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Rugged handheld offers capacitive touch plus 1GHz Cortex-A8 processor

Nov 14, 2011 — by Eric Brown — from the LinuxDevices Archive — 1 views

Winmate announced a rugged handheld computer that includes a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen and runs Android 2.3.4 on a 1GHz Cortex-A8-based Texas Instruments DM3730. The E430T offers IP65-level sealing, up to 512MB of RAM, five- and two-megapixel cameras, plus wireless technologies including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and 3.5G cellular.

Last month, Winmate announced the 3.7-inch R03TACH-RTS1 (pictured), which primarily offered Windows CE 6.0 but could also run Android 2.2 and Linux 2.6, according to the company. The new E430T is said to be available with either Android 2.3.4 or Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional pre-installed. 

Pictured at left, the E430T not only sports a larger, higher resolution touchscreen, but offers a faster system on chip (SoC). Instead of providing the 600MHz, Cortex-A8-based Texas Instruments (TI) OMAP3530, the device moves up to a TI Cortex-A8 SoC.

This is the newer, 1GHz DM3730, as a favorable review of the E430T in Rugged PC Review notes. The DM3730 delivers higher quality 720p video, and like the OMAP3530, supports OpenGL 3D graphics acceleration.

The E430T ships with 256MB or 512MB of RAM, and offers 512MB of flash as an option, says Winmate. An internal microSD slot is said to support up to 32GB of storage.

The 4.3-inch, 800 x 480-pixel touchscreen offers capacitive technology, compared to the resistive display found on the R03TACH-RTS1 says Winmate. Designed to be sunlight-readable, the screen provides 270-nit brightness, as well as an 800:1 contrast ratio, says the company.

There's no voice support, but wireless features are said to include 3.5G cellular, in addition to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS (see spec list below). The E430T is equipped with a five-megapixel, autofocus, rear-facing camera, says Winmate. There's also said to be a two-megapixel front-facing camera.

According to Winmate, the E430T weighs 8.11 ounces, and runs on a 2400mAh battery. The device measures 5.2 x 3.2 x 0.86 inches (132 x 82 x 22mm), the company adds.

In addition to providing -4 to 140 deg. F operating temperature support, the device offers IP65 ingress protection, says Winmate. In addition, the handheld provides MIL-STD 810F-compliant shock and vibration resistance, says the company.

Features and specifications listed for the Winmate E430T include:

  • Processor — TI DM3730 (Cortex-A8) clocked at up to 1GHz
  • Memory — 256MB or 512MB of MDDR RAM, optional 512MB of flash
  • Memory expansion — microSD slot (internal) for up to 32GB
  • Display — 4.3-inch, 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen; 270-nit brightness; 800:1 contrast ratio
  • Cameras — 5-megapixel rear-facing with autofocus, LED auxiliary backlight; 2-megapixel front-facing camera
  • Wireless:
    • 802.11b/g/n
    • Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
    • GPS (SiRF)
    • 3.5G cellular
  • Other features — 1.2 W speaker; 3.5mm audio jack
  • Battery/power — 2400mAh battery; 5V/1A input via micro-USB port
  • Ruggedization:
    • IP65 dust & water protection
    • MIL-STD 810F compliance for shock and vibration
    • Operating temperature — -4 to 140 deg. F (-20 to 60 deg. C)
  • Dimensions — 5.2 x 3.2 x 0.86 inche
  • Weight — 8.11 oz. (230 g)

Availability

No pricing or availability information was provided for the E430T, which features Android 2.3.4 or Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional. Judging from the review, however, the device appears as if it might be shipping. More information may be found at Winmate's E430T product page.
 


This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.



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