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Panasonic’s Toughbook line of laptops and tablet computers has been made to stand up to the most extreme of environments and rough treatment. These systems are built to deal with temperature extremes, rough handling, spills, drops, vibration, dust, moisture, and many other problems that might incapacitate an ordinary laptop computer.
They were originally designed for use by law enforcement specialists, industrial users and the military, but recent years have seen the Toughbook spreading into other markets. Toughbooks have an annual repair rate averaging only about three percent, with fully rugged types averaging one and a half percent. That means they’re quite reliable in just about any situation, including ones where ordinary laptop computers fail frequently.
Toughbooks are sold exclusively through Panasonic’s dealer network in the Western Hemisphere and in European markets. Most sales are to organizations, and it’s hard to find one in a retail setting. Purchasing a Toughbook for personal use may be difficult, since these computers are not traditionally used in this way.
Toughbooks are used by all kinds of organizations, including utility companies and in law enforcement patrol vehicles. Their ability to connect to the Internet almost anywhere (via conventional wireless, satellite or embedded cellular) makes them incredibly useful. Toughbooks were among the first computers to use wireless capabilities, and they continue to offer some of the best options around.
The Toughbook is marketed in a number of different configurations, from the business variety through semi rugged and full rugged models meant to deal with more stresses. Laptop and tablet styles are available, as well as some specialty devices made for particular uses, and Toughbooks have been used in emergency medical services and many other specialty situations.
Toughbooks are all enclosed in magnesium alloy cases, which are about twenty times stronger than conventional laptop computer plastic. They use LCD panels designed to stay readable even in bad lighting conditions, and keyboards, cases and screens are usually sealed against dust and moisture. Shock mounted hard drives and extra durable components are also common.
Many Toughbooks also come with digitizers, backlit keyboards and touch screens as well. They have been designed to withstand some of the harshest environments and worst treatment a computer can be subjected to.
Panasonic is also one of the few remaining laptop manufacturers that’s still making most of its own parts and doing its own assembly. These are called core manufacturers, and they’re pretty rare, since most laptop makers outsource parts and production, too. That means that production standards and quality control are a lot lower – Toughbooks and other rugged computers have to be reliable, so they can’t be made this way.
For anyone whose job requires a lot of exposure to environmental hazards, as well as quick and ready access to a reliable computer, the Toughbook is the answer. Panasonic remains a leader in the market for these rugged laptop and tablet computers, and if you’re used one, it’s really no surprise. Your organization should take a look at the Toughbooks on the market to see if they’re right for your work.
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