SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - December 14, 2016) - DT Research, the leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the 18 year anniversary of the DT Research WebPAD, the first tablet in the technology industry able to access the internet. This first mobile tablet was referred to as an 'information appliance' since the focus was to enable easier information access.
Back in 1998, DT Research leveraged its thin client expertise and developed the WebPAD mobile tablet, which could perform as well as a desktop computer and connect to the internet -- a technology just starting to become important for data access and communication. By working closely with several major technology companies including Microsoft and Honeywell -- the first WebPAD was created and internet computing became mobile. DT Research also teamed up with National Semiconductor to produce a National Semiconductor tablet, called the WebPAD™, which stood for Personal Access Device. These early mobile tablets targeted business users rather than consumers.
"The WebPAD broke new ground -- it was invented before the iPad and before most people had cellphones," said Daw Tsai, Sc.D., president of DT Research. "At the time, computing technology was bound to the desktop and field staff had to use pen and paper and transfer data when in the office. Today industries across the board use mobile tablets both indoors and outdoors for everything from data access and credit card transactions to GPS location tracking."
Over the past two decades, customer feedback has influenced the evolution of DT Research's mobile tablets as well as the company's competitive strategy to develop tablets that are purpose-built for different industries. This engineering focus has won DT Research a leadership position in the Rugged Tablet market as the company built hundreds of thousands of industrial tablets for businesses such as Target, Office Depot, Tesco, General Motors, CSX Railroad, Honeywell, NCR and the US Department of Defense.
In the years since, DT Research has focused on continuous improvements, applying the most advanced technology and creating the world's most comprehensive line of Ultra Rugged and Semi-Rugged Tablets with fully integrated options for data capture, credit card transactions, barcode scanning, and rugged MIL-STD and IP ratings.
Since the introduction of the iPad, the consumer market for mobile tablets has grown considerably. Businesses have tried using consumer-grade tablets in industrial settings, but discovered significant durability, security and privacy limitations. The current phase of the mobile tablet market is realizing the benefits of Rugged Tablets for mobile staff and high-contact environments.
About DT Research
DT Research™, an early Mobile Tablet pioneer and leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing systems for vertical markets, delivers the world's most comprehensive line of Rugged and Industrial-grade Tablets, Mobile POS Tablets, Digital Signage Systems and Medical Computing Solutions. DT Research products are uniquely designed with customizable built-in options assembled in California, providing customers with rapid time-to-market solutions. The DT Research family of products is based on embedded computing platforms that power secure, reliable and cost-effective computing. DT Research systems offer computing mobility within industrial and harsh environments through durable solutions with wireless connectivity and high-quality touch displays powered by Windows® operating systems. More than 200 organizations across the globe rely on DT Research solutions in industries such as government, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, military, retail, and warehousing. DT Research is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California with offices in China and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.dtresearch.com and follow @dtresearch, #MobileTablets and #RuggedTablets.
DT Research and WebDT are trademarks of DT Research, Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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Contact Information:
Contact:
Gabrielle Marshall
408-934-6192
gmarshall@dtri.com
