the company says.

(Click here for a larger view of Trimble's Yuma in its docking station)

Trimble's Nomad (Click image for further information)

The Yuma appears to be the first Trimble device to use a "desktop" Windows operating system. The company's earlier products have used handheld OSes, such as Windows Mobile and Windows CE. (Trimble's well-known Nomad (right), for instance, runs Windows Mobile on a Marvell PXA320 CPU, and was recently updated with a integrated quad-band GSM GPRS/EGE cellular modem.)

Trimble says that just like its handhelds, the new Yuma tablet PC meets MIL-STD-810F standards for resistance to drops, vibration, and humidity. The device's IP67 rating makes it "impervious to dust and water," and it operates in temperatures from -30 to 60 deg. C (-22 to 140 deg. F), according to the company.

With "no moving parts," the Yuma employs a 32GB SSD (solid state drive), along with an unspecified amount of RAM. Trimble cites a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, though the company did not specify whether this is the N270 that has become so familiar in netbooks, or the smaller Z530 typically associated with MIDs (mobile internet devices). Given the Yuma's passive cooling, it almost certainly uses a Z530-series part.

According to Trimble, the Yuma has a 7-inch sunlight-readable "WVGA" touchscreen display. While WVGA usually implies 800 x 480 resolution, the Yuma may actually pack more pixels than that, or so the photo at the top of our story suggests. The device also includes three function keys and a five-way controller.

As well as offering 802.11b/g wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.0, the Yuma includes GPS, courtesy of an unspecified chipset. Photos taken with the device's front- and rear-facing cameras are automatically tagged with their latitude and longitude, the company says.

The Yuma is also capable of initiating VoIP communications, according to Trimble. This implies the presence of a microphone, speakers, or audio I/O, though none of these was confirmed.

Finally, a port on the Yuma connects it to the optional "office docking station" pictured above, permitting the tablet to connect to an external monitor and printer.

Features and specifications listed by Trimble for the Yuma include:

• Processor -- 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, presumably the Z530
  
• Memory -- n/s
  
• Display -- 7-inch "sunlight-readable" screen with "WVGA" resolution
  
• Keys -- Three function keys, five-way controller
  
• Storage -- 32GB SSD (solid state drive)
  
• Cameras -- Dual cameras, resolution n/s
  
• Wireless:
  • WLAN -- 802.11b/g
    
  • PAN -- Bluetooth 2.0
    
  • GPS
• Other I/O:
  • 2 x USB 2.0
    
  • Docking station port
• Expansion:
  • ExpressCard slot
    
  • SDIO slot
• Operating temperature -- -30 to 60 deg. C
  
• Environmental standards compliance -- MIL-STD-810F and IP67
  
• Battery type/life -- n/s
  
• Dimensions -- 9 x 5.5 x 2 inches
  
• Weight -- 2.6 pounds

Availability

Trimble did not provide pricing for the Yuma but said the device will be available in April. More information may be found on the company's website, here.

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