infoTECH Feature

January 19, 2016

Juniper Systems Releases Mesa 2 Tablet for Punishing Environments

A mobile workforce is a wonderful thing; it can go just about anywhere and do just about anything. There's one point that often complicates things for the mobile workforce, however: life. From dropped devices to spilled drinks, life can be very rough on the hardware that a mobile workforce needs to operate. Juniper Systems may have an answer for that, however, in the Mesa 2 tablet, a rugged tablet with plenty of protective features.

The Mesa 2 operates on the full Windows 10 operating system, so any current desktop application can find its way to the Mesa 2's platform. It features a seven inch display, which offers more usable viewing area than any previous Juniper release. A combination of Intel (News - Alert) HD graphics and IllumiView display technology means sharp visuals in any light level.

It's not just about good looks, either; the Mesa 2's battery will run for eight to 10 hours on one charge, and those who need longer hours can get a second battery built in that will extend that run time by another four to five hours. There's even hot-swap capability for easy, rapid battery changes. There are five separate models in the Mesa 2 class, with a set of options. The simple Standard Model offers all the basics, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, while the top-notch Geo Cell BC model offers global navigation satellite system (GNSS) connectivity, an eight megapixel rear camera, a two megapixel front camera, a 4G LTE (News - Alert) modem and a 1D / 2D barcode scanner.

Rated IP68 for both waterproof and dustproof systems, it can operate at temperatures from -4 degrees Fahrenheit all the way to 122 degrees. It's sufficiently reinforced to survive several drops onto concrete from a height of four feet, and has been engineered to survive the full range of testing for MIL-STD-810G. That includes low pressure / altitude testing, high and low temperature, shock, rain, humidity, sand and dust, complete immersion, and vibration. The device is expected to ship this spring, but mention of prices aren't yet afoot; the Juniper Mesa, however, sells for $2,995.01 at Group Mobile.

It's easily one of the more impressively-designed tablets out there, and it looks like it'd be able to suffer an entire medieval battlefield's worth of slings and arrows. Though a $3,000 tablet may not seem like the greatest investment—why not just get a simple Amazon Fire tablet and get a particularly ruggedized case for it instead, saving several thousand dollars in the process?—there's little doubt the Mesa 2 would be able to stand up against just about anything.

The Mesa 2 is certainly offering the kind of protection we want to see in a mobile workforce application, particularly for those who have to do particularly arduous field data gathering. While there may be better values more readily to hand, Juniper Systems' highly rugged tablet should be able to take its knocks and then some.




Edited by Kyle Piscioniere
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