Winmate announced the launch of its new M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare tablet. The M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare tablet features an Android 9.0 operating system, 10.1inch sunlight readable TFT LCD Display with optical bonding, and a brilliant user-friendly PCAP touch screen. It is powered by Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 (Octa­Core 2.2 GHz), 3 GB system memory, and comprehensive wireless connectivity options. M101Q8-ME Android medical tablet is lightweight at only 1.2 kg (2.65 lbs) for mobility, which can keep workers connected anytime, anywhere. M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet is also tough enough to withstand repeated drops, extreme temperatures, altitudes, humidity, and water/dust exposure, passing the MIL-STD 810G tests and IP65 rating. The M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet is equipped with the latest Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 platform, providing high performance and low power consumption with extended battery life. It supports the Android operating system to meet the growing processing requirements in industrial applications and offers an alternative solution between general consumer-grade and extremely rugged tablets. Healthcare IoT enables technologies to improve the efficiency and reliability of healthcare care procedures. It is transforming and boosting patient-care distribution. Winmate provides M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet for healthcare applications, including healthcare display, healthcare tablet computers, tailored ODM, as well as OEM service to create your particular healthcare option. ISO 13485:2003 Winmate M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet meets the specific requirements of ISO 13485:2003 for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide Rugged Android PC and related services from 2011/08/02. CE: EN 60601-1-2:2015(V4.0)/EN60601-1:2006/A1:2013(V3.1) The M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet complies with 93/42/EEC for electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility of healthcare devices. UL: ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1:2012(V3.1) The M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet met the basic safety and essential performance standard for healthcare electrical equipment. Built to withstand dust, liquid, and drops, the M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet is ready to go to work in the demanding healthcare field. With optional hot-swappable batteries, healthcare professionals are ensured continuous, reliable power while on the go. Advanced communications options such as WiFi, BT, and optional 3G/4G/LTE, enable records to be updated in real-time, ensuring the most up-to-date information is always available. Winmate’s M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet is a reliable and powerful solution in the healthcare field for streamlining data collection and diagnostic data management, while reducing errors associated with paperwork. Winmate was entering this healthcare market because the company is rapidly becoming known globally as the preeminent rugged, medical tablet manufacturer. Recently, Winmate achieved ISO 13485:2003 and EN ISO 13485:2012 certification for its design, development, production, installation, and servicing of healthcare devices. What does this mean for you? Winmate's certification confirms any portable panel PCs and medical tablets we develop for use in the healthcare industry are safe and meet all regulatory design requirements. Standard consumer tablets are not designed to survive the hospital environment. To make the healthcare staff’s assignments easier and more productive, a device must be light enough to be mounted anywhere feature a touch screen with a large, easily viewable display, and include all the required peripherals (RFID or Barcode)to capture and track patient data. Winmate's M101Q8-ME Android Healthcare medical tablet may be easily installed at multiple locations such as waiting rooms, hospital halls, or nurse stations to streamline room management and organize hospital information. This reliable, 24/7, integrated system connects to a centralized database to provide real-time status updates to patients and/or rooms. The Winmate's M101Q8-ME Android Mobile Computer builds on the highly effective Panel, including a brand-new platform as well as brand-new capacities to supply the utmost in mobile computing for today's healthcare employees. You get the simpleness of Android with all the mobile computing, clinical collaboration, and also data capture functions your personnel needs to provide every person with the finest quality care. 6 Ways Rugged Products Support the Postpandemic Digitalization of Ambulance Services The pandemic of COVID-19 highlighted the critical role that health and care organizations play in people's daily lives. It also emphasized digital transformation's crucial role in speeding up workflows and saving precious minutes and seconds. Nearly everyone became increasingly reliant on technology due to the pandemic, especially in the health sector. Such as, for the emergency medical service team, users may streamline the care processes with digital transformation, putting more information at responders' fingertips sooner and reducing the chance of errors. But, using consumer-grade gadgets in challenging emergencies puts ambulance staff in danger. Hence, the need for rugged products has risen significantly since the outbreak began. Here are a few crucial points to keep in mind. 1. Purpose-built for the ambulance Paramedics work under extreme strain and in all types of weather, necessitating device reliability. They must endure strong on-road vibrations, hits, and drops and be splashed with water, mud, dust, and other contaminants that would render standard equipment and personnel useless. Consumer-grade equipment is not designed to endure the harsh daily circumstances that ambulance crews face. Military Standards (MIL-STD) and Ingress Protection (IP) are used to test the endurance of rugged equipment. These devices are tested for strict toughness criteria, preventing device damage such as screen cracking, water damage, and drop damage. As a result, ambulance workers now have a device they can rely on in an emergency. Easy disinfection and cleaning have become one of the basic requirements for rugged products used by first aid services. According to research, COVID-19 can survive for days on various surfaces, including laptops and tablets, necessitating a more significant need among health care providers for devices that can be cleaned quickly and properly. Winmate healthcare grade tablet PCs are created with these specifications in mind and come with antimicrobial housing, suitable for ambulance uses. 2. Improved connectivity for emergency response In the post-pandemic era, remote servicing and assistance have become essential too. Hence, technology that enables remote collaboration and support has become critical because of the increasing complexity of patient encounters and the data requirements for optimum patient care. Such as the development of IoMT, telemedicine, etc., have become popular. Consumer-grade devices rely on the public cellular network for connectivity. As a result, first responders may experience call dropouts, long wait times for huge files, and other issues. WLAN, WWAN, built-in GPS, and many other networking options are available on rugged products. Emergency responders can use the device to relay real-time patient and incident information. This way, the patient's data and history can be acquired and transferred to the hospital before arrival, saving valuable time and resources. 3. Long-lasting and hot-swappable battery The heavy use required in an ambulance means consumer-grade devices can run out of battery before their users have finished their shift. This, in turn, creates inconvenience and wasted time. Paramedics either wait for the device to recharge or get a replacement device for the rest of their shift. Rugged products increase battery life with a high-capacity battery to ensure they stay up and running even during long hospital handovers. For example, Winmate Healthcare Tablet PCs includes hot-swappable batteries that allow for a more extended, uninterrupted period of operation. 4. Secure sensitive data Consumer electronics have minimal security that is easily hacked. Due to this, ambulance crews working with sensitive patient data may face security risks. Winmate Healthcare Rugged products provide enhanced security features to safeguard the sensitive and confidential data they collect and transmit. Including: Kensington Lock SOTI MobiControl Compliance Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 Rugged devices can be configured with fingerprint scanning, smart card, 1D/2D barcode, and RFID readers for additional security systems. So the device remains secure, even if it gets into the wrong hands. 5. Better, brighter, stronger touchscreens Because they are not built for first responders, consumer-grade tablets' touchscreens may not respond to damp fingers, gloves, or styluses. Furthermore, the glare makes it difficult to see information on screens. These can jeopardize patient care in the incident area, making it more difficult for ambulance workers to provide the best possible care. Winmate understands the challenges and creates tough equipment for usage in harsh environments. Our rugged products have advanced optical bonding to increase touch accuracy, sunlight readability, support touch with or without gloves, a pen or stylus, and even damp fingers. The M101P-ME impresses with a sharp, bright, and vibrant display that offers 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, a virtually perfect viewing angle from all directions, and no color shifts. The display is bright enough to be used outdoors. For the past two decades, ever since its founding in 1994, Winmate Inc. of Taiwan has been specializing in industrial display technologies and solutions. The company branched out into Panel PCs, digital signage, marine grade displays and computers and, most recently, rugged mobile PCs, panels, embedded automation controllers, and rugged as well as thin-and-light Tablet PCs such as the 10-inch class M101P-ME reviewed in this article. The M101 tablet platform initially arrived in 2013 and has since been updated, enhanced, and adapted for use in many vertical markets. The healthcare-oriented M101P-ME Rugged Tablet PC represents one such adaptation. 6. Long-term advantages and lower total cost of ownership (TCO) Generally, the purchase price of rugged computers is higher than non-rugged alternatives. However, the failure rates for non-rugged systems are higher, thus resulting in increased user downtime and higher TCO. Rugged systems provide a long service life and platform stability. It means accessories and supporting software infrastructures can be leveraged for years. Other long-term benefits are highlighted as emergency services work with mobile solutions. For example, the valuable data collected can be used to make predictions, create maps showing where and when road accidents are most likely to occur, and place ambulance teams nearby. Finally, many more patients can be treated on the spot, with the possibility of two-way communication between paramedics and hospital specialists at the scene of the accident, ultimately reducing the need to transport patients to the hospital. Winmate Rugged Solutions for First Response Teams While the development of effective vaccines means the COVID-19 threat is starting to subside, many valuable lessons learned about the importance of digital transformation over the last two years remain. Now more than ever, ambulance crews and emergency health care professionals need digital solutions that can be relied on in all situations to provide the critical information they need. Successful digital transformation can deliver this and much more, helping optimize patient care for many years to come. Winmate understands that paramedics work in high-pressure situations, where every second counts. Likewise, we develop Healthcare solutions to help first responders save lives, so they become more productive and work more efficiently than ever before. Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 Platforms Winmate products with Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 Processors, These processors feature an innovative architecture designed for intelligent performance (AI), immersive display and graphics, plus enhanced tuning and expandability to put gamers and PC enthusiasts fully in control of real-world experiences. Performance Where You Need It Most Get the performance you need, where you need it—whether you’re a gamer, creator, streamer, or everyday user. Winmate Leads with Telehealth Technology. Winmate offers a wide range of Rugged Smart Solutions to revolutionize the manufacturing sector by integrating intelligent systems that advance the Internet of Everything (IoE). Ken Lu, Winmate’s CEO, has been recognized as one of the world’s most influential industry economy leaders in the rugged computing sector. The CIO Bulletin selected Mr.Lu for innovative thinking, business acumen, and entrepreneurial skillset. The 10 Hottest Tech Companies 2021 is a biannual global list showcasing the top 10 personalities worldwide who have proven to be the most influential leaders in today’s industrial economy. Besides being certified by international quality systems including ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and ISO14001, Winmate’s products are tested and passed the healthcare safety and IT specifications. Committed as the world-leading supplier of Rugged IT equipment, Winmate has also been awarded the Taiwan Excellence Award. In 2021, Winmate acquired an order for medical-grade rugged tablet PCs from leading medical device manufacturers in North America. These medical-grade powerful tablet PCs are used for intelligent healthcare automation, such as high-sensitivity emergency rooms or operating rooms. They also provide telemonitoring, home healthcare, and nursing services to meet demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our latest UHD 4K medical-grade display is designed for medical imaging management systems at outpatient clinics, nursing stations, and routine healthcare systems in hospitals. COVID-19 Brings the Era of Healthcare Tablet Digitalization With the rise of IoT, cloud computing, big data, and AI one after another in recent years, digital technology has swept across the globe to drive the digital transformation of all industries, and healthcare is no exception. Given the innovation trend of healthcare, under Chairperson Ken Lu’s leadership, Winmate is developing total digital solutions for healthcare in collaboration with leading US and European manufacturers. According to Lu, the status quo in the healthcare industry is no longer an option. In general, visiting a hospital is rarely a pleasant experience for most patients. Simplifying the administrative processes with medical-grade rugged tablet PCs can shorten patients’ waiting time and increase overall satisfaction. On top of that, by reducing tedious paper works through wireless data transfers, medical personnel can focus on caring, curing, and saving lives. When the leading North American manufacturers requested a collaborative medical-grade tablet PCs method, Lu sent Winmate’s top sales representatives to North America to discuss product design and requirements. Winmate then offered the patient-centered design concept and won the trust of these leading North American manufacturers, thus allowing Winmate to make a big step forward in the healthcare industry. CIObulletin web links for “10 Hottest Tech Companies 2021.” https://www.ciobulletin.com/magazine/2021/10-hottest-tech-companies-2021 https://www.ciobulletin.com/magazine/10-hottest-tech-companies-2021-listing About Winmate Winmate Inc. is a rugged computing and embedded solutions provider for industries operating in some of the most challenging environments. Founded in 1996 in Taipei, Taiwan, where its headquarters, research, development facility, and production lines are located, the company has offices and service centers worldwide. Winmate develops rugged industrial-grade computing solutions that advance the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IoT). Industrial display and panel PC, HMI, embedded systems, IoT gateways to rugged tablets, and handheld devices for industries ranging from transportation and logistics to marine and military, railway, oil and gas, smart grid, healthcare, and field services. Winmate also provides professional services in customizing products and project management to create a unique customer's needs. For more information, please visit Winmate's official website www.winmate.com; or follow Winmate Inc. on Linkedin and Facebook to receive all the latest news. Android-Tablet-PC M101Q8-ME von Winmate für das Gesundheitswesen mit Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 Digitale Transformation zur Förderung der Innovation im Gesundheitswesen. Digitale Transformation war schon vor 2022 in der Präzisionsmedizin im Gange, während Innovationen, die die Telemedizin hervorgebracht hat, rasch Fortschritte gemacht haben. Winmate kündigte die Markteinführung seines neuen M101Q8-ME an. Das Tablet verfügt über ein Android 9.0-Betriebssystem, ein 10,1 Zoll großes, bei Sonnenlicht ablesbares TFT-LCD-Display mit Optical Bonding und einen brillanten, nutzerfreundlichen PCAP-Touchscreen. Es wird durch Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 (Octa­Core, 2,2 Ghz) sowie 3 GB Systemarbeitsspeicher angetrieben und bietet umfassende kabellose Konnektivitätsoptionen. M101Q8-ME wiegt zum Zwecke der Mobilität gerade mal 1,2 kg, damit Arbeiter immer und überall in Verbindung bleiben können. Es ist zudem robust genug, wiederholten Stürzen, extremen Temperaturen, Höhen, Feuchtigkeit und Wasser/Staub standzuhalten, besteht MIL-STD-810G-Tests und ist IP65-eingestuft. Längere Akkulaufzeit ohne Leistungseinbußen Der robuste Tablet-PC M101Q8-ME für das Gesundheitswesen ist mit der neuesten Plattform Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 660 ausgestattet, bietet hohe Leistung und geringe Leistungsaufnahme mit längerer Akkulaufzeit. Er unterstützt das Android-Betriebssystem zur Erfüllung wachsender Verarbeitungsanforderungen in Industrieanwendungen und bietet eine alternative Lösung zwischen Tablets für den allgemeinen Verbraucher und extrem robusten Tablets. Robustheit, antimikrobielles Gehäuse und medizinische Sicherheitskonformität, wie UL60601-1-Zertifizierungen, des Tablets sind zur Gewährleistung der Sicherheit und Effizienz im Gesundheitswesen entscheidend. Alle Serien für das Gesundheitswesen von Winmate erfüllen MIL-STD-810G-Standards bezüglich der Geräterobustheit. Während die Wasser- und Schmutzfestigkeit nach IP65 dabei hilft, die hygienische Reinigung des Gerätes zu vereinfachen, spielen auch antimikrobielle Materialien eine wesentliche Rolle bei der Verhinderung einer Krankheitsübertragung über Geräte. Die andauernde Pandemie erhöht das Bewusstsein für Hygiene. Die Einschränkung von Infektionsquellen hat im Gesundheitswesen immer höchste Priorität und hat gegenwärtig sogar noch an Bedeutung gewonnen. Winmate ist sich dieser Thematik bewusst und bietet ein komplettes Sortiment an für das Gesundheitswesen geeigneten mobilen Computern mit antimikrobieller Oberflächenbeschichtung oder Gehäusematerialien mit verbesserten antimikrobiellen Eigenschaften. Das gesamte Gehäuse des M101Q8-ME besteht aus Kunststoff, Elastomer-Gummi, anorganischem antimikrobiellem Material und Silberionen, die effektiv Mikroben abtöten. Tablet-Computersysteme bieten Experten im Gesundheitswesen eine neue Generation der Einfachheit, klinischen Unterstützung, Echtzeit-Datenerfassung und -übertragung. Bei Wahl eines Tablet-Computersystems für das Gesundheitswesen ist es wichtig, Sicherheit, Beständigkeit und Leistung zu berücksichtigen. IoT für das Gesundheitswesen ermöglicht Technologien die Verbesserung der Effizienz und Zuverlässigkeit von Verfahren im Gesundheitswesen. Dies verwandelt und optimiert die Verteilung der Patientenpflege. Winmate bietet für das Gesundheitswesen geeignete Geräte, darunter medizinische Displays, medizinische Tablet-Computer, angepasste ODM sowie OEM-Dienste zur Erstellung Ihrer speziellen Medizinlösung. ISO 13485:2003 Winmate erfüllt die spezifischen Anforderungen von ISO 13485:2003 für ein Qualitätsmanagement-System, bei dem eine Organisation ihre Fähigkeit zur Bereitstellung von Medizinprodukten und relevanten Diensten seit dem 2.8.2011 demonstrieren muss. ✔ CE: EN 60601-1-2:2015(V4.0)/EN60601-1:2006/A1:2013(V3.1) Der M101Q8-ME stimmt mit 93/42/EWG für elektrische Sicherheit und elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit von Medizinprodukten überein. ✔ UL: ANSI/AAMI ES60601-1:2012(V3.1) Der M101Q8-ME erfüllt den grundlegenden Sicherheits- und wesentlichen Leistungsstandard für elektrische Geräte im Gesundheitswesen. Robustes Tablet M101Q8-ME von Winmatefür das Gesundheitswesen Qualcomm® SDA660 Kryo 260 CPU + Octa-Core bis 2,2 GHz 10,1-Zoll-TFT-LCD-Display (1920 x 1200) 3 GB RAM + 32 GB eMMC Nach IEC 60601-1, 60601-1-2 zertifiziert Leicht, robust, gemäß IP65 wasser- und staubdicht 13-MP-Kamera an der Rückseite (mit LED-Hilfsleuchte, Autofokus) 8-MP-Kamera an der Vorderseite Gehäuse mit antimikrobiellen Eigenschaften versehen Optionaler integrierter 1D/2D-Strichcode-Scanner Integriertes NFC-Lesegerät Über Winmate Winmate Inc. ist ein Anbieter von robustem Computing und eingebetteten Lösungen für Industrien, die in einigen der anspruchsvollsten Umgebungen arbeiten. Das Unternehmen wurde 1996 in Taipeh, Taiwan, gegründet, unterhält dort seinen Hauptsitz, Forschungs- und Entwicklungsanlagen sowie Produktionslinien, hat aber auch Niederlassungen und Kundenzentren auf der ganzen Welt. Winmate entwickelt robuste industrietaugliche Computing-Lösungen, die das industrielle Internet der Dinge (IoT) vorantreiben. Von industriellen Anzeigegeräten und Panel-PCs, HMI, eingebetteten Systeme, IoT-Gateways bis hin zu robusten Tablets und Handheld-Geräten für Industrien von Transport und Logistik bis hin zu Seefahrt und Militär, Schienenverkehr, Öl und Gas, intelligentes Stromnetz, Gesundheitswesen und Außendienst. Winmate bietet zudem professionelle Dienstleistungen in der Anpassung von Produkten und im Projektmanagement von entsprechenden individuellen Kundenanforderungen. Weitere Informationen finden Sie auf der offiziellen Website von Winmate unter www.winmate.com; oder folgen Sie für aktuellste Neuigkeiten Winmate Inc. auf Linkedin und Facebook. Winmate M101P-ME Rugged Tablet PC A rugged tablet computer for healthcare environments lessens infection potential with a fanless design and antimicrobial housing materials. For the past two decades, ever since its founding in 1994, Winmate Inc. of Taiwan has been specializing in industrial display technologies and solutions. The company branched out into Panel PCs, digital signage, marine grade displays, and computers, and, most recently, rugged mobile PCs, panels, embedded automation controllers, and rugged as well as thin-and-light Tablet PCs such as the 10-inch class M101P-ME reviewed in this article. The M101 tablet platform initially arrived in 2013 and has since been updated, enhanced, and adapted for use in many vertical markets. The healthcare-oriented M101P-ME Rugged Tablet PC represents one such adaptation. With the long-lived and very popular M101 platform, Winmate managed to create a versatile, durable, rugged Windows-based tablet that successfully combined elements of consumer tablets (style, weight) and professional gear designed to hold up on the job. The platform turned out to be flexible enough to allow easy customization for specific fields, in this case, healthcare. The M101P-ME's housing has antimicrobial properties that reduce the risk of infection. And there are other modifications that optimize the tablet for use in healthcare settings. Medical tablet for a changing world As of this writing — Fall 2020 — the novel Coronavirus remains a presence of pandemic proportions. Limiting sources of infection, always a task of primary importance in healthcare settings has become that much more important. Disinfecting equipment and environments as well as pinpointing sources of infection has assumed new levels of urgency. Part of the fight against infection is the rising use of antimicrobial materials. Winmate is quite aware of the issue, and its entire lineup of healthcare-grade mobile computers uses either antimicrobial surface coating or housing materials enhanced with antimicrobial properties. "Antimicrobial plastic" is a type of synthetic polymer material with an integrated active ingredient that minimizes or eliminates microbial presence and growth. Growth-inhibiting agents are included in the plastic materials during manufacturing and provide protection over the anticipated lifetime of the product. This is not an easy task. The term "antimicrobial" itself is a summary concept that includes all types of microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. As a result, "antimicrobial" materials may vary from application to application, often fine-tuned for the situation at hand. The use of such agents is regulated and varies from country to country. So how does Winmate address the issue? Winmate describes it in one of their documents: The whole housing of the M101P-ME with its plastic and elastomeric rubber parts uses an inorganic antimicrobial material that fights infection based on the way silver ions affect microbes. In essence, the way it works is that silver ions, which are positively charged, are attracted by microbial cell walls, which are negatively charged. The positive metal ions break down the cell walls, damaging or destroying the microbe. Once inside the cell walls, the metal ions prevent the division and reproduction of microbes. This one-two punch has proven highly effective in squelching microbial presence and growth. How is it made? By injecting silver ions into the glass, grinding the glass into something that looks like white flour, and then mixing it into resins and polycarbonate plastics much like colors are added. The compound Winmate is using has tested to be very effective against staph and e.coli, and is inherently effective against other bacteria, as well as molds and mildew. But what about SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19? While silver does have documented effects on coronaviruses, Winmate makes no such claim. There is, however research that suggests that silver does have antiviral effects on SARS-CoV-2, so perhaps we'll soon see antimicrobial materials that can make that claim. Looking at the Winmate M101P-ME With the M101, Winmate created one of the first truly modern rugged tablet platforms with all the Windows security and device management features professional customers require. It was an advanced design when it was first released, sporting a high-resolution display that almost tripled the number of pixels of the XGA screens used in older rugged tablets, and Winmate used projected capacitive multi-touch before that was common in rugged tablets. The trend in consumer tablets is to make them as slender as possible, which means most customers put their consumer tablets into bulky cases. Rugged tablet design is different. They must be rugged without a case, and that's why they use tougher materials and most have protective corner bumpers, including the M101P-ME. That makes the tablet a bit thicker, as does the presence of industrial-grade components (like the M101P-ME's optional dedicated scanner) and the presence of additional ports and connectors. Below is a look at the Winmate M101P-ME from the front and from all four sides. It is a compact design that is easy to use and deploy in various areas of healthcare settings. While the dark protective plastic makes it clear that this is a tough and durable piece of equipment, the white plastic housing makes it equally clear that it's designed to visually fit into medical and healthcare settings. The M101P-ME has a modest footprint of 10.7 x 7.8 inches, about an inch more in either direction than a standard 10-inch iPad. The tablet is 3/4 of an inch thick and weighs about 2.60 pounds. While most current consumer smartphones and tablets have the barest minimum of buttons and ports, in professional applications physical controls and wired connectivity still come in handy. On its front, the Winmate M101P-ME has a power button, a Home icon button that brings up the HotTab utility that controls the unique features of the tablet, and a programmable function button. On the right side in the back is another programmable button and the display brightness control, both integrated into the housing. The below picture shows the right side of the M101P-ME where most of the tablet's I/O is. For a better view, we removed the replaceable protective rubber plug. From left to right, the M101P-ME I/O block provides: the power jack the full 3.5mm audio jack a full-size USB 3.0 Type A port a reversible USB 3.0 Type C port (this replaced the special adapter port that provided Ethernet and RS232 serial for legacy applications in older versions of the M101). a micro-SDXC Card reader (that we tested with a 256GB card) a micro-HDMI port The top of the unit shows a plastic cover with a window for the optional integrated Honeywell N660X barcode reader. This is another feature that differentiates the M101P-ME from consumer tablets; while there are apps that provide rudimentary scanning with integrated cameras, for professional work in medical settings you want a dedicated industrial-grade scanner. Fanless performance When Winmate first introduced the M101 tablet platform, the original M101B came with a 1.86GHz quad-core Intel Celeron N2920 processor that belonged to Intel's "Bay Trail" platform. The Bay Trail CPU architecture, though still Intel Atom-based, employed the same 22nm process technology as Intel's then high-end 4th generation Core processors. There was also a turbo boost (called "burst" in Bay Trail), and the clever power-saving "active idle" feature from Core processors was there as well. As a result, the first M101B was a surprisingly good performer. That was several years and many processor generations ago, but Intel still offers expensive high-end Core processors and much less expensive low-end Atom processors. The M101 platform is flexible enough to be able to accommodate either type of processor. There is, for example, the Winmate M101S with a powerful Intel "Kaby Lake" Core processor. That one requires a fan, which is not necessarily something that's desirable in healthcare settings. So, instead, Winmate chose the quad-core Intel Pentium N4200 for the M101P-ME. It's technically still an Atom and not a Core processor, but Intel uses the "Pentium" brand as their highest level non-Core CPUs. With a considerably lower cost and generating much less heat than Core processors, the N4200 has become a popular choice for many mobile devices, especially in vertical and rugged markets. The tablet below shows the benchmark performance of the M101P-ME, some of its Winmate predecessors, and also some competing tablets in the same class. We ran our standard benchmark suites, those being PassMark 6.1 and 9, and CrystalMark. The results are both interesting and confusing, for a variety of reasons. For example, it shows the difference five years can make. The new M101P-ME is much faster than the original M101B and pretty much matched the Core-based M101H from 2015. It also shows that even a mid-range Core system is generally still considerably quicker than a high-end non-Core system. The results also show that benchmarks themselves become obsolete, their weighting of different sub-systems distorting results when new technologies become available. The replacement of hard disks with solid-state disks is an example. Solid state disks are much faster, but their impact on overall performance is not as great as older benchmarks would make one believe. Overall, the Pentium-powered M101P-ME can clearly hold its own in terms of performance and it is perfectly adequate for its intended tasks. Power consumption — standard or extended battery? Designing mobile computers is always an exercise in compromise, carefully balancing size, weight, performance, cost, and battery life. This has become even more challenging as consumers now expect lightweight and slender products and great performance and long battery life in tablets. How does that affect makers of ruggedized tablets whose batteries must not only power Wintel technology but also more ports and modules than your average consumer tablet, all without making the tablet too thick and heavy? It's not easy. The standard 7.4 Volt, 5,140 mAH Li-Polymer battery that fits flush into the backside of the M101P-ME packs a modest 38 watt-hours. That's not much for an Intel-powered professional-grade tablet. To find out what sort of battery life one might expect from this tablet, we tested the M101P-ME with PassMark's BatteryMon utility and found the following: Winmate M101M-PE Power Draws (at idle) Backlight level 0% 50% 100% Power Saver 5.1 watts (7.45 hrs) 6.1 watts (6.2 hrs) 7.2 watts (5.3 hrs) Max Performance 5.2 watts (7.3 hrs) 6.6 watts (5.8 hrs) 8.1 watts (4.7 hrs)With the tablet set to the Windows "Best battery life" mode and the display backlight set to its lowest, we saw a power draw of 5.1 watts. With the backlight set to medium, we saw 6.1 watts, and with the backlight set to its brightest setting, the power draw rose to 7.2 watts. In the Windows "Best performance" setting, we found a low of 5.2 watts at the lowest backlight setting, 6.6 watts with average backlight, and 8.1 watts with the backlight at its highest. Dividing the standard' battery's 38 watt-hours by the lowest recorded draw (5.1 watts) yields a theoretical battery life of 7.45 hours, close to the 8-hour estimate in Winmate's spec sheet. Dividing it by the highest recorded draw (8.1 watts) indicates 4.7 hours. Depending on the intended application that may or may not be enough, so prospective customers should consider getting the optional extended battery with twice the capacity. That battery, however, protrudes about a quarter of an inch and adds some weight (about seven ounces). The measured power draws of the M101P-ME minimum are the lowest of any of the Winmate M101 series tablets we have tested since the platform's original release. That said, power draw testing has become somewhat relative due to the increasingly sophisticated power savings technologies in Intel's high-end Core processors. This has led to a situation where a device with a 15-watt TDP Intel Core processor may draw less power in battery draw benchmarks than a device with a 6-watt non-Core processor such as the Winmate M101P-ME. Since the M101P-ME is specifically targeted for use in healthcare settings where power outlets are never far away and tablets are recharged via dock when not in use, battery power is adequate and most won't need the extended battery. A look inside the Winmate M101P-ME Can a "thin-and-light" tablet still be ruggedly built? It can, though there may be some concessions due to lower size and weight. When we reviewed Winmate's fully-rugged M133WK tablet (see our review of the M133WK) we were impressed by its backside made entirely of very substantial cast magnesium. A device like the M101P-ME that weighs less than half as much and is considerably thinner will not provide that same degree of subjective solidity, but if carefully designed and manufactured, it can still hold up to a lot of abuse. The M101P-ME's case is made of PC+ABS TPR, a blend of polycarbonate with its high heat and impact resistance, and ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) which is a rubber-polymer blend, combining for a very strong, light material well suited for thin-wall molding. TPR stands for ThermoPlastic Rubber and presumably refers to the rubber over moldings on the tablet's case (see here). The picture to the right shows the backside of the Winmate M101P-ME with the battery removed from its compartment. One of the issues Winmate had to face was that the very slim profile of the tablet only allowed a 38-watt-hour standard battery, not enough for some of their customers who are looking for more than the eight hours of operation Winmate quotes for the standard battery, and so they offer an optional long-life battery with twice that capacity, 76 watt-hours. As stated prior, the flipside is that this powerful battery protrudes about a quarter of an inch and adds roughly half a pound of weight compared to the base battery. Not a little detail that's different in this healthcare version than it is in standard M101 tablets: the screw holes in the back have flush-fitting little rubber plugs in them. That's to reduce the number of nooks and crannies where germs can hide, and also make it easier to thoroughly clean the tablet. Note that as is the case in many ruggedized tablets, the battery compartment is technically outside of the tablet housing. The battery then fits into that compartment where it is secured in place with a friction slider and an additional lock slider. The contacts of the battery have a watertight seal so that no liquid can enter the interior of the tablet. This means that whenever the battery is removed or replaced, users must make certain that the seal is intact and free of any debris, and that the lips on the plastic enclosure of the batteries are similarly intact. Also of note is that the M101P-ME has a small bridge battery inside, which means the main battery can be replaced with a fresh one without shutting down the computer. In terms of construction, the M101P-ME housing consists of two halves, with the front one holding the LCD and the back one almost all electronics. Fully rugged devices often use an interior magnesium chassis whereas in the thin-and-light M101P-ME all circuit boards and other components are mounted directly onto the polymer halves. The two halves are held together by ten screws, and they can easily be separated without fear of breaking off clips. There are only two flat ribbon cables between the two halves, and they are long enough to fully open the halves and lay them down, something service personnel will appreciate. For sealing, the two halves employ a tongue-and-groove system that is part of the rubberized plastic protective molding that seems over-molded onto the plastic case halves. There is plenty of transparent green and yellow tape and black opaque tape to secure things and keep components from making unwanted contact. Several connectors are secured with a drop of white silicon glue so they won't vibrate themselves loose. Unlike some of the performance-oriented versions of the M101 tablet platform, the M101P-ME with its cool-running processor doesn't need a fan. A fan would result in noise and air movement that's a no-no in many healthcare settings. There is, however, plenty of internal shielding, which we left in place. Underneath you'd find the tablet's internal PCIe slots used for mass storage and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth. For memory, the M101P-ME comes with 4GB of LPDDR4 RAM, with 8GB optional. And, as is expected in a modern tablet, there's a full complement of sensors. An ambient light sensor, G-sensor, gyrometer, and e-Compass are all present and ready for duty in healthcare apps and solutions. Sharp, bright 10.1-inch multi-touch display The Winmate M101P-ME is positioned as a tablet for healthcare applications and settings, and those are mostly indoors. But the M101P-ME is a rugged device and chances are that some of them are going to be used in vehicles and on jobs in the field. This means they must be viewable and readable under a wide variety of lighting conditions. Outdoor-viewable display technology has come a long way over the last decade, generally using a combination of transmissive LCDs (for vibrant indoor viewing), a variety of optical treatments (for maximizing contrast outdoors), and a strong backlight (to boost contrast as much as possible). In the past, Winmate often used the excellent Hydis HFFS display technology. HFFS (High-Performance Field Fringe Switching) impressed us for years with its brilliance and full 180-degree viewing angle from all directions. Unfortunately, Hydis, which became part of E-Ink, no longer offers HFFS LCD panels, and so Winmate — determined to continue providing excellent displays — now uses AU Optronics, a global leader in optoelectronic solutions, for the M101P-ME screen. As is, the M101P-ME display offers a full 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution on its 10.1-inch screen. That makes for 224 PPI (pixels per inch) — nice and sharp. The 16:10 aspect ratio is pleasing to the eye and presents a good workspace both in portrait and landscape mode. Direct optical bonding between layers of the screen reduces the number of reflective surfaces, improving outdoor viewability. Winmate gave the M101P-ME enough screen brightness for outdoor use. Screen brightness — luminance — is measured in nits. In our luminance testing, the M101P-ME display reached 670 nits, more than the 600 nits rating in Winmate's specs. For comparison, your average consumer laptop or PC monitor is usually in the 250 nits range. Consumer tablets and smartphones are generally in the 400 nits range, with premium products reaching 550 nits or more. The two pictures below show the M101P-ME tablet outdoors on a bright Fall afternoon with the screen brightness cranked up to maximum. The screen remains very readable. We consider viewing angle very relevant to overall display viewing comfort and ease of viewing. This one has a 170-degree viewing angle from all directions, virtually perfect. There is none of the contrast and color shifting of lesser display technologies, and just very minor brightness variations. The four pictures below show the M101P-ME under various outdoor lighting conditions. Unlike almost all smartphones and consumer tablets that have glossy screens, the M101P-ME has a degree of anti-glare treatment that makes the display surface less glossy. The benefit of that is a significant reduction of the sharp, mirrorlike reflections that glossy screens are infamous for. The price to pay for that is that the anti-glare measures diffuse incoming light, making for milkiness under certain lighting conditions. Overall, between IPS display technology, direct bonding, surface treatments, almost perfect viewing angles, lack of color shifts, and the strong backlight, the Winmate M101P-ME display can be used pretty much anywhere, even in bright daylight. And the display surface of the M101P-ME isn't even overly prone to fingerprints and smudges. The usual precap caveat here: while capacitive multi-touch has become the de-facto standard for smartphones and tablets, Windows 10 still has tiny check boxes and narrow scrollers that were clearly designed for use with a mouse. Winmate also included a small stylus with a narrow 3mm hard tip that works quite well. To make operation as easy as possible, there are three different touch modes; one for hand/rain, one for a stylus, and one for when you're wearing gloves. Dual cameras The Winmate M101P-ME has two integrated cameras. The user-facing 2mp camera is for video conferencing, whereas the rear-facing 8mp camera with LED flash can be used for documentation purposes. Cameras integrated into handheld and tablet computers have historically underperformed compared to even low-end dedicated cameras and the cameras available in every smartphone. Things have gotten better, but usually not enough to eliminate the need for taking along a dedicated camera or smartphone for photo or video documentation on the job. The overall idea of adding cameras to workforce-grade tablets is so that their users can document whatever they are working on without the need for an additional camera. This way, everything is in one system. And having a nice, large 10-inch screen certainly is a lot more pleasant than the tiny screens on dedicated cameras (see below). Our review M101P-ME tablet came with two camera apps, the standard Windows 10 Camera software and a separate camera app in Winmate's HotTab utility. Both apps are quite limited and only offer a minimum of settings. As is, the documentation camera in the M101P-ME can take adequate pictures. In the Windows Camera app, users have a choice of seven resolutions and two formats (4:3 and 16:9). Auto-focus is slow, especially in sub-optimal lighting conditions, but once it latches on, images are mostly sharp, and the camera does not compress images so much that they become useless. We noticed a distinct blue tint that required post-processing. Below are pictures shot with the M101P-ME documentation camera in its maximum 3264 x 2448 pixel 8-megapixel resolution. To see the compilation in full-size in a separate window, click on the picture below. 1080p video worked fine, without glitches or hiccups, though the autofocus frequently hunted and the frame rate seemed low. Overall, the M101P-ME cameras are workable, but most users will likely resort to their smartphones. It is quite possible that the onboard cameras might work better with dedicated 3rd party camera apps or custom software that directly controls the camera. Ruggedness As far as ruggedness goes, the lines get a little blurry with the M101P-ME. When the platform was introduced a few years ago, Winmate presented it as an example of how a tablet could be both "thin & light" and rugged. Ruggedness doesn't necessarily mean bulk and weight; it's a matter of good design, the right materials, and thinking things through. In the time it became clear that ruggedness requirements in healthcare settings are often very similar to those generally encountered in the field. In both environments, tablets are tools for the job. They may get dropped. Designs must be practical and common-sense more so than just trendy and fashionable. So it's not a surprise that Winmate has adapted and customized the inherently rugged M101 platform for healthcare markets by using plastics with antimicrobial properties. As a result, the M101P-ME can handle those 26 repeated drops from four feet per MIL-STD-810G, 516.6 IV to plywood over concrete which is sort of a gold standard for rugged computing devices. Four feet, by the way, is relevant roughly it's roughly the height a tablet is falling from if it's dropped while being used while standing or walking. Sealing is at the IP65 level. That means the tablet is totally protected against dust, and it can also handle low-pressure water jets from all directions. As long as all seals are in good working conditions and the protective door over the I/O block is closed, the M101P-ME can easily stand up to a good, wet wipe-down. What we'd like to see in the specs is a list of cleaning and disinfecting chemicals that can be used on it. Where things get a little weird is in the operating temperature range. Here, the spec sheet lists a very narrow 32 to 95-degree Fahrenheit range. That is certainly enough for indoor healthcare uses, but even in an ambulance, it could get hotter or colder. The narrow range also surprises because the non-healthcare versions of the M101 platform boast a much wider 14 to 122F range on battery and an even wider -4 to 140F range when plugged in. Winmate also claims successful shock testing in accordance with the methods described in vibration testing per MIL-STD-810G Methods514.6 Procedure I. There's no doubt that the Winmate M101P-ME is much tougher than any consumer tablet. Even without a case, it has sufficient cladding and corner protection to take quite a bit of abuse. Bottom line: Winmate M101P-ME There are all sorts of markets that benefit from using ruggedized mobile computers instead of relying on fragile consumer tech, and healthcare is one of them. The M101P-ME 10.1-inch rugged Windows tablet from Winmate is an interesting example of a mature, field-proven tablet computer solution that is now available in a special version for healthcare deployments. Weighing just 2.6 pounds as tested and being only 0.7 inches thick, the M101P-ME is light and handy enough to go just about anywhere. The attractive white housing fits well into healthcare settings, and the black corner and side guards provide plenty of extra protection. All housing materials have antimicrobial properties (IONPURE silver ion). A power-efficient Intel "Apollo Lake" quad-core processor offers good performance without the need for an onboard fan, eliminating noise and air disturbance. The M101P-ME impresses with a sharp, bright, and vibrant display that offers 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution, a virtually perfect viewing angle from all directions, and no color shifts. The display is bright enough to be used outdoors. For a light tablet, the M101P-ME has good onboard connectivity, including USB 3.0, USB Type-C, micro-HDMI, and sound. An optional desk dock adds four more USB ports, serial, VGA, and an RJ45 LAN jack. The tablet can be equipped with an industrial-grade integrated 1D/2D imager, HF-RFID, and a Smart Card reader. pinch. Thanks to its PC+ABS construction and protective rubber over moldings, the Winmate M101P-ME is very solid and can handle a good deal of abuse. IP65 sealing means M101P-ME users won't have to shy away from liquids. #ESRP