Xplore Rugged Tablet Gets LTE Capability

Xplore Technologies upgraded its iX104C5 dual-mode sunlight-readable (DMSR) ultra-rugged tablet with Long Term Evolution capability.

The LTE-enabled tablets are designed to deliver increased connection speeds and capacity, reduced energy consumption and lower operational costs in field, said the company. Xplore first unveiled the iX104C5 family of tablets for enterprise users in 2011.

The new LTE-enabled iX104C5 tablet offers all of the standard features in the previous model, including a display that can be viewed in all lighting conditions, including direct sunlight, thanks to the AllVue Xtreme LCD sunlight-readable display. It also features an Intel Core i7 processor, which allows mobile workers to reliably deploy high-end enterprise-level applications, the company said. It comes standard with a Windows 7 operating system. Windows 8 is optional.

Users “will now be able to work more efficiently in the field with increased data-transfer speeds,” said Xplore. Since the DMSR is upgradeable and field-replaceable, it will also minimize downtime and improve a mobile worker’s efficiency in the field. Packing a high-capacity lithium-ion battery, it delivers 68.5 watt hours of battery life.

The DMSR tablet is designed to withstand a 7-foot operating drop to concrete, exposure to 4 inches of rain an hour blowing at 40 mph for 30 minutes per side, and blowing dust and sand at 30 mph for 30 minutes, stated the company.

“Giving our customers the option to deploy LTE capability means we’ve given them the option to conduct their business smarter and faster than competitors,” Mark Holleran, president and chief operating officer of Xplore Technologies, said in a statement. “We’ve chosen to improve upon our already best-selling model with the DMSR LTE, to offer a faster and more operationally efficient rugged option in the field.”

The DMSR LTE industrial tablet–which is made to be used in applications such as oil and gas, construction, law enforcement, telecommunications, utilities and government agencies—is priced at $4,999 and sold through Xplore’s channel partners.