A concept device designed by industrial design firm Teague won the If Design Award at this year’s CeBIT show. Designed for Hewlett-Packard, the device (part of the Data Center Communications Vision of the Future Server) is a rugged handheld device designed specifically for IT personnel to monitor data center equipment, diagnose and track problems, and perform system services. It visualizes and communicates problems related to HP servers and data centers, and works as a fully-integrated system to streamline day-to-day tasks. It synchronizes with the user’s PC to track inventory, communicating through RFID and Bluetooth to control data center access, and connects through a USB dongle to identify problems and diagnose repairs..
The concept device features a slideout QWERTY keyboard, a large display, and a rubberized surface to increase durability.
Should this device ever leave the concept stage, I suspect that we would see it fill more niche roles than only that of IT diagnostic machine. How about a different version for the medical field or other such vertical markets?
Source: Engadget Mobile