A genuinely rugged 'pad' computer like ipad, etc.

We've had touch-screen TOughbooks for ages now, but so far I haven't seen any entry by Panasonic into the ipad-style market with a 'Toughpad' type device. Anyone else wondering when that may happen?

I very much like my CF18 as it fits in my workbag whereas a CF29 won't (I carry a small pelican case with a digital camera also) but if there was a device with a display the same size as a CF18 (which in fact is what most of the pad-devices have now), but not as a traditional notebook PC format, it might be a really good product and give the Toughbook line an entry into a new market sector.

Craig.

 

Closest thing that I have seen is the H and U Series so far.

 

I suppose one of the main challenges is how to make a 'fully rugged' pad-type computer which doesn't have a completely-enclosable magnesium casing like the 28/29/30 line. My 18 is nowhere near as rugged as a 29 and I'd be tempted to work out a way to pack a 29 instead of an 18 in my workbag since it would need no case.

Since I changed jobs in late 2010 and haven't been doing the 5-day trips between Adelaide and Darwin and back, I'm using the CF18 bare in my workbag and not using the Pelican 1500 case I took it in before. Now I just do single shifts, with the very occasional overnight stay somewhere.

Craig.

 

What about this?

Panasonic Toughpad Android Tablet - Best Rugged Android Tablet

Here's the comparison chart:

http://tpgweb2.net/panasonic/toughpad/Toughpad_ConsumerCompetitiveChart.pdf

 

Ah thanks that's sort of what I was hoping might exist and it does! Never seen one so I guess if any are on Oz they're rare and probably right up there at the high-end still. Might try to get a demo of one through a dealer if I can relate it to work. The Toughpad A1 is exactly what I was thinking about when I was considering a 'pad' style of CF18/19 sized toughbook. Now to try and find costs.

Righto looks like when they are finally for sale here, pricing will be around the A$1200 mark initially.

Craig.

 

The A1 isn't quite released yet (at least in Europe, I think not in the US either quite yet). So I doubt you'll be able to get one in down under quite yet.

 

$A1200 cheap for such a rugged Tablet. Twice the price for an Ipad, and 15 times the durability....

 

Yes, there has been delays in the A1 coming out. I believe the releasehas been pushed back to early March.

 

6x price of Kindle Fire
And it's not so easy to destroy non-rugged tablet.
I think real market price for Toughpad is USD 600-800 max
Android is not the OS for important work - it's strange, but Windows works much more stable )

P.S. It's incorrect to compare any tablet with Ipad. Ipad is not hardware, it's "must have toy" for maaaany people

 

Hm, had an ipad, sold it. Wasn't my cup of tea, to fragile. But that's why I got a CF-19, I guess.
Toughpas 600-800 is a bit cheap I think, if you compare a Macbook Air or Macbook Pro 13" to a CF-19, it's about two to four times as expensive.
(Macbook air starting at 1000 and a pro 13"ending around 2000, CF-19 sits around 4000).
So compared with the ipad the toughpad should be around 1500-2000.
1200 is a lot of money for a tablet, too much for my uses, where a keyboard is still needed.

 

Anyone got the specs for the rugged Tablet??

 

Check this out.

 

link did not work with firefox, what is the link?

 

I don't think it's firefox, I get a 404 error.

 

It works fine for me.

This is where the link is going

Panasonic Tablet Technical Specification - Panasonic Toughpad Specs

 

Seems that the US military likes the toughpad, so that more or guarantees it's full commercialisation into both a consumer and military product now that the initial versions are announced and apparently in production.

I am keen to get to see one and probably buy one as it'll be spot-on what I need to take the place of my CF18 as a computer suitable for my freight train driving work environment.

And best of all, there will be no Crapple-ness.

Craig.

 

Sorry about that.

Thanks Peewee for posting the correct link however, yours doesn't seem to work either.

This is the link: http://www.panasonic.com/business/toughpad/US/best-android-rugged-tablet-overview.asp

 

Hot linking must not work. I am still showing the 404 error, but going down the list and going to it manually from the start of the Panasonic site works.


It works if you cut and paste it in your browser, but right click and open in new tab won't work for firefox??? Go figure.

 

Basically, go to TOUGHBOOK.COM | Panasonic and on the bottom right side of the page, it shows the ToughPads. Click on them to "learn more".

 

to anyone who wants to know how to know about what we know, find and like panasonic toughbook (or whatever) on facebook.

they post current info and "important" stuff there.

 

For some reason NBR adds ( h t tp://shop.panasonic.com/ ) to the link. They have been doing this for sometime now that is why we have so many dead links now. Check your address the next time this happens .