The tablet itself sounds pretty decent: It’s got a 12.1-inch screen, measures in at 38.1mm thick and starts at 2.45kg with a four cell battery and SSD. It’s built off the Latitude XT2 laptop, so offers many of the same features, including:
o Intel Core 2 Duo processors with up to 5GB[iii] of DDR3 1066 MHz memory.
o QuadCool Thermal Management System enables excellent performance, even in extreme temperatures from -23 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius.
o Four-, six- and nine-cell battery options.
o Standard data security features that include Dell ControlVault and Dell ControlPoint, as well as optional solid state and spinning disk drives with full disk encryption.
o Impact resistant, sunlight viewable, 12.1-inch wide LED display with capacitive multi-touch gestures-enabled or optional resistive touch screen.
o Optional hot-swappable modules including GPS (in the coming weeks) and webcam.
o Optional expansion sliver provides camera/light, serial, and RJ11 inputs.
o A full complement of wireless connectivity options including wireless LAN 802.11 a/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 and mobile broadband.

The rugged tablet will run XP Tablet edition rather than Windows 7 out of the box, although it will certainly have the juice for the new operating system. It’s not available in Australia yet, but should land in the coming months.

But really, all I want to do is try and smash it. Is that wrong?

[Dell]

Seriously, think about it: The MC9500 has all the hardware you need, with a 3.5G cellular radio, a 3.7-inch VGA touchscreen, and 806MHz Marvell processor, GPS, Wi-Fi, a 3.2MP camera, stereo Bluetooth and even an accelerometer. You can even swap out the keypad with another configuration, or a lump of lead, probably, to maximise the kinetic force when you inevitably use this thing as a bludgeon. Windows Mobile 6.1 is something you don’t have a choice but to put up with in this sector, but that’s beside the point, really. Look at it!

The display achieves a brightness of 1,100 nit with a 120-degree viewing angle, meaning that it should be clear even under direct sunlight. Inside the aluminium chassis, the 8404 also includes an Intel Atom processor, non-rotating compact flash drive and a hot-swappable battery. On a construction site the 8404 could be ideal, but I wouldn’t expect any bargains here when the sticker price is revealed. [Hot Hardware via Ubergizmo]

The 3720 is certainly not Nokia’s saviour, but if you are clumsy, European and in need of a toilet-proof, drop-proof, kick-proof phone, it might be worth the 125 Euros ($175). [Nokia via Geeky Gadgets]

It had some trouble with earlier waterproof tests, but according to these videos the Nokia N97 was able to maintain a phone call through a chip shot and a rugby boot.

To be honest, we have seen other phones endure quite a bit more punishment—and we weren’t impressed with the N97 overall anyway. Perhaps we would be more impressed if the N97 was teed up with a titanium driver. Then call up Tiger Woods for marketing gold. [Nokia Conversations via Electricpig]

The Lacie Rugged XL offers 1TB of USB/eSATA storage, wrapped in aluminium and a large external/internal bumper, for $US160. But, at least according to this lead picture, this new model (right) is huuuuuggge, even by 3.5-inch standards. Seriously, it might eat your laptop if it gets too close. [Lacie]

To help out all the military, first responders, oil & gas workers and like to get their computing done, the E6400 uses a Ballistic Armour Protection System that has twice the impact strength of magnesium alloy, the ability to stand drops of up to four feet, and corrosion protection.

Besides all that toughness, you get Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a QuadCool thermal management system, 4GB DDR SDRAM and either a shock mounted 80GB drive or a 64GB SSD drive. While most of us would never need something this tough, those who do need an Ahnold for their computing needs can get one starting at $US4299. [Dell]

As the video shows, Olympus was downright sadistic with their live stress testing, exhibiting supreme confidence in their product’s ruggedness. Not just content with a drop test, they also placed 200 pounds of force on their Stylus Tough 8000, froze it in a block of ice and let attendees freely submerge working cameras in a water tank. Bravo! Here’s three gold stars for your good work!

Canon and Panasonic, take notes. I’ll expect more next time. Much more.

While it seems the Sonim XP1 can actually survive almost anything from drops to hammer hits, it looks like a 9mm bullet is just too much for it. [Gadget Review]