DT390 is end of life

DT Research has made the DT390 and end of life product.
by Rugged Ralph

How it’s going guys? I was asked to come on here to tell you that the DT390 rugged tablet is going into end of life, so it’s time to replace it with its successor, the DT395.
For those who don’t know what end of life means … well there’s some fancy definition that somebody can give you, but all you really need to know is that you should look into replacing it soon because finding parts for the DT390 will be as hard as canoeing upstream without a paddle. Fortunately, there is a process to these types of eliminations. When they remove one from their product line, it is usually because a predecessor has come out. Or, in other words, your bicycle is being replaced with a shiny new car.

DT Research DT390

In this case, the older DT390 is getting replaced with the shiny new DT395.
The DT395 is designed to be the successor to the DT390, they only changed one number in the name for goodness sake. The major features of the DT390 were:
• Support for Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Standard 7, Windows® XP Embedded; Windows® XP Pro for Embedded Systems; Windows® 7 Professional or Linux operating system
• Intel® Atom™ processor; high performance with low power consumption
• IP64-rated for water and dust resistance
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection
• Comprehensive remote device administration through server-based WebDT Device Manager software
A respectable tablet for its time however with it going into end of life, we need to compare the features of its successor which are:
• Support for Microsoft® Windows® Embedded Standard 7, Windows® 7 Professional or Linux operating system.
• Intel® Atom™ dual core processor; high performance with low power consumption
• IP65-rated for water and dust resistance
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 3.0+HS connection
• Comprehensive remote device administration through server-based WebDT Device Manager software

DT Research DT395

Cleary the DT395 is an improvement to the features of the same categories. Yet that isn’t all that it has to offer. There are some additional features that have been added to the DT395:
• 9” LED-backlight display with resistive touch screen; sunlight readable option
• Slim, lightweight and durable design
• Smart card reader (full-slot) and optional modules: barcode scanner, camera, 3G and GPS
• Rated MIL-STD-810G for shock and vibration protection
• MIL-STD-810G Explosive Atmosphere certified
• MIL-STD-461F for EMI and EMC tolerance
• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) compliant
• TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 1.2 support
• Hot-swappable batteries and vehicle-mount charging option
So let’s take a closer look. Not only does it meet or surpass the major features of the DT390, but it also contains a bigger screen, with the sunlight readable display built in along with other major options of the DT390, in a way more durable and rugged shell that remains slim and lightweight. For a less technical view, by comparison the DT390 is my pick-up truck and the DT395 is a tank!
The DT390 is going into end of life which means if it breaks it becomes an expensive paper weight. So take my advice and look into the purchase of the DT395 as a replacement, or at least look into another tablet. However, if you want to take the upstream without a paddle option and look for parts, I won’t judge you. I’ll even lend you a canoe, but good luck finding a paddle.