If there is one thing that has characterized the tablet industry in recent years, it has been diversification. Thanks to it, groups that before could not see their needs satisfied through these media, such as gamers or designers, have found a new generation of devices that has allowed them, on the one hand, to further improve their leisure experience and on the other, improve your work in fields such as architecture or fashion. However, these two areas are not the only ones in which some manufacturers have focused their efforts, since, as we have reminded you on other occasions, health, education and even heavy industry, have also received portable media.
In this last field, a series of models called «rugged«, Of which some characteristics have made the leap to conventional formats both in tablets as in smartphones But, are they perfect devices or do they also have a series of drawbacks that can slow down their expansion? Next, we tell you something more about them and we tell you not only what they are, but also their pros and cons. Did you know that on average, these terminals have a price that can exceed 1.500 euros?
What is a biosimilar
Present with more force in the larger supports, those models receive the denomination «rugged» that, thanks to some housings More robust, they not only manage to better resist shocks and falls, but also, being screwed in most cases, are hermetic and prevent the entry of dust and water inside. These characteristics have led to its appearance in industries such as mining. However, the most significant differences come from the side of the physical components, since in other features such as processor or operating system, they share the same properties as conventional tablets.
The advantages
- Greater resistance
As we have mentioned before, when it comes to briefly telling you what rugged is, one of its strengths is the ability to withstand falls thanks to metal covers that are combined with other materials such as plastic to facilitate grip and cushion even more. The hits. Most have IP certificates higher than 65, which in theory, not only prevents the entry of dust particles but, as we have recalled on other occasions, allows impacts from heights greater than one meter and immersion in bodies of water between 1 and 1,50 meters deep.
- Common softwares
Despite being designed for areas outside the home and leisure, the truth is that these models, despite the fact that they can be bulky and somewhat crude, are equipped with the most widely used operating systems. In brands such as ThunderBook or Getac, we can find terminals equipped with the latest versions of Windows that, despite having small modifications such as barcode readers, are not very different from current apps to read BIDI codes. The headphone jacks or multi-touch screens they help to thin the barriers between rugged and the rest.
- Next-generation connectivity
The application of these terminals in work environments requires not only high performance in terms of processor or screen, but also the fastest possible networks. For this reason, the most common is that when producing these models, manufacturers choose to equip them with support for connections such as improved 3G or 4G that also offer a wider coverage and a greater stability when it comes to transferring content of all kinds and accessing the Internet in more remote environments.
The drawbacks
- Large dimensions
Despite the fact that in terms of screen, rugged tablets are in the average of conventional ones, being possible to find models that range from 8 inches, to others that exceed 12, the truth is that their resistance can also be one of their weaknesses, as robust housings mean more weight, greater thickness and in some cases, a greater difficulty to grip due to these same characteristics. It is possible to find terminals of more than one kilo in this category.
- Limited specifications
As we are seeing along these lines, in some points, the similarities between these formats and the conventional ones are more than what might seem at first glance. Diagonals and similar resolutions, jacks for headphones and other sound accessories that, however, can contrast, for example, with cameras of lower resolutions or of difficulty to access in some cases audiovisual content more focused on leisure.
- Price
Finally, we finish this list of disadvantages with which for many, it can be considered the most important: Its cost. As we told you at the beginning, it is not uncommon to find rugged tablets that exceed the $1.500 and it is that, the equipment with more resistant materials and at the same time, more expensive, has a direct impact on the final cost of these devices. The most basic ones, usually have a starting price that does not go below 500 euros and on the other hand, the sales channels are another of the weak points of this type of tablets that, being more specialized, can only be acquired at specific points or on Internet shopping portals focused on the industry.
As you have seen, rugged, despite being almost unknown to many users, are present in many areas where objects used by everyone in our day to day are produced. Do you think that these models will end up mixing with the rest of the tablets and that in the end we will see more resistant but also accessible terminals as a result, or will it be the opposite? You have more similar information available, such as a list of tablets used in healthcare so you can learn more.
I would like AGM to bring out a rugged line of Tablets too… their phones are quite amazing in that section: O !!