FieldWorks FW7600

Are people dropping bombs on you? Are bullets whizzing past your head? Does thethreat of nuclear annihilation have you worried about your computer survivingthe fallout?

If so, you need a "ruggedized portable" computer, such as theFieldWorks FW7600 Ruggedized Portable, which is designed to militaryspecifications and upgradeable to withstand a variety of environmental hazards.With it, you can set up a field network for communication with your troops, andyou can plan your attack strategy. Whether you're bouncing over battlefields ina Hummer, flying though anti-aircraft flak in an A-10, or running through thejungle, FieldWorks can send you in with a computer that will take as muchpounding as you do.

This portable provides the power and functionality of a desktop workstationin a heavy-duty, reasonably lightweight (14.9 pounds), mobile chassis. And, itwill withstand all but the most serious blasts (or direct shrapnel hits)--up to100G of high-intensity shock--without experiencing so much as a hiccup duringoperation. At Comdex in November 1995, FieldWorks had a unit set up so that onceevery 10 seconds, it dropped four feet onto a wooden platform while running. Itested it--no problem. In fact, FieldWorks representatives report that theyroutinely test machines by dropping them out of trees.

Features and Architecture
The FW7600 really is a workstation in the field, right down to the expansionslots in the back. The machine will hold up to three full-length or sixhalf-length ISA cards, or a combination of PCI and ISA cards, depending on whichmodel you get.

The standard processor that ships with the system is a 100-MHz 80486/DX4.But you can order units with high-speed Pentium CPUs that come with a standardPCI bus. Memory is not as expandable as on a standard desktop computer, but theFW7600 can support more than most portables, with up to 64MB using standardSIMMs.

Storage options on the FW7600 are numerous, including a ruggedized 2XCD-ROM drive that sits under the system's flip-up keyboard. You can order up toa 1GB internal IDE hard drive that will withstand the same pounding as the restof the machine. The drive has its own specialized housing for shock and weatherprotection. Dual removable hard disks are another option. And of course, you geta standard high-density floppy drive.

FieldWorks also ruggedizes input devices. The keyboard is a solid,self-contained unit. The pointing device is a Field MousePad with integratedbuttons and can double as a signature and drawing tablet. Both the keyboard andthe mouse pad are sealed against dust and moisture.

The FW7600 can support a variety of video modes, and you have options forthe kind of display that will ship with the unit. Externally, it can support thefull range of 640*480 pixels at 16 million colors to 1280*1024 at 256 colors(using 1MB of DRAM). For the unit's own display, you can choose among a standard10.4" dual-scan LCD (256 colors), a TFT active-matrix LCD (262,000 colors),a sunlight-readable transflective monochrome LCD, or a sunlight-readableactive-matrix LCD. All these units have 640*480 pixels. The display is in arubber-coated ruggedized housing that nestles down into the chassis of themachine when it is closed. The only feature that would make the display betteris some kind of brace (like on the legs of a folding table) when the machine isopen, so that the display doesn't wobble when vibrated or bumped.

In addition to the full-size expansion slots, the FW7600 has a single PCCard (formerly PCMCIA) slot that will hold Type I, II, III, and IV devices (suchas network cards or removable hard disks). All connectors are gold-plated foranti-corrosion, and they provide all connectivity options: an SVGA port, oneenhanced parallel and two 9-pin serial ports, and PS/2-style keyboard and mouseports.

The power supply and battery are not what you expect for a portable,though. The FW7600 can run on anything from a vehicle's cigarette lighter plugto standard American AC line input to global power sources (90 to 264 VAC, 50 or60 Hz). You can get options for DC input and internal (1.65 hours at full power)and external battery packs.

Ruggedization Features
So, how much can this box handle? The FW7600's chassis is one-piecemagnesium alloy construction (so it won't burst into flame), with specializedfloating polymer/aluminum suspension mounts for all internal components. It'snot terribly light or small (15.1" wide * 16.5" deep * 3.75"high, 14.7 pounds) compared to ordinary notebook computers, but then you can'tdrop an ordinary notebook off a desk and be sure it will still be running and inone piece.

FieldWorks tests the system to ensure it will operate in a variety ofenvironmental conditions. Also, options are available for further enhancing itshazard-handling capabilities with electromagnetic interference and environmentalhardening. A stock unit can operate in a temperature range of -4 to 122 degreesFahrenheit (-20 to 50 degrees Celsius) and in relative humidity between 10% to80% (non-condensing). Its design meets military specifications for shock andvibration. So, the FW7600 can handle high-intensity shocks and constantvibration while it's running, as you can see in table 1.

The FW7600 motherboard's design is also different from that of othercomputers: The expansion slots are isolated so that stress on the cards will notaffect the rest of the electronics. The motherboard is actually a compact "pod"that you can easily replace in the field if it fails.

Ideal in the Field
The system I received for testing was fairly basic (100-MHz 80486, 500MBhard drive, dual-scan display). For what the FW7600 is designed to do, it'sperfect.

I had only a few problems setting it up: Some settings in CMOS were wrong,and I had to fiddle with them. But FieldWorks put the unit together for me in ahurry, so this problem is not likely to happen with end-user systems. Thestandard dual-scan display is not very good, but the system has options forbetter ones. Also, the mouse pad is a little hard to use, because you have topress fairly hard to activate it.

The FW7600 is ideal for field applications, even if you aren't in themilitary. By the time you read this, Field-Works will have introduced the FW5000series of smaller rugged notebooks based on the same technology as the FW7000series.

Please see the article "NT in the Field"