The case for a rugged mobile devices in the field. Recent market analysis by Venture Development Corporation, an independent market research and strategy consulting firm founded by Harvard and MIT graduates that specializes in a number of mobile and wireless IT markets (www.vdcresearch.com), reveals rugged mobile computers continue to achieve a favorable total cost of ownership (TCO) position in comparison to non-rugged mobile computers for many mission-critical applications.

Key findings of the research are:

• Customers who deploy rugged tablet PCs vs. non-rugged devices experience 30% lower total cost of ownership
• Annual hardware maintenance/warranty costs are 34% cheaper than non-rugged devices
• Rugged tablet PCs will last 39% longer than non-rugged devices
• The failure rate of rugged tablet PCs is 41% lower than non-rugged devices
• Organizations experience 35% lower productivity loss with rugged tablets vs. non-rugged devices