MidNight's Pickers

11 Rugged Mobile Devices Designed for Extreme Work Environments

By Brian T. Horowitz on 2012-01-03

Mobile users in health care, the military, construction and shipping often work in harsh work environments, and they need devices that can survive extreme heat, a splash in a puddle or a fall to concrete. Whether it's a smartphone, tablet or laptop, mobile devices with rugged or semi-rugged capabilities such as rubberized edges or a screen that can handle sunlight are suitable for workers navigating these conditions. These products often conform to military specifications for durability in extreme conditions such as dust, water, salt, fog and temperature. When looking back at 2011, the Xplore Xtreme Tablet is a good example of a device that can survive high drops or be submerged in a fish tank. Rugged models are built for the bumps that military vehicles, ambulances and delivery trucks endure. Others such as Motion Computing's CL900 feature bar-code readers to scan patient bracelets and shipping IDs. Several models also offer push-to-talk capabilities, which are essential for first responders at the scene of a natural disaster or accident. Industrial models such as the Dell Latitude E6420 XFR have extra security features so that forensics investigators can collect their data with confidence. Here, eWEEK highlights some mobile devices with extra durability that made a big impact in 2011.

This Motorola Android 2.3 phone on Sprint's network features push-to-talk features for first responders, along with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla glass. The phone can withstand dust, shock and solar radiation.


Casio G'zOne Commando

Casio's G'zOne Commando phone comes with G'zGear software to allow workers to navigate outdoor environments, and its Triple Sensor technology can track direction, acceleration and temperature. It also features bumpers on its edges to survive drops and Microsoft's Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) encrypts data and remotely wipes information.