"The UMPC is emerging as a highly viable form factor for use in vertical applications currently supported by rugged mobile computers," said David Krebs, practice director, Venture Development Corporation. "The SwitchBack is uniquely positioned to support many of these applications and its design emphasizes the need for more platform-based modular computing solutions."
Roper Industries recently acquired Black Diamond Advanced Technology, the technology development firm that created the SwitchBack PC. The SwitchBack PC will be manufactured and marketed through Roper Mobile Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Roper Industries.
"The strength of this highly talented research and development team combined with our established global resources in sales and service will greatly accelerate SwitchBack's market success," said Gene Yazbak, president of Roper Mobile Technology. "Roper Mobile is pleased to expand our capabilities in order to retain our fierce focus on innovating disruptive technologies, like the SwitchBack, that go the extra step to anticipate customer needs in harsh environments."
The latest version of the SwitchBack PC is the most powerful version yet. Operating on a Windows XP or Windows Vista platform, it utilizes a 1.0 GHz Intel Celeron M processor, 2GB of 400 MHz DDR2 and up to 120GB of optional storage. It has passed rigorous environmental testing and meets military specification MIL-STD-810F and IEC 60529 standard IP-67 for operating in conditions of extreme shock, vibration, temperature and immersion.
The standard SwitchBack PC comes with a one year standard warranty and is equipped with a condensed QWERTY keyboard, removable hard drive, hot swappable battery and a 5.6-inch WSVGA sunlight viewable touch screen with stylus. Wireless capabilities like Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi b/g are standard and GPS can be integrated. The newest SwitchBack also has a patent-pending Status & Control feature that enables remote diagnostics for automatic troubleshooting in the field. This first of its kind diagnostic tool intelligently manages and controls vital functions of the PC including:
* Primary & secondary battery levels
* Temperature fluctuation
* Accelerometer to measure drops
* Power consumption
* Input and output shortages
The SwitchBack's patent-pending BackPack Technology allows the user to incorporate multiple devices into a single BackPack such as a digital camera, biometric security, an RFID reader or any combination of I/O options.
The BackPack (standard or custom) attaches onto the back of the SwitchBack and interfaces to the computer through a special ultra-wide, high-speed connection to the Switchback. This PC's design is so flexible almost any electronic peripheral can be designed to interface with it.
