Your Guide To Understanding Rugged Mobile Computers

Rugged, Mobile Computers are specifically designed to be used mounted in a vehicle, while on-the-go, while in the field, or in a factory or warehouse environment. They have features like hardened casings, waterproof keyboards, sunlight-readable displays and shock-mounted disk drives.

As defined by Wikipedia, "A rugged (or ruggedized) computer is a computer specifically designed to reliably operate in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions. They are designed from inception for the type of rough use typified by these conditions; commercial units upgraded for this purpose make poor substitutes. Vehicle mounted environments (e.g. public safety vehicles or utility trucks) are well suited for rugged computers as the vibration and jolts inherent there would cause failures in typical portable computers."

This guide will teach you all about the different types of rugged computers, the features that make them different from conventional computers, as well as some other considerations such as vehicle docking, warranties and the price vs. the cost of owning a rugged computer.

Please use the navigation along the left of the page to skip ahead and read specific parts of the Rugged Computer Guide. To read the entire guide, just click the link at the end of the page to continue to the next section.

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