AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 08, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Xplore Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:XPLR) today announced that its XSLATE D10 Android™ rugged tablets are being used as the primary data collection platform for the Net Zero Deforestation Project currently underway in the rainforests of Caquetá, Colombia. The project, a joint-effort between the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and The Nature Conservancy local office, aims to map and analyze the spatial and demographical implications of the deforestation process occurring in the region.

“It is our responsibility as a collective global society to protect our natural resources,” explained Mark Holleran, president and CEO, Xplore. “Xplore is honored that its rugged tablet technologies have been chosen to be a part of this critical research initiative that’s transpiring in Columbia’s Amazon rainforests. Xplore’s XSLATE D10 tablets are certainly rugged enough to survive the grueling environmental elements of the region. They’re also easy to use and highly reliable in off-grid situations such as this.”

The humid Caquetá region, a 705,600-hectares tropical forest ecosystem, has long garnered national and international attention as one of the most studied places in the Southern Hemisphere concerning climate change. During this specific Net Zero project, the Esri Geographic Information System (GIS) running on the Xplore rugged tablets will help both professional researchers and local Caqueta representatives document the impact of deforestation on the surrounding environment, as well as the health of local communities and populations.  The aggregated data will be used to drive more aggressive legislative efforts to deaccelerate, or completely stop, the fast-paced deforestation process. Policymakers will also mine the data to identify potential alternative economic opportunities. The region’s current drug cultivation, wood extraction and livestock operations are unsustainable.

“If you look at the latest reports released from Terra-i and O-Eco’s InfoAmazonia NGOs, deforestation in the department of Caquetá posted an astonishing triple-digit increase in 2012,” noted Carlos Pedraza, a GIS/data specialist for the North Andes and South Central America (NASCA) program at the Nature Conservancy of Colombia. “That’s the largest percentage increase in deforestation over the tracked time period across the entire Amazon region. Fortunately, the Xplore XSLATE D10 rugged tablet solution is enabling us to thoroughly detail, and immediately share, our study findings. As a result, we’re able to engage in meaningful conversations with all project stakeholders and expedite resolution efforts during the course of the three-year project.”

The XSLATE D10’s integrated high-precision GPS and long-lasting hot-swappable batteries are just two of the key performance features that captured the attention of project leaders at The Nature Conservancy when mobile computing technologies were being evaluated for field-readiness. The Xplore Android-powered tablets, which were sold via MGI International, are also highly compatible with Esri’s GIS software, a key component in authenticating the data for this historic initiative. 

“The flexibility of the XSLATE D10 and the familiarity of the Android OS provided for an easy on-boarding experience from both an end-user and IT perspective,” added Kirk Meyer, director of sales, Latin America, Xplore. “Plus, the rugged tablets are able to recharge using solar panels and diesel generators. They are literally up-and-running all the time, no matter how remote our travels take us. That level of reliability has been imperative to our success thus far.”

To learn more about Xplore’s Android-powered rugged tablet solutions, please visit www.xploretech.com/D10.   

About Xplore Technologies
Xplore is The Rugged Tablet Authority™, exclusively manufacturing powerful, long-lasting, and customer-defined rugged tablet PCs since 1996. Today, Xplore offers the broadest portfolio of genuinely rugged tablets – and the most complete lineup of rugged tablet accessories – on Earth. Its mobility solutions are purpose-built for the energy, utilities, telecommunications, military and defense, manufacturing, distribution, public safety, healthcare, government, and field service sectors. The company’s award-winning military-grade computers are also among the most powerful and longest lasting in their class, built to withstand nearly any hazardous condition or environmental extreme for years without fail. Visit  www.xploretech.com for more information on how Xplore and its global channel partners engineer complete mobility solutions to meet specialized workflow demands. Follow us on  Twitter,  Facebook,  LinkedIn, and  YouTube.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect Xplore’s current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made including those factors detailed from time to time in filings made by Xplore with securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated or expected. Xplore does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

Xplore Contact Information:

Debbie Russo
Director, Marketing 
outboundmarketing@xploretech.com

Tom Wilkinson, Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (512) 637-1162 
Email: twilkinson@xploretech.com

Matt Kreps, Darrow Associates Investor Relations
Phone: (512) 696-6401 
Email: xplr@darrowir.com