News Week of March 2, 2008

DRS ARMOR X10 Tablet

A renamed, updated Hammerhead

What is not immediately clear is if the 9th generation ARMOR X10 replaces the Hammerhead Xtreme that is still listed on the DRS Tactial website. RuggedPCReview.com did a comprehensive review of the Hammerhead Xtreme and found it as competent and purposeful as ever, but under the hood (or rather inside its case milled from aircraft-grade aluminum) it was no longer quite up to date. The X10 takes care of that with a processor upgrade to the ulra-low voltage 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo U2500. Maximum RAM has gone up to 2GB, available hard disks are up to 80GB, and a 8 or 16GB solid state disk is an option. Those are the major electronic enhancements.  (Source: Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, Rugged PC)

Users Voice Their Opinions About the HP tx2000

The topic of today's "User Opinions" article is the HP tx2000 Tablet PC. The tx2000 has moved its way to the number two spot on our Most Popular Tablet PCs list. The tx2000 has been receiving good reviews since it's release and I must say now that is has an active digitizer, I too give it a thumbs up.

The tx2000 in all its glory.

The tx2000 has been the talk of the community since its release and some users have commented on its pros and cons, which we would like to share with you. The opinions are chosen based on the value of the information (in our opinion) to our readers. We don't necessarily pick only the "positive" opinions or only the "negative" opinions. We pick the opinions that we believe will be most helpful to you as you shop for and compare Tablet PCs.  (Source: Tiffany Boggs, TabletPCReview.com)

Gigabyte M700 UMPC

Here is a photo of the Gigabyte M700 UMPC. It is obviously cute, but here are the specifications:

• 7” Touch display, 1024x600
• 1.2Ghz C7-M Via CPU
• 2GB
• 40GB to 60GB of hard drive
• Windows Vista Home Premium 

(Source: UberGizmo)

Ruvo Avox A65U1 UMPC - The Unboxing Review

The vibrant world of UMPCs has many players, most of them well-known brands, others less so, but probably deserving our attention just the same.  In this category you will find the Ruvo Avox, a handsome slider UMPC.  Think of it as a Nokia N95 on steroids, but then a lot bigger!  The Avox, whilst practically unknown, has a more familiar incarnation as the Gigabyte U60.  Are they exactly the same? 

We got ourselves the first Avox in Australia, courtesy of Tegatech, the UMPC distributor par excellence down under.  They are excited about that little critter and I am beginning to see why! 

Please follow me on this unboxing and our subsequent in-depth reviews of the Ruvo Avox.

First off, the Avox is billed as the smallest full-featured PC.  In this fluid world of sub-notebooks and UMPCs that claim is probably correct but bragging rights are never long-lived and it is better to judge a device, particularly when it is this small, by its usability.  So that will be the main focus of this and the following reviews. 

Today we will be looking at the Avox from the unboxing perspective and go into the hardware details. 

A next review will highlight the software and performance aspects to be followed by a write-up of all the various accessories that can be bought separately.   (Source: Martin Regtien, RealTechNews)

Clevo TN120R tablet - its amazing, simply amazing

It’s a convertible tablet that measure in at 12.1” with a 1280×800 resolution. You get your choice of processors ranging from the power hungry Core 2 Duo T9500 running at 2.6GHz all the way down to a more battery friendly Celeron M at 1.73GHz.

You can have up to 4GB of DDR2 packed inside, it has GM965 graphics built in, and both the HDD and the optical drive are changeable. The HDD is a SATA HDD (no size mentioned) and you can also have an Intel Turbo Memory module installed for Windows Vista.  (Source: SlashGear)

Samsung's UMPC keyboard is growing on us

Samsung has its Q1 Ultra UMPCs on display at CeBIT along with UMPC-specific keyboards. With the extra hardware, it's no longer just a UMPC and it's not a laptop either, it's somewhere in between.

Though we originally thought the keyboard defeated the purpose of such a small device, it does have its uses. The tiny keypad available on the left and right of the Q1 Ultra's screen is hideously small. You really do need pin-point fingers to use it. So, if you're preparing to write a lengthy e-mail, it'd be a good time to dig out your UMPC-keyboard.  (Source: Hexus.net)

Opinion: Will tablet PCs become the weapon of choice for the Australian education sector?

Optima may not be the only vendor to see a drop off in education tenders, as more schools are offered alternative products like the Eee PC and tablet PCs at a cheaper cost than traditional PCs and notebooks.

Recently Australian white-box builder Optima announced a $2.4 million loss net loss before tax for the half year ending December 2007. Optima CEO Cornel Ung said in a statement to the Australian Stock Exchange, the drop in the vendor’s business was mainly from the education sector, where the NSW Department of Education changed to adopt a single supplier policy.   (Source: Lilia Guan , CRN)

Mi-Co Announces e-Forms Support for Motion Computing's F5 Slate Tablet PC for Highly Mobile Workforces

Mobile Data Capture Software Supports Ruggedized Tablet PC With Multimedia Capture and Field-Friendly Functionality

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - March 5, 2008) - Gartner Wireless and Mobile Summit - Mi-Co, (www.mi-corporation.com), the mobile data capture software company, today announced full Mi-Forms e-forms support for the Motion Computing® F5 tablet PC at the Gartner Wireless and Mobile Summit. The F5 is a balance between commercial-grade tablet devices and fully rugged PCs.

Mi-Co's Mi-Forms take full advantage of the unique blend of workflow and information capture capabilities in the new F5 tablet PC, including out-of-the-box support for the unit's 2.0 MB digital camera, RFID and optional barcode scanner. Combining these hardware features in a ruggedized mobile PC with Mi-Co's industry-leading handwriting recognition capabilities, forms design and workflow integration makes the Mi-Co Mi-Forms solution for the Motion™ F5 a new standard for field data capture.

"Mi-Co has a history of success with Motion Computing and other leading hardware and software companies in the mobile computing arena," said Greg Clary, Mi-Co CEO. "Having Mi-Forms as a part of the F5 ecosystem acknowledges that these are two leaders driving the industry forward."

The F5 was specifically designed to address issues encountered by mobile workforces across industries including field service, manufacturing, government and construction. Organizations within these industries seek to consolidate the devices technicians carry, while improving workflow, reducing data collection errors and ensuring that users can communicate with each other and with host systems -- whether in the field or in the office. Mi-Co's Mi-Forms for F5 software factors in difficult field conditions and harnesses the power of the F5 unit to enable field-friendly forms that capture data from a range of sources and communicate it quickly to colleagues and to the home office.

F5 field features include:

--  Field-ready slate design that includes a magnesium frame, View
    Anywhere® outdoor display, integral handle and easily cleaned protective
    covering.
--  Shock-mounted hard drive and combined accelerometer designed to detect
    drops and shocks, reducing the possibility of data loss.
--  Fully integrated camera, RFID and optional barcode scanner to improve
    workflow and increase productivity.
--  Embedded wireless broadband for continuous data access.    

"Motion put a customer-first focus on the F5 to ensure that the PC and its customized applications serve the specialized needs of field staff who work in difficult environments and require high connectivity, high functionality data capture capabilities," said Mike Stinson, VP of Marketing, Motion. "Mi-Co is a cornerstone company that helps to capture specific data and fully maximize the capabilities of the F5."

The F5 is IP54 rated to meet difficult job demands from rain, dust exposure and drops. The F5 is designed to protect from the top three causes of notebook damage: drops, liquid spills and objects being dropped onto notebooks. The F5 is currently available through Motion Computing's network of value-added resellers and distributors and is priced from $2,699 - $4,000.

Pricing for Mi-Co's Mi-Forms software is based upon customization and size of the installment. Field customers interested in purchasing Mi-Forms for F5 or the Mi-Forms Designer should contact Mi-Co at 888-621-6230 or view a demo at http://mi-corporation.com/demo.php.

Software companies focused on field-friendly applications for data capture, error reduction and connectivity are encouraged to join the Mi-Co partner program to gain access to Mi-Forms script source code supporting the F5 device. Contact Mi-Co at 888-621-6230.   (Source: Press Release)

CRF's TrialMax eDiary Available For Tablet PCs

Trial designers can take advantage of the device and user interface best suited for their clinical protocol and for the subjects participating in their trials.

WALTHAM, MA. - March 3, 2008: Recognizing that the ePRO data collection needs of Investigator sites and patients are varied and complex, CRF Inc. is pleased to announce that the TrialMaxR suite of ePRO software solutions will support Tablet PCs running the Microsoft WindowsR VistaT operating system. Tablet PC-based eDiaries will be easier to use for many patient populations and will enable complex, site-based questionnaires to be administered electronically. They will provide Investigators the ability to obtain better data, by designing comprehensive patient questionnaires that take advantage of the Tablet's larger display area and the stylus or touch screen flexibility for more natural information entry and navigation ease.

"CRF is committed to providing clinical trial Sponsors, Investigators and Subjects with flexible computing options for their different PRO data collection and reporting requirements," said Pamela McNamara, CEO of CRF, Inc. "We have seen how the portability and convenience of our PDA and smartphone eDiaries increase compliance and provide Sponsors and Investigators with reliable, contemporaneous, high quality data. For particular patient populations, the added capabilities that a Tablet PC provides can make a real difference in the compliance rate and therefore the success of the trial. For example patients with tremors or visual impairment benefit from larger screen objects with which to interact."

CRF's full TrialMaxR platform capabilities will be utilized for TrialMaxR Tablet PCs: the eDiary designer tool, TrialStudioT, will be used to design Tablet PC-based solutions. CRF's TrialStudioT tool is well known for its flexibility and ease of use, enabling a collaborative design process with the study team. TrialManagerT, CRF's web-based trial reporting tool, provides constant real time and controlled access to study data. These tools are used for all TrialMaxR device types (PDAs, smartphones, and Tablet PCs). TrialStudioT and TrialManagerT support for multiple device platforms allows clinical data collection methods to be easily set up for and to report consistent results across clinical studies using different diaries. (Source: Press Release)

DRS intros rugged ARMOR C12 convertible, X10 tablet PC

Just in case Dell's Latitude XFR D630 was too mainstream for you, DRS Tactical Systems has a pair of equally tough rigs for you to chew on. Up first is the ARMOR C12 convertible (shown above), which packs a 12.1-inch outdoor readable touchscreen, 1.2GHz ULV U1400 CPU, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a 60GB shock-mounted HDD, full-sized keyboard, integrated WiFi, Ethernet, PCMCIA, a biometric scanner and a die-cast magnesium case built to pass MIL-STD-810F / IP54 standards. (Source: Darren Murph, Engadget)
Posted Wednesday, March 5, 2008 by ChrisD
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One Tablet PC classroom model

Because Tablet PCs are lightweight mobile PCs (typically 4lbs or less), teachers can easily carry one while lecturing. For example, here's an older photo of Richard Anderson, University of Washington, holding his Tablet PC while he's presenting to his class. He underlines, highlights, adds notes on the fly to emphasize a point, delivering a level of reinforcement that you get when a PC uses Tablet technology.

Now, take this example one step further and add freedom to move away from a podium. Wireless projectors or routers help make this possible. So, if it is a 9th grade class and the teacher is the only one with a Tablet PC, it could at least be passed between teacher and students to solve problems and share with the class.   (Source: Lora, WhatIsNew)

CeBIT 2008 : ASUS R70a hands on. Atom Battery life first impressions.

Its all a bit uncoordinated here. One minute everyone is allowed on a stand and the next, it's cleared out. No-one stopped me from having a good play around with the R70a though. Smaller and much better looking than the R2H/E, its running Vista in typical UMPC fashion (slow) on a 1.6Ghz CPU that I assume is Atom. If the predictions are right, a 1.6Ghz Atom will be about as fast as a Celeron 900 which inst nearly enough. There's no aero capability either. Why do they persist in using Vista on UMPCs. Is Microsoft giving it away for free to the OEMs? There's a 3G modem built-in with a pull-out ribbon aerial, a good bright screen (1024x600) and a touchscreen which seems to be good for inkers. Its certainly not a soft touch screen. GPS appears to be built-in. Battery life: This is the first time i've been able to see Menlow/Atom in action and it looks like, at 1.6Ghz with 3G on and brightness at 50%, you're going to get around 4 hours from what appears to be a 30Wh battery. (Source: chippy, UMPC Portal)
Posted Tuesday, March 4, 2008 by ChrisD
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Dialogue Technology To Bundle ritePen Software With FlyBook

Ultra-Mobile PC to include Handwriting Recognition and EverNote Software

Sunnyvale, Calif. – March 3, 2008 – EverNote® Corp. announced today that Dialogue Technology Corp. will ship its ritePen® software pre-loaded on every new FlyBook® Ultra-Mobile PC, in addition to other software from EverNote.

Introduced to the public in 2004, FlyBook is the first fully functional mobile PC with WWAN built-in for complete connectivity. FlyBook is the milestone marking the progress of mobile application in the new era. The value FlyBook offers greater than others is making it possible for corporate users to be online to access the data on corporate servers and on the open Internet in a real-time mode. Great deal of time, manpower, money and other resources can therefore be saved. Same value can also be appreciated by consumers.

“Mobile professionals will greatly increase their productivity with ritePen’s seamless handwriting recognition and full-screen writing,” said Jack Lee, president of Dialogue Technology. “We are also pleased to offer to our customers unified note-taking capabilities of EverNote software to further improve their mobile computing experiences.”

With ritePen software, FlyBook users will be able to write freely and continuously anywhere on the screen and have the handwriting recognized and placed into any Microsoft® Windows® application. ritePen recognizes handwriting in five languages and provides unique intelligent desktop navigation, automatically distinguishing between writing and desktop manipulation. It also offers intuitive editing gestures, easy and powerful correction interface, and user-defined vocabularies. EverNote software provides a single place for capturing, categorizing, and instantly locating any kind of data including text, handwritten notes, mobile phone snapshots, scanned images, and web page clips.

“We are excited to partner with Dialogue Technology,” said Leonid Kitainik, executive vice president of EverNote. “FlyBook is a great platform for our ritePen and EverNote software and we are looking forward to enhance customer feel with this excellent and versatile Ultra-Mobile PC.”  (Source: Press Release)

SanDisk 32-Gigabyte Solid State Drive Chosen for New Tablet PC From Motion Computing

SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) today announced that Motion Computing®, a leading manufacturer of tablet personal computers, has selected SanDisk’s 32-gigabyte (GB)1 solid state drive (SSD) for its new F5 mobile slate tablet PC. As a significant add-on for rugged PC users in industries such as field service, manufacturing, government and construction, SanDisk’s SSD 5000 1.8 UATA 32GB provides F5 users enhanced durability, higher performance and greater power efficiency. The announcement was made today at CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair showcasing digital computing solutions, where SanDisk is exhibiting at Booth D59 in Hall 26 of the Hannover convention center. Visitors to the booth can see the F5 tablet with the embedded SanDisk SSD 5000 in action. “We have selected SanDisk SSD in our new F5 because we believe it gives our users the most robust and reliable solid state solution available in the market today for mobile Tablet PCs,” said Michael Johnson, executive vice president of engineering at Motion Computing. “SanDisk was among the first to bring this innovative SSD technology to the market and it’s that experience, and the quality of their product, that allow us to offer the durability in the F5 that our customers demand.” “The F5 paired with a SanDisk solid state drive can withstand the toughest working environments,” said Richard Heye, vice-president of SanDisk’s SSD division. “We’re pleased to support Motion Computing’s commitment to the technology needs of these highly mobile users.” Motion Computing is a leading innovator of mobile computing and wireless communications solutions designed for the specific needs of vertical markets. The new, semi-rugged F5 device is a balance between commercial-grade devices and fully-rugged PCs, which have costly features typically required in only a small percentage of field applications. In addition to the SSD 5000 1.8 UATA 32GB, SanDisk offers an array of SSD solutions including its Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Innovations 2008 Award winners − the SanDisk 64-Gigabyte SATA 5000 2.5-inch SSD, an honoree in the Computer Peripherals category, and the Vaulter™ Disk, the top honoree in the Enabling Technologies category. (Source: Press Release)
Posted Tuesday, March 4, 2008 by ChrisD
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Handango Handed $9.5 Million

Hurst, Texas-based Handango boasts smart phone content deals with 16,000 developers. The startup offers software and games for users of devices operating Palm, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Symbian, Linux, PSP, or Tablet PC.

Investors in the funding round included Institutional Venture Partners, Advanced Technology Ventures, Centerpoint, Neo Carta, Pharos Capital Group, and SSM Partners

“This new round of funding will further enhance Handango's plans for growth and expansion at a time when the market is ripe for infiltration,” IVP General Partner Sandy Miller said in a statement. (Source: Scott Martin, Red Herring)

GBM InkShow: Motion Computing F5 Tablet PC Video Review

Motion Computing has officially announced their F5 Tablet PC. The F5 is targeted for the field force vertical market. The F5 is a semi-rugged Tablet PC, positioning itself between commercial Tablet PCs like the LE1700 and more rugged Tablet PCs like Mobile Demand's T8700. It improves upon Motion's Clinical Tablet PC, the C5, by including integrated Sprint Broadband WWAN, IP54 rating, 32 GB SSD option, and an optional vehicle dock. It also features a new two-tone color scheme, which is less likely than the C5 to show dirt. It includes other features from the C5 like an integrated 2 megapixel camera, handle, RFID, optional barcode scanner, a 10.4" active digitizer screen, 1024 x 768 resolution, and a 1.2 ghz Core Solo processor. The F5 weighs 3 lbs 9 oz.

I've been fortunate enough to use the F5 the past two weeks, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Weighing in at 3 lbs 9 oz, it is well balanced and quite comfortable to hold in various positions. I have not enjoyed using a pure slate, including the TC1100, as much as I've enjoyed the F5. I can't over emphasize enough the value the handle and the flush 10.4" screen brings. In addition, the 32 GB SSD helps a lot with battery life, as I'm experiencing about 5 hours of battery life running Windows XP. As I noted in an earlier post, one of my customers, a cable manufacturer, already has their eye on one to use in shipping, receiving, and inventory management. The pen, SSD drive, integrated camera, integrated RFID, and handle were the features that won them over.

As I point out in this video review, though, there are several important weaknesses: no integrated USB ports, no support for touch, and a Core Solo processor. It is worth noting that many of the reasons field force workers would need USB ports are covered by the F5 integrating RFID, a barcode scanner, and Bluetooth for GPS connectivity. In addition, USB is available through the docking station and an optional vehicle dock. The lack of integrated USB ports, though, has bit me several times just this past week when trying to exchange data with customers or with other computers. Motion could get away with no USB with the healthcare focused C5, but I expect the lack of USB to be major pain point for potential F5 field force customers.   (Source: Rob Bushway, GottaBeMobile)

Motion Computing F5

Convertible tablets are a growing presence in the mainstream markets, largely at the expense of their slate tablet counterparts. What started out as a battle between the two has fizzled in favor of convertible tablets' rotating screens and integrated keyboards. I'm not saying that slates are spiraling out of existence; the few products that are left simply have a renewed focus on niche business sectors.

Motion Computing is a company that specializes in slates—in fact, that's all it makes. Its latest, the Motion Computing F5 ($3,446 direct), is focused on vertical markets, like health-care and mobile field workers. An upgrade from the previous C5 tablet, it adds features such as an indoor and outdoor display, mobile broadband, and solid-state options. The company also touts it as a semi-rugged tablet that can withstand drops, spills, dust, and moisture. Yet it suffers from some drawbacks, such as no connectivity ports, an expensive price, and aging processing parts.

You can tell from the F5's design that Motion Computing dedicated a lot of time to this machine. Among Motion's slate offerings, the F5 is the heaviest, at 3.5 pounds, although its weight is still very manageable. (The LE1700 weighs 3.3 pounds; the LS800, just 2.2 pounds.) It's not even the biggest in terms of dimensions (10 by10 by 0.9 inches, HWD) and screen size. At 10.4 inches, its matte screen is smaller than the LE1700's, which is 12 inches, because the F5 made room for a nifty handle that extends from the chassis. The semi-rugged aspect is attributable to the magnesium alloy enclosure topped off by another layer of protective covering. The F5 is compliant with IP54 standards to withstand moisture and dust, which is useful in a hectic environment like a hospital, and meets the MIL-STD-810F military specification for drops. The screen is further protected by a resin that guards against scratches and heavy-duty disinfectants. (Source: Cisco Cheng, PC Magazine)

Motion Computing F5 Release and Our First Look Review

Motion announced today the release of their newest Tablet PC, the F5. The F5 is similar in design to the C5 tablet. It is durable and targeted toward the vertical market. It weighs in at 3lbs and sports a 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo processor and 40GB hard drive. Although, they offer a 32GB Solid State Drive, which I am sure sky rockets the price. However, the F5 may just be the perfect solution to making your business paperless.

 
(Source: Tiffany Boggs, TabletPCReview.com)

Tablet PC: MobileDemand Releases xTablet T8700 Rugged Tablet PC for Mobile Workforce

Rugged Tablet PC system offers the industry’s highest performance, superior ruggedness, and data collection capability with numeric keypad, bar-code scanning and credit card reading.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA (PRWEB) March 3, 2008 -- MobileDemand®, a leading provider of rugged Tablet PCs, today announced full production availability of the xTablet® T8700, the latest installment in their roster of rugged computer solutions built for a variety of vertical markets.

The xTablet T8700 is the definitive Tablet PC for mobile workforces because it offers the unique combination of the industry’s highest performance, extensive data collection capabilities, and military-rated ruggedness. Also, the device is one of the few in the industry capable of supporting Windows Vista.

Tablet PC videos available on the MobileDemand web-site demonstrate the harsh conditions the xTablet T8700 is able to sustain. In the videos, this rugged computer takes a licking going through a car wash, while mounted on the roof of an SUV. In another video, it takes a beating as it is dropped off a cliff and rock pile, tossed around a construction site, and bowled down a city street.

The xTablet T8700 has already generated positive reviews in leading Tablet PC web-sites and journals.

“The xTablet T8700 is a rugged slate computer that's tough enough to handle a significant amount of abuse. That's important when a device is used on the road and mounted in vehicles,” said Dr. Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, editor in chief, RuggedPCReview.com and Tablet PC Magazine in a rugged computer review posted in January, 2008. “What the xTablet T8700 proves is that you do not have to give up advanced features in order to get the kind of versatility, reliability and ruggedness that lower the total cost of ownership (TOC), and that's what it's all about.”

MobileDemand has carefully taken into consideration the needs of multiple industries in developing this handheld computer. Some of the unique features include:

Industry’s Highest Performance
The xTablet T8700 is the most powerful system in the rugged Tablet PC class with an Intel Core Duo 1.2GHz processor and a standard of 2GB of RAM. The uncompromised performance supports both Windows Vista Business Edition and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Military-Tested Ruggedness
This rugged computer is built with a magnesium outer case, designed to withstand harsh environments, repeated drops and other challenges commonly found in outdoor work settings. MobileDemand´s tablets are rated to MIL-STD 810F for ruggedness, IP 65 for sealing and can withstand temperatures of -4°F to +122°F (-20°C to +50°C).

Data Collection Versatility
Mobile workforce data collection is easy with this full-screen Windows Tablet PC, which includes an integrated numeric keypad, bar-code scanner and credit card reader options. These features are particularly conducive for use in food and beverage distribution, warehousing, manufacturing as a shop floor data collection device, field service, hospitality, and retail line busting including retail in-store mobile point of sale (POS).

Sunlight Readable Display
The xView™ sunlight readable display dramatically increases the ability to see the screen of the xTablet in varying lighting conditions, from indoors to direct sunlight.

Solid State Drive Support
With capacities of 16, 32, or 64GB (and beyond), the xTablet T8700 supports solid state drive as an option for better reliability, 30 percent faster performance in boot times, program loads and data access, and up to a 10 percent increase in battery life.

Multiple Battery Options
The xTablet T8700 comes with multiple battery options, including long lasting, high-capacity batteries that will provide enough power for an entire shift, a “hot swappable” battery, belt and cart-mounted external batteries and finally car adapters.

In his review of the xTablet T8700, Rob Bushway, editor in chief of GottaBeMobile.com and a Microsoft Tablet PC MVP (Most Valuable Professional), praised the product for its versatile data entry methods.

“This is a Tablet PC built for the vertical market - truck drivers, delivery personnel, construction, field-force workers, and more. The integrated keyboard and optional barcode reader make it a natural for taking inventory in places like beer coolers, food freezers, and more” said Bushway.

In reference to the GottaBeMobile InkShow Tablet PC Review of the xTablet T8700 model, Bushway further said “When you see the damage we tried to inflict on the xTablet T8700, you’ll come away quite impressed. I know we were.”

The xTablet T8700, which will retail for $3,795, is available immediately. For an online product tour of the xTablet T8700, please visit www.RuggedTabletPC.com and contact MobileDemand to sign up for the free evaluation and test program.   (Source: Press Release)

High-Tech Classroom

Reading … writing … arithmetic. It's hard to keep up, page after page after page. But now, what you see on the blackboard can be transferred automatically to this … an electronic notebook.

With the tablet PC -- class lectures go from the screen at the front of the room to each student's computer where note taking is a breeze. And textbooks are digitized right into the tablets.

"My notes before were all unorganized and never knew where anything was and then when I got my tablet I could put everything in one document," says Kyle Barr, a senior at Bishop Hartley High School in Columbus, Ohio.   (Source: Ivanhoe Newswire)

Intel Announces Intel® Atom™ Brand for New Family of Low-Power Processors

Intel's Smallest Processor Built Using World's Smallest Transistors Designed for New Internet Devices, Low-Cost PCs

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 2, 2008 – The Intel® Atom™ processor will be the name for a new family of low-power processors designed specifically for mobile Internet devices (MIDs) and a new class of simple and affordable Internet-centric computers arriving later this year. Together, these new market segments represent a significant new opportunity to grow the overall market for Intel silicon, using the Intel Atom processor as the foundation. The company also announced the Intel® Centrino® Atom™ processor technology brand for MID platforms, consisting of multiple chips that enable the best Internet experience in a pocketable device.

Product logos for download
Intel® Atom™ processor	Intel® Centrino® Atom™ processor technology

The Intel Atom processor is based on an entirely new microarchitecture designed specifically for small devices and low power, while maintaining the Intel® Core™ 2 Duo instruction set compatibility consumers are accustomed to when using a standard PC and the Internet. The design also includes support for multiple threads for better performance and increased system responsiveness. All of this on a chip that measures less than 25 mm˛, making it Intel's smallest and lowest power processor yet.¹ Up to 11 Intel Atom processor die -- the tiny slivers of silicon packed with 47 million transistors each -- would fit in an area the size of an American penny.

These new chips, previously codenamed Silverthorne and Diamondville, will be manufactured on Intel's industry-leading 45nm process with hi-k metal gate technology. The chips have a thermal design power (TDP) specification in 0.6-2.5 watt range and scale to 1.8GHz speeds depending on customer need. By comparison, today's mainstream mobile Core 2 Duo processors have a TDP in the 35-watt range.

"This is our smallest processor built with the world's smallest transistors," said Intel Executive Vice President and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Sean Maloney. "This small wonder is a fundamental new shift in design, small yet powerful enough to enable a big Internet experience on these new devices. We believe it will unleash new innovation across the industry."

With personal computing increasingly going mobile and the computer industry rapidly developing new classes of products to connect the next billion people to the Internet, the Intel Atom processor offers customers the unique ability to innovate around the new low-power design. In addition to the MID opportunity, Intel believes the demand for a new category of low-cost, Internet-centric mobile computing devices dubbed "netbooks" and basic Internet-centric desktop PCs dubbed "nettops," will grow substantially over the next several years. The Intel Atom processor is perfectly suited to meet these new market segments.

Intel said the Intel Atom processor also has potential for future revenue opportunities in consumer electronic devices, embedded applications and thin clients.

Intel Centrino Atom Processor Technology
The Intel Centrino Atom processor technology brand represents Intel's best technology for MIDs. Formerly codenamed "Menlow," Intel Centrino Atom processor technology includes the Intel Atom processor, a low-power companion chip with integrated graphics, a wireless radio, and thinner and lighter designs. Together, these components are designed to enable the best mobile computing and Internet experience on these new devices.

Watch the videos
Designed from the ground up (1:57)	47 million transistors (:36)	The smallest element of computing (1:05)	Small but amazing (:50)
Click here to view or download the broadcast b-roll.

About Intel
Intel, the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com.  (Source: Press Release)