GBM InkShow: MobileDemand xTablet T7000 Hands On

MobileDemand will officially announce the xTablet T7000 tomorrow. The new rugged Tablet PC is much smaller and lighter than the company’s previous offerings, but it can still stand up to a lot of abuse.

I got a pre-production unit in for review and shot a quick hands-on video of it today. MobileDemand sent us a pre-production unit and asked us to return it one piece, which means we couldn’t drop it or throw it around like we’ve done with rugged tablets in the past. We hope to get a production version of the T7000 soon so we can bang it around and see how rugged it is ourselves.

According to MobileDemand, it can withstand three-foot drops onto every edge, pouring rain and extreme temperatures (-4F to 122F) while operating .

The xTablet T7000 comes standard with a 1.6Ghz Intel Atom Z530P processor, 2GB of RAM  and a 60GB 1.8″ drive.  Users that need more durability can order a 32GB or 64GB SSD. It has a 7″ resistive-touch display with a matte finish. Those that find themselves outdoors a lot while at work can opt for the 300-nit xView Sunlight Readable display option. A barcode scanner is at the top of the T700 and a credit card scanner can be added onto its right side.

To the right of the display is a backlit numeric keypad and an assortment of  function keys, including some that are programmable. At the bottom of the array is a directional keypad. An optional QWERTY keyboard module attaches to the base of the T7000.

One thing that I really like about the T7000 is its twin battery setup. It allows for continuous operation away from an AC adapter since you can swap in a fresh battery without powering down.

Another feature I like is the camera on the back of the device. This makes it easy to snap a photo or video to document something on a job site and send it back to the office. I would’ve killed to have the ability to do this when I worked as a field engineer for a construction company when I was in college. Instead, I had to snap Polaroid pictures and scribble down corresponding notes on a pad of paper.

The xTablet T7000 starts at $1,900, but customers will likely add on quite a few options to suit their workforce. Companies with highly mobile employees will probably shell out some extra dough for GPS, 3G  and vehicle mounting system. Visit MobileDemand.com for more details.