I take a laptop into the Nevada desert all the time for GPS, Topographic software, etc. It is a very dusty envionment with hot and cold extremes. I used to use Itronix 6250's, and now use Panasonic toughbooks. The Itronix and Panasonic units are both sealed (the Itronix more so), have no vents for cooling, are in metal cases, etc. You can drive a 4000lb car over the Itronix! In addition the HDD's are gel packed for shock resistance. All of the ports are behind doors with rubber seals.
At any rate there is no better device for this environmant. Although they are severly overpriced new (8k plus) you can easily pick up a PIII on ebay for a few hundred buck. An older Itronix p266 can be had for under $100.00. They both can use membranes to go over they keys as well.
When I travel to Europe I have no choice but to use pay phones. Cellular is of course a different standard, and I'm not paying a fortune to rent a cell phone for a week. Thankfully pay phones are still a common sight there.
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I take a laptop into the Nevada desert all the time for GPS, Topographic software, etc. It is a very dusty envionment with hot and cold extremes. I used to use Itronix 6250's, and now use Panasonic toughbooks. The Itronix and Panasonic units are both sealed (the Itronix more so), have no vents for cooling, are in metal cases, etc. You can drive a 4000lb car over the Itronix! In addition the HDD's are gel packed for shock resistance. All of the ports are behind doors with rubber seals.
At any rate there is no better device for this environmant. Although they are severly overpriced new (8k plus) you can easily pick up a PIII on ebay for a few hundred buck. An older Itronix p266 can be had for under $100.00. They both can use membranes to go over they keys as well.
When I travel to Europe I have no choice but to use pay phones. Cellular is of course a different standard, and I'm not paying a fortune to rent a cell phone for a week. Thankfully pay phones are still a common sight there.