Digital Trends
Panasonic has introduced updated versions of some of its ruggedized Toughbook computers, and the new units all share one surprising trait: they’re each under 4 pounds. Although these business-oriented Toughbooks aren’t designed to meet military toughness specs for enduring shock, moisture, and dust, they’re designed to handle strain, bumps, and surprises better than your typical consumer notebook—a must for people who life by lugging notebooks around.
Sure, there’s always a tradeoff between sheer rugged durability and processing power, but folks who need solid computing power in extreme conditions will be happy to know Panasonic has just upgraded its Toughbook 19 convertible tablet PC with Core 2 Duo processors and expanded memory capability, along with an optional integrated 2 megapixel camera. And, yes, the Toughbook 19 is still tested using the MIL-STD-810F methodology for extreme conditions and resistance to dust, moisture, vibration, humidity, shocks and drops, altitude, and temperature extremes.
Panasonic’s Toughbook line of fully rugged notebooks is about to get a tiny new addition, in the form of an ultra-mobile PC (UMPC). The company took the wraps off its latest resilient piece of PC hardware at CeBIT this week.
The new Toughbook UMPC features a 5.6-inch LCD wrapped in a bulky case (we’re guessing magnesium based on previous Toughbooks), with a full QWERTY keyboard stretched under the screen. Oddly enough, the numberpad has been placed in the center – presumably to stay out of the way of your thumbs at the edges of the keyboard where it would normally fall.
Panasonic today announced three new additions to its semi-rugged Business Mobile series of Toughbook portable computers, the ultraportable CF-W5, the table PC CF-T5, and the desktop replacement CY-F5. All three Toughbooks feature magnesium alloy cases, shock-mounted drives, and flexible internal connectors: all are engineered to withstand one-foot drops and the hard drives are rated to survive 30-inch falls. (Yes, that means you shouldn’t play Frisbee with them.) In addition, all three models feature a new “wireless ready” design which enabled users to install hig-speed data service offerings from major wireles carriers, and optional EV-DO (Sprint, Verizon) or UMTS/HSDPA (Cingular) radio modems are available.
Matsushita Electronics, through its better-known Panasonic brand, has rolled out a new iteration of its ToughBook laptops in Japan, sporting Core Duo processors and, at the high end, impressive shock resistance and a special drainage system to protect it from the wetter kinds of spills.
The Letsnote CF-Y5 notebook (Japanese) offers a 1.5 GHz Intel L2300 Core Duo processor, a 14.1-inch 1,400 by 1,050 pixel display, up to 1 GB of RAM, 802.11a/b/g wireless networking, up to 60 GB hard disk storage, built-in Ethernet, a DVD burner, a PC slot, SD expansion, and VGA output. Impressive enough, but when you add in that the unit is designed to withstand an impact of up to 220 pounds plus a special waterproof sheet and drainage system which protect the hard disk, logic board, and other internal components from damage from small amounts of water or other liquids, it’s a pretty intriguing design.
Panasonic today expanded their semi-rugged Toughbook line of in the field laptop computers as they announced two new
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