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Dell unveils 12.1" rugged multitouch tablet PC, Latitude XT2 XFR; withstands drops, spills, sand, children

By | October 26, 2009, 9:01pm PDT

Summary: Dell on Tuesday unveiled a 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC, the Latitude XT2 XFR, the first multitouch tablet PC that can withstand ballistic shock, extreme temperatures, dust, sand and moisture.

Dell on Tuesday unveiled a 12.1-inch rugged convertible tablet PC, the Latitude XT2 XFR, the first multitouch tablet PC that can withstand ballistic shock, extreme temperatures, dust, sand and moisture.

The Latitude XT2 XFR joins the fully-rugged Latitude E6400 XFR and the semi-rugged Latitude E6400 ATG laptops in Dell’s extreme computing family.

If you’re wondering who needs a system like this, it’s probably not for you. (Answer: military, police, border patrol, field service organizations, factory fulfillment and first responders — pretty much anyone who works in a harsh environment.)

As you can imagine, the basic innards of the device are shared with Dell’s standard-issue Latitude XT2 tablet.

Ruggedized specs for the Latitude XT2 XFR, after the jump:

  • 1.5 in. thick and starts at 5.4 pounds with four-cell battery and solid state drive.
  • Meets MIL-810G standards for operation in harsh environments
  • Compression-sealed and rugged I/O doors, LCD, and keyboard, provide an IP54 level of “Ingress Protection” — that is, resistance to moisture and dust.
  • Ideal for installation in police or first-responder vehicles where space is at a premium
  • Intel Core 2 Duo processors with up to 5GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory
  • QuadCool Thermal Management System for extreme temperatures from minus 10 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Four-, six- and nine-cell battery options
  • Standard data security features: Dell ControlVault, Dell ControlPoint. Optional: solid state and spinning disk drives with full disk encryption
  • Impact resistant, sunlight viewable, 12.1-inch wide LED display with capacitive multi-touch gestures-enabled. Resistive touch screen (e.g. using gloves on the job) optional.
  • Optional hot-swappable modules: GPS (coming soon), webcam
  • Optional expansion sliver provides camera/light, serial, and RJ11 inputs
  • Wireless LAN 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and mobile broadband
  • Optional mobile rugged docking and mounting hardware

The XT2 XFR will be available in the U.S., Canada, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy online and via Dell’s PartnerDirect program. It starts at $3,599.

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Andrew J. Nusca is editor of ZDNet and SmartPlanet.

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Andrew Nusca

Andrew J. Nusca does not hold any investments in the technology companies he covers.

Biography

Andrew Nusca

Editor

Andrew J. Nusca is an editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet. As a journalist based in New York City, he has written for Popular Mechanics and Men's Vogue and his byline has appeared in New York magazine, The Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Editor & Publisher, New York Press and many others. He also writes The Editorialiste, a media criticism blog.

He is a New York University graduate and former news editor and columnist of the Washington Square News. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He has been named "Howard Kurtz, Jr." by film critic John Lichman despite having no relation to him. He lives in his native Philadelphia with his wife, cat and Boston Terrier.

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Talkback Most Recent of 8 Talkback(s)

  • This is the kind of stuff Apple's Baubles can't match
    You just can't find this kind of diverse hardware options down at the Bauble Factory.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Qbt
    26th Oct 2009
  • not to mention
    Not to mention all the software traps for the military. First there needs to be and iBomb and iOccupation, iEmpire and on and on and on. Not to mention the retraining. They're still working on debugging PC stuff that tells them a climbing Airbus is a diving MIG. Work work work!
    ZDNet Gravatar
    paladin2
    27th Oct 2009
  • Will the hinge break?
    Will it break if I dropped it while typing? The hinge seems a very vulnerable part.

    As for the Apple - they can match. In price. happy
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Earthling2
    26th Oct 2009
  • Several years behind Toshiba, but .....
    I am glad a second major supplier is available.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    kd5auq
    27th Oct 2009
  • Toshiba?
    I was actually thinking Panosonic and their Toughbook lineup.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    rivalary
    28th Oct 2009
  • Limited Demand...
    If, all of a sudden, all of the military, police, and utility companies decided they wanted to switch to Apple OS for some reason then Apple would have a comperable device out in a heart-beat.

    Apple is in the business of making consumer and corporate grade PCs / servers. This type of machine is decidedly military grade.
    ZDNet Gravatar
    TeamDrunkenPanda
    27th Oct 2009
  • Where is my thin and cheap 11" nettouch?
    Seriously, the tablet PCs are a major disappointment beause of their exorbitant prices, weakest performance and general ugliness.

    An 11" one-piece thingamagig combined with an optinoal wireless keyboard would do wanders to the company bottom line, because it will sell like crazy.

    Only, please, no shiny plastic borders and no shiny screens.

    (No, I don't have access to Apple blueprints)
    ZDNet Gravatar
    Earthling2
    28th Oct 2009
  • good idea about android
    A good post. Thanks for sharing.Hi, do you own a tablet pc? We supply kinds of tablet computers, including wholesale android tablet and windows 7 tablet pc. Buy a tablet pc with phone from China at wholesale price.I9I6G
    ZDNet Gravatar
    gavin.chan
    30th Sep

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