Itronix Hits Notebook Market With Tough-As-Nails Computer

Encased like a tank and durable as a basketball, a tough notebook computer for America’s mobile work force was unveiled Monday by Spokane-based Itronix Corp.

The X-C 6000 Cross Country computer will be shipped next month to rough customers who need a notebook with the longevity of a Duracell.

Itronix says it has advance orders for 25,000 units. At a $4,399 base price, that’s $110 million in sales before the first unit goes out the door.

The Liberty Lake company declines to project future sales, but is betting its reputation on the product’s durability and success.

“This unit has everything that’s on a full-fledge laptop but designed for a ‘mission critical’ environment,” said Itronix president Steve Gevurtz. “We calculate that the display (screen) alone will be opened and closed 30,000 times a year, a duty cycle that would kill a normal laptop.”

The price tag is the first sign that Itronix, with 130 employees, is not going after the home personal computer market. It’s bumper-guarded, magnesium case is another.

With a speedy 486 chip, 260-megabyte hard drive and wireless modem suspended in the box, the Cross Country notebook aims to appeal to millions of mobile workers who depend on their computer like some people depend on their swivel chairs.

Under development for 18 months, the computer has been dunked, dropped and beta tested to ensure its reliability, Gevurtz said. Sears Repair Services, which has ordered 13,000 units, and GTE Telephone Operations are two prominent advance customers.

Their workers will do everything on the computer notebook from ordering inventory to writing up claims and billing customers.

The notebook may replace the Itronix T5000 EFP hand-held computer. Although the older model sells for $1,000 less than the Cross Country, it has no hard drive and does not operate on Windows.

The Cross Country is the latest boost for Telxon Corp., the parent of Itronix. Akron, Ohio-based Telxon announced Friday that Ford Motor Co. selected it to provide portable communication equipment in Ford factories.

Investors responded favorably to the two announcements, driving up Telxon shares $2.12-1/2 on Monday to close at $22.50.

, DataTimes