Sure, the iPad might be all the rage in the tablet computing field right now, but there’s no denying the thing can be fragile and isn’t cut out for life in a lot of hard-knock professions. Of course, it also doesn’t run Windows, which a lot of first responders, IT professionals, physicians, and others need to get their work done. Motion Computing is offering an alternative with its Motion F5v and Motion C5v ruggedized tablets…and they not only run Windows, they sport Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors to get things done.
“From its inception, Motion has delivered tablet PC solutions that address the needs of a highly mobile workforce,” said Motion Computing’s marketing VP Mike Stinson, in a statement. “Today we extend that leadership with the introduction of the industry’s most advanced purpose-built slate tablet PCs that offer mobility, power, and durability.”
The tablets offer similar specs, available with either an Intel Core i5 vPro CPU running at 1.06 GHz or a Core i7 running at 1.2 GHz; the tablets sport 1 GB of RAM (upgradable to 4 GB), a 160 GB hard drive or a 64 GB SSD. Other options include a 3 megapixel camera, a front-facing webcam, a hot-swappable battery, smart card reader, a 1D/2D barcode reader, an RFID reader, and Gobi2000 mobile broadband for 3G mobile Internet access. And while both sport an ergonomic design with a built-in carrying handle, the tablets also meet meet MIL-STD-810G and IP-54 standards for ruggedness and dust/moisture resistance—they’re also standard with Corning “Gorilla glass” that’ up to four times tougher than previous screens and has a cool anti-smear coating. The tablets are available with either Windows XP or Windows 7, and support hard drive encryption and Intel Anti-Theft technologies with Computrace to protect equipment and data.
The Motion C5v starts at $2.299 and the Motion F5v starts at $2,548—which is also a good deal more than an iPad. But there’s no iPad out there with Gorilla glass.
