Getac Enhances Its Range of Versatile Android Devices with Launch of AI-ready Tablet
New 8-inch ZX80 fully rugged tablet combines compact design and a highly customizable specification with the flexible benefits of Android for optimal productivity in the field
IRVINE, CA—March 1, 2024—Getac today announced the launch of the AI-ready ZX80, a new 8-inch fully rugged tablet, powered by the versatile Android operating system. The announcement expands and diversifies Getac’s portfolio of Android devices, giving customers in industries such as utilities, manufacturing, and transportation even more choice when selecting rugged solutions to solve day-to-day challenges and boost productivity and efficiency.
Lightweight yet rugged design
The ZX80 has been purpose-built to thrive in challenging work environments, from busy warehouses and logistics hubs to remote field locations and outdoor facilities. Its lightweight form factor (590g), wide operating temperature range (-29°C to 63°C) and bright 1,000 nit 16:10 aspect ratio screen makes it particularly well suited to key tasks such as forklift truck operation and UAV control, where device performance and reliability are critical to success. MIL-STD-810H certification, IP67 certification and 6ft drop resistance further ensure it can easily stand up to the rigours of intensive field work.
For users who need full-shift functionality while working away from charging facilities, the ZX80 is also compatible with Getac’s hot-swappable battery technology, enabling users to switch additional batteries quickly and easily while in the field, saving precious time and preventing disruption.
Highly configurable for optimal versatility
Getac understands that every use case is unique, which is why the ZX80’s highly configurable design offers extensive flexibility when it comes to building a specification that matches customers’ needs as effectively as possible.
Key features include a dual SIM design (one physical SIM and one eSIM), which allows for rapid switching between carrier networks, while Wi-Fi 6E 802.11ax, Bluetooth v5.2, and optional dedicated GPS offer rapid data transfer and location positioning capabilities. Depending on customer requirements, the ZX80 can be configured with 4G/5G LTE, NFC, and a barcode reader to fit different applications as needed.
AI-ready performance
The ZX80’s Qualcomm QCS6490 processor delivers astonishing performance at lower power levels, making it ideally suited to a host of IoT industrial field applications and commercial use cases. The tablet is also AI-ready, taking advantage of Qualcomm’s AI Engine to offer on-device machine learning and the ability to run AI use cases while maintaining battery life. To maximize the potential AI capabilities, the ZX80 incorporates 12GB LPDDR5 memory. The ZX80 comes with Android 13 pre-installed and is upgradeable to future Android OS releases, enabling users to embrace new AI features as soon as they become available.
Supported by a comprehensive range of dedicated accessories and software
Like all Getac devices, the ZX80 is compatible with a comprehensive range of dedicated accessories, peripherals and software, helping users maximize device functionality in different industry scenarios. This includes third party secure vehicle docks for optimal vehicle/forklift truck use, hand strap, stylus and high-capacity hot swappable batteries for enhanced usability in the field, and 65W USB-C adaptor and docking station for efficient use in the office. Customers can also efficiently manage their Android tablets through pre-installed Getac software solutions, including the brand-new Log Tool, deployXpress, enrollXpress, GDMS, Driving Safety Utility, and OEMConfig.
“The Android platform continues to evolve and expand throughout the industrial sector, offering new ways to solve key challenges and enhance business operations,” said Mike McMahon, President of Getac North America. “With the launch of the ZX80, we’re giving our Android customers even more choice when it comes to selecting the right rugged solution for their needs and enabling them to capitalize on the versatility of Android in environments and scenarios where it wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”
The new ZX80 is available in March. For more information, visit www.getac.com
Congestion on U.S. highways is costing the trucking industry big, according to research from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), released today.
The group found that traffic congestion on U.S. highways added $108.8 billion in costs to the trucking industry in 2022, a record high. The information comes from ATRI’s Cost of Congestion study, which is part of the organization’s ongoing highway performance measurement research.
Total hours of congestion fell slightly compared to 2021 due to softening freight market conditions, but the cost of operating a truck increased at a much higher rate, according to the research. As a result, the overall cost of congestion increased by 15% year-over-year—a level equivalent to more than 430,000 commercial truck drivers sitting idle for one work year and an average cost of $7,588 for every registered combination truck.
The analysis also identified metropolitan delays and related impacts, showing that the top 10 most-congested states each experienced added costs of more than $8 billion. That list was led by Texas, at $9.17 billion in added costs; California, at $8.77 billion; and Florida, $8.44 billion. Rounding out the top 10 list were New York, Georgia, New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Combined, the top 10 states account for more than half of the trucking industry’s congestion costs nationwide—52%, according to the research.
The metro areas with the highest congestion costs include New York City, $6.68 billion; Miami, $3.2 billion; and Chicago, $3.14 billion.
ATRI’s analysis also found that the trucking industry wasted more than 6.4 billion gallons of diesel fuel in 2022 due to congestion, resulting in additional fuel costs of $32.1 billion.
ATRI used a combination of data sources, including its truck GPS database and Operational Costs study benchmarks, to calculate the impacts of trucking delays on major U.S. roadways.
Hyster-Yale Materials Handling today announced its plans to fulfill the domestic manufacturing requirements of the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act for certain portions of its lineup of forklift trucks and container handling equipment.
That means the Greenville, North Carolina-based company now plans to expand its existing American manufacturing with a targeted set of high-capacity models, including electric options, that align with the needs of infrastructure projects subject to BABA requirements. The company’s plans include determining the optimal production location in the United States, strategically expanding sourcing agreements to meet local material requirements, and further developing electric power options for high-capacity equipment.
As a part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the BABA Act aims to increase the use of American-made materials in federally funded infrastructure projects across the U.S., Hyster-Yale says. It was enacted as part of a broader effort to boost domestic manufacturing and economic growth, and mandates that federal dollars allocated to infrastructure – such as roads, bridges, ports and public transit systems – must prioritize materials produced in the USA, including critical items like steel, iron and various construction materials.
Hyster-Yale’s footprint in the U.S. is spread across 10 locations, including three manufacturing facilities.
“Our leadership is fully invested in meeting the needs of businesses that require BABA-compliant material handling solutions,” Tony Salgado, Hyster-Yale’s chief operating officer, said in a release. “We are working to partner with our key domestic suppliers, as well as identifying how best to leverage our own American manufacturing footprint to deliver a competitive solution for our customers and stakeholders. But beyond mere compliance, and in line with the many areas of our business where we are evolving to better support our customers, our commitment remains steadfast. We are dedicated to delivering industry-leading standards in design, durability and performance — qualities that have become synonymous with our brands worldwide and that our customers have come to rely on and expect.”
In a separate move, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also gave its approval for the state to advance its Heavy-Duty Omnibus Rule, which is crafted to significantly reduce smog-forming nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from new heavy-duty, diesel-powered trucks.
Both rules are intended to deliver health benefits to California citizens affected by vehicle pollution, according to the environmental group Earthjustice. If the state gets federal approval for the final steps to become law, the rules mean that cars on the road in California will largely be zero-emissions a generation from now in the 2050s, accounting for the average vehicle lifespan of vehicles with internal combustion engine (ICE) power sold before that 2035 date.
“This might read like checking a bureaucratic box, but EPA’s approval is a critical step forward in protecting our lungs from pollution and our wallets from the expenses of combustion fuels,” Paul Cort, director of Earthjustice’s Right To Zero campaign, said in a release. “The gradual shift in car sales to zero-emissions models will cut smog and household costs while growing California’s clean energy workforce. Cutting truck pollution will help clear our skies of smog. EPA should now approve the remaining authorization requests from California to allow the state to clean its air and protect its residents.”
However, the truck drivers' industry group Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) pushed back against the federal decision allowing the Omnibus Low-NOx rule to advance. "The Omnibus Low-NOx waiver for California calls into question the policymaking process under the Biden administration's EPA. Purposefully injecting uncertainty into a $588 billion American industry is bad for our economy and makes no meaningful progress towards purported environmental goals," (OOIDA) President Todd Spencer said in a release. "EPA's credibility outside of radical environmental circles would have been better served by working with regulated industries rather than ramming through last-minute special interest favors. We look forward to working with the Trump administration's EPA in good faith towards achievable environmental outcomes.”
Editor's note:This article was revised on December 18 to add reaction from OOIDA.
DAT Freight & Analytics has acquired Trucker Tools, calling the deal a strategic move designed to combine Trucker Tools' approach to load tracking and carrier sourcing with DAT’s experience providing freight solutions.
Beaverton, Oregon-based DAT operates what it calls the largest truckload freight marketplace and truckload freight data analytics service in North America. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but DAT is a business unit of the publicly traded, Fortune 1000-company Roper Technologies.
Following the deal, DAT said that brokers will continue to get load visibility and capacity tools for every load they manage, but now with greater resources for an enhanced suite of broker tools. And in turn, carriers will get the same lifestyle features as before—like weigh scales and fuel optimizers—but will also gain access to one of the largest networks of loads, making it easier for carriers to find the loads they want.
Trucker Tools CEO Kary Jablonski praised the deal, saying the firms are aligned in their goals to simplify and enhance the lives of brokers and carriers. “Through our strategic partnership with DAT, we are amplifying this mission on a greater scale, delivering enhanced solutions and transformative insights to our customers. This collaboration unlocks opportunities for speed, efficiency, and innovation for the freight industry. We are thrilled to align with DAT to advance their vision of eliminating uncertainty in the freight industry,” Jablonski said.
Global trade will see a moderate rebound in 2025, likely growing by 3.6% in volume terms, helped by companies restocking and households renewing purchases of durable goods while reducing spending on services, according to a forecast from trade credit insurer Allianz Trade.
The end of the year for 2024 will also likely be supported by companies rushing to ship goods in anticipation of the higher tariffs likely to be imposed by the coming Trump administration, and other potential disruptions in the coming quarters, the report said.
However, that tailwind for global trade will likely shift to a headwind once the effects of a renewed but contained trade war are felt from the second half of 2025 and in full in 2026. As a result, Allianz Trade has throttled back its predictions, saying that global trade in volume will grow by 2.8% in 2025 (reduced by 0.2 percentage points vs. its previous forecast) and 2.3% in 2026 (reduced by 0.5 percentage points).
The same logic applies to Allianz Trade’s forecast for export prices in U.S. dollars, which the firm has now revised downward to predict growth reaching 2.3% in 2025 (reduced by 1.7 percentage points) and 4.1% in 2026 (reduced by 0.8 percentage points).
In the meantime, the rush to frontload imports into the U.S. is giving freight carriers an early Christmas present. According to Allianz Trade, data released last week showed Chinese exports rising by a robust 6.7% y/y in November. And imports of some consumer goods that have been threatened with a likely 25% tariff under the new Trump administration have outperformed even more, growing by nearly 20% y/y on average between July and September.