In today’s work environment it has become increasingly necessary to bring work typically done at the office out into the field. More and more technology has been brought to the fields of construction, surveying, manufacturing, telecom, etc. This brings an interesting issue to light; how do you work in an unfriendly and potentially harsh environment while not burning through laptops and PDA’s weekly? There are a couple of industrial grade ruggedized laptops available, however they approach close to $4000 fully equipped and may simply be overkill and too bulky to be practical.

Enter the ruggedized PDA. They are small, lightweight and efficient compared their laptop cousins, not to mention they have a longer battery life and are cute as a bug’s ear. We have looked at a rugged PDA in the past from TDS (Tripod Data Systems) Recon 400. That device proved to be a formidable challenger to the elements and stood up well to the abuse we threw at it. TDS has brought out their follow up to the Recon 400 in the form of the new Recon X-Series.

The X-Series is a complete refresh of the previous model. Naturally they have upgraded the operating system with Windows Mobile 5.0. One of our sharp criticisms of the previous model was its lack of wireless connectivity. TDS thankfully added Bluetooth and WiFi G to the X-series device; thus freeing up the 2 precious internal CF slots for potentially more pressing duties. Memory was upgraded to 256 Megs of nonvolatile storage. The screen remains the same at 240x320 pixels however.

The Recon already has a proven track record as a very accomplished device that we recommend back in 2004. From our previous review: "It looks like Tripod Data Systems has set the bar for rugged handheld devices with the Recon. The Recon provides ample performance, storage, expandability, durability all in a comfortable easy to use design that should interoperate well with most systems." The Recon X-Series adds to the excellent linage of the Recon.

Let’s take a look at what I would have liked to see in the X-Series Recon. I would have liked to see more storage in a product of this nature; considering all the media material that is being used today like GPS maps, complex spreadsheets, training videos, podcasts, etc. I am a big proponent of VGA (640x480) screens on PDA’s. A VGA screen would make this device useful to a wider scope of potential customers. Windows Mobile 5.0 includes the updated Mobile Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; and doing any length of work on a 240x320 screen can get tiresome. These are only minor complaints and it most cases will not matter to current or new customers that want to make an upgrade to the X-Series.

Options I would like to see on a future model would be integrated GSM/UMTS for voice and data. As I previously mentioned a VGA screen would really set a future Recon unit apart from all others.

Over all the Recon X-Series’ is a needed and welcome addition to the Recon line of Rugged PDA’s. With its ultra rugged design that meets MIL-STD-810F standards, built in wireless communications, long battery life, the new X-Series should meet the needs of anyone who requires this level of functionality and protection.

4 out of 5 stars

Bill Landon
Senior Editor

photo credit: Rachel Rogers

http://www.tdsway.com/products/recon