So What Is Rugged?

By Handheld USA

What does rugged mean? From a user perspective, rugged is really just the computer's ability to keep operating under all exposed working conditions. And not just once, but for the life of the unit, which can easily be 3-5 years. However, depending upon the kind of work being performed, what is rugged for one user may not be rugged for another. For example, a mobile computer in a warehouse is likely to be dropped often and may be exposed to a lot of dust, but is unlikely to face extreme temperatures or rain. On the other hand, a forester will need a unit with protection against water and a wide temperature spec, but is probably not too concerned about dust.