Panasonic Toughpad A1 And B1 Rugged Tablets Join Android Army

Michael Kwan — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:46:32 +0000

When it comes to tough and tumble devices for use in the field, the Panasonic Toughbook series of laptops has always been the industry leader. They have tough tablets with Windows too, but now Panasonic is added a huge dash of ruggedness to the Android army with the introduction of the Panasonic Toughpad A1 and Toughpad B1.

The new new Toughpads will naturally bring the same kind of ruggedness you’ve come to expect from Panasonic tough products, so go ahead and use it in rain, sleet, mud, dust, sand, or whatever else. This includes operating temps between 14 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The core design is very much in like with Toughbooks too and they’ve even included a hand strap on the back to make them easier to hold.

The larger of the two is the Panasonic Toughpad A1. It gets a 10.1-inch display that work with a stylus. Power comes by way of Android 3.2 Honeycomb and a Marvell 1.2GHz dual core processor, along with 1GB of RAM, 16GB storage, microSD expansion, a “serviceable” battery, and the option of adding LTE or WiMAX. Security goes further with software encryption, dual-factor authenticatoin, and other “business-oriented safeguards.” They mention a Business AppPortal cloud-based storefront too.

The Panasonic Toughpad B1 looks to be much the same device, except with a 7-inch display in place of the 10-incher. We imagine the specs are going to be very similar, if not identical.

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Going super light with Panasonic Toughbook S9 laptop

Michael Kwan — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:06:08 +0000

When I hear the Panasonic Toughbook name I immediately think of those super rugged (and heavy) notebooks that police officers and other emergency personnel use out in the field. I don’t know if Panasonic wants to shed that image, but they’re certainly going smaller and lighter with the Toughbook S9.

This isn’t a briefcase-sized laptop. Instead, it’s a much smaller 12.1-inch notebook that tips the scales at a mere three pounds. That makes it the lightest laptop of its size with a built-in optical DVD drive. I like thin and light laptops as much as the next person, but Toughbook isn’t exactly the first name that comes to mind for that kind of thing. The lightweight chassis gets backed up with an Intel Core i5-520M processor, 2GB of RAM (that’s it?), and a shock-mounted 320GB hard drive. Despite being a lot lighter, the Toughbook S9 can still withstand a 2.5-foot drop and 220 pounds of pressure on its lid. The spill-resistant keyboard helps too.

Thanks largely to its added toughness, the S9 also comes with a price that’s a little tough to swallow: $2,499.

PANASONIC INTRODUCES THE TOUGHBOOK® S9 – WORLD’S LIGHTEST 12.1″ LAPTOP WITH DVD DRIVE

Ideal Road Warrior Device Features Intel® Core™ i5 Processor, 11 Hour Standard Battery and 30″ Drop Rating in 3lb Package

Secaucus, NJ, September 28, 2010 – Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today introduced the Panasonic Toughbook® S9, the world’s lightest 12.1″ laptop with an integrated DVD drive. Powered by the Intel® Core™ i5-520M vPro™ processor, delivering up to 11 hours of battery life with a standard battery and weighing only 3.0 pounds, the Toughbook S9 offers high performance in a lightweight and highly mobile form factor that is ideal for road warriors and mobile workers in a variety of markets. The new notebook offers exceptional durability, optional Gobi2000™ mobile broadband and a host of other features designed to maximize return on investment and reduce the total cost of ownership.

Real World Durability
In order to withstand the demands of a highly mobile work environment, the Toughbook S9 has been designed to endure drops, bumps and spills. The notebook is engineered to survive a 30″ (just over the typical height of a desk or table) drop to the base of the unit while operating. Despite its widescreen LED display, the Toughbook S9 successfully survives drops of 12″ from any angle using the MIL-STD-810G drop procedure. The unique Panasonic spill-resistant keyboard design protects against liquid spills of up to 6 ounces (200 cc), and both the lid and base of the notebook are designed to withstand more than 220 lbs (100 kg) of pressure. In addition, Panasonic’s commitment to quality-at both the component and finished goods level-results in a total of more than 500 quality checks and tests during and after production.

Embedded Wireless Connectivity
The Toughbook® S9 offers a variety of embedded wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth® 2.1 and optional Gobi2000™ mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm. Gobi simplifies complex multi-carrier wireless deployments for IT departments and allows mobile employees improved connectivity options while traveling at home or abroad. The Toughbook S9 will be certified on the Sprint and Verizon Wireless networks, allowing workers to stay connected at all times.

Security Options Vital for Mission-Critical Computing
The Panasonic Toughbook S9 notebook provides significant data security features including trusted platform module (TPM) security chip version 1.2, the Computrace theft protection agent in the BIOS, Intel Anti-Theft technology, a cable lock slot, password security and an optional fingerprint reader.

“Increased workforce mobility can improve efficiency and drive profit as long as the mobile device on which your business depends does not become a burden to your IT department,” said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. “The only way to ensure you maximize your mobile computer investment is to purchase a device with proven reliability. The Toughbook brand has an average annual failure rate in the low single digits, while most commercial-grade laptops have double digit failure rates. Not only will the new Toughbook S9 provide exceptional reliability, it will also deliver the light weight, long battery life, connectivity and performance needed to satisfy the most demanding mobile users.”

Panasonic Toughbook® S9: Select Features and Specifications
• Genuine Windows 7® (with XP downgrade option)
• Intel® Core™ i5-520M vPro™ Processor (2.4 GHz)
o Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz
o 3MB Intel Smart Cache
• 320GB shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive
• 2GB RAM (DDR3), expandable to 6GB
• 12.1″ widescreen WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD display with LED backlighting
• Anti-glare screen treatment
• Up to 11 hours of battery life with standard battery (MobileMark)
• 3.0 lbs
• DVD super multi-drive
• HDMI and VGA video outputs
• Business-rugged
o 30″ operating drop (to base only)
o 26 sides 12″ drop (non-operating)
o 220 lb compression-resistant
o Magnesium alloy case
o Spill-resistant keyboard/touchpad (protects against 6 ounces spills)
• Embedded Connectivity
o Optional integrated WWAN / Gobi2000™ mobile broadband (EV-DO and HSPA)
o Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 802.11a/b/g/n
o Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR (class 2)
o Gigabit Ethernet
• Optional Integrated Security Features:
o Fingerprint reader
• 11.1″ (H) x 8.3″ (W) x 0.9-1.5″ (D)

Pricing and Availability
The Panasonic Toughbook® S9 is available in the United States at an estimated street price of $2,499 from authorized Panasonic resellers and distributors.

The Toughbook S9 includes a standard three-year limited warranty.

Toughbook S9 Images & Video
A video overview of the Toughbook S9 can be found on the Toughbook brand’s YouTube channel; images of the Toughbook S9 can be found on the brand’s Flickr page, and a post discussing the importance of engineering laptops for a mobile workforce can be found on the brand’s blog – Toughbloggers.com.

Follow the Toughbook Brand
The Panasonic Toughbook brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com.

For more information on the Toughbook S9 and other Toughbook mobile computers, go to www.toughbook.com.

About Panasonic Solutions Company
Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company’s portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook® mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).

All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic Solutions Company’s full line of products can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions.

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Survive anything with Panasonic Toughbook H1 Field tablet

Michael Kwan — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:25:27 +0000

It’s clear that Steve Jobs and the rest of the team in Cupertino have opened up an incredible floodgate with the announcement of the Apple iPad. We’re going to see a lot of new entries in the tablet/e-reader department in the months to come, but very few will be able to be quite as rugged as the new Panasonic Toughbook H1 Field. It ain’t slim, it ain’t sleek, but it’s tough as nails.

Following the same kind of “I’ll survive anything” design scheme that we’ve seen from Panasonic Toughbook laptop computers, the Toughbook H1 Field is a tablet that’s designed for maintenance workers, law enforcement officers, field sales personnel and tough bloggers.

Featuring a magnesium alloy chassis, the Toughbook H1 will resist rain, spills, dust, vibrations, drops, and extreme temperatures ranging from 4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Unfortunately, it looks more like a bland, grown-up’s version of the Speak & Spell, don’t you think? But much better than the UMPC ToughBook variant we saw two years ago.

Beyond the rugged exterior and 10.4-inch resistive touchscreen (that is sunlight readable), you’ll find an Intel Atom 1.8GHz processor, swappable battery, RFID reader, barcode scanner, camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a 64GB SSD. It comes loaded with Windows 7, but you can opt for Vista or XP instead if you prefer, no Android hacks yet.

Tipping the scales at 3.4 pounds, the Toughbook H1 will weigh heavily on your wallet too at $3,379 and up.

Panasonic ToughBook H1 Field Tablet Image Gallery

The post Survive anything with Panasonic Toughbook H1 Field tablet appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Mobile Magazine » toughbook

Panasonic Toughpad A1 And B1 Rugged Tablets Join Android Army

Going super light with Panasonic Toughbook S9 laptop

Survive anything with Panasonic Toughbook H1 Field tablet