| If you have a PDA ask yourself a very important | | | | money without compromising on the protection of |
| question. Is it safe from unforseen hazards on the | | | | your PDA.What options are there for a rugged |
| road? When I asked myself this same question | | | | PDA?My friend Larry, who is an engineer and |
| the answer scared me. NO, it's not protected. It's | | | | former Navy Seal, uses Raytheon's Agama's |
| why I've taken steps to make my PDA as tough | | | | ultra-ruggedized Pocket PC. This unit is designed |
| as possible. Let's face it, like Murphy's Law if | | | | for military and commercial use and includes: Intel's |
| something can go wrong, it will. Instead of waiting | | | | StrongARM 206 MHz processor, 64 MB of RAM, |
| for the accident to happen I assumed it would | | | | 32 MB of flash ROM, a color touch screen, and a |
| and imagined the panic that would ensue without | | | | single Secure Digital card slot. Options include: |
| my PDA. That was enough to scare me into | | | | Bluetooth, GPS, GPRS, or CDMA, and single and |
| action.What I've done in the terms of the industry | | | | dual card expansion modules. It runs on the |
| is to "ruggedize" my PDA. It's now one tough | | | | Pocket PC 2002 software.There are many other |
| cookie! A protective armor surrounds the PDA so | | | | rugged PDAs on the market. My friend Carl, who |
| it can withstand the natural elements like dust and | | | | works for the U.S. Department of Fish and Game, |
| moisture. Plus, the PDA is protected if in the | | | | uses the Recon PDA by Tripod Data Systems |
| event I accidentally drop or bump it against | | | | (TDS) This ruggetized PDA meets MIL-STD-810F |
| something else.What are some of the pros and | | | | military standards. It is built to withstand harsh |
| cons of a ruggetized PDA?A ruggetized PDA does | | | | weather conditions and is waterproof. The Recon |
| weigh and cost more than a consumer PDA. But | | | | PDA runs on Windows Mobile 2003 and comes |
| the weight and price are worth it, considering it | | | | with either 200 MHz or 400 MHz XScale |
| delivers needed protection for the PDA and it's | | | | processor, 64 MB of RAM and 64 or 128 MB of |
| data. The ruggetized outer cases made by | | | | flash storage. This high allocation of storage |
| Ottobox look like they're built for battle and | | | | secures the data from resets and loss of power. |
| rightfully they should be. These things are rock | | | | It comes with a color display and a front light. |
| solid.For quick data entry most ruggetized PDAs | | | | With Recon's PDA running on Windows Mobile |
| come with barcode or card readers as an option | | | | 2003 it's convenient to use the pocket versions |
| or built in feature.If you're strictly looking at a | | | | of Word, Excel, email and calendar.Symbol's |
| rugged PDA and not the ruggetized outercase like | | | | MC9000-Gruns on Windows Mobile 2003 (or |
| with Ottobox, you'll find the software is a bit | | | | Windows CE.NET) software and has 64 MB RAM |
| behind the times. I'll explain this more under the | | | | and 64MB flash. Like the other rugged PDAs it |
| section called Options For A Rugged PDA. Briefly, | | | | too is designed to withstand the harmful effects |
| most rugged PDAs in the marketplace run on | | | | of dust, water, and being accidentally |
| older versions of Pocket PC software.What is it | | | | dropped.What's the upkeep like on a PDA rugged |
| like using a ruggetized PDA?My friend Joe, who is | | | | case?It's easy to clean. I use a Q tip and wipe |
| a reporter, has a ruggetized outercase for his | | | | away the dirt and grime from the outer case and |
| PDA. It's made by Ottobox. Joe's carried it with | | | | seal.Can you lock the PDA Case?Yes. On the latch |
| him as he's covered battles overseas and natural | | | | of my Otterbox there are holes, which are real |
| disasters from hurricanes to floods. His ruggedized | | | | handy if you want to make the unit tamper |
| PDA has performed well in dirt, rain, humid | | | | proof. These holes can be locked if you install |
| conditions, as well in jeep rides when he's been in | | | | screws in the openings. Otterbox says to use a |
| the war zone and in the outback in Australia. It's | | | | 3.0mm x 6.0mm long Socket Head Cap Screw |
| got rocked around, knocked into and still | | | | (SCHS), which uses a 2.5mm hex wrench.Can you |
| functioned without missing a beat.According to | | | | hook up external antennas for GPS?Yes. To get |
| Otterbox, the protective armor is made from | | | | signal strength you need the antenna to be in the |
| indestructible, reinforced ABS plastic. Joe uses the | | | | best possible position and pointed skyward. |
| OtterBox Armor 3600. It's the same one I use. It | | | | Sometimes this can look a little humorous. A few |
| is designed for use in the field. Even if the field, in | | | | months ago, I saw a colleague with a pole |
| my case, is a convertible car and survey work as | | | | mounted antenna. It seemed like he grew an |
| a landscape architect.When it comes to high-end | | | | extra head.What my colleague had on his back is |
| function and safety it is not always about looks, | | | | a pole equipped backpack known as a Garmin |
| but the Ottobox does look very cool. It reminds | | | | 17N. The GPS receiver is built right into the dome, |
| me of the Xterra car. Mine is in florescent yellow, | | | | that's what I had jokingly called an extra head. |
| but the Otterbox 3600 also comes in midnight | | | | The Garmin 17N is widely used by survey |
| black. | | | | workers in the field. With the Garmin 72/76, |
| The pins on the case are Marine Grade 316 | | | | known as a quad-helix antenna, the top edge of |
| stainless steel, which is ideal for salt and | | | | the unit needs to point skyward.There are other |
| freshwater situations.My rugged PDA case is | | | | smaller antennas. For instance, the Garmin 27C is |
| waterproof too. I accidentally tested that when I | | | | slim and black much like tape a cassette. You can |
| knocked over a cup of water as I was driving. | | | | attach it to a baseball cap, a pole, or a backpack. |
| Dumb move, I know. I had a near panic attack | | | | An added benefit of this unit is that it can |
| over it, but then remembered the thing was | | | | improve signal strength for your PDA.Connectivity |
| waterproof up to three meters in depth. Naturally, | | | | is easy. With these external antennas you simply |
| I breathed a huge sigh of relief.The Otterbox | | | | connect the GPS with a cable to your PDA and |
| Armor 3600 has what they call a | | | | use the PDA software to view maps and conduct |
| "through-the-Box" connectivity Kit, which allows | | | | fieldwork. If you don't want to worry about |
| you to use a variety of cables and still keep the | | | | getting cables dirty or lugging them around you |
| unit sealed from harmful weather conditions. You | | | | may want to look into wireless Bluetooth GPS |
| can add on GPS receivers, barcode readers and | | | | units that connect to your PDA.Is it easy to use a |
| other accessories.What about the mobile signal | | | | ruggetized PDA in the field?Yes. The recessed |
| strength?One of the unexpected benefits of a | | | | plastic is very visible. The adjustable velcro strap |
| ruggetized PDA is that it actually protects the | | | | is easy to grip if you have gloves on, or if your |
| signal strength. I noticed this with my Bluetooth | | | | hands are sticky or sweaty from work in the |
| GPS connection. The PDA is no longer just left | | | | field.I like the handy stylus holder on the outside |
| open to the elements. Instead of natural | | | | of the case. There is no fumbling around and |
| conditions causing an interference with the signal | | | | asking myself where did the stylus go? It's right |
| strength the PDA is insulated.Which is more cost | | | | there wherever I go!If you work in the field, like |
| effective a rugged PDA case or a ruggetized | | | | me, and need to bring your PDA into dusty, |
| PDA?A rugged PDA case is much more cost | | | | humid, or unstable weather conditions be sure to |
| effective than the ruggedized PDAs in the | | | | ruggetize the case. It's the needed protection that |
| marketplace. The Ottobox PDA case is nearly a | | | | will give you peace of mind. Verizon wireless |
| third the price of a rugged PDA. Plus, if you need | | | | offers a reliable national wireless Internet service |
| to upgrade its easy. Simply switch to a different | | | | called Wireless Sync. |
| PDA and keep your existing case. You save | | | | |