Dell has launched a new rugged Windows-based tablet device, which has its ruggedness as the USP, and it comes with the military-standard rugged properties. The Latitude series from Dell gets this addition, as the device is named Dell Latitude 12 Rugged, and the tablet will be available from the end of July, with TechRadar claiming the price to be $1600 to begin with.
Not always you would want the ruggedness to this level, but the company intends to sell this to those designers who have to work in extreme situations such as dust and sand, water spills, and places where there are chances of drop from a considerable height.
On the spec side, this tablet comes with a 11.6-inch screen with HD display (1366×768 pixels resolution), and according to Dell, the screen is well readable in outdoor conditions, and there are multitouch capabilities and the display is enabled to take glove touches as well.
The Latitude 12 Rugged tablet is powered by fifth generation Intel Core M processor, along with 8GB of RAM, and there is 512GB SSD storage provided. There are a lot of connectivity options provided, including Wi-Fi 802.11ac, GPS, USB 3.0, micro HDMI, microSD card reader and headphone jack.
Commenting on the launch, Drew Moore, Executive Director and General Manager, Rugged Mobility Products, Dell said,
“Dell Rugged devices are critical to many industries including military, emergency response, public safety, industrial work, scientists and even adventurers. It’s important for Dell’s Latitude Rugged devices to provide superior computing power and the mobile capabilities they require to accomplish their jobs. Whether it’s a first responder to an emergency or an avid outdoorsman scaling an untouched summit for the first time, Dell’s Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet is built to deliver the performance they need, wherever they need it, without worrying about what their environment throws at them.”
To define ruggedness in this tablet, it has the MIL-STD-810G standard, which includes IP65 certification for dust and water resistance, and the withstanding drops from a height of 180 centimetres. There is an optional keyboard that can be purchased as well, and that keyboard has RGB backlight, and IP65 for dust and water resistance.
The two-cell batteries provided in the tablet are claimed to provide about 12 hours of battery life, and the pogo-pin docking interface is provided for the component expansion. The price though isn’t officially given, it is claimed to be around $1600.