All Terrain Ultra Mobile Personal Computer from Black Diamond
This Switchback PC from Black Diamond is not like any other Ultra Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) that you see in the market, it comes with 20-user defined modules depending on your hardware need which gives it a necessary flexibility and connectivity.
Due to hit the market by the end of this year it will have 1GHz Celeron processor; a 40GB-60GB removable rotating hard drive; 1GB of memory; a hot-swappable battery; Bluetooth; 802.11b/g; GPS; and a 5.6-inch touch screen that's always visible in sunlight. It all comes in a 7.5-inch-by-5.5-inch, 3-pound package.
It can be put to any use by soldiers, public safety officers to freight, mining and timber industries. Army might need it for its special operations as it has RFID, satellite and Wi-Fi options. Police officers might need it to be able to get connected to magnetic swipe card reader, breathalyzer and digital camera or for biometric fingerprint reader loaded in the back of the Switchback.
Built on military specifications this handheld computer with hard rubber grips and plastic casting can with stand extreme temperatures (41 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit), water, high pressure spray and human clumsiness.
Powered by Intel Celeron M 1GHz processor which lacks the processing speed, it utilizes 'parallel processing capabilities to power multiple operating systems including Windows XP in combination with Windows Mobile, Windows CE or Linux. But it has a short battery life of 2 hrs which it seems is its only drawbacks.
What makes the SwitchBack unique to anything we've seen on the market?
Here's the list:
Hard Drive: 60 GB removeable
Display: a 5.6-inch WSVGA
sunlight viewable
touch Screen
Wireless capabilities: Supports Bluetooth 2.0, WiFi b/g
and GPS.
Extendable Modules :
- Additional processor,
hard drive or
Battery
- Custom I/O Options (data transfer,
Interface extensions)
- Fingerprint reader
- RFID, Barcode Scanner or Mag Stripe
Reader
- Radio(s), terrestrial
- Digital camera
- GPS receiver
- Breathalyzer, Laser Range Finder
- Hot Swappable Battery
- Self-Diagnostics Tool
Pricing & Availability:
The SwitchBack PC will be available Q4 2006 through
Black Diamond
Via: Ubergizmo, Bdatech, Mobilitytoday, Prnewswire, Gizmodo, Engadget, News
