TetraPad Ruggedized Pocket PC Released

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tetracomputer.com/fiche_technique.php?a=17&id=17' target='_blank'>http://www.tetracomputer.com/fiche_....php?a=17&id=17</a><br /><br /></div>Instrument (Deuil-La-Barre, France) have announced their new TetraPad ruggedized Pocket PC. It comes with a 400-MHz Intel Xscale CPU, a 4-inch "resistive touchscreen" VGA LCD, 64 Mbytes of RAM (128Mb optional), a SD slot, a Type II PCMCIA slot!!! and has two USB slots and a serial port. The PDA is IP54- or IP65-compliant and meets MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461. Options include GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth, WLAN, and a 10-32 VDC adapter. The dimensions are 175x104x39mm and the weight is 410 grams. For more info you can look at the product PDF <a href="http://www.tetracomputer.com/img/base/17_fichecomm_UK.pdf">here</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/17_grande.JPG" /><br /><br />The TetraPad comes with either PPC2003SE or CE.NET. Now this is a seriously well equipped Pocket PC, which is remarkably small considering what it is, contains and conforms to. I'm particularly impressed with the integrated PCMCIA slot and the low weight of the device. 8) There's no word on pricing, but as usual, if you have to ask……

[Fishie]

Its running youre choice of Second edition or CE.net.

Spicy machine.

[PubERB]

The url for the english PDF is http://www.tetracomputer.com/img/base/17_fichecomm_UK.pdf

[Fishie]

The one in the picture is running CE.NET

[buckyg]

Nice... The boss has had me look at rugged PPCs before. They'd be helpful for our field guys going out to collect data from industrial sites. Then he sees the price tag...

[MaximumPDA]

I am not sure that's the best image for them to display on the press material. While I am sure its a GIS or map image of some sort at first glance it looks like the Ruggedized device has a broken screen. :)

--Bill

[lurch]

a 4-inch "resistive touchscreen" VGA LCD

If by "resistive" they mean hard to press, then that's right.. :) but I think I was having non-pocket PC related issues that day, which may have affected it... I also had trouble getting the stylus out of its holder, and my coworker had no problems with either of those things.. :roll:

A side note- for a rugged handheld, it's very light!

[Jonathon Watkins]

The url for the english PDF is http://www.tetracomputer.com/img/base/17_fichecomm_UK.pdf

That you for that and welcome! 8) I've updated the post to relect the English info :way to go: .

[Jonathon Watkins]

a 4-inch "resistive touchscreen" VGA LCD

If by "resistive" they mean hard to press, then that's right.. :) but I think I was having non-pocket PC related issues that day, which may have affected it... I also had trouble getting the stylus out of its holder, and my coworker had no problems with either of those things..

Ah - you've had 'face time' with one of these? Apart from that how did you find it? Did you use the unit with built in GPS?

By "resistive" I am assuming they mean resistive against oil, water, scratches etc.

[Jonathon Watkins]

I am not sure that's the best image for them to display on the press material. While I am sure its a GIS or map image of some sort at first glance it looks like the Ruggedized device has a broken screen. :)

I was not sure what you meant and then I looked again. I now see what you mean. :lol:

[Pony99CA]

Instrument (Deuil-La-Barre, France) have announced their new TetraPad ruggedized Pocket PC. It comes with a 400-MHz Intel Xscale CPU, a 4-inch "resistive touchscreen" VGA LCD, 64 Mbytes of RAM (128Mb optional), a SD slot, a Type II PCMCIA slot!!! and has two USB slots and a serial port. The PDA is IP54- or IP65-compliant and meets MIL-STD-810 and MIL-STD-461.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, but does it have Tacfire (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9614)? :lol:

Steve

[Talon]

By "resistive" I am assuming they mean resistive against oil, water, scratches etc.
Resistive is the technology used to locate screen presses, nothing to do with the surface finish on the touchscreen. Just about all PDA touchscreens are that type these days.

[Jonathon Watkins]

By "resistive" I am assuming they mean resistive against oil, water, scratches etc.
Resistive is the technology used to locate screen presses, nothing to do with the surface finish on the touchscreen. Just about all PDA touchscreens are that type these days.

OK, fair enough. Cheers for the clarification. I would have thought that t a ruggedized PPC like this would have had some kind of extra screen protection though.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but does it have Tacfire (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9614)? :lol:

Well, this is a French built unit and Tacfire (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/tacfire.htm) is a US system .....

... composed of computers and remote devices linked by digital communications using existing radio and wire communications equipment. TACFIRE automates selected field artillery command and control functions to provide efficient management of fire support resources.

So, I guess not. :wink:

[Pony99CA]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, but does it have Tacfire (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=9614)? :lol:
Well, this is a French built unit and Tacfire (http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/tacfire.htm) is a US system .....

... composed of computers and remote devices linked by digital communications using existing radio and wire communications equipment. TACFIRE automates selected field artillery command and control functions to provide efficient management of fire support resources.

So, I guess not. :wink:
It may not have it, but I reject the premise that just because the company is French, they couldn't offer it. Check out the Tadiran RPDA-88 (http://www.tadiran-com.co.il/products/military_compu/PDA/pda.asp), which has Tacfire. If you check Tadiran's contact page (http://www.tadiran-com.co.il/contact/contact.asp), you'll see they're an Israeli company.

So if the U.S. will share Tacfire with Israel, why not with France? They're an ally (more or less :lol:).

Steve

[Jonathon Watkins]

OK, I really should have put a winky next to the French statement. :)

Lets not go down the politial route OK? :wink:

However you slice it, this looks like one of the most impressive ruggedized PPCs around at the moment. Does anyone know of any other ruggedized PPCs running with VGA screens or is this the first one?