Dell's first fully ruggedized laptop

Dell has entered the rugged notebook market with the release of the Latitude XFR D630 - a sealed, shock-resistant and outdoor-ready unit aimed at government and commercial customers that meets Department of Defense standards (MIL-STD 810F) for operation in extreme environments.

The XFR D630 retains much in common with the Latitude D family on which it is based and Dell sees this background as an advantage for integration into existing infrastructure, servicing and simple deployment in the rugged notebook marketplace.

“The Latitude XFR D630 represents a tectonic shift towards simplicity in the ruggedized laptop space,” said Brett McAnally, director, Dell Product Group. “We are taking a multi-dimensional approach that focuses on simplified deployment, service and durability without sacrificing performance. Major competitors focus their efforts on ‘rugged’ only.”promises

Powered by Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo processors, key specs of the new notebook include a shock isolated mounting to help protect hard drive, display and core electronic elements,die cast magnesium alloy chassis, a 14.1" wide-aspect, outdoor-readable LCD screen that's, sealed keyboard and a patent-pending thermal management system.

An optional touch screen also supports finger, gloved or passive stylus inputs and the Latitude ExpressCharge system charges batteries at least 30 minutes faster than competitors according to Dell.

The Latitude XFR D630 is available in the U.S. from $3,899.