Toughbook
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Toughbook is a trademarked brand name owned by Panasonic. Toughbook refers to its line of semi-rugged and rugged laptop computers. In 2005, Panasonic added the Toughbook Arbitrator mobile digital camera and mobile digital video recorder (DVR) system to their line. Toughbook computers are commonly used by public safety (police, fire and emergency medical services), utilities, field service, healthcare, construction, plus Federal civilian and military personnel.
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[edit] Overview
The Panasonic Toughbook is a laptop computer created for extreme environments. The system is designed to withstand vibration, drops, spills, extreme temperature, and other rough handling. While originally targeted at military, law enforcement and heavy industrial users, Panasonic has expanded marketing towards a wider audience in recent years.
The Toughbook line has an average annual repair rate of around 3.2%. Panasonic's fully-rugged Toughbook PCs have an average annualized failure of about 1.5%.
Panasonic Computer Solutions Company market the Toughbook product family into North, Central and South American and European markets exclusively through their network of dealers. These units are not usually sold through consumer retail channels, and most sales are to organizations, rather than individuals.
Many law enforcement agencies use fully rugged Toughbook laptops in their patrol cars to run computer-assisted dispatch software. Utility companies similarly dispatch field workers, print work orders, and conduct inspections and repairs using these devices. They are often connected by WiFi Wireless LAN, embedded (internal) cellular wide area network (WAN), or via satellite to a dispatch center for real-time records checks and report taking. Virtually all Toughbook models can have CDMA 1X-EVDO, EDGE, or HSDPA country-wide Wireless WAN capabilities built into the laptop. Panasonic has been one of the earliest adopters of WWAN technology and was the first to incorporate it into laptops. They have extensive test facilities that allow them to finely tune integrated radio modems to deliver superior connectivity. GPS is also offered internally in the Toughbook 19, 28, 29 and 30.
Panasonic markets the Toughbook series in several configurations ranging from business and semi-rugged to fully rugged in both laptop and Tablet PC configurations, as well as several specialty designs (see product list and spec sheets below in "Wireless Capable Models"). Some models, such as the lightweight W8, are US versions of thin and light consumer laptops sold in Japan under the Let's Note name. The Toughbook H1 is a 10.4 inch fully sealed and ruggedized touchscreen slate style tablet PC. Used in campus area environments that require light, durable, touchscreen equipment such as hospitals (drop and fluid resistant), restaurants (card swipe option, rugged), and EMS (lightweight, rugged, vehicle area computing). The Toughbook PDRC or Permanent Display Removable Computer is an extraordinarily bright 1250 nits, 12.1" Touchscreen. This unit permanently mounts, usually to a vehicle’s dashboard, and connects to a removable computer mounted elsewhere in the vehicle.
All laptop models have a full magnesium alloy case which is 20 times stronger than the ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastic commonly used in laptop construction. Many models have LCD panels designed specifically for visibility during daylight use. Other design elements include a shock-mounted hard drive and, on many models, a moisture and dust-resistant LCD, keyboard and touchpad. Available options include integrated mobile broadband (a particular strength for Panasonic),touchscreens, digitizers, and backlit keyboards.
Panasonic markets itself as one of the only remaining core manufacturers of laptop computers, meaning that Panasonic manufactures most of the major parts used in the laptop and assembles the laptop itself. This is opposed to the practice of outsourcing the parts and assembly to a third party manufacturer.
[edit] Use in EMS and fire services
Many Emergency Medical Services providers also use these books for patient-care reporting and computer aided dispatch.
[edit] Use in-vehicle
Many field forces deploy the Toughbook line with their fleet of vehicles. This requires the unit to be anchored to the vehicle for driver safety, device security, and user ergonomics. The Toughbook lines are rated for severe vibration associated with large service vehicles and off-road driving, and harsh environmental conditions of constant professional use such as in EMS, fire and public safety.
Other elements that enables the unit to function in vehicle:
- Operating Temperature: The Toughbooks ability to operate in temperature extremes from -20°F to +140°F (-29°C to +60°C) fully rugged models 18 and 29—based on independent study by SRI Group and by Panasonic R&D).
- Daylight, or sunlight readability: Many Toughbook computers have anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings applied to their screens and run at unusually high brightness levels. The Toughbook 30 notebook and Toughbook 19 tablet convertible , for example, run at 1,000 nits LCD brightness, and include a circular polarizer layer for superior sunlight viewability (see specification sheets listed below).
- Touchscreens: These enable users to easily interact with the units in the field without removing gloves, or being concerned about wet conditions.
[edit] Testing
On the Five TV program The Gadget Show, the Toughbook was tested on numerous levels, while being compared to a Toshiba of a similar specification, kept in a secure laptop bag. These tests included the laptops being used as tennis rackets, dunked in a water tank and being blown up by "the equivalent to two sticks of dynamite" and "20 litres of fuel". After the latter experiment the Toshiba was destroyed, but the Toughbook continued to work.[1]
In another test, conducted by Forbes Magazine, the Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 was subjected to 'normal' tough tests, such as being kicked, thrown around, and even used as a dartboard. The laptop still managed to turn on with no issues. During a visit to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, the Toughbook was subjected to the teeth and claws of a tiger, and even being stepped on by an elephant, after which the laptop still had no issues booting up.
To finish off the test in style, Forbes fired several .22 rounds at the laptop at close range, which still didn't kill the laptop. However, after a couple of .45 rounds, the laptop, finally, gave up.[2]
[edit] Wireless capable models
Ultra Mobile rugged UMPC: Comply with MIL-STD-810F ruggedness standard.
- Panasonic Toughbook U1: 5.6" UMPC with keyboard(Atom)
Fully rugged tablet: Comply with MIL-STD-810F ruggedness standard.
- Panasonic Toughbook H1: 10.4" MCA slate tablet (Atom)
- Panasonic Toughbook 19: 10.4" convertible tablet (Core 2 Duo)
- Panasonic Toughbook PDRC: 12.1" 1250 nit permanent vehicle touchscreen display
Fully rugged laptop : Comply with MIL-STD-810F ruggedness standard.
- Panasonic Toughbook 30: 13.3" 1000 nit fully sealed rugged laptop (Core Duo)
Business Rugged Toughbook laptops : Less than 4 lb (1.8 kg) laptops. Comply with MIL-STD-810 for 1 ft (300 mm) drop.
- Panasonic Toughbook F8: 14.1" 3.6 lb (1.6 kg), combo drive, 10 hour battery[3]
- Panasonic Toughbook R8: 10.4" 2.1 lb (0.95 kg), 8 hour battery[4]
- Panasonic Toughbook T8: 12" 2.5 lb (1.1 kg), touchscreen, 11 hour battery[5]
- Panasonic Toughbook W8: 12" 2.75 lb (1.25 kg), combo drive, 11 hour battery[6]
Semi-rugged Toughbook Laptops. Comply with MIL-STD-810 for 1 ft (300 mm) drop.
- Panasonic Toughbook 74: Semi-rugged, high performance wireless laptop
- Panasonic Toughbook 52: 15.4" widescreen, reliable, desktop alternative laptop
Mobile digital video system
- Panasonic Toughbook Arbitrator Rugged, Fully Integrated Mobile Digital Video System
Discontinued Products
- Panasonic has been building Toughbook products since 1998 and has made a number of improvements and model changes over the years. Here are some recently discontinued products, most of which have been replaced by newer, more advanced models.
- Panasonic Toughbook 18: 10.4" convertible tablet (Pentium M)
- Panasonic Toughbook 08: 10.4" portable wireless display (PXA270 ARM)
- Panasonic Toughbook 29: 13.3" fully sealed rugged laptop (Pentium M)
- Panasonic Toughbook 51: 15" desktop replacement laptop
[edit] References
- ^ http://gadgetshow.five.tv/jsp/5gsmain.jsp?lnk=401&featureid=233&show=s5e7§ion=Consumer
- ^ http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/23/toughbook-tiger-elephant-technology-personal-test.html
- ^ http://panasonic.jp/pc/products/f8g/index.html
- ^ http://panasonic.jp/pc/products/r8g/index.html
- ^ http://panasonic.jp/pc/products/t8g/index.html
- ^ http://panasonic.jp/pc/products/w8g/index.html
