From laptops and tablets to smartphones and flash drives, an increasing number of devices are designed to withstand extreme conditions.
Extreme usage requires extreme gadgets
Do you work in harsh environments that
are dusty or wet, or often take part in extreme activities? Or perhaps
you’re prone to dropping, knocking or spilling on your electronics?
Whether you have an extreme job or lifestyle that still demands the use
of high-tech gear, or you’re simply clumsy, a growing list of consumer
devices today are fortunately designed with military-grade toughness in
mind.
The fully rugged laptop
The Panasonic Toughbook 31
is the benchmark to beat when it comes to tough laptops. This fully
rugged Windows laptop offers drop shock protection courtesy of its full
magnesium alloy chassis. MIL-STD-810G and IP65 certification means that
the Toughbook 31 is built to shrug mere inconveniences such as nuisances
like rain, heat and vibration.
Under the hood, the Toughbook 31 is no slouch in performance
either, with an Intel i5 processor at 2.3GHz and option for up to 16GB
of RAM, backed by a substantial number of interface options. Its
13.1-inch XGA screen comes with a sunlight viewable 1200 nit
touchscreen, while its battery allows 18 hours of performance by
default, or up to 27 hours with optional second battery.
Price: ~$2,700
The survivalist tablet
If you need a tablet that can survive just about any environment you can throw it at, then the Getac F110 tablet
is probably just what the general ordered. The Windows-powered tablet
is certified to MIL-STD 810G, IP65 and MIL-STD-461F U.S. military
standards, and will operate in temperatures ranging from -6°F to 140°F
(-21°C to 60°C). And to set your mind at ease, it is backed by a
three-year bumper-to-bumper warranty that includes accidental damage.
The Getac F110 packs beefy specifications, too, packing
802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, optional 4G LTE and GPS. Not to mention an
expansion slot that can be customized with a Gigabit Ethernet port or
MicroSD slot, among others. Its 11.6-inch screen is sensitive to touch
even when wearing a glove, while two hot-swappable batteries offer the
potential for uninterrupted battery life.
Price: ~$1,930
The uncrushable smartphone
The Sonim XP7
is best defined as an “ultra-rugged” LTE Android smartphone that is
built to withstand being driven over by a heavy-duty truck. That’s
right, a truck! Tested against a dozen chemicals and oils, the
smartphone is also rated completely dust proof (IP6X) and waterproof in
both fresh and salt water at a depth of 6.5 feet for up to 30 minutes.
Powered by a 1.2GHz quad core processor and running on
Android 4.4 Kit Kat, it has reasonable specs, such as a 4-inch display
and an 8MP autofocus rear camera. Its built-in speakers are able to pump
out sound at up to 103 dB while its touch screen can be viewed in
direct sunlight and easily used with dirty or wet work gloves.
Price: ~$750
The full metal portable drive
The ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD
is wrapped in a full metal jacket -- which is what you need to protect
data from drops and extreme environments. The ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD
can resist crush forces of up to 2,500 pounds of force for the aluminum
version, or up to 5,000 pounds of force for the titanium version.
Its maker says that the speedy USB 3.0 portable storage
drive is safe from water at a depth of 30 feet for three days.
Importantly, internal tests of its toughness include full immersion in
diesel fuel, oils, hydraulic fluids and aircraft fuels, as well as
continuous exposure to UV, blowing sand and dust, rain and salt fog.
Price: $650
The tough flash drive
If you don’t need too much capacity (or simply prefer something smaller), the Corsair Flash Survivor
can help keep your data safe. The anodized, aircraft-grade aluminum
housing is tough, vibration- and shock-resistant, and is waterproof to
200 meters. Due to the sheer speed of its USB 3.0 interface, you can
also access large files, such as video, directly from the drive without
experiencing lag.
Price: $110
The waterproof speaker
Looking to crank some music as you luxuriate at the beach, or perhaps you just want some tunes at the worksite? The UE Megaboom
is a portable Bluetooth speaker rated to IPX7 waterproof standards, and
is shockproof to boot. Its bold design and color options aside, the UE
Megaboom stands out for its excellent sound reproduction and 20-hours of
battery life. Of course, its 100-foot Bluetooth wireless range and
customizable five-band equalizer helps, too.
Price: $300
The all-weather video camera
If you’re looking for a rugged video camera, consider the GoPro Hero4 Black. Waterproof to 131 feet with the default case, you can increase it to 197 feet with the GoPro Dive Housing. If being crushproof is more important to you, though, you can also opt for a variety of third-party casings such as the metal GoTouch Sharkcage.
Equipped with both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the Hero4 Black allows you to
record at the ultra-high resolution of 4K and 30 frames per second.
Price: $500
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