Friday, March 13, 2009

Handy Tips For Buying A Rugged Computer

By Guiseppe Sirloina

Have you heard about rugged computing? These computers are portable computers - laptops and notebooks - that have been engineered to deal with some of the harshest conditions in existence.

There are lots of different types and styles of rugged computers, from the semi rugged to the fully rugged. There are even laptops made to stand up to the rigorous standards of the US military.

Several different companies make rugged computers, too. Panasonic's Toughbook is one of the most famous, but there are also tough computers made by Getac, Twinhead, Motion Computing, Itronix and others.

It's important to pay attention to what you need a rugged computer for, and what the computer you're thinking about buying will stand up to. After all, not all computers are made to deal with the same kinds of conditions. Here are a few of the trials and protections that a rugged computers might have.

Falls and drops are some of the biggest problems that computers suffer from. Your laptop might tumble from a desk, move while in transit, or suffer a jar or jolt. This can hurt the casing, screen, and hard drive unless special protections like motion sensors, alloy casing, and shock protections are used.

Another common issue is vibration, which causes failure of many different parts, including the keyboard. If you're likely to be using a laptop in a large moving vehicle, you may have this issue. Vibration protected laptops have shock mounts for all internal components.

Dust and moisture are two big problems, whether they're from environmental dust, spills, condensation, rain, or another source. These substances get in through cracks and cause big damage unless the computer is well sealed at every port and seam.

Extreme temperature variations are also a problem, with computers subject to very high and very low temperatures. If you're working in the field or you need to leave your computer somewhere without climate control, you need to know it will work. An insulated computer may have a cooling system that can handle hot climates, or even a small heater for cold ones.

Rugged computers are usually more costly than regular ones, but they're also worth it for many uses. If you travel a lot, work outdoors, or otherwise put your computer through a lot of stressed, you should look into these tough little machines. After all you want to be sure your computer will work whenever you require it.

Consumer grade laptops are just fine for people who never leave the office and rarely move them. On the other hand, computers that come under stress should be rugged machines. That way, you'll know you have a laptop you can trust. - 22787

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