General Dynamics Itronix GD6000 Notebook Selected by CPS Energy for Use by Company Field Technicians

SUNRISE, Fla., March 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The vehicle-rugged GD6000, manufactured by General Dynamics Itronix, was selected by Texas-based CPS Energy as the rugged computer for its field-service technicians and as part of its emergency response process. Designed for ruggedized, mobile computing, GD6000 combines durable, high-performance computing with secure, wireless network connectivity. General Dynamics Itronix is a part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

James Trevino, CPS Energy's manager of technical services within Energy Delivery Services, said, "Placing rugged, mobile GD6000 computers in the hands of field-service crews allows them to automate many functions and processes while improving overall customer service, particularly in our electric and gas restoration departments."

"CPS Energy's crews often work in extreme conditions, including San Antonio's notorious humidity and thunderstorms. Our field-service technicians now have a durable computer that can withstand the bumpy conditions of a truck environment," added Trevino.

The GD6000 weighs slightly more than six pounds and includes integrated GPS, WWAN, WiFi, Bluetooth and an Intel® Core 2 Duo T9400 processor, powerful enough to support real-time maps and GPS in use everyday by CPS Energy field technicians. The computer's DynaVue™ daylight viewable screen enables users to see the display clearly in full sunlight, without taxing battery life.

"The GD6000 is a great fit for CPS Energy's vehicle-based computing needs. Its rugged design and capabilities protect against severe vibration, dust and water ingress along with temperature extremes that are part of working out in the field," said John Schneider, business unit director at General Dynamics Itronix.

The GD6000 will also be part of CPS Energy's emergency response process. Emergency response crews, equipped with the computers, will use the wireless network and communications capabilities to keep operations personnel informed as to the status of repairs and power restoration.

CPS Energy Delivery Services department will also distribute GD6000 computers to contractors who work on streetlights. Streetlight service represents a high volume of work for the company, and the GD6000 enables the rapid electronic distribution of work orders to those in the field. Prior to the implementation of the vehicle-rugged notebooks, streetlight teams were driving to depots around the city, picking up paper job orders and dispatching to the service locations. Using the GD6000, the company can dispatch work orders to teams throughout city, increasing the number of orders and improving worker efficiency during a shift.

CPS Energy is the nation's largest municipally owned energy company, providing both natural gas and electric service. The company serves approximately 685,000 electric customers and nearly 320,000 natural gas customers in and around San Antonio, Texas, the seventh-largest city in the nation.

General Dynamics Itronix is a leading developer of wireless, rugged computing solutions for mobile workers, offering a full range of field computing systems including laptops, ultra mobile notebook PCs and tablet PCs. The company is part of General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics. Additional information is available at www.gd-itronix.com.

General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Va., employs approximately 91,700 people worldwide. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information about the company is available online at www.gd.com.

Itronix and DynaVue are registered trademarks or trademarks of General Dynamics Itronix. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

SOURCE General Dynamics Itronix