Filed under: Product Description, Usability, Wireless Technology News | Tags: International Calling, Mobile Software, Vopium
This is not an endorsement yet, but an introduction to new mobile calling software from Denmark that you can find at Vopium.com. The Vopium Software download is free, but the international calling service is not.
Once installed on your mobile phone, Vopium will route an international call as a local call through the Vopium Gateway, using global traffic carriers for premium quality, but at a better per minute rate.
This sounds similar to International Callback, and you will still pay your mobile provider for a local call, but will end up paying less by using Vopium for the international leg of the call. Similarly, text messaging (SMS) with Vopium is sent as data package over your data connection (GPRS, 3G or Wi-Fi) via a Vopium gateway.
Vopium is currently being beta tested in countries around the globe. You can use free trial minutes to test it out, and because it is still in beta there is no guarantee for the quality of service at the time of this writing. Consider mobile utilities like Vopium as a potential addition to your mobile and wireless telecommuting gear.
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Product Reviews, Rugged Resources, Usability | Tags: Laptop Cases, Pelican Laptop Cases, Rugged Laptops
Forget Packing your rugged laptop or rugged notebook in you old overnight bag for business travel. Now you can turn things around and pack your clothes, personal effects, and other items in your laptop case when you travel.
Pelican, famous for laptop hard-case designs, now has developed a computer case that looks and acts more like standard travel carry-on luggage. Think of it as an over-sized rugged computer case that will accomodate everthing you need for a business trip.
The Pelican 1510LOC Laptop Overnight Case comes with a computer sleeve that easily slides in and out, and has a top-open pocket that will make airline security smile.
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Portable Computing, Product Description, Usability | Tags: Add new tag, Boog Bag, Rugged Laptop, Rugged Notebook, Thrillist
I currently don’t own a computer bag for my rugged laptop, but the “Booq Bag” popped up a few days ago on the Thrillist for the search term rugged, which has become a part of my daily routine when checking email.
A quick search reverted several YouTube videos showing just how much “stuff” you can stuff into one of these sturdy bags. Might be a good bet for anyone looking for a way to cart around the extras that might be necessary for road trips, or maybe as necessary gear for the digital nomad.
“Booq’s a SoCal-based bagmaker that adds a hi-tech twist to their rugged, multi-faceted laptop caddies & backpacks: each piece contains a “terralinq”, an embedded metal tag with a unique # and barcode, reconnecting you with your luggage…” Fat chance, as it may be, that someone might be inclined to return a fancy bag with a rugged laptop attached.
Source: thrillist.com
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Portable Computing, Usability | Tags: rugged notebooks, Rugged Laptops, Add new tag, extreme computers
If you are a respected tech nerd at university or running an expedition for National Geographic, perhaps a worn, stained, and somewhat crippled laptop is your signature for having made it. It could also be that you just are attached to a portable computer that has outlived its usefulness. Those nomads and road warriors that are in the know…know that the new technology of rugged portable computing is not only on the way, but here to stay.
For many years now, rugged systems have been adopted by the military, police, and other professionals for an edge in a rough and tumble world. Truth told, there is real value in a ruggedized, semi-rugged, or fully rugged wireless and portable computing device.
High tech manufacturing has designed and replaced almost every major system with tougher, beefed upped versions of popular brands. And its not just reinforced cases with cushioned rubber bumpers. We are talking new magnesium and aluminum alloys for these hard body beauties on the outside, and SSDs, heat pipes, and other good stuff on the inside.
Every week we are seeing smaller, cheaper and sturdier computer work gear enter this niche space. Having sealed keyboards and ports, and extra protection against moisture, dirt, and the occasional ding and drop is becoming standard fare.
As we move away from the desktop and PC in our work and play, it’s time to start thinking about the choices for a rugged laptop as an investment. One drop, or other careless action has a chance of putting your present notebook out of commission for good.
So the truth about things “rugged”, is that you can be an early adopter with a wink and a nod, or wait and follow the crowd somewhere down the road.
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Product Description, Usability | Tags: MIL-STD 810F, Rugged Laptops, Ruggedized, Semi-Rugged Notebooks
One of my pet peeves is reading blog posts and forum comments comparing ruggedized, semi-rugged, and fully rugged laptops and notebooks to popular consumer models and then concluding that the value ratio is out of whack somehow, or that the pricing is way out of line. This post is a paraphrase to a comment I left on just such a blog post from a supposed tech blog. I just ask that people do their homework before they write comparative product reviews. We all know what opinions resemble.
This post is not intended to offend your sensibilities, nor disregard personal opinions. Those involved in the ruggedized, semi-rugged, and fully rugged niche, understand that a rugged laptop involves more than a ”hard plastic case and a spill proof keyboard membrane”. This is to note and to share some relevant information. It also is true that marketing departments can seemingly be awol when they name new rugged laptop products.
Mil-Std 810F is a Department of Defense Test Method Standard that establishes uniform environmental test methods for determining the resistance of materials to the effects of natural and induced environments peculiar to military operations. This is the default standard the industry is currently using as the measure for rugged laptops.
”It focuses on the process of tailoring materiel design and test criteria to the specific environmental conditions a materiel item is likely to encounter during its service life.”
http://www.dtc.army.mil/navigator/
The Environments are 1. Altitude 2. Temperature 3. Rain and Dust 4. Humidity. 5. Cold Storage 6. Vibration 7. Shock. 8. Drop
Mil-Std 810F test methods do not require the use of specific materials, hardware, nor specific manufacturing processes. An 810F certified device is not the result of surrounding consumer electronics inside a heavy-duty enclosure such as ballistic plastic, although that could very well be a selected design material for testing and manufacture.
For this reason, the price points usually demonstrated in the side-by-side comparisons between popular consumer brand models that appear to be similarly equipped do not tend to be examples of particularly good, nor reliable analysis. You have to look under the hood, so to speak This should help answer the question of why rugged laptops seem to cost so much.
Businesses, public services, industry, the military, utilities, and other organizations that rely on the rugged portable category to perform in extreme conditions on a daily basis would have a hard time giving up this “rugged gear”.
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Portable Computing, Usability | Tags: Rugged Laptop, Rugged Notebook, security network, VPN
Mobile VPNs and How They Work
Written a couple years ago by Charles Harold, “How to Build a Basic Information Network” is still good advice. The security expert describes in detail the three important components. A rugged laptop is integral to the network as described below.
“Your organization should have at least one disaster resistant laptop. Panasonic and Rugged (Notebooks) both make laptops that can survive high impacts, extreme heat and cold, water, dirt, etc. Use this laptop to back-up your critical operational files so when the desktop network is down, you have the ability to continue operations and start recovery. Equally important, laptops can provide you with a reliable portal to the outside world but to do so they must be configured with simultaneous access to wireless WAN, wireless LAN, Bluetooth and GPS. Add a satellite wireless card and you could be connected almost anywhere in the world. One more thing, take your laptop home with you every night, that’s why they call it portable.“
The author goes on to describe various aspects of VPNs (Virtual Private Networks), encryption technology, telephony, data mining software, and risk-management implementation.
Source: www.chuckharold.com Graphic Credit: www.gta.com
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Product Description, Rugged Resources, Usability | Tags: Otterbox, Pelican, Rugged Laptop, Rugged Notebook, Seahorse
Otterbox cases always show up on the SERPs on a search for rugged laptops and rugged notebooks. There are a couple ways to look at these protective cases. If you have a run-of-the-mill consumer lappy then this may be a good investment, and a somewhat economical way to protect your portable computer. There also are other computer case brands like Pelican and Seahorse.
The second way to use an OtteBox is to double up on protection, while transporting a more expensive rugged notebook. One of the obvious drawbacks is that you can’t use your mobile computer when it’s tucked away for protection. If you happen to be lucky enough to own or use a rugged laptop, then this video will make the extra case appear to involve a lot of additional work.
Photo Credit: www.otterbox.com
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Editorial Opinion, Portable Computing, Usability | Tags: Linux, Open Source, IMB, Big Blue
How Open Source Affects Rugged Portable Computing
You can’t help but think that the trend will continue towards thin clients (dumb wireless terminals), open source software, and online storage. This will probably bear out for the future of rugged gear as more reliable wireless networks are developed via the 700 MHz spectrum auction and ramp up for service.
Future growth for computing products lies in emerging markets. It came across the news today that Big Blue is allied with companies in Austria and Poland to offer PCs that will probably come in about half the cost of those sporting Microsoft software.
IBM still widely influences business around the globe, and finally may be settling an old score along with a few other old Microsoft rivals. “Have you ever seen a world without Microsoft?” We probably will, and we will probably be amazed at the company predicted by some to bring the change about.
Any computing device is obviously going to be cheaper to manufacture without expensive resident software and large storage drives. Security becomes less of an issue when the processing and memory is centralized somewhere on the grid and not on indivudual machines.
Look for more processing and storage to be offered online in exchange for scalable monthly fees…and more adoption of open source as markets expand.
Source: Reuters and CNet
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Announcements, Rugged Resources, Usability | Tags: Google, GrandCentral, Rugged Laptop, Unified Communicatios, VoIP
Is Google GrandCentral getting ready to come out of beta? Many rugged portable users, road warriors, and digital nomads have found the free (up until now) service to be a boon for long distance communications via a rugged laptop and a wireless broadband connection.
The online user groups have been reporting strange things, like some UI functions disappearing, the GC blog missing in action, service issues, and change-ups on invites the last week or so. Wired reported invites are now easier to get, and Blogger Buzz is touting free signups along with the GC WebCall button.
The GrandCentral service is noted for its many aspects of unified messaging, and a “one number for life” promotion. Note: The “GrandCentral Signup Page” referenced in this post appears to only be available through an existing Blogger account, but check this quote from Venture Beat Dot Com.
“Google today announced on its Blogger Buzz blog that it is opening up its mobile calling/web integration service GrandCentral for new signups. While Google claims the offer is only open to “bloggers” and that the site is still in private beta, anyone can sign up by simply following this link - no official blogger card required.”
Here are some of the potential good things about GrandCentral:
- Have one permanent, central number for unified communications.
- Create an extra number for a business, or for any other reason.
- Avoid long distance charges and get a new number in a new area code.
- Combine GC with T-Mobile MyFaves or AllTel Circle for more free calling.
- Display the WebCall button to allow people to call you via your website.
Graphic Credit: grandcentral.com
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
Filed under: Industry News, Rugged Resources, Usability | Tags: Motorola ML910, Rugged Laptop, Scribd, Tubemogul, YouTube
You don’t have to look too hard to find new online resources being introduced to collect, store, and swap documents online. The Rugged Notebooks Blog has discovered the website Scribd, and it truly is a one-stop resource to dump loads of information about ruggedized, semi-rugged, and fully rugged portable computing.
Scribd is probably the best website available right now to store documents in most file formats, including doc, ppt, pps, odt, txt, pdf, xls, rtf, etc. and then share them for Free. You also can embed any stored documents in a blog or a web page using the Scribd homepage tools.
Bookmark Scribd Dot Com for added resources on a regular and ongoing basis. You may want to save it from this “Ruggednotebooks” link. A permanent link has been added on the sidebar under Rugged Resources.
This account will be loaded up with whatever information can be found to upload (with permission or copyright notice) to the site about rugged laptops, and mobile and wireless gear. Leave a comment if you have docs to add that will help others when researching products in the rugged niche. A similar project is underway to post videos on video sites including YouTube, and many more via Tubemogul.
Rugged Notebooks: Extreme Computers for Extreme Conditions™
