Panasonic
Systems Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd has announced the launch
of its Toughbook range of laptops in Indiafrom today.
The range is claimed to be the lightest and toughest product
in the market.
According
to. Chishima Susumu, director, Panasonic Systems Asia
Pacific (India), "ToughBooks are made as per US military
wartime specifications (MIL-certified) and have earned
a major share of the market worldwide 74 per cent
in the 'rugged' PC category as per VDC Research."
Toughbooks
incorporate a magnesium alloy casing, which extends to
the hard drive that is shock mounted in a metal casing
with sponge and polymer compounds that insulate the disk
from shocks, even when the head is writing onto the drive.
The magnesium alloy casing further goes on to the LCD
screen that is fitted with internal dampeners. Even the
connectors are made flexible to absorb shock. Another
feature of the product is the fan-less design and lack
of an air vent. All covers are sealed by specially developed
synthetic resin to protect against water and dust. Instead
of fan cooling ToughBooks are cooled through the body
itself, by creating a casing that breathes.
Company
reports claim that the products go through 26 durability
tests. Shashi Bhushan, business head, Panasonic Systems
Asia Pacific (India), says "According to Gartner
Group, the annualised failure rate for other brands of
mobile computers used outside is as high as 35 per cent
while that for rugged ToughBooks is only 3 per cent. Therefore,
even though the initial acquisition costs for ruggedised
ToughBooks is high, the total cost of ownership is lower."
The
laptop is also claimed to weigh weigh 50 per cent less
than other similar products. The ToughBooks, battery life
of up to 8.5 hours on a single battery, outdoor readable
LCD screens, and ability to support 4 integrated wireless
WAN technologies including CDMA / EVDO, GPRS / EDGE, GPS
and Bluetooth, simultaneously. The laptop has a number
of built in antennas for all kinds of wireless communication
on the go.
The
new range has a starting price of Rs175,000 onwards.
Panasonic
is a brand of Matsushita Electric Industrial (MEI). It
is the leading manufacturer of electronic and electrical
products for
consumer, business and industrial use. MEI is ranked fourth
in the Fortune 500 index for 'Electronics and Electrical
Equipments' and ranked as a 'World Super 50' in Forbes.
|