RAMPAGE 6 notepad runs Android 2.3 in a rugged package

The last time we heard from SDG Systems, it was shilling its Trimble Nomad with Android 1.5. The company's new device, the RAMPAGE 6 (confusingly, it's also known as the Mesa Rugged Notepad), thankfully includes a less prehistoric build of the OS. The notepad runs a customized version of Android 2.3 on a 5.7-inch display, and it lives up to the "rugged" in its name with IP67 protection ratings for water and dust. Other specs, however, are less heavy-duty: the RAMPAGE 6 packs an 806MHz processor, 256MB of RAM and 4GB of Flash memory. An SD card slot, USB host and client ports, a headphone jack and a 9-pin connector are also on board. The standard model will offer Bluetooth and WiFi, while a Geo configuration adds in GPS and a 3.2MP camera. When the devices launch later this year, SDG will also sell a Geo 3G version, which includes that third connectivity option. Considering that the Trimble Nomad went for a steep $1,200 -- and that SDG's devices are targeted more toward developers than consumers -- it's safe to assume that the RAMPAGE 6 won't be the slate you take along on your morning commute (unless that commute involves crossing the desert on camel).