the Ridgeline Q100 is that the former was said to have a 1350mAh battery, whereas the Q100 is specified as having a 1900mAh battery. Also, both devices are touted as being available with either Windows CE 5.0 or Windows Mobile, but only Glacier lists
Windows Mobile 6.1.
Features and specifications listed by Glacier for the Ridgeline Q100 include:
- Processor -- Marvell PXA270 clocked at 624MHz
- Memory -- 256MB of RAM and 256MB or 512MB of flash
- Display -- 3.7-inch touchscreen display, VGA or QVGA (320 x 240)
- Keys -- Power button, navigation key, four function keys, one "terminal" key
- Wireless:
- WAN -- GSM/GPRS cellular modem
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g
- PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
- GPS
- Other I/O:
- 2 x USB 1.1 host
- 1 x USB 1.1 client
- 10/100 Ethernet
- 1 x RS232
- 1 x RS232/422/485
- Audio mic in and headphone out
- DC input jack
- Expansion:
- CompactFlash slot
- Docking connector
- Battery type -- 1900mAh dual-cell battery; life n/s
- Operating temperature -- -20 to 60 deg. C (-4 to 140 deg. F)
- Dimensions -- 6.1 x 3.8 x 1.7 inches
- Weight -- n/s
Glacier did not release pricing or availability information for the Ridgeline Q100.
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