The Toughbook S9 is powered by a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-520M v-Pro processor, 2GB DDR3 RAM and a 320GB shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive. The 12.1″ display has a 1280 x 800 resolution and an anti-glare screen as well as Gobi2000 mobile broadband. The Toughbook S9 has a battery life rated at 11 hours with the standard battery.

Toughbook S9 Video Walkthrough:

When it comes to durability the Toughbook S9 is designed to withstand falls and spills with a keyboard that can withstand a spill of up to 6 ounces and a fall rating of 30″ to the base of the machine. In addition, the S9 is rated to withstand a drop of up to 1 foot from any angle based on the MIL-STD-810G drop procedure. Finally, the notebook is rate to handle up to 220lbs of pressure which should prevent damage that may occur to consumer notebooks in an overhead bin.

As for security, the Panasonic Toughbook S9 includes Computrace theft protection in the BIOS, Intel Anti-Theft technology, trusted platform module security (chip version 1.2), a lock cable slot and fingerprint reader.

The Panasonic Toughbook S9 includes a 3-year warranty and is available starting today from Panasonic resellers and distributors with a street price of $2,499.

Panasonic Toughbook® S9: Select Features and Specifications

• Genuine Windows 7® (with XP downgrade option)
• Intel® Coreâ„¢ i5-520M vProâ„¢ Processor (2.4 GHz) with Turbo Boost up to 2.93 GHz, 3MB Intel Smart Cache
• 320GB shock-mounted flex-connect hard drive
• 2GB RAM (DDR3), expandable to 6GB
• 12.1” widescreen WXGA (1280 x 800) LCD display with LED backlighting
• Anti-glare screen treatment
• Up to 11 hours of battery life with standard battery (MobileMark)
• 3.0 lbs
• DVD super multi-drive
• HDMI and VGA video outputs
• Optional Integrated Security Features: Fingerprint reader
• 11.1” (H) x 8.3” (W) x 0.9-1.5” (D)
• Business-rugged

• o   30” operating drop (to base only)
• o   26 sides 12” drop (non-operating)
• o   220 lb compression-resistant
• o   Magnesium alloy case
• o   Spill-resistant keyboard/touchpad (protects against 6 ounces spills)
• Embedded Connectivity

• o   Optional integrated WWAN / Gobi2000â„¢ mobile broadband (EV-DO and HSPA)
• o   Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6200 802.11a/b/g/n
• o   Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR (class 2)
• o   Gigabit Ethernet

Panasonic Announces 12.1″ Business Rugged Toughbook S9 w/ DVD Drive is a post by Josh Smith from Notebooks.com.

In our first look, Panasonic already proved that the Toughbook 31 could be dropped six feet with no ill effects. But how would it hold up to a twenty foot drop? That’s two and half stories!

Rance Poehler, president of Panasonic Solutions Company, took the new computer out to see what would happen if they dropped it 20 feet to the deck of the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. Here is the video:

Can the New Toughbook 31 Survive a 20-foot Drop? is a post by Kevin Purcell from Notebooks.com.

The Toughbook 31 is designed for military, law enforcement and field workers who can’t afford any downtime due to hazards that would render most notebooks inoperable. As Kyp Wells showed us last week, the Toughbook 31 can be dropped from six feet onto a hard surface while operating without even a dent or scratch.

Some of Panasonic’s customers were looking for more performance than previously offered in the Toughbook line. The Toughbook 30 came with a low-voltage Intel Core 2 Duo processor. The new Toughbook 31 will come with a choice of an Intel Core i5-540M 2.53GHz, Intel Core i5-520M 2.4GHz or Intel Core i3-350M 2.26GHz processor. The fastest processor is paired wth an ATI Radeon HD5650 GPU for improved 3D and graphics performance.

The Panasonic Toughbook 31 features a 13.1″ LED touchscreen display that’s designed to operate in any environment. It’s the brightest standard display available at 1,100 nits. The Toughbook 31 can be used in ‘concealed’ mode, which drops the screen brightness down to two nit, turns off all status lights and mutes audio.

Of course, none of the Toughbook 31′s features do anyone much good if the battery dies out in the field. Panasonic claims the Toughbook 31 will last for up to 11 hours on a single charge. It charges 41% faster than the older Toughbook 30.

All Toughbook 31 models come with Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1. Customers can order 3G and 4G modules that can work with a variety of wireless carriers.

An integrated webcam, GPS receiver, backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader are optional on the Toughbook 31. Security features like TPM come standard.

Toughbook notebooks are commonly used in vehicles. To help its customers save on upgrade costs, Panasonic made sure that the Toughbook 31 will fit in ToughBook vehicle mounts originally installed for use with older Toughbooks.

The Toughbook 31 has a specially designed cooling fan that can operate in any condition. Unlike standard notebook fans, the Toughbook 31′s fan can injest and expel water and debris without exposing the motherboard to the elements.

Panasonic Toughbook 31 Features and Specifications

• • Choice of three models
    • Intel® Coreâ„¢ i5-540M CPU 2.53GHz with vProâ„¢ (with Turbo Boost up to 3.07GHz)
      • 250GB HDD, ATI Radeonâ„¢ HD5650 & Intel QM57 video controller
    • Intel Core i5-520M CPU 2.40GHz with vPro (with Turbo Boost up to 2.93GHz)
      • 160GB HDD, Intel QM57 video controller
    • Intel Core i3-350M CPU 2.26GHz
      • 160GB HDD, Intel HM55 video controller
  • Genuine Windows 7® (with XP downgrade option)
  • 13.1” XGA LCD touchscreen
    • Panasonic CircuLuminâ„¢ technology (1,100 nits, AR, AG and Circular Polarizer*)
    • LED backlighting
    • Concealed mode turns off or dims screen, all LED lights and sound with touch of one button
  • 2GB RAM (DDR3 -1066MHz), expandable to 8GB
  • 7.9 lbs (with light weight battery on i3 model), 8.2 lbs. (with long life battery on i5 models)
  • 11.5” (L) x 11.9” (W) x 2.9” (H)
  • Fully-rugged
    • MIL-STD-810G (6 foot drop) and IP65-certified
    • Full Magnesium alloy case
    • Spill-resistant
    • Hybrid cooling system
    • Reinforced locking port covers
    • Shock-mounted flex-connect HDD with quick-release
  • Up to 11 hours battery life
    • Long Life Battery Pack (i5 CPU models)
  • 7 hours battery life
    • Lightweight Battery Pack (i3 CPU model)
  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v1.2*
  • Embedded Connectivity
    • Wi-Fi 802.11 a*/b/g/n
    • Bluetooth® v2.1 + EDR
    • Optional Gobiâ„¢ mobile broadband
  • 3-year limited warranty, parts and labor
  • Interfaces
    • Port replicator
    • External video (HDMI, VGA)
    • Headphones/speaker
    • Microphone/line-in
    • Serial
    • USB 2.0 x 4
    • SD card (SDHC)
    • PC card
    • ExpressCard
    • 10/100/1000 Ethernet
    • Optional 2nd 10/100 LAN* or Modem or FireWire
  • Optional integrated features
    • Webcam*
    • GPS receiver
    • Backlit keyboard (emissive or rubber)
    • SmartCard reader
    • Fingerprint reader
    • HDD and battery lock

Panasonic Toughbook 31: Most Powerful Fully Rugged Notebook (video) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The FBI is an example of an organization that’s chosen the right tool for the job. As illustrated in this photo at Yahoo.com, the FBI is using Panasonic ToughBook CF-30′s to investigate the recent attempted car bombing attack in Times Square.  If you’re collecting evidence in the field that may result in catching terrorists or saving lives, a rugged notebook like the CF-30 is probably the ‘best’ notebook for you. Tougbooks can handle a ton of abuse and are some of the  most reliable machines out there. In the case of the FBI, a damaged notebook could cost lives.

But Toughbooks aren’t the right tool for most people. ToughBooks are very expensive, have small hard drives and are very thick. They’re utilitarian and lack many of the entertainment features you’ll find on PCs that are 80% cheaper. FBI agents like the one in the probably don’t care too much about playing video games or editing HD movies in stressful situations.

This weekend a friend asked me what the best notebook on the market is for his wife. I asked them what she’d be using it for and he jokingly said “To find good deals on clothes and purses.” She laughed at the statement, but went on to tell me she really wants a notebook with an anti-glare display, that’s highly reliable and is more fashionable than a ThinkPad.  I recommended that she look into one of the many business notebooks that have color options, such as the Dell Latitude line and HP ProBooks.

I’ve found my new MacBook Pro to be the best notebook I’ve used for editing photos on the go. For me, it’s long battery life, suite of multimedia applications, anti-glare display and powerful Intel Core i7 processor are the right mix when I’m dealing with thousands of photos. My MacBook Pro isn’t nearly as durable as the ToughBook pictured above, but the worst thing that would happen if I dropped my MacBook Pro is that people would have to wait a little while to see photos shot that day.

If you’re in the market for a notebook you should consider what the best notebook for you. Don’t worry about finding the best notebook out there. You’re just as likely to find a unicorn.

The Right Notebook for the Job is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Panasonic’s Toughbooks are best known for pulling heavy duty in war zones, outdoors and other harsh environments. But if you’re not planning to go to war with your notebook you can still get protection from a semi-rugged or business rugged Toughbook.

The protection comes with a higher price tag than many business notebook buyers are used to, but Kyp says that many of their clients save money over the long haul since Toughbooks have a very low failure rate.

Kyp explains it all in the below video and drops one of his Toughbooks before pouring a bottle of water on another.

Panasonic Toughbook Overview (video) is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

For some users, a standard notebook isn’t even an option and a notebook that can stand up to cold and wet conditions is necessary. The Panasonic ToughBook CF19 is one such notebook and the folks at ArborMetrics Solution use it to keep in contact with headquarters while they help keep trees away from power lines amongst other tasks.

As you can see in this picture, the ToughBook CF19 can operate in pretty much any conditions.

Here’s the ToughBook CF19/AborMetrics  Case Study, republished with permission from Panasonic:

Enhancing the Effectiveness of Vegetation Management in the Utilities Sector

ArborMetrics Solutions uses reliable, wireless Panasonic Toughbook notebooks to improve planning, scheduling and reporting

ArborMetrics Solutions, a leading vegetation management company in the United States, provides contract personnel to support transmission and distribution (T&D) programs for electric and gas utilities. The company specializes in streamlining programs and helping its utility clients to meet FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) requirements. In addition, ArborMetrics works with municipalities and other agencies that wish to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their vegetation management programs. Their work includes the development, planning and implementation of various tasks, such as vegetation inventories and tree removal programs, critical to keeping power supplies to residential areas and businesses up and running.

With its employees constantly on-the-go, using pen and paper to note job schedules and provide status updates proved to be inefficient and time-consuming, delaying customer response and reporting. In an effort to improve the efficiency of its field workers, ArborMetrics needed a durable mobile computing solution able to withstand extreme weather conditions, such as deep snow in the mountains or heavy rains. ArborMetrics also sought to provide their mobile workforce with instant connectivity to headquarters to increase employee productivity and improve reporting time.

After looking at a broad spectrum of mobile computers, ArborMetrics chose the Panasonic Toughbook 19 convertible tablet because of its compact size, rugged exterior, unmatched reliability, superior embedded 3G wireless and GPS capabilities. Combined with the company’s data collection and reporting software, which captures vegetation inventories, creates work plans, tracks progress, conducts audits for quality assurance and generates real-time reports for customers, the Toughbook 19 has improved the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall vegetation management program for ArborMetrics and its clients.

Because of the notebook’s small form factor, it is easy to transport; it fits between seats in a vehicle or in field employees’ backpacks. In addition, it delivers the perfect mix of durability, reliability and wireless connectivity, allowing the team to respond to their customers in a timely manner with the most up-to-date job status information available.

Using the built-in GPS system on their Toughbook notebooks, ArborMetrics’ employees now have access to easy routing between the jobs. This saves time and fuel (by reducing wrong turns in remote areas), and allows the company to complete more jobs during the day.

Since deploying the Toughbook 19 tablets with ArborMetrics software, the company’s employees can provide real-time information related to vegetation type, density, GPS location, access routes and detailed work orders. The reporting process between remote workers and headquarters is now automated and accurate, helping the company keep its competitive edge by deploying innovative technology in the field. Finally, because of the real-world tests to meet various environmental conditions faced in the utility sector, the fully-rugged Toughbook 19 provides the ArborMetrics team with mission-critical mobile reliability, virtually eliminating down-time.

Case Study: ToughBooks Used in Freezing Conditions to Keep the Lights On is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

The 7 Series Toughbooks are built with magnesium alloy cases and internal component protection, including shock-mounted hard drives, to withstand up to 2.5-foot drops.

All three models have an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, DVD burner and 802.11g wireless. Mobile broadband is optional, with a choice of AT&T, Sprint or Verizon WAN service.

That T7 features a 12.1-inch touchscreen display and is available now for $2,499. Th W7 and Y7 will be available in December.

Check out www.panasonic.com/toughbook for full details

Panasonic Toughbook W7

· Intel® Coreââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500, 1.06 GHz

· 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB

· 80GB HDD, shock-mounted

· Integrated DVD Super MULTI drive

· 12.1″ 1024 x 768 XGA anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD

· TPM Security Chip v1.2

· Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g

· Genuine Windows Vistaââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Business (with XP downgrade option)

· Dimensions: 1.4″/2.0″ (H) x 10.7″ (W) x 8.5″(D)

· Weight: 3.0 lbs

· Battery life: 7 hours
Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR
Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

Panasonic Toughbook T7

· Intel® Coreââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ 2 Duo Processor ULV U7500, 1.06 GHz

· 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB

· 80GB HDD, shock-mounted

· 12.1″ 1024 x 768 XGA anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD with touchscreen

· TPM Security Chip v1.2

· Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g

· Genuine Windows Vistaââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Business (with XP downgrade option)

· Display Image Rotation software

· Dimensions: 1.5″/2.3″ (H) x 10.7″ (W) x 8.5″ (D) (including hand strap)

· Ergonomic hand strap

· Weight: 3.3 lbs

· Battery life: 5-9 hours
Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR
Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

Panasonic Toughbook Y7

· Intel® Coreââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ 2 Duo Processor L7500, 1.6 GHz

· 1 GB DDR2-533 SDRAM standard, expandable to 2 GB

· 80GB HDD, shock-mounted

· Integrated DVD Super MULTI drive

· 14.1″ 1400 x 1050 SXGA+ anti-glare TFT active matrix color LCD

· TPM Security Chip, v1.2

· Intel® Wireless WiFi Link 4965AG 802.11a/b/g

· Genuine Windows Vistaââہ¾Ãƒâ€šÃ‚¢ Business (with XP downgrade option)

· Dimensions: 1.4″/1.8″ (H) x 12.2″ (W) x 10.0″ (D)

· Weight: 3.7 lbs

· Battery life: 5 hours
Mini Dock Box Replicator (accessory)
Wireless on-off switch (WWAN, WLAN, Bluetooth)
Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR
Optional integrated WWAN / mobile broadband (EV-DO or HSDPA)

Panasonic 7 Series Toughbook Introduced is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

“Our customers play a significant role in the development of Toughbook products. In this case, requests from a broad range of users, from the Department of Defense to some of the world’s largest insurance companies, were heard loud and clear by Panasonic design engineers. The result is a semi-rugged notebook that has the power to run the most complex applications, yet is designed for double-duty as a mobile PC in support of all types of field operations,” said Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company.

Panasonic Toughbook CF-52 Semi-rugged, Wireless-Ready Desktop Replacement Notebook Computer: Select Features and Specifications

CF-52 (Optimized Configuration), Estimated Street Price: $2,499.00

CPU                 Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0G, T7300

Chipset             PM965

Memory              DDR2 1GB (Max.2GB+2GB)

LCD                 15.4" WUXGA

Video               AMD X2300

VRAM                512MB

HDD                 120GB (SATA)

MP                  Multi-drive

I/O                 Serial, IEEE1394a, VGA, Giga LAN,

                    Modem, USB x4

Card                PC Card x1, Express card x1, SD

Security            TPM 1.2 / Smart Card (Op) / Finger Print (Op)

Wireless            Wireless LAN 802.11abg

                    Bluetooth Ver. 2.0 + EDR (Std)

                    WWAN-Ready (Optional EV-DO or HSDPA)

AC Adapter          120W

Battery             85W, approximately 4.5 hours, depending on usage,

                    environment

Dimensions          11.3" x 14.0" x 2.0"

Weight              7.4 lbs (w/handle)CF-52 (Standard Configuration), Estimated Street Price: $1,649.00

CPU                 Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8G, T7100

Chipset             GM965

Memory              DDR2 1GB (Max.2GB+2GB)

LCD                 15.4" WXGA

Video               Intel Embedded

VRAM                (UMA up to 128MB)

HDD                 80GB (SATA)

MP                  Multi-drive

I/O                 Serial, IEEE1394a, VGA, Giga LAN,

                    Modem, USB x4, PC Card x1, Express card x1, SD

Security            TPM 1.2 / Smart Card (Op) / Finger Print (Op)

Wireless            Wireless LAN 802.11abg

                    Bluetooth Ver. 2.0 + EDR (Op)

                    WWAN-Ready (Optional EV-DO or HSDPA)

AC Adaptor          120W

Battery             85W, approximately 7.5 hours, depending on usage,

                    environment

Dimensions          11.3" x 14.0" x 2.0"

Weight              7.3 lbs (w/handle)

Panasonic Toughbook 52 Announced is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Panasonic builds a particularly tough notebook that’s designed to stand up to whatever first-responders and clumsy businessmen can throw at them. Riyad from Trusted Reviews was lucky enough to visit Panasonic’s design and manufacturing plant in Osaka. In a lengthy report, he details how ToughBooks are built and tested. Unlike most notebook companies, Panasonic does all of its design and manufacturing in-house.
a href=”http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2007/02/06/Zen-And-The-Art-Of-ToughBooks/p1″ mce_href=”http://www.trustedreviews.com/notebooks/review/2007/02/06/Zen-And-The-Art-Of-ToughBooks/p1″>Read the Full Story Here

How Tougbooks Get Tough is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.

Panasonic has updated its lightweight and durable Toughbook eLite notebook line with new colors. The 12.1-inch (2.7in) pound W5 gets âہCrown Blue,â€ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ while the 14.1-inch Y5 can be clad in âہBrown Bronze.â€ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚

The colors are by Pantone, which says âہCrown Blueâ€ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ connotes independence and creativity. âہBrown Bronzeâ€ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚ is a rustic earthy color Pantone created to embody comfort and sensibility. The Toughbook eLite W5 is also available in Steel Gray, Merlot, Galaxy Black, Glacier White, Blueprint and Rosehip. The Toughbook eLite Y5 will debut next month in your choice of Steel Gray, Galaxy Black, Deepsea, Skylight Blue, Firehouse Red, and Bronze Brown
Hmmâ€ÂÃƒâ€šÃ‚¦starting to sound like a make-up ad.

Donâ€â„¢t let the Toughbooksâ€â„¢ good looks fool you. These are serious business notebooks that can can stand up to drops and spills on the road, lasting up to 8 hours on a single charge.
The Toughbook W5 is will set you back $2,399 and the Toughbook Y5 will start at $2,569.

Toughbook W5 and Y5 Get Makeovers is a post by Xavier Lanier from Notebooks.com.