QOTD: How Should We Test Rugged Laptops?

[MrKKBB]

1) Take it to the beach!
2) Take it into the desert (e.g. Death Valley)
3) Put it into a daycare, let the 3 year olds have a go at them.

 

[Guest]

How long is a laptop expected to last now days? Say two years?

Simulate one and two years of:

Being dropped from a coffee table twice a week on hardwood floors.

Eating your lunch while still working with your computer (i.e., lot's of crumbs, about 4 spills of cold/hot drinks a year).

While running a long and heavy computational workload, make it go into standby and before waiting for it to go to sleep, stick it in a backpack and walk out and throw it into the trunk of a car and drive for half an hour. Assume that his will happen about 5 times a year. Repeat with a disc intensive application.

While running a long and heavy computational load that also happens to be disc intensive, place the laptop on the passenger seat where you can see what is going on the display, drive up to about 35 to 40 miles an hour and hit the breaks to a full stop, letting the laptop fall from the passenger seat. Assume that this happens twice a year.

 

[chickenhoagie]

see if the onboard video can cook an egg

 

[jerreece]

LOL Just give me the laptop for my wife to use. She leaves hers on the couch where our 1.5yr old gets a hold of it. He has a knack for removing individual keys off the keyboard. He's quite adept at it actually. We just bought her a new laptop 2 months ago because her old one only had half a keyboard. 🙁

 

[g00ey]

Will it blend?

 

[Guest]

Spill a beer on it. Subject it to static shock, Drop IT! Sit on IT! Hyper extend the Screen. Step on it. Fall asleep on it while it on. Use it in hot dusty / sandy environments.

 

[pkroker]

I work at a heavy duty truck dealership where i've seen my fair share of destroyed laptops, we use mainly DELL ATGs. One time an oil line broke and covered a laptop sitting next to the truck in oil. Within minutes the keys started falling off, and it was all downhill from there. Oil / Brake fluid is very corrosive and does quite a nice job eating into the laptop plastic components and screen. I was only able to save the RAM and the drive, Dell didn't want the laptop back because apparently once it's covered in oil it becomes hazardous waste.

 

[panasonic solutions company]

From Panasonic Solutions Company:
We at Panasonic recommend testing based on the rugged claims we make for each individual device and the operating environments they are typically utilized in. Rugged testing should always map to manufacturer claims instead of arbitrary testing scenarios. This can be challenging for head-to-head reviews, as not all rugged devices in similar categories make the same performance claims. As an example, we’ve included some of the suggested testing scenarios (below) for Panasonic’s fully-rugged laptop – the Toughbook 31. Please note that these testing scenarios are very different from the suggested tests for our semi-rugged and business-rugged models. We’ve also done some cool work with editors in the past to create unique testing scenarios.

• Drop: Given the non-traditional working environments, mobile workers are more likely to drop their computers. Panasonic suggests dropping the Toughbook 31 (while open and operating) on any surface, including concrete, at any angle from 3 feet. This test simulates the typical drops the device may face while being used in the field. Drop a non-operational device from up to 6 feet to any hard surface.
• Vibration: The Toughbook 31 is designed to work under the heavy vibrations incurred when mounted in jeeps, tanks or trucks; or in the public safety market, mounted in squad cars, fire engines, ambulances and even helicopters. To conduct storage vibration resistance testing, place the Toughbook 31 (turned off) in the back of a pick-up truck and drive it on a bumpy road. Once done, turn it back on. To conduct in-use vibration testing, place the device on the floorboard of a car or truck, open and operating, while driving down a bumpy road (you may want to tie it down to protect the car and passenger).
• Temperature Extremes: Whether it’s the extreme heat found in the deserts of Iraq or a Phoenix squad car on a hot summer’s day, or the extreme cold found at Camp 4 on Mount Everest, the Toughbook 31 provides reliable performance regardless of temperature. Typical, commercial-grade laptops see serious performance degradation at temperature extremes. To test hot weather performance, place the Toughbook 31 in an oven (bottom rack – this way you can have it open) at a temperature of 140°F or 150°F for 30 minutes. The device should be powered on and running a processor performance test. To test cold weather performance, place the Toughbook 31 (powered off) in a freezer at -20°F for 30 minutes and then test the device’s ability to boot. In many cases, a laptop will not start when the hard drive is frozen – in fact, trying to start a frozen hard drive may damage the device. The Toughbook 31 will preheat the hard drive before it boots if it notices low temperatures, which explains the longer boot-up time you may experience.

 

[brando56894]

Beat the hell out of it: Toss it out of first and second story windows, drop it from shoulder height, connect it to the charger/AC outlet and yank it off the table (most common accident with a laptop), drop things on it, use it as a frisbee/discus, I could go on and on lol

I'd gladly help you guys with the testing

 

[spentshells]

falcon punch ?

 

[MarketResearchMelissa]

Hi,

I found this forum and I wanted to reach out to you and other’s that are posting on this topic. My company, Think Group Austin, is a local market research firm in Austin, TX that works on research studies particularly in the technology fields. Although I may not be able to offer the advice you are looking for on this forum, I would like to offer to all who are posting on this forum an opportunity to share your opinions and earn money by participating in our upcoming research study. We are currently looking to speak to decision makers whose company uses either Rugged Laptop or Notebook Computer, Rugged Tablet or Slate Computer, Rugged Convertible Computers, or Rugged Fixed Vehicle Computers. The person we want to talk with must have a significant role in deciding what type of computer hardware their company buys. The purpose of this research study is to gain your insight as to what you like and dislike on features found on rugged/semi-rugged devices. Please note there is absolutely NO sales or promotions involved. We are strictly interested in your opinions.

The fortunate aspect of our study is that it can be done over the phone, therefore you can be in any place in the country to participate. The phone study will take an hour of your time and we will pay you $300 for sharing your opinions pertaining to rugged/semi-rugged devices. Please take a look at our website to verify the kind of work that my company does www.thinkgroupasustin.com.

We are interested in speaking with individuals in certain fields including: telecommunications, construction, oil/gas, utilities, police and public safety, and even federal military. If you are interested please feel free to contact me at Melissa@thinkgroupaustin.com or at 512-637-6690 and I will be able to give you more information and get you signed up.

Thank you again for your time and I look forward to speaking with anyone interested.