Article from ADMIN 04/2011

By ADMIN Magazine

Android Gets Rugged with Panasonic

Tablet computers are fantastic, but they're also fragile. Although most people can avoid killing an iPad or Android tablet at home, taking one on the road or into the field is another story. If you carry a tablet into the field and you are worried about the life expectancy of your device, Panasonic might have the answer for you: an Android-based Toughbook tablet. On June 16, Panasonic took the wraps off the yet-to-be-released Toughbook.

The Toughbook is ruggedized to help withstand the shocks and drops that come with professional use outside the office. The durable device also addresses another problem that plagues too many tablets: glossy screens that are totally unusable in daylight. The Toughbook tablet provides a daylight-viewable screen for workers who have to get the job done outdoors while the sun is still shining. Toughbook also comes with something many users have been wanting since the first iPad shipped – a stylus.

The full specs for the tablet aren't out yet, but the company promises 3G/4G connectivity, "full shift" battery life, satellite-based GPS, and professional-grade accessories. Although the workplace usability for tablets is obvious, it looks like Panasonic might be the first company to cross the finish line with a system that actually matches up to mission critical environments; however, the niche that Panasonic promises to fill will be empty until 2011Q3 when the first models are due to ship.