A bold step forward: Procap-equipped, Android-running, light & elegant ultra-rugged smartphone.
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

On September 18th, 2012, the Handheld Group introduced the Nautiz X1, the fourth member of the company's Nautiz line of rugged handheld computers that also includes the Nautiz X3, the Nautiz X5, the X7, as well as X5-based Nautiz eTicket and Nautiz eTicket Pro. As the nomenclature implies, the new Nautiz X1 is the smallest and most compact device in the lineup. The Nautiz X1, however, is far more than just an exciting new product for Handheld: it is the company's first Android device and, in fact, one of the world's first truly rugged Android smartphones, period.

That is huge. Consider that according to research firm IDC, over 100 million Android handhelds were sold in the second quarter of 2012 alone, most of them smartphones. Which means hundreds of millions of people who are already familiar with the Android OS and the effortless way of interacting with it through a capacitive multi-touch screen. Which also means that there's an increasing demand for Android smartphones in business and in the field where they must be tougher and more durable than consumer phones. Now add to that the fact that almost all current ruggedized handhelds still use an older OS at the end of its road (Windows Mobile), and the opportunity for devices such as this new Nautiz X1 rugged smartphone seem tremendous.

But first, let's put things in perspective, the Nautiz X1 measures 4.9 x 2.6 inches, is 0.6 inches thick, and weighs 6.3 ounces. That's a bit thicker and heavier than today's consumer smartphones, but the Nautiz X1 is really no larger than a modern smartphone. By comparison, the iPhone 5 measures 4.9 x 2.3 x 0.3 inches and weighs 4 ounces, a Samsung Galaxy S III is 5.4 x 2.8 x 0.34 inches and weighs 4.7 ounces. And below you can see how the Nautiz X1 compares to Handheld's Nautiz X3, X5 and X7 models:

The picture below shows how it compares in size to the iPhone 5 (of which two million were pre-ordered the first 24 hours after its introduction) and the Samsung Galaxy S III (which sold 20 million in its first 100 days of availability).

In terms of technical specifications, the Nautiz X1 uses a dual core Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 processor running at 1GHz. That's the same chip used in recent tablets such as the Getac Z710 and enterprise smartphones such as the Motorola LEX 700. There is 512MB of RAM and 2GB of Flash, expandable via micro SDHC card. We're not sure why Handheld chose the modest 2GB compared to the usual 16/32/64GB in consumer phones.

The sunlight-readable display measures a generous 4.0 inches diagonally, which is in line with current consumer smartphones, and larger than most displays found on rugged handheld devices. The Nautiz X1 also resembles iPhones and Android smartphones in that it uses projected capacitive ("procap") multi-touch instead of the resistive digitizer common to almost all older handhelds. That is a major step as an argument against the use of procap in rugged devices has always been that the technology doesn't work in the rain or with gloves on. While that is mostly true, it hasn't stopped consumer market procap smartphones selling by the hundreds of millions, and consumers use their phones in the rain and when they wear gloves. This is a case where the great benefits of procap outweigh a couple of limitations.

The X1 also isn't lacking in other consumer smartphone goodies. The device has a 5-megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash for documentation purposes, a G-sensor for motion-dependent apps and functionality, an e-compass, and real GPS (as opposed to A-GPS that depends on the presence of a data network signal). Wired connectivity is via micro USB OTG (OTG stands for "On The Go" and allows devices to act as both USB hosts or clients) and a 5-pin USB docking connector.

For wireless connectivity there is Bluetooth Class 2 (the kind with a range of about 33 feet or 10 meters), 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and 3G mobile broadband of either the GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS/HSPA+ or the CDMA EV-DO Rev. A variety.

Visually, the sleek and elegant device uses Handheld Group's corporate design language with a light-gray body and black protective cladding. The damage-resistant glass display is flush-mounted as is the case with almost all procap devices.

But on to what truly sets the Nautiz X1 apart from those hundreds of millions of consumer smartphones: its ruggedness and ability to survive out there in the field. First, the Nautiz X1 carries IP67 sealing where the "6" means it's totally dustproof, and the "7" that it is also waterproof down to about three feet. The operating temperature range is a very wide -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 to 60 Celsius), which means it can be used almost anywhere. The device can also handle repeated drops from four feet, and has been MIL-STD-810G tested for a variety of other ruggedness criteria. No consumer smartphone is nearly that tough.

Note that so far we've only talked about Android, and what a big step it is for Handheld to enter this new market. Well, the Nautiz X1 can also be ordered with Microsoft Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5. That's a bit like when back in the day Symbol offered the same rugged handhelds with the Palm OS and with Windows CE, because no one quite knew which would prevail. This time, however, the situation is different insofar as Embedded Handheld is a legacy OS platform that is neither compatible with the later Windows Phone 7/7.5, nor with the upcoming Windows Phone 8. And Windows Embedded Handheld is far less well suited for procap multi-touch than Android. But offering both still makes sense as there is a huge infrastructure of Windows Mobile installations out there, and some may welcome a smaller, lighter, more powerful device as they gradually migrate to whatever comes next.

So what the Handheld Group offers with the Nautiz X1 is a smartphone that offers most of the power, features and functionality of the leading consumer smartphones, but in a package that is much tougher than any of them. I say "most" because the leading edge in consumer phones has already moved on to even larger screens, higher resolution cameras, 4G/LTE, and those devices usually have up to 64GB of internal storage. And perhaps a stylus on top of procap, like the Samsung Galaxy Note has. But features are a moving target, and Nautiz has what counts: Android. Procap for all that tapping and panning and pinching and zooming. And the look and feel and size of a modern smartphone.