When Rugged Tablet Displays Show Their True Colors

By Tom Kost, Xplore Technologies

Sometimes, you just have to see something to believe it. For those who work in field service, it may be hard to trust that a rugged tablet screen will be any easier to read under direct sunlight than the other mobile computers that claim to be outdoor viewable (and really aren't). We've all had that one device screen that seems to goes dark outside when the sun is shining, even when the brightness setting is turned to the max. It completely defeats the purpose of having a mobile computer that’s supposed to be usable “anywhere.” Unfortunately, the loose definition of "outdoor viewable" and the wide variations of display technology used within each mobile device class make a confident decision challenging sometimes without seeing a laptop or tablet’s true colors for yourself – in the actual outdoor working environment, not a simulated one.

It can also be hard to decipher between truly rugged device displays, and consumer devices that have been “ruggedized” but won’t pass muster when you throw caution to the wind and start using them during inclement weather or in real work scenarios. We’ve always said, the whole purpose of investing in a rugged mobile computer is so that the priority remains on taking care of the task at hand – not taking extra care of the device.

After all, there are consequences to using ruggedized consumer devices in situations where they were never intended to be used – such as for utility and telecom work, mining, manufacturing, public safety, military applications, or forklift and heavy machinery applications. Frequent exposure to fluids, gels, fuels, decontamination, drops, and even sand can take a toll on touch screens and other mobile PC screens that haven’t been chemically hardened and reinforced with an industrial strength display technology. Just look at this “ruggedized” – and very popular – smartphone that wasn’t as water proof, or really as water resistant, as it claimed. Or this “rugged” device display that won’t crack when dropped, but will get scratched every time something accidentally brushes the always- exposed screen (as Network World exposed).