(Click here for a larger view of RMT's Duros 8404, frozen in ice)
"Unlike a laptop, the Duros is designed to be carried with you," RMT says cheekily. Touting the device as "evenly balanced," the company says the Duros features a multi-directional handgrip/wrist strap, as well as an available vehicle mount (right).
A further aid to portability is said to be the device's hot-swappable battery, said to "diminish downtime and provide continuous battery life." Additionally the Duros, which targets harsh field applications such as mining, construction, utilities, and public safety, is sealed against dust and water to the IP65 standard, and meets MIL-STD-810F standards for resistance to vibration and shock, says RMT.
According to RMT, the Duros may be operated from -4 to 122 deg. F (-20 to 50 deg. C), as the photo at the top of our story dramatizes. The device can withstand four-foot drops onto concrete, as long as its HDD is not operating, the company adds.
The Duros 8404 is equipped with an 8.4-inch resistive touchscreen display, with 800 x 600 pixel resolution and an optional "sunlight-readable" configuration. To the right of the screen, as the photograph below shows, there are membrane keys that toggle power, lock the system, control cursor movement, and may be assigned to various function keys, the company says.
RMT's Duros 8404 has membrane keys to the right of its touchscreen display
(Click to enlarge)The device is offered with either a 500GHz
AMD Geode LX or a 1.0GHz Intel Celeron M CPU, plus either 256MB, 512MB, or 1GB of RAM installed in what is apparently a single SODIMM slot. Meantime, mass storage can be either an SSD (solid state disk), in capacities from 512MB to 64GB, or an IDE hard disk drive, sold in sizes from 40GB to 120GB.
Standard wired ports include USB 2.0, Ethernet, and a docking connector. Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11a/b/g wireless networking are also standard, while GPS and a GSM cellular modem are listed as options. The Duros 8404 also includes a built-in microphone and stereo speakers, says RMT.
While noting that the Duros's 44Wh battery may be replaced without shutting down the computer, RMT doesn't say how long each pack lasts. However, the device is said to use 5 Watts of power in standby, 15 Watts under typical use, and 40 Watts maximum.
Features and specifications listed by RMT for the Duros 8404 include:
- Processor -- 500MHz AMD Geode LX800, or 1.0GHz Intel Celeron M
- Memory -- 256MB, 512MB, or 1GB of DDR RAM
- Display -- 8.4-inch resistive touchscreen display with 800 x 600 resolution
- Storage -- Flash storage from 512MB to 64GB, or "automotive" hard disk drive from 40GB to 120GB
- Networking -- RJ45 Ethernet (speed n/s)
- Wireless:
- GPS (optional)
- GSM cellular modem (optional)
- Other I/O:
- Expansion -- Docking connector
- Power supply -- 44WH battery, or external power from 9VDC to 21VDC
- Operating temperature -- -20 to 50 deg. C (-4 to 122 deg. F)
- Dimensions -- 10.2 x 7.8 x 1.7 inches (260 x 198mm x 43mm)
- Weight -- 4.2 lbs (1.9kg)
Availability and further informationRMT says the Duros 8404 runs Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet Edition, Windows XP Embedded, Windows Vista, or Linux. Pricing was not specified, but the device is said to be "available immediately."
Further information may be found on RMT's website,
here.
Meanwhile, an interesting review of the Duros 1214, a larger offering in RMT's line of tablet PCs, just appeared on the
RuggedPCReview website. Illustrated with photos that include the device's innards, the review may be found
here.
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