Handheld teams up with PUMA for Volvo Ocean Race

Handheld Group, supplier of advanced rugged PDAs and devices, has teamed up with PUMA Ocean Racing for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012. As part of the sponsorship, the PUMA crew onboard PUMA's Mar Mostro (Monster of the Sea) will use Handheld's state-of-the-art and ultra-rugged tablet Algiz 7 on deck for everything from navigation to calculations and communication.

 
"When you're navigating around rocks, marks and more, it's really great to have a device with you on deck," said PUMA Ocean Racing navigator Tom Addis. "The Handheld Algiz 7 tablet provides a link to the systems below deck and allows you to have all of the information right at hand. Even the navigator is active, and the Handheld tablet makes work more efficient in all conditions onboard PUMA's Mar Mostro."
 
Algiz 7 is, like the rest of Handheld's line-up of rugged PDAs and mobile computers, specifically developed for use in tough environments in industries such as mining, geomatics, logistics, forestry, public transportation, construction, utilities, maintenance, military, security and extreme sports.
 
Addis and the PUMA Ocean Racing crew will use Handheld's Algiz 7 ultra-rugged tablet for computing and communications requirements during the nine-month race through some of the world's most treacherous waters. Enduring often hostile conditions, the Algiz 7 will be tested and relied upon for performing a wide array of tasks, including remotely controlling the main navigation computers below deck via a wireless network, and also as a backup computer.
 
"We are happy to be sponsors of the PUMA Ocean Racing crew, and proud that they have chosen our ultra-rugged Algiz 7 tablet for their all-important computing needs," said Handheld Marketing Director Sofia Lfblad. "This is the kind of tough environment the Algiz 7 was built for, and I'm especially interested in hearing the crew's response to our new MaxView screen technology. We look forward to following the race and will be cheering for PUMA's Mar Mostro all the way!"
 
PUMA returns to the Volvo Ocean Race after finishing second overall in the 2008-2009 edition. The race, known as the "Everest of Sailing," begins on October 29 in Alicante, Spain, and ends in Galway, Ireland in July 2012. The PUMA Ocean Racing team is once again under the leadership of skipper Ken Read.
 
The Algiz 7 is an ultra-rugged, 7-inch widescreen tablet that runs Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate operating system and offers users wireless communication across the globe. It features the new MaxView technology which provides spectacular screen clarity and brightness in outdoor conditions, even in direct sunlight. This next generation rugged tablet PC is small, light and fast, with multiple connectivity options and a wide range of functionality. Plus, it's tough enough to work in the most challenging environments.