Rugged Notebooks in the Press

Rugged Notebooks: Tough and Secure

(PoliceMag.com)

One of the biggest selling points for Rugged Notebooks' new Eagle model computer system is its security system, which will help agencies comply with new federal regulations for access to criminal justice databases.

Under the most recently published FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security guidelines, all systems accessing National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data must comply with new advanced user authentication requirements. Both desktop and notebook computers used to access NCIC, including computers used in patrol vehicles, must comply with these guidelines. Read More

Put to the test: The SUV of laptops?

(CNN)

As the laptop computer continues to grow from a leisure-time convenience to a work-time necessity, people are finding they need them pretty much everywhere -- on a plane, at a favorite lunch spot, even at the beach.

But what if sand jams up the works, the bellman drops it, or you slosh coffee on it?

New computers from Rugged Notebooks aim to be the SUV of laptops by withstanding heat, water, a tumble off a table and even precocious four-year-old kids. We put it to the test.

Is Your Computer Tough Enough?

Pros: A bright 15-inch display, covers for every port or opening, and corner bumpers.

The RNB 230 from Rugged Notebooks makes a virtue of size by building a rugged notebook around a superb 15-inch display. Easily the big boy of this market, the RNB 230 delivers an acceptable balance between performance and battery life.

If ever a notebook looked the rugged part, the black and gray RNB 230 is it. Measuring 1.8 x 13.3 x 12.2 inches and weighing 10 pounds, you pay for every extra inch of display space. With the added advantage of corner bumpers, this machine is protected against anything short of nuclear annihilation. Like the other systems we tested, however, the RNB 230 uses a large AC adapter and has an onerous travel weight of 10.9 pounds, although you can drop 5 ounces by removing the carry handle.

Touchscreen machine that can take a beating.

Rugged Notebooks RNB 230.

One look at Rugged Notebooks’ 8.6-pound RNB 230 makes it clear this laptop is designed to take a beating: Eight large rubber bumpers cover each corner of its black magnesium alloy case. A large metal clasp keeps the laptop shut and rubber seals protect the ports from the elements. Inside, the RNB 230 employs a sunlight-readable touchscreen (that a stylus hidden in the sturdy handle can control) and a keyboard made from a seamless waterproof rubber membrane. A 1.6-GHz Intel Pentium M Processor provides plenty of horsepower, and you can augment the system’s 802.11b/g connectivity with optional WAN, GPS, and Bluetooth modules. Click for Enlarge View:

  

Rugged Notebooks RNB 230

WIRED: Toughest machine tested. Meets 810F military specs for shock, water resistance, and temperature. Rubber plugs waterproof the ports. 14.1-inch display brightest of the group. Options: keyboard backlight and built-in GPS and cellular data. Three-hour battery life.
TIRED: Apocalypse-ready features at a shock-and-awe price. Large handle either presses into groin or interferes with typing.

Spilling coffee won't ruin this laptop

USA Today

Just how rugged is the Talon laptop from Rugged Notebooks? The company says users have dropped it, spilled drinks on it and cleaned it off under running water — with no ill effects. The notebook's durable design includes a spill-proof keyboard and magnesium casing behind the liquid crystal display (LCD) and under the keyboard. The $1,999 model has a 14-inch display, a 1.8-gigahertz Intel mobile Pentium 4 processor, a 20-gigabyte shock-resistant hard drive, 128 megabytes of memory, a CD-ROM drive, three Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, a built-in 802.11b wireless network card and the Windows XP Home operating system. Other configurations also are available

Rugged Notebooks Talon

PC Hardware / Reviews

Portable computing is a growing trend, but with that trend comes the risks to the equipment that is constantly being moved around. Falls from a table, drops from a computer bag or even spills from a drink can cause hundreds of dollars in damage. To address these minor accidents and the resulting repair bills, manufacturers such as Rugged Notebooks are introducing semi-rugged portables. The Talon is a semi-rugged thin and light notebook computer system offered by Rugged Notebooks. It is designed to withstand minor drops from about 3 feet while the system is operating and continue to function. It also features a splash proof keyboard that can withstand small spills during operation without causing problems.

Rugged Notebooks For Rugged Fields

RUGGED NOTEBOOKS' RNB 130

If you're in an industry that requires you to use a laptop in less-than-optimal situations--such as on an oil rig, in a mining shaft or under enemy fire--you need a ruggedized notebook. Two new models from Rugged Notebooks definitely deserve a look.

The RNB 130 ($3450) has Intel's new 1.1-GHz Centrino processor for built-in 802.11b wireless connectivity, 256MB of RAM (expandable to 1GB), a 40GB hard drive, 12.1-in. TFT XGA LCD screen, 64MB of DDR video memory, 10/100Base-T Ethernet port, and 56K V.90 modem. It weighs 6.2 pounds and measures 10.8 x 9.4 x 1.7 in. The company says its battery will last for 4 hours.

RUGGED NOTEBOOKS' HAWK

The Hawk model ($2399) is larger at 13.1 x 10.8 x 1.4 in. and weighs 6.8 pounds. It uses a 2.2-GHz Intel Mobile Pentium 4 processor, has 128MB of RAM, a 20GB hard drive, 15.1-in XGA TFT LCD screen, built-in CD-ROM drive (with the option to upgrade to a DVD-ROM or CD-RW/DVD combo drive), 56K V.90 modem, 10/100Base-T Ethernet port, and options for adding Bluetooth, 802.11b or GPRS wireless connectivity.

Rugged Notebooks, which provides units to the Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, designed both of these new models to meet U.S. military standards (810-F MIL-SPECS) for computers in a combat environment. This requires survival from a 3-ft. drop on concrete and exposure to 4-in.-per-hour rainfall, as well as resistance to dust and desert sand. Both models use a magnesium alloy case.