Modern Protective Tablets

The use of tablets is gaining popularity every year in various industrial sectors. Devices with simple applications are replacing aging handheld personal computers. Modern ruggedized tablets on the market support Windows or Android operating system (OS) by default. The following article will focus on tablets based on the open-source Android OS. It allows integrators, who use tablets as a hardware platform, to create specialized solutions, tailored to meet even specific technical requirements. Thanks to the openness of the operating system, you can build your own distribution and disable unnecessary or prohibited features/services.

A consumer-grade operating system may seem unreliable for demanding tasks, but Android has made a good evolutionary leap in terms of security of data storage and transmission (using encryption).

Getac ZX70 secure tablet

The first model of the review, the ZX70 tablet, is an innovative device running OC Android from Getac (Taiwan). It is a redesigned, updated and improved version of the one present on the market since 2012. Getac Z710, which has proven itself among Android tablets, but in five years of existence has already become obsolete.

What makes the Getac ZX70 different from its predecessor? It’s a product with better performance, longer battery life, more RAM and memory, faster communication interfaces, high-resolution cameras, an updated version of Android, and more system expansion options.

The image quality of the 7″ tablet is provided by a display based on the same IPS technology with a resolution of 1280?720 pixels and a density of 210 pixels per inch. In this case, the level of brightness Getac ZX70 increased by a third compared to its predecessor and is 580 cd/m2.

The touch screen is as durable and optically transparent as Getac’s other models, thanks to the use of Getac’s patented LumiBond 2.0 technology, which combines light-absorbing ambient light filters, advanced capacitive touch panels, protective ultra-durable Gorilla Glass and optically transparent adhesive polymers. Press sensitivity can be optimized by software. In addition to the usual manual input, there are modes for working in the rain, with non-specialized gloves or with a stylus. On the back of the device, there are lugs on the left and right side of the device for mounting straps, holders and stand accessories – much more convenient than in the previous tablet.

As for the computing part, all modifications of the tablet use one processor – Intel Atom X5-Z8350, running at 1.44 GHz. This is a quad-core CPU, manufactured on 14nm Cherry Trail technology from Intel. The processor has integrated graphics of the eighth generation. The installed storage is 32GB, the memory type is eMMC, and there is also a microSD card slot. RAM is 2 GB by default and can be optionally expanded to 4 GB.

Available communication capabilities include Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/g/n, Bluetooth v4.0. Optional 4G LTE modem, GPS geolocation module, barcode scanner with laser or LED backlight, and UHF RFID/NFC tag readers. It’s worth noting that none of these options are mutually exclusive, except for the UHF RFID reader, which cannot be combined with a 4G LTE modem or barcode reader.

The tablet has an IP67 shell rating, which prevents water from penetrating inside the device during short-term immersion to a depth of up to 1 meter. The temperature operating range of ZX70 is -21…+60 °C, like most Getac models. It is also worth noting that the line includes modifications capable of operating in hazardous areas of class 2/22 according to ATEX standards, in which the presence of explosive gas mixture is unlikely in normal operating conditions, and if it occurs, it is rare and lasts for a short time.

The Getac ZX70 runs Android 6.0 and is the budget flagship among Getac’s other models. This is due in part to the fact that Android currently dominates the mobile OS market due to the openness of the platform, ease of writing and integrating software, and low cost of ownership. Since version 5.x, Android developers have added support for 64-bit processors, optimized algorithms for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless networks and, most importantly for industrial, corporate and government users, significantly improved the software security of the device, along with the security of storage and transmission of processed data.