Ultra-Rugged Laptop Can Withstand Explosions, Radiation

Tend to be a little hard on your laptop?

If so, Kontron has something that might interest you. The German company is getting ready to ship a hardy machine -- the NotePAC ultra-rugged modular notebook with an Intel Core duo processor.

Housed in a magnesium alloy case, the laptop is designed for extreme environments. Worried your laptop will get too much jostling going through security at the airport? That will be the least of your worries with this machine.

The case is combined with shock-mounted rugged components to enable the 13-pound machine to take a three-foot drop onto a hard surface. The company reports that the laptop can operate continuously in a high-vibration environment, such as off-road vehicles. It also can reportedly run in the rain, along with blowing dust and dirt.

If that's not enough, Kontron reps said in a release that there's even an "explosion proof" upgrade available, which also is MIL-STD-461 certified, meaning it can withstand low electromagnetic radiation.

Kontron reports that they're aiming the machine at the defense, field service, utilities, and industrial markets. The keyboard is fully-sealed and has an optional backlight. The ports have their own closures.

A spokeswoman for Kontron said the laptop will be available in the United States in the first quarter of 2007. A price wasn't available.

The company's biggest challenge, however, may be convincing potential customers that a 13-pound computer qualifies as a laptop.