Toughbook
Encyclopedia
Toughbook is a trademarked brand name owned by Panasonic Corporation and refers to its line of rugged computer
s. The Toughbook is designed to withstand vibration, drops, spills, extreme temperature, and other rough handling.
While originally marketed to military, law enforcement and heavy industrial
users, Panasonic has expanded marketing towards a wider audience in recent years.
Several independent tests have been conducted to determine the resistance of Toughbooks to external forces. Toughbooks have also inadvertently served as bulletproof vests.
All Toughbook models have a magnesium
alloy case. Many current models have liquid crystal display
(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
.
Panasonic markets the Toughbook series in several configurations ranging from business and "semi-rugged" to "fully rugged" in both laptop and tablet personal computer
configurations, and in several specialty designs with numerous customizable add-on features.
Panasonic's fully rugged and some semi-rugged laptops have no cooling fan and instead dissipate heat "evenly" through the chassis. Having no fan ensures a better seal against dust and moisture. Further, a lack of a cooling fan can lead to longer battery life, quieter operation, and fewer moving parts. However, this means Panasonic must design additional proprietary solutions at additional costs. To reduce heat and power consumption, many laptops come with lower voltage Intel processors and have numerous automatic power management functions.
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 PDRC (Permanent Display Removable Computer) has 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.
Besides laptops, the Toughbook branded range includes the CF-P1 (PDA
) and the CF-P2 (GSM mobile telephone).
Rugged computer
A rugged computer is a computer specifically designed to reliably operate in harsh usage environments and conditions, such as strong vibrations, extreme temperatures and wet or dusty conditions...
s. The Toughbook is designed to withstand vibration, drops, spills, extreme temperature, and other rough handling.
While originally marketed to military, law enforcement and heavy industrial
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...
users, Panasonic has expanded marketing towards a wider audience in recent years.
Testing
According to Panasonic, over 500 tests and quality checks are performed during production and all units are subjected to a factory burn-in period.Several independent tests have been conducted to determine the resistance of Toughbooks to external forces. Toughbooks have also inadvertently served as bulletproof vests.
Design
Magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and common oxidation number +2. It is an alkaline earth metal and the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust and ninth in the known universe as a whole...
alloy case. Many current models have liquid crystal display
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
(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
Computer keyboard
In computing, a keyboard is a typewriter-style keyboard, which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys, to act as mechanical levers or electronic switches...
and touchpad
Touchpad
A touchpad is a pointing device featuring a tactile sensor, a specialized surface that can translate the motion and position of a user's fingers to a relative position on screen. Touch pads are a common feature of laptop computers, and they are also used as a substitute for a mouse where desk...
.
Panasonic markets the Toughbook series in several configurations ranging from business and "semi-rugged" to "fully rugged" in both laptop and tablet personal computer
Tablet computer
A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen...
configurations, and in several specialty designs with numerous customizable add-on features.
Panasonic's fully rugged and some semi-rugged laptops have no cooling fan and instead dissipate heat "evenly" through the chassis. Having no fan ensures a better seal against dust and moisture. Further, a lack of a cooling fan can lead to longer battery life, quieter operation, and fewer moving parts. However, this means Panasonic must design additional proprietary solutions at additional costs. To reduce heat and power consumption, many laptops come with lower voltage Intel processors and have numerous automatic power management functions.
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 PDRC (Permanent Display Removable Computer) has 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.
Besides laptops, the Toughbook branded range includes the CF-P1 (PDA
PDA
A PDA is most commonly a Personal digital assistant, also known as a Personal data assistant, a mobile electronic device.PDA may also refer to:In science, medicine and technology:...
) and the CF-P2 (GSM mobile telephone).