Rugged LaptopI need a rugged laptop, one that's tough enough to handle both life on the road and the rigorous workout it'll get here at ranchero indebto. I've got to have a notebook rugged enough to handle being dropped, stepped on, and doused with food and drink. Our crusty trusty old iBook surely isn't a rugged laptop, but it's had to put up with all of those things over the years. Lets just say that it hasn't fared well. An honest-to-goodness ruggedized notebook might let me rest easier at night ... The AMREL Rocky looks like one rough and tough rugged notebook. This padded-corner magnesium-cased beast will go anywhere--even out in the sun. AMREL's Alpha-Star technology promises to deliver a sunlight-readable LCD in a free floating design. The company offers "DockUnders" for office and vehicle applications. The Rocky is MIL-STD 810F certified for vibration, water-resistance, humidity, salt fog, and high/low temperature. It's even available with an optional touchscreen and backlit keyboard. Kontron offers E and X Series ReVolution rugged notebooks with Kontron's TransRadiant Display technology. The TransRadiant display is designed to deliver a greater level of brightness for both indoor and outdoor lighting conditions with power requirements similar to that of a standard notebook display. The magnesium ReVolution has been tested for U.S. Military and NEMA standards for resistance (shock, vibration, water, temperature and dust). The boutique box shops are cool, but to be honest, I'd be most comfortable with a mass-market manufacturer. Panasonic offers a wide range of Toughbooks with both semi-rugged and fully rugged models. The semi-rugged yet ultra-thin Toughbook-73 looks much like a conventional notebook with a 13.3" outdoor-readable LCD. The gorgeous magnesium-cased Toughbook-29 is a full-on rugged laptop, that's been MIL-STD-810F-tested. This one looks like it just stepped out of a James Bond movie or videogame. Sure, it's hefty at roughly eight pounds. But pull one of these mean machines out at the coffee shop, slip on your Ray-Bans, and get ready to get the eye.
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