Laptops Arena

The mobile field worker needs a durable handheld with wireless connectivity and powerful processing. Panasonic Toughbook U1 ultra-mobile PC seems to meet these requirements, being powered by the Intel Atom processor technology.

"Panasonic has always been at the forefront of making mobile computing technologies work for users in all conditions," said Rance M. Poehler, president, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company. "We were the first to deliver rugged notebooks in a standard form factor, the first to create a rugged convertible tablet and we have made incredible leaps in mission-critical business computing with our innovations in semi-rugged desktop replacement and sub-notebook technologies. The ultra mobile rugged U1 is another example of how we take advances in mobile technology and make them reliable advances--with new product categories designed for users on the frontiers of mobility where value is truly driven for organizations."



The Intel Atom is recognized as one of the world’s smallest chip measuring almost 25 mm, with the lowest power consumption and packing 47 million transistors. It is one of the most powerful processing chips available and is designed for small devices requiring increased system responsiveness and longer battery life.
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"Panasonic builds the new Toughbook CF-U1, but our customers designed it," said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company. "The form and functionality is a direct result of more than two years of feedback we solicited from an array of government and commercial organizations seeking to address the needs of a broad range of mobile users. We've responded with a highly portable and durable device that offers integrated features such as an LCD touchscreen, solid state drive as well as an optional fingerprint scanner for user authentication. Data capture is enabled using 1D and 2D barcode and RFID readers and a 2-megapixel digital camera. The Toughbook CF-U1 offers full-shift battery life, a sunlight viewable screen and seamless connectivity with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G-mobile-broadband internet connectivity, all within an extremely rugged package for maximum reliability."

Pansonic Toughbook U1 can be used in extreme working environments such as construction sites, mining operations, oil and gas refineries, manufacturing facilities, railroad yards, city streets and storage warehouses. It is a great handheld computing unit for insurance adjusters, building inspectors, police officers and firefighters.

"The Intel Atom processor delivers high performance at dramatically low power while maintaining PC compatibility and enabling the best internet experience in small devices," said Anand Chandrasekher, Intel senior vice president and general manager of the company's Ultra Mobility Group. "Intel's low power technologies, combined with Panasonic's longstanding leadership in rugged PCs, are making it possible for mobile field workers to be more productive while reducing TCO for the IT manager."

The ultra-mobile PC runs on Windows Vista or Windows XP operating systems, which provide a friendly user interface, while being designed with an ergonomic QWERTY keyboard with backlight for easy typing in dark environments, the 5.6-inch Panasonic LCD 1024 x 600 pixel display with increased sunlight readability, LED backlight and anti-reflective coating, no fan to eliminate noise, hot-swappable batteries so the user won’t have to stop the operations when replacing the discharged battery, and a durable magnesium alloy chassis with protection against bumps and drops from 4 feet high.

"The entrance of the largest rugged notebook manufacturer onto the UMPC market is a key validation of the UMPC for enterprise applications," said Venture Development Corporation analyst David Krebs. "VDC's research validates that UMPCs will receive strong consideration for enterprise applications that require a balance of device portability and application richness and functionality that an x86 device with a full OS provides."



Specifications include optional 3G mobile broadband, Wi-Fi module, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, optional GPS module, 1.33GHz processing speeds, up to 32GB removable Solid State Drive storage, 1GB memory, USB, SD card, microphone, headphone jack, expansion bus, optional built-in camera, optional fingerprint reader, optional bar code scanner, and 9 hours of battery life.

It’s a powerful handheld device measuring just 2.2 x 7.2 x 5.9 inches at 2.3 lbs with both batteries, and will be available in August. Panasonic Toughbook price starts at $2,500.

Panasonic announced that its Toughbook 30 won the 2008 North American Mobility Award Recipient for Rugged Notebook Computers after the decision of Frost & Sullivan's Mobility Awards Committee.

Panasonic Toughbook 30 notebook has a magnesium alloy housing, a 13.3-inch XGA LCD display of 1000 nit brightness resistant at moist and dust, shock-mounted hard drive, sealed port and connector covers, and features high-speed wireless broadband connectivity.
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Its key hardware components include an Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 processor at 1.6GHz, 1GB SDRAM memory, 80GB HDD, Intel GM965 video controller, high-definition audio, front-facing speaker, optional optical drive, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, modem, Ethernet, port replicator, and a Li-Ion battery for up to seven hours of working time.



"Mission-critical workers in military, government, public safety and commercial applications often are placed in extreme environments that require a high level of durability and connectivity to achieve the productivity their organizations demand," declared Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company. "Creating a rugged laptop that reliably meets these demands while still delivering a high-performance computing experience takes an enormous investment in research, development, engineering, testing and customer input. Having Panasonic's 15 year history of manufacturing robust mobile computers recognized by Frost & Sullivan as a higher standard is extremely gratifying."

Finally, Panasonic has started shipping samples of its latest Blu-ray Discs drives to notebook manufacturers.
The 9.5mm disk drives are the world’s thinnest Blu-rays and are combining Panasonic technologies including the low-profile, 2-lens actuator and spherical aberration compensation mechanism, and an optimized optical design for CD, DVD and Blu-ray disc laser.

The trends showed that people need high definition digital images and thinner/lighter laptops, and so Panasonic continues to come out with the most innovative disc drives to be with a step in front of others.
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It is the thinnest Blu-ray disk drive in the world but it features double speed reading and writing for write-once, rewritable discs, and dual layer models, because it uses advanced technologies such as high-speed recording waveform, improved light usage efficiency, and broader bandwidth of the light-receiving element.

Next year, on January 7, Panasonic will expose the samples at CES 2008 in Las Vegas.

Panasonic releases the three lightest-weight notebooks in the world, included in the Toughbook series.
Toughbook W7, Toughbook T7 and Toughbook Y7 are also included in the business-rugged category described as the “smart choice for busy professionals”.
With a magnesium allow housing, Wide Area Wireless-ready capabilities and up to 10 hours of battery life, the three models become the most useful devices for busy business men that travel a lot and need a secure and reliable notebook companion.




The Toughbook W7 runs on an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500 processor with 1.06 GHz, has a memory of 1 GB DDR2, expandable to 2 GB, a shock-mounted HDD storage of 80GB, a DVD Super Multi optical drive, wireless LAN (Wi-Fi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g), and the Windows Vista Business operating system that can be downgraded to XP.


The display measures 12.1 inches and is a TFT active matrix color LCD with anti-glare and resolution of 1024x768. The W7 is also equipped with TPM Security Chip v1.2, an optional Mini Dock Box Replicator, and for connectivity it supports WWAN, WLAN, and Bluetooth technologies. Another optional feature is the integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA).
The model weights just 3.0 lbs and has a battery life of up to 7 hours.



Next comes the Toughbook T7 which has the same screen size as the W7, and the differences consist in the integration of the Display Image Rotation software, an ergonomic hand strap shown in the picture, a battery life of up to 9 hours and the weight, which here is of 3.3 lbs.
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The Toughbook Y7 has another type of processor, an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor L7500 with 1.6 GHz, and a larger display of 14.1 inches TFT active matrix color LCD type with anti-glare and a resolution of 1400x1050 pixels. The battery life here is of up to 5 hours and the notebook’s weight is of 3.7 lbs.



Al three models are relatively-expensive.
The ultraportable mobile broadband-ready Panasonic Toughbook W7 and the tablet-alternative, T7, designed with input from “walking workers” such as nurses and home care professionals, can be found at a price of about $2,099 in December.
The world’s lightest laptop, Toughbook Y7, is already available at a price of $2,449.

The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up Panasonic’s new Toughbook CF-W5 will likely be its matte-silver finish, super-light weight, and pop-up optical drive. You won’t, however, need to pay much attention to the battery meter, since this system lasts a staggering eight hours on a charge.

Throw in a durable design and an optional Verizon Wireless EV-DO card for anytime, anywhere connectivity and you have a pricey but highly recommended ultraportable.

Without the mobile broadband option, the Panasonic CF-W5 sports a lower base price tag of $1,899 but is a little heavier at 3.1 pounds versus 2.8 pounds. That’s because the wireless WAN antenna is built right into the lid. With a thickness of 1.8 inches, the Toughbook CF-W5 has a higher profile than most other ultraportables.

This extra girth is put to good use, however, providing super-rigid support for the W5’s 12.1-inch display. Other business-rugged features include a full magnesium-alloy case designed to withstand a one-foot drop and a shock-mounted hard drive that’s rated for a fall of 30 inches.

Via laptopmag.