Source: Tom's Games | Keywords: shockproof, waterproof | Themes: Business Notebooks, Laptops and Notebooks, Digital Cameras
2. The History of Shockproof Tech
The idea of trying to toughen up technology isn’t new. “Green box” military-grade computers have been around for decades. The military designed them for use in extreme outdoor environments, from the steamy jungle to the frozen tundra. The design essentially involved encasing the guts of a laptop in a supertough yet portable exterior. Military-ready servers, cameras and other devices also were built to be heatproof, vaporproof, waterproof and shockproof.
In 1995, Amrel was one of the first companies to foray into the tough-laptop market for consumers. The company put the innards of a laptop inside a hard magnesium suitcase-like exterior and tested its durability by dropping it from 50 cm—about a foot and a half—as well as shaking it, dousing it with water and freezing it. All this durability came with a steep price tag: In 2000, the company’s Rocky II+, the first ruggedized Pentium III notebook, would have set you back about $10,000.
In 2003, tough laptops took center stage at the start of the Iraq war, when the army began using a version of the General Dynamics’ Itronix GoBook MAX—designed, according to the company, for use in HazMat environments and tested in all kinds of “apocalyptic” situations: It was dropped 54 times from three feet, baked in an oven, chilled in a freezer, vibrated, and subjected to hurricane-like conditions. Test users described this device more like sports gear than delicate electronics. According to some tech gurus, the Iraq war brought rugged laptops into the public eye, just as the Gulf War did for Hummers.
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If I'm not mistaken this is suppose to be a site for Computer Enthusiasts...if so why is this article treating us like we're idiots?
My god, if your computer is making a whirring noise you recommend giving it a light smack? What kind of non-technical potentially risky bullshit is that. I want to hear one computer professional recommend smacking a computer when its on, when the probable cause is a wire near a fan.
My dog chewed on a brand new cell phone (no sim card), breaking the screen and puncturing the battery. I found the same model (differant carrier) on ebay for $15, opened them up, put the old board into the new phone and it fired right up. All of the programming info was on the circuit board, so Sprint never has to know.
Another phone I had got drenched in a rain storm. Popped out the battery, and put it in the toaster oven on low with constant supervision for an hour. It baked out the water and the phone was as good as new.
Hmm as an IT professional, I would never recommend "smacking" a computer and definitely not RISING OUT A LAPTOP if you spill something in it, talk about making a bad situation worse. If anything the water will dilute whatever you spilled and ensure that it gets in every single crevice and guarantee your laptop will never work again.
As long as companies keep outsourcing to the chinks in china with their substandard quality and tainted goods, nothing will ever be good.
Hey, I'm almost certain the last part wasn't serious, guys. It's clearly a joke. It's the OPPOSITE of what your supposed to do.
(Oh, and I like the atomic-proof drive.)
An interesting article though, and the only problem I have is that it seems these laptops that are 'ultra-durable' are compensated by their cost and performance.
Actually, smacking is a good method for fixing an aging CRT monitor when it decides to turn pink or green. I used to really abuse mine.
To little detail was given on each item, we know these laptops exist...why aren't they telling us the specs, or why the USB hard drive isn't compatible with all computers..? Or the hard drive ticking comment....oh come on who do you think you're talking to here?
If I'm not mistaken this is suppose to be a site for Computer Enthusiasts...if so why is this article treating us like we're idiots?
Hi Grims,
Tom's Hardware is for "enthusiasts," while Tom's Guide is for interested consumers, but we think both groups can find interesting things to read on both sites.
Thanks for your comment!
Rachel Rosmarin, Editor of Tom's Guide
A good method for drying your toilet, lake, sink or bathtub dunked phone is to take it apart, remove the battery and sim card. Heat up some uncooked dry rice in the microwave for about 30-60s. Then put the wet phone in the rice (covering the phone with the rice) and repeat until it is dry, let it sit overnight, reassemble and fire it up. This worked on my brother's Palm Treo, and is most likely safer than a toaster oven =P
smack it? why smack it?! are you crazy? don't give bs tips to non-IT readers! what kind of advice is that...
smack it? why smack it?! are you crazy? don't give bs tips to non-IT readers! what kind of advice is that...
If you are stupid enough to rinse off your laptop or smack your computer because it is noisy, you shouldn't really be reading this anyway. In fact, you shouldn't own any electronic device.
A good method for drying your toilet, lake, sink or bathtub http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathtub dunked phone is to take it apart, remove the battery and sim card. Heat up some uncooked dry rice in the microwave for about 30-60s. Then put the wet phone in the rice (covering the phone with the rice) and repeat until it is dry, let it sit overnight, reassemble and fire it up. This worked on my brother's Palm Treo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Tr%C4%93o , and is most likely safer than a toaster oven =P
I'll keep this one in mind
Why I use a Panasonic Toughbook and Linux...
Billy in Sugar Land