Dell Latitude 12 Rugged Tablet Launches Into 'Big Niche' Among Police, Factories, 'Adventurers'

Dell on Tuesday launched its first fully rugged tablet designed for field workers, first responders, the military and other users who take their technology into situations where it may fall, be dropped or get wet and dirty.

Originally targeted for launch late in the second quarter, the Windows-based Dell Latitude 12 tablet joins the rest of the rugged Latitude line, which includes 12- and 14-inch fully rugged notebooks, and it comes at a time when certain customers are looking for rugged products, but adoption hasn't been particularly strong.

The Latitude 12 tablet starts at $1,599.

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Stephen Monteros, vice president of business development and strategy at Ontario, Calif.-based Sigmanet, a Dell partner, said the Latitude 12 tablet is a good match for the channel.

In the past, rugged products have been cumbersome and hard to work with, Monteros said. But they've come a long way and Monteros sees increased demand on the horizon, especially for technology integrators that work with the public sector, specifically police departments and other first responders.

"It's a niche product, but it's a big niche," Monteros told CRN. Police departments, especially, "are looking to put more of this stuff out there, and this makes it easier to do that," he said.

Monteros also said Dell is introducing the Latitude 12 tablet at the right moment. "Dell, when they think something's mature and dialed in, they'll capitalize on it immediately. Panasonic is one of the leaders (in rugged products), but it hasn't seen widespread adoption, so this product is coming out at the right time."

The Latitude 12 tablet includes fourth-generation QuadCool thermal management technology to help it cope with severe temperatures. It runs on fifth-generation Intel Core M processors and boasts up to 12 hours of battery life with two 2-cell batteries.

The tablet comes with solid-state storage up to 512 GB, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, optional broadband and dedicated GPS. It is secured with Dell Data Protection, available Intel vPro and Intel TPM 1.2.

The tablet has a docking interface for component expansion, a variety of compatible attachments and docks for desks and vehicles, and an optional full-size keyboard.

In addition to police work, the new rugged tablet is at home with the military, emergency response teams, industrial work, field scientists and "adventurers," Drew Moore, Dell's executive director and general manager of rugged mobility products, said in a statement.

During a conference in June, Moore demonstrated Dell's rugged line for partners, by dropping a laptop from head height several times, standing on it and spraying it with a water gun.

PUBLISHED JULY 21, 2015