Workabout Pro in the Lab
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This week I have Psion's HSDPA / UMTS version of the Workabout Pro in the labs. This is a handheld computer that runs Windows CE and is designed for industrial and field use. It's rugged, to say the least. The model I'm looking at right now works only with AT&T's high-speed wireless network. It has a monochrome screen, and it has an ABCD keyboard rather than the QWERTY keyboard you'll find on most computers. It looks, in fact, a lot like the devices that FedEx drivers carry on their routes. AT&T actually shipped me two of these devices, and I assume the other must have Windows Mobile 6 or a color screen or both, but I haven't checked. Once I do, I'll add that info here. In the meantime, you can see the Workabout Pro for yourself here. What I can tell you so far is that this isn't a device you're likely to use for casual browsing of the Internet. While it will show Web pages, you'll have to scroll around to see everything. And while HSDPA can be pretty fast, a great deal depends on where you are. Here at the eWEEK East Coast Lab, it's not very fast. But companies don't buy a device like the Workabout Pro for fast Internet access. Instead, they buy it for the ability to survive in a tough environment. That, AT&T and Psion appear to deliver. The company specs say the unit will survive repeated 5-foot drops onto concrete, and can be sprayed with water from any direction. What's not made quite as clear is that you can operate the Workabout Pro using either the attached stylus or the keyboard (or both). The screen is clear and displays images very well, even if it is in black and white. And you can hear things on its internal speaker, although they sound kind of tinny. |
