Wireless

January 25, 2006
Panasonic ToughBook symbolises 'survival of the toughest'

NEW DELHI -- CNBC-TV 18 news channel recently rated Panasonic Systems' legendary ToughBook mobile computer "The Laptop of the Year 2005." The news channel conducted four exhaustive tests on the Panasonic ToughBook laptop, which included tests for dust resistance, water resistance, heat resistance and drop resistance. Panasonic ToughBook continued to boot and operate following each test. 'The Tech Show' program on CNBC, which covers the latest in technology, gizmos and gadgets, termed Panasonic ToughBook laptop as one that redefines the definition of road warrior symbolising survival of the toughest. During the trying tests at the show, Panasonic ToughBook earned the prestigious "The Tech Show - Tough Enough" stamp for itself.

According to Kelvin Yeo, assistant manager, IT products, Panasonic, said: "It is the indestructible engineering that goes in to make a technology marvel like that. We are elated that CNBC TV-18 has recognised a true winner in Panasonic ToughBook and rated it as numero uno in the laptop category. Team ToughBook is proud that it has been declared as one of the Top Gadgets of the Year 2005 and bestowed with the coveted 'Laptop of the Year' title."

ToughBooks are subjected to 26 sequential drops onto each face, edge and corner from a height of three feet on a two inch-thick plywood over a steel plate over concrete; one hour of vibration per axis simulating 1,000 miles of transportation; 15 minutes of water drip with the LCD open and unit operating; 95 percent humidity for ten days; exposure to silica dust, temperature extremes ranging from 60°C -28°C; thermal shocks ranging from 96°C to -51°C; atmospheric pressure of a military aircraft at 15,000 ft above the sea level; and the spark test for high fuel-air mix atmospheres. So, what makes the ToughBook tough? It begins with the product philosophy itself. All ToughBooks are designed ground up to handle extremes, unlike commercial laptops, which can only be tweaked to incorporate some rugged features.

Made as per the US military wartime specifications (MIL-certified), ToughBooks have earned a major share of the market worldwide in the rugged PC category, as per VDC Research. Bucking the trend of outsourcing, ToughBooks are the only laptop brand where all models are conceived, designed, manufactured and tested in-house. In fact, 84 percent of all the components that go into a ToughBook are manufactured by the parent company Matsushita itself. The net result is a thoroughbred that can handle the severest vagaries of nature and those man-made.

Vijay Sheth, CEO, Third Wave Exim, the sole national distributor for Panasonic ToughBook laptops in India, said: "According to Gartner Group, the annualised failure rate for other brands of mobile computers used outside is as high as 35 percent, while that for rugged ToughBooks is only three percent. Therefore, even though the initial acquisition costs for ruggedised ToughBooks is high, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is lower."

But, to call this laptop just tough would be simplifying the product. ToughBooks are amasingly light, almost 50 percent lighter than equivalent models from other brands. Inspite of light weight, they boast of battery life of up to over eight hours on a single battery. ToughBooks feature outdoor readable LCD screens making them suitable for outdoor use. This is done using a technology, which captures ambient light and uses it to increase the screen brightness. Even the paint on a ToughBook is scratch resistant. Lastly, ToughBooks can support up to 4 integrated wireless WAN technologies simultaneously. So, one can have CDMA/EVDO, GPRS/EDGE, GPS and Bluetooth all working inside the laptop. The laptop has a number of built in antennas for all kinds of wireless communication on the go.

Contact:
Panasonic
www.panasonic.com