Military hardware manufacturer General Dynamics is pitching its new Go-Book XR-1 rugged notebook at the high-end consumer market, claiming extreme sports enthusiasts as a new target market. 

The Go-Book XR-1 is the first fully rugged notebook to use the Intel Core-Duo 1.83GHz processor.

All the internal electronics are in a fully sealed casing. The heat-sink for the processor is on the outside of the unit, and its range of peripheral ports (from USBs to PC Card readers) are specially shielded to create a watertight unit.

The notebook can withstand the bleach-water submersion and scrub tests required after exposure to toxic substances, which is important to General Dynamics' military and industrial customers.

The XR-1's in-built wireless capabilities, designed to work in the most hostile and remote environments, can give support for GPRS, UMTS, HSDPA, Bluetooth and GPS.
Sandy McCaskie, director of international markets at General Dynamics, told vnunet.com that, while the unit will be mainly aimed at traditional markets where it is used by field service and mobile support users, it may also have traction among executive adventurers.

"Globe-trotting executives, yachtsmen and mountain climbers would all find it an attractive notebook to have with them," he said.

But they would need to be rich executives as well; a base unit without any wireless radio options is £2,547, a far cry from standard prices in the notebook industry.

The notebooks were designed by Itronix, which was bought by General Dynamics in September 2005. 

The Itronix name is being phased out as General Dynamics expands its commercial, non-military product range.