Trimble launches Yuma 2 rugged tablet with Pixel Qi display
Trimble has unveiled a new rugged tablet for outdoor use in construction, transportation, utility work, and other areas where tough build quality trumps pretty design. The 7 inch Trimble Yuma 2 tablet also features a Pixel Qi sunlight-readable display.
Pixel Qi screens are a special type of LCD that offers full-color when used with a backlight, but which can also be used as high-contrast (almost black and white) screens when you turn off the backlight. This makes them easy to read outdoors, and also reduces power consumption.
While Pixel Qi screens haven’t been very popular with tablets or laptops designed for consumers, a number of device makers have put out niche products like the Yuma 2 over the past few years.
The Yuma 2 features a 7 inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N2600 dual-core CPU, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of solid state storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS. It also has a 5MP camera, an 8 hour battery, and optional 3G. An extended battery option lets the tablet run for up to 16 hours.
Just don’t expect to find the Trimble Yuma 2 sitting on a store shelf next to a $199 Amazon Kindle Fire HD anytime soon. This is likely a high-priced tablet designed for niche industries where cheaper tablets just won’t cut it.
Pixel Qi founder May Lou Jepsen says the company will unveil half a dozen new devices with Pixel Qi displays in the next few weeks.
