14 DAY TRIAL // There are certain specific areas, such as construction sites, outdoors engineering, etc., where rugged, compact and portable computing systems delivering a host of features and functions are really a must, and these are exactly the segments targeted by the brand-new Mesa Rugged Notepad from Juniper Systems.
First and foremost, it's important to mention that the Mesa Rugged Notepad is available in three versions, namely the Standard, that features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless technology, the Geo, that adds 2-5 meter accuracy GPS and a 3.2MP camera enhanced with Juniper Geotagging, and finally, the Geo 3G model that includes camera, GPS, and a 3G GSM data modem.
Like other Juniper Systems rugged handheld computers, the Mesa is built to comply with IP67 standards, making it fully waterproof and dustproof, and tested to MIL-STD-810G standards for water, humidity, sand and dust, vibration, altitude, shock, and temperature.
Furthermore, its rugged magnesium and plastic chassis protects the Mesa from up to four foot drops onto concrete, while also keeping the device at rather manageable dimensions and weight (136 mm x 220 mm x 51 mm, 998 grams).
So, as you can see, the Geo 3G represents the flagship model in the Mesa Rugged Notepad series, and sports, beside the features mentioned above, a 806 Mhz PXA320 processor, 256 MB RAM, 4 GB Flash Storage and a SD/SDHC slot, as well as a a wide (5.7-inch) color LCD display with VGA (640 x 480 pixels) resolution.
Moreover, the device sports two-battery slots (warm-swappable), each occupied by Li-Ion batteries 7.4VDC @ 2550mAh, the device being able to operate for up to 16 hours on one charge.
No details regarding the pricing of the new rugged handheld computer from Juniper have been provided officially, but, given the specific target segment and features, don't expect this thing to be anywhere near affordable.