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Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

HP’s exceptionally fresh EliteBook 2730p tablet was recently reviewed by the notebook mavens over at GottaBeMobile, and right out of the gate, they delivered the line that tells all: “The HP 2730p EliteBook tablet is more than worthy of your consideration as your next or your first tablet PC.” So, what did this thing do right in order to garner such a recommendation? Let’s see — overly satisfactory performance, an excellent design, smile-worthy battery life (4-hours in normal use on a single 6-cell), and perfectly implemented inking / tablet features. Granted, not everything was rosy, as the WXGA (1,280 x 800) screen left a little to be desired and the keyboard layout was similarly scolded. Overall, the unit still performed well enough to make it into their short list, but it sounds like you may want to try one in person before buying blind.

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Cellphones

It’s still a rugged little bastard — and yes, it still has a laser pointer — but there’s one thing the LM801 cellphone is not: a Sonim. The CEO of Sonim, maker of the purposefully overbuilt XP1, wrote in on our LM801 piece to let us know that they don’t actually have any association with Condurro, the company advertising it. If anything, the LM801 is actually a direct competitor for Sonim’s wares — and at £149.99 (about $270) at retail, it’s bringing the heat. Assuming it actually lives up to its tough look, anyway.

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Source: Chris Ziegler

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Filed under: GPS

Sure, Garmin’s new nüvi 500 series can get you from point A to point G on paved and well-lit highways, but that’s not the (whole) point here. Instead, these rugged (and waterproof) navigators are geared up to take to the trails, waterways and sidewalks with one-touch transitions between driving, bicycling, boating and walking modes. The 500 includes road maps and topographic maps for the lower 48 US states, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, while the 550 touts comprehensive street map coverage of the US and Canada. Both devices boast a 3.5-inch touchscreen, a removable, rechargeable battery, Garmin’s “Where Am I?” feature and geocaching support to boot. As for USers, you’ll find the 500 and 550 on sale in Q3 for $499.99, while those across the pond will see the nüvi 550 land this September for £299.

[Via GPSTracklog, thanks Rich]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Tablet PCs

While Panny’s Toughbook CF-U1 looks mighty novel, is it really worth the cost to have it added to your gadget collection? For those who’ve never quite been able to wrap their noodle around the whole UMPC concept, TrustedReviews bets that you’ll be able to overlook this one without losing any sleep. All in all, the CF-U1 seemed to make the best of an awkward situation by excelling at tasks that would likely take place in everyday field work, but the average joe / jane may want to see one in person before buying blind. Yeah, hot-swappable batteries, an Atom CPU and a full QWERTY keypad are lovely additions, but if you’ve never needed a UMPC before (let alone one built for extreme scenarios), you aren’t apt to gain a whole lot from owning this one. Hit the read link for the full spill.

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Storage

Just because Maxell left the disc manufacturing to other rivals doesn’t mean that it’s bowing out of the external HDD market. Announced this week, the firm has introduced its all new iVDR, which “connects directly through a bi-directional USB or eSATA adapter to a shoulder-mounted camcorder capable of delivering 10-bit, 4:2:2 master-quality video and native full HD video.” In layman’s terms, this here drive caters to those logging clips in the rough, and its innate ability to resist drops of up to 4-feet makes it the ideal candidate for even the clumsiest shooter. Unfortunately, mum’s the word on price, but we are told that a 160GB version (with a 540Mbps transfer rate) is set to land in Q2, while a slightly more capacious 250GB edition is hitting shelves in Q3.

[Via BIOS, thanks Christian]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Storage

Corsair’s Flash Voyager comes straight from the factory in a water- and shock-resistant enclosure, but for one particular owner, said chassis just wasn’t hardcore enough. Rather than swapping it out for an Iron Drive, he took matters into his own hands by gutting the innards and custom building an ultra-rugged aluminum casing. Showing off his fantastic attention to detail, a machined slot for the keychain and a LED indicator hole were included, too. Hit up the read link for the walkthrough if you’re feeling atypically industrious — otherwise, just kick back and admire.

[Via Hack N Mod, thanks Joe]

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Laptops, Tablet PCs

Just in case Dell’s Latitude XFR D630 was too mainstream for you, DRS Tactical Systems has a pair of equally tough rigs for you to chew on. Up first is the ARMOR C12 convertible (shown above), which packs a 12.1-inch outdoor readable touchscreen, 1.2GHz ULV U1400 CPU, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, a 60GB shock-mounted HDD, full-sized keyboard, integrated WiFi, Ethernet, PCMCIA, a biometric scanner and a die-cast magnesium case built to pass MIL-STD-810F / IP54 standards. As for the ARMOR X10 tablet (pictured after the jump), you’ll find a 1.2GHz U2500 Core Duo processor, an optional 16GB SSD, 10.4-inch sunlight readable display, Bluetooth and many of the same highlights seen on the aforementioned C12. No word on a price for either at the moment, but trust us, you’ll pay a pretty penny for a machine that just begs for pain. [Warning: PDF read link]Continue reading DRS intros rugged ARMOR C12 convertible, X10 tablet PC

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Source: Darren Murph

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Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

So you’re the type who actually needs to scrub behind the ears? Good, this UMPC is for you. The Toughbook CF-U1 is a “fully ruggedised” UMPC which runs XP or Vista on Intel’s Menlow platform. So rugged in fact, that only a case of glass and gravel can withhold it from Intel’s new Atom branding. We can’t tell you much without an official announcement or any PR types around to drone on (and on) about its Mil-Spec or Ingress ratings. Regardless, it’ll still look great strapped to the dash of your Hummer as you pull into the strip mall for a milkshake. And that’s all that really matters right, Mr. Milquetoast?

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Source: Thomas Ricker

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