The workplace sometimes resembles a warzone, so if you’re going to survive you need a laptop with Ballistic Armour Protection – at least according to Dell.
Dell_Latitude_E6400_01 Dell's Latitude E6400 XFR: has a Ballistic Armour Protection shell
The PC giant’s latest rugged laptop – the Latitude E6400 XFR – can rise to “the …
...or I could buy an ordinary Latitude for £650 (and quite a nice one for that money) and drop it and jump on it every nine months. It'd still be cheaper over this thing's three-year lifecycle.
These things aren't built to withstand use in a rugged environment by an average user, they are built to withstand the (less than) delicate attention of your average squaddie...
Tom Cook, stop being such a townie and try getting out more. It is more about the laptop not letting you down when your in a hostile environment and you need to use it. DHL don't deliver next day to the job site middle of the desert.
I was hoping it was actually bullet proof... well.. could be used as a ballistic shield anyway. That would be the only way I would pay that ridiculous price for this thing.
10 years ago a sales rep demoed a rugged laptop designed for building sites and the like. he took us into the car park and just threw it as high as he could. After hitting the ground, the case was a bit scuffed but everything still worked. Would have thought rugged laptops would have improved since I saw that. 4ft doesn't seem that great.
You've totally missed the point, in the same way so many other Reg readers do (ooh it's expensive, so it's no good).
This is specialist equipment. Just because you can buy one online doesn't mean it's aimed at the average home user or university student! The argument about having multiple machines is ridiculous - these machines are designed for situations where you don't have time to fanny around with duplicating disks and setting up other machines with the same settings. As al has said, it's for use in areas where there is a high likelihood of damage which a "standard" machine wouldn't tolerate.
It's a bit disapponting at how people on this site only look at the price of something before commenting.
However, who's likely to need state-of-the-art computing oomph (Core 2 Duo, NVS graphics etc.) in the kind of environments this is likely to be used? Do squaddies train on Crysis between firefights?
Panasonic has been making toughbooks for donkey's years, with survivability probably at least comparable to this new piece of kit, which can be picked-up 2nd-hand on fleaBay for pennies these days, with specs able to run any OS short of Vista, most office apps and can be WiFi'ed with an inexpensive PCMCIA.
Office types are highly unlikely to appreciate using kit in horrendous weather conditions where what you take with you is limited by the load you can carry over a 16 mile stint walked (note: not carred, bussed, trained or teleported ... ) where your kit makes all the difference.
Maybe the office based kit should have small apertures for mail varnish, cosmetic creams and the like?
Well 'ard? Well, you might have to be but it sort of depends on who "you" is or are.
Register
Dell launches well 'ard laptop
The workplace sometimes resembles a warzone, so if you’re going to survive you need a laptop with Ballistic Armour Protection – at least according to Dell. Dell_Latitude_E6400_01 Dell's Latitude E6400 XFR: has a Ballistic Armour Protection shell The PC giant’s latest rugged laptop – the Latitude E6400 XFR – can rise to “the …
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Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 12:54 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Bulletproof #
Is the OS as bulletproof as the case, or is it running Windows?
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 12:54 GMT
Tom Cook
Nnyeeeessss.... #
...or I could buy an ordinary Latitude for £650 (and quite a nice one for that money) and drop it and jump on it every nine months. It'd still be cheaper over this thing's three-year lifecycle.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
Sooty
£2680? seriously? #
You could buy 5-6 normal laptops with a similar spec and if you break one, then just use another.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
Anonymous Coward
4ft drop? #
Is that so impressive from a practical point of view? It's not THAT high. I'd want a 2m (tall-human-sized) drop before it was very ruggedised.
How far can a normal laptop drop without breaking?
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
Anonymous Coward
"Ballistic Armour Protection" #
So that's BAPs for short then, eh ? As my old school maths text book used to say: The rest is left as an exercise for the reader...
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
A.N Other
@Tom Cook #
These things aren't built to withstand use in a rugged environment by an average user, they are built to withstand the (less than) delicate attention of your average squaddie...
Ever seen military spec "green kit"?
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
Trevor Watt
@ Tom Cook #
Tom Cook, stop being such a townie and try getting out more. It is more about the laptop not letting you down when your in a hostile environment and you need to use it. DHL don't deliver next day to the job site middle of the desert.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 13:27 GMT
Anonymous Coward
bah... #
I was hoping it was actually bullet proof... well.. could be used as a ballistic shield anyway. That would be the only way I would pay that ridiculous price for this thing.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 14:26 GMT
Anonymous Coward
not impressed #
10 years ago a sales rep demoed a rugged laptop designed for building sites and the like. he took us into the car park and just threw it as high as he could. After hitting the ground, the case was a bit scuffed but everything still worked. Would have thought rugged laptops would have improved since I saw that. 4ft doesn't seem that great.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 14:43 GMT
Adam
4 foot drop #
I dropped a normal Dell D531 about 4 foot and that was fine. It might be seriously overpriced but it's a mans laptop and I want one.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 14:43 GMT
al
@sooty #
This is not meant for home use, sir.
This is meant for places where :
- access to laptop & data in it is critical.
- chances of failure exist (eg a warzone, construction site, antarctica).
- can't duplicate data easily and/or carry backup laptops.
Not meant for mere office goers.
Paris, coz she seems quite sturdy.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 16:34 GMT
andy
@sooty, Tom Cook and others #
You've totally missed the point, in the same way so many other Reg readers do (ooh it's expensive, so it's no good).
This is specialist equipment. Just because you can buy one online doesn't mean it's aimed at the average home user or university student! The argument about having multiple machines is ridiculous - these machines are designed for situations where you don't have time to fanny around with duplicating disks and setting up other machines with the same settings. As al has said, it's for use in areas where there is a high likelihood of damage which a "standard" machine wouldn't tolerate.
It's a bit disapponting at how people on this site only look at the price of something before commenting.
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 17:05 GMT
RobMc
er... toughbooks anyone? #
What about these?
http://www.pan-toughbooks.com/?gclid=CJ-5wp_mmJkCFQVhnAodwXwWbw
They've been around for quite some time...
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 17:05 GMT
Alexis Vallance
Fugly #
Are you sure it's a special rugged laptop?
Looks like a run of the mill ThinkPad to me!
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 17:05 GMT
Stef
Old concept #
It is specialist equipment, for sure.
However, who's likely to need state-of-the-art computing oomph (Core 2 Duo, NVS graphics etc.) in the kind of environments this is likely to be used? Do squaddies train on Crysis between firefights?
Panasonic has been making toughbooks for donkey's years, with survivability probably at least comparable to this new piece of kit, which can be picked-up 2nd-hand on fleaBay for pennies these days, with specs able to run any OS short of Vista, most office apps and can be WiFi'ed with an inexpensive PCMCIA.
Why reinvent the wheel and charge a premium?
Posted Tuesday 10th March 2009 23:32 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Save your breath guys #
Office types are highly unlikely to appreciate using kit in horrendous weather conditions where what you take with you is limited by the load you can carry over a 16 mile stint walked (note: not carred, bussed, trained or teleported ... ) where your kit makes all the difference.
Maybe the office based kit should have small apertures for mail varnish, cosmetic creams and the like?
Well 'ard? Well, you might have to be but it sort of depends on who "you" is or are.
Posted Wednesday 11th March 2009 08:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
No thanks #
Rather have one of these, from the company that brought you the F-16 Fighting Falcon:
http://www.gdc4s.com/content/detail.cfm?item=9af65a92-e731-4e5d-8643-a60ab377882e
Posted Wednesday 11th March 2009 08:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
I might be interested #
if it can stop up a 50 cal round.
Posted Wednesday 11th March 2009 08:52 GMT
Allan Dyer
designed for... #
Brazilian electricians?
Posted Wednesday 11th March 2009 11:18 GMT
druck
Useless fingerprints #
I notice it has a finger print scanner, when it's aimed at the sort of out door working tyre that either has very worn prints or very dirty hands.
Posted Wednesday 11th March 2009 11:18 GMT
Geoff
not quite so 'ard #
http://www.itworld.com/video?bcpid=1578108607&bclid=1588003312&bctid=15206342001
http://mobile.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/10/148229
looks like a bit came off it when dropped, oops hehe
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