Omg!!!! I Bought A Cf-31!!!!!

It's BEYOND LOADED TOO!!!!

Laptop Computer - Panasonic Professional | eBay

CF-31ATNAA1M

Gobi (for my Sprint)
i5 - 2.53GHz
ATI Discrete Graphics

No emmisive keyboard or GPS, but I'll transfer my Emmisive keyboard over and I can live without the GPS for now

 

That a boy. How much for the broken lid special?

Hey Rob...did you have touchscreen trouble a while back? My 30 is on again off again. Either completely one or the other. It quit when the weather warmed up. I haven't messed with the insides yet.

What did you do?

Congratulations.

Jeff

 

"No Drive"

Gotta DVD Multi Drive lined up yet?

 

Congratulations!

 

SON OF A BIOTCH!!!! I get this email from him!:

Hello Buddy,

Im sorry to write to you that there was a mistake on my part. I am very sorry, but the computer oversold and I do not currently have one to send out to you. I will keep you informed in future availability. Please do not send payment. Again I am very very very sorry and I truley will do my best to get another one at a better price for you. I will be in touch.

DAMNIT!

 

Well he did use 3 verys. And a better price would be o.k. But the let-down is a bummer.

Sorry man.

Jeff.......leaving out the four letter words. Ummm.....he called you Buddy? Whew.

 

THAT SUCKS!!!!!
How in the hell do you NOT know if you have a unit to sell???

 

Sorry to hear that! These systems have been tougher then hens teeth to find - especially in a configuration you want.

I had to wait so long for mine that there was a chance it would have been obsolete by the time I got it.

Good luck finding and getting what you're looking for.

 

You was "Robbed"!
CAP

 

LOL!

But in all seriousness I'm working out a deal with Ray from Rugged Depot on potentially the same type of unit, but his doesn't come with GOBI for my Sprint. However, I think I can get the GOBI card for this CF-31 for $170 from buy.com

He's willing to give me a CF-31AWNEX1M model for $2500. That has a GPS too, which works out better than the other deal on eBay anyways!

 

Welcome to the fan club

 

Hey Rob!

When you get it, lets see a video of you pouring a cup of mud through the fan like that one video...

mnem
*I'll have more time for such things once I get the AC fixed in my car*

 

GOOD NEWS GUYS!! That guy came through!!! I AM GETTING ONE! I paid him today.

Ray from Rugged Depot wouldn't come down to the price I needed it for.

I'll post many many pics ASAP!

 

He has more available at $100 more ($2600)...

It's the deal of a lifetime if you ask me!!!!!!!

Laptop Computer - Panasonic Professional - eBay (item 130504247398 end time Apr-05-11 08:35:07 PDT)

 

Let's hope they're not stolen.

 

Wishing you luck Rob. Not sure how he's going to get a "new in original packing" CF-31 into a medium flat rate box, and he has only one feedback as a seller, books. I hope you used a credit card.
CAP

 

We used a credit card... waddya think I am? Stupid? lol

 

This is better than the W8 deal if it works out. Good luck!

 

Congrats!! Great deal!! I wish I could afford one too. I am very impressed with my W8, and I think some day maybe I'll get a fully rugged used ToughBook and fix it up myself.

Come to think of it, it might be cheaper to make payments on a new one (at this price) than to refurbish with proper parts. What do you experts say?

 

As far as I am concern, buying a toughbook with complete option specially those used one is boring if you have skill and capable of doing some upgrade by yourself. It is more exciting when you start tearing it apart and then a little bit of hair pulling on you head on how to incorporate the option you wanted. Then at the end you have an excess screws on you side or a piece hardware that you'll never know where it came from, Lol.


ohlip

 

This guy is just pissing me off! It fell through AGAIN! I paid him and then he refunded all my money and said he didn't have any to give me A-G-A-I-N!!!

He's NOT a dishonest guy otherwise he woulda taken the money and ran... And he DIDN'T...

EHHHH!!!! Anyways, I called Ray back tonight around 8:15PM (I felt bad for bothering him on his cell phone, but business is business!) He agreed to do the original $2500 on the CF-31AWNEX1M model with 2nd day shipping (so I will get it by Friday), which HAS the GPS on it but NO GOBI... I will buy THIS: NEW GOBI2000 FIELD UPG F/CF-31MK1 ACCS 31GOBI2000FU - eBay (item 380328870698 end time Apr-30-11 14:02:39 PDT) from buy.com to get my Sprint card going, ONLY AFTER I confirm that my MC5725 Sprint card won't work in my CF-31.

I'm excited AGAIN! lol

 

Here is some Gobi stuff FWIW:

GOBI 1000 spex: http://www.gobianywhere.com/sites/default/files/gobi1000_overview.pdf
GOBI 2000 spex: http://www.gobianywhere.com/sites/default/files/gobi2000_overview.pdf

Here is the link of the CF-31 GOBI card (it is a GOBI 2000 card): NEW GOBI2000 FIELD UPG F/CF-31MK1 ACCS 31GOBI2000FU - eBay (item 380328870698 end time Apr-30-11 14:02:39 PDT)

Only difference is the HSDPA/HSUPA 800MHz and the 900MHz, which I won’t use anyways lol

The GPS looks to be improved quite a bit on the 2000 vs the 1000, which ALSO doesn’t matter because my new CF-31 has GPS built in anyways…

 

Here we are guys! I was like a kid in a candy store when I saw the box come in this morning from the Fedex guy!!

Pic link attached! This thing is a friggin tank! It's LIGHTER and THICKER than the CF-30!

w00t w00t!

Index of ./Robs New CF-31/

 

Methinks maybe we should let Rob have some "Getting to know you" time with his new ToughBook... hope he puts a sock on it.

mnem
I am NOT cleaning that up.

 

NOW I know why you are not responding to PM's. Nothing important. Enjoy.

Jeff

 

More pics updated here: Index of ./Robs New CF-31/

A few things I've noted:

1) The CF-30 and CF-31 HDD caddys are EXACTLY the same
2) The Emmisive backlit keyboard would NOT fit until I ground down the back portion of the F11 key where the plastic sticks up because the top plastic cover thingy (which now has 3 screws instead of 4) wouldn't fit, so I had to whittle it down flush (not ugly, just dandy)
3) The MC5725 Sierra Wireless card would NOT work at all in this thing so I will be buying the GOBI 2000 card from Heartland for $135
4) I've included an under the keyboard shot so you can see that the cover is WAY TINY (like the CF-19 one), and that ALL that is under the cover is the keyboard connectors
5) I've included an under the memory cover shot so you can see that that is where the RAM AND the GOBI card goes. (The SIM card slot is under the HDMI rubber)
6) The rubbers on the side aren't rubber AT ALL. In fact they are ONLY plastic and all the rubber/seals are behind it and it is ONE HUGE SHEET OF RUBBER
7) The plastic covers lock down similar to how the hard drive bay cover works (which is the same as the CF-30 as well)
8) Despite what I thought in regards to "switchable graphics" mode in the BIOS, I can't figure out for the life of me how to switch it within Windows. There is a utility within the Program Files folder but it's a single exe and it doesn't do squat... WHAT GIVES??!?!
9) Last but not least, there is a shot of my standing on my new CF-31 - cuz, you know... I have too...

 

On my Alienware, You use a Fn key to change within windows
BTW
I don't see the bumpout for the gps antena, or a wwan pull up antenna in your pics
Could you update the pics to show these
And do you need a special optical drive, or will the cf-30's work

Your specs


Model Number:
CF-31AWNEX1M Status:
CURRENT MSRP:
$5,329

Description: Windows 7 Professional, Intel Core i5‑540M 2.53GHz, 13.1" XGA Touchscreen LCD, 250GB Shock‑mounted HDD, 2GB, ATI Discrete Graphics, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, GPS Receiver, Single Pass (WWAN), TPM 1.2, Backlit Rubber Keyboard, Toughbook Preferred

 

You switch the graphics from an icon in the system tray in 7. In XP it's Bios only. Make sure switchable is allowed in bios.

 

Quick question guys!

I can get a GOBI 2000 modem from Heartland for $135, or there is THIS one: Panasonic Toughbook CF-29 CF-30 GOBI WWAN Sled Mobile | eBay Will that work in my CF-31?

Thanks

 

Another "quick question": does a sled for a CF-29 (probably Mk4/Mk5) actually fit a CF-30 and/or CF-31???

 

Yes, it will fit a CF-30. Will it work? Not sure.

No, it will not fit a CF-31. The fan is in the space where the sled fits.

 

I wouldn't use the sled silly! Just the minipci-xpress card! (The CF-31 doesn't do the stupid sled thing any more (THANK GOD)) - there is a slot under the RAM cover on the bottom for it to go.

Thanks

 

The CF-31 has already incorporated the WWAN into the unit. Based on the info and pictures that Rob provided. The BT, WWAN and gps option is at the buttom with an access to one of slot.

It would be nice to have an extra complete LCD panel for cf-31 to try on the cf-30. It make the WWAN, GPS, wi-fi and camera will be fiited at the top, to the two long plactic covering, Lol


To Rob, Rob! the keyboard strip that you installed is for rubber backlit while for standard and emmissive is different just like on the cf-30 but as you said it has only three screws. You may ask the seller if they do have for an standard/emmissive keyboard strip.

ohlip

 

I already cut the keyboard to make it fit! It's fine anyways because this is the original keyboard I had from April of 2005 with my CF-29

I will NEVER let this keyboard go! - going on 3 generations here

 

Here is a little more bits from my CF-31:

1) The screen on this thing absolutely BLOWS THE CF-30 SCREEN OUT OF THE WATER! It's like comparing a stock Neon to a stock Viper in a race! WOW! As we sit right now, I'm on my balcony and the sun is shining directly at the screen and I can see it clear as day! ABSOLUTELY GREAT!
2) 11 hours of battery life my @$$! I can't get more than 5 hours if someone held a gun to my head... and that is with the brightness at 35% and in power saving video (of course).
3) My CF-30 used to get 6 hours EASY at 50% brightness (IE, one notch down from full blast).
4) Personally I don't mind having less battery life for the added performance!
5) In dedicated video mode it has 512MB of vid memory. It runs Command and Conquer 4 and Starcraft 2 at HIGH graphics setting with ease (but NOT ultra). I don't play games any more but I still do own a few games. I'm VERY IMPRESSED at the video performance of this tank!
6) It's NOTICEABLY lighter than the CF-30 and NOTICEABLY THICKER. The CF-30 weighs in at 9lb 4 oz and my CF-31 weighs in at 8 lbs 2 oz. So about 1 pound lighter!
7) Turning the brightness up to full blast on power saving video gives about 2.5 hours battery life TOPS! And when you switch it to dedicated video it reduces it to a measly 2 hours! GAH! TERRIBLE!

All in all, I'm VERY happy with my purchase (and of course because I got a STEAL DEAL). I checked with Ray from Rugged Depot and he does NOT have any more like this otherwise I'd buy one more for my buddy (He has a CF-30 ATM).

Thanks

 

Any idea if THIS will work on my CF-31? QUALCOMM UNDP-1 GOBI PCI-E 3G GSM MOBILE BROADBAND CARD | eBay

~Rob - Being the cheap @$$ he is, not wanting to spend $135 for a GOBI card~

 

I get a LOT better life out of my battery. After a few more cycles yours might perk up.

Edit:

Rob, does your fan run much with the intel graphics selected? Mine rarely does. If you are cranking the CPU up it might explain the battery life differential.

 

Looks like Rob's next purchase (After the Gobi card) is gonna be a MP Bay battery...

Ahhh, well... it's only money.

mnem
*CF-28 is STILL making me money*

 

Ditto my CF-17

 

The fan is on NON-STOP... I can hear it AND feel the heat coming out... VERY LOW speed, but on, none-the-less...

 

Mine does that in ATI mode. What bat life gets reported in the systray after a charge?

 

After a charge I see about 5:15... and that's with the screen at about 35%... I'm at 3 cycles on this batt at this point too... I'm gonna drain my battery totally tonight and charge it overnight tonight. Additionally I'll go into the BIOS and MANUALLY (ARUUUUGGGGGG! ) select power saving mode to check and see that maybe the stupid "switchable" mode might not be working???? BTW, I've DISABLED BLUETOOTH!...

Attached is a pic of the screen brightness settings that I've STUCK WITH for testing...

~Rob - tired of Sony Vaio like battery life~

 

Wow. I'm seeing 11 hours at idle with a full charge. It drops to 9 pretty fast when I use it in anger, but I get the 9 hours out of it.

 

!!?? GAH! No way, I don't get but 5 hours man... I've switched it to "power saving video" in the BIOS and this is what I get:

 

I'll try calibrating the battery tonight and report back!

Thanks

 

What were your numbers before you swapped the keyboard in?

 

Same... And I tried turning the light on the keyboard off too just to be sure...

Maybe I should call Panasonic????

 

So after recalibrating the battery is still crap! I thought there was a glee of hope when after the battery was "fully charged" it charged an additional hour and a half before discharging during the refresh cycle, however it's still bad.

I will have a new battery tomorrow morning . GOD I LOVE HOW EASY PANASONIC IS WITH RMA'S!

 

One more observation:

They seemed to have gotten away from the 4 prong "locking keyboard" system and it's held in place via double sided tape again GAH! This is utter failure on Panasonic's end!

The CF-29 had double sided tape + little tabs on the left & right
The CF-30 had 4 locking pins which worked FANTASTIC
The CF-31 is like the CF-29 again now

Thanks

 

Okay, here we are on the latest:

1) The new battery didn't do SQUAT! It isn't any better than the last one... 5 hours tops .
2) The GOBI card is working just GREAT!! SCREW YOU PANNY!


Now on to the next question: On my CF-30 (being that it was a WWAN ready model) the little wireless switch turned the bluetooth AND the WWAN on/off, but didn't affect the WLAN. With that being said: I've used the wireless switch utility and have only selected the "turns on the following device" bubble: Check box in ONLY the Wireless WAN box.

It does what it's supposed to do I guess? When I turn the physical wireless switch off, EVERYTHING is off (including the the WLAN) and then when I turn the physical switch back ON, it ONLY enables the WWAN, and NOT anything else.

CONCLUSION: My problem here is that when I turn the physical wireless switch off, I don't want it to EVER turn off the WLAN... Can this be done???? - It worked on my CF-30!

Thanks