20 years of toughbook… - panasonic...

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20 years of Toughbook… ...built from a lifetime of listening to its business customers

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20 years of Toughbook…

...built from a lifetime of listening to its business customers

Panasonic Toughbook celebrates its 20th anniversary on September 26th, 2016, but the values that have built the range of market leading rugged mobile devices come from a lifetime of listening to the needs of its business customers.

The Toughbook ancestry stretches back almost 30 years to 1987 where Panasonic gained experience in producing portable PCs and acting as a channel OEM. The market highlighted very early the need for professional level, rugged computing devices with enhanced durability and reduced cost of ownership. This realisation led to Panasonic developing plans and ultimately building a purpose built factory in Kobe in Japan to produce the rugged notebooks.

But this insight alone, based on customer feedback and requests, was not the only essential ingredient for the recipe of success that Toughbook has become today. The other essential element is an almost obsessive desire to research, develop, build, test and bring to market the perfect rugged mobile computing device for every mobile worker – whatever their role and working environment.

This combination of listening to the market and a passion to meticulously develop has helped Panasonic Toughbook achieve a range of firsts that have set the benchmark for rugged mobile computing devices in the 20th and 21st centuries.

20 years of Toughbook… built from a lifetime of listening to its business customers

1994: The CF-41The world’s first notebook to integrate a CD-ROM driveThis advance in technology made it possible to access massive amounts of data on removable media whilst working out in the field. It was also the first computing product to utilise magnesium alloy (for strength and durability), by incorporating it into the design. This device was the basis for the future Toughbook range.

1996: The Toughbook CF-25The birth of ToughbookThe CF-25, also known as the first semi rugged Toughbook, was designed to withstand falls from up to 70 centimetres, resist dust and humidity. This pioneering model features elements which became the blueprint for future Toughbook models.

1999: The Toughbook CF-27The world’s first integrated GSM and WAN capabilities and touchscreenThis device made history for a number of reasons. It was the world’s first notebook to introduce integrated GSM or WAN capabilities allowing mobile workers to communicate with each other, their office or the outside world. The device was also the first Toughbook to have the option of a touchscreen and the first with its Hard Disk Drive (HDD) surrounded by a gel and foam block to keep it secure and absorb any impact forces. Another first in rugged notebook design.

2001: The Toughbook CF-07An innovative rugged mini PC with mobile wireless data displayThe Toughbook CF-07 mini PC broke new ground by introducing a revolutionary wireless display. The PC and separate display unit could communicate up to 50m, bringing a whole new level of flexibility and mobility to the work environment.

2008: The Toughbook CF-U1The world’s first Ultra Mobile PC – bridging the gap between notebook and handheldThe CF-U1 took the rugged heritage of Toughbook to a more mobile, handheld level. It featured a full Windows operating system and a host of integrated features (such as barcode scanner, fingerprint reader and camera). This model also featured hot-swap batteries, enabling mobile field workers to do more on the move.

2012: Panasonic ToughpadThe launch of rugged Toughpad tabletsThe Panasonic Toughpad product line is purpose built for professional use, including features not found on consumer-grade devices. The range of ruggedised tablet computers is extremely durable, resistant to high drops, dust, water spills and high temperatures.

2016: The Toughbook CF-20The world’s first fully rugged detachable notebookThe combined rugged tablet and notebook delivers unrivaled versatility for mobile - a fully rugged notebook with detachable tablet that can be used in 6 different modes to meet every business need.

Leading the rugged marketThe latest analysis by VDC Research shows Panasonic leads the European rugged notebook and tablet markets with a 66% rugged notebook and convertible share of sales and a 59% rugged tablet revenue share of sales in 2015. In fact, the Panasonic Toughbook and Toughpad range sold more devices across Europe in 2015 than the rest of the rugged notebook and tablet competition combined.

The products are used by industry leading companies with mobile workforces in almost every sector, including transport, logistics, retail, utilities, telecoms, manufacturing, automotive, emergency services and defence. Renowned for their rugged capabilities, the devices undergo 11 “torture” tests to ensure they meet the strict specifications for Humidity Resistance, Vibration Resistance, Drop and Shock Resistance, Liquid Resistance, Extreme Testing, Particle Resistance, Temperature Resistance, Pressure Resistance, EMI and EMC Testing, IP65 Testing, and UL 1604 Testing. Journalists around the world have also creatively tested the devices by blowing them up, running them over with tanks and drowning them in water – to name just a few. As a result, Panasonic Toughbook’s status as the supplier of the toughest devices for business has become legendary.

Passion for the futureThe passion that drove the business to create the perfect mobile business computing device for every worker, whatever their industry or working environment continues to burn strongly and moving forward the business is listening to its customers’ requests for not just hardware but mobile solutions for industry. As a result, the Panasonic team continues to introduce a range of smaller, rugged handheld devices with integrated solutions, underlining its ambitions for the handheld market. The latest Panasonic Toughpad FZ-F1 & FZ-N1 handheld tablets, for example, are the world’s lightest fully rugged handheld tablets for business. With an integrated angled rear barcode reader to protect against repetitive strain and increase productivity, the device can be easily held and operated in one hand. Designed for postal and courier workers, warehouse, retail, manufacturing, field services and emergency services, the device has both voice and data capabilities. It includes the option for both a passive and an active Pen, for more accurate proof of delivery signature taking.

Panasonic has also recently integrated retail Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) and mobile payment expertise into its business and unveiled an impressive new range of mobile retail applications and payment solutions. Building on its growing reputation in this area, the company introduced the latest version of its popular Toughpad FZ-M1 tablet alongside a 3D Intel® RealSenseTM camera application with exciting implications for the retail and logistics industry. For example, in a sales situation mapping, design and simulation applications could show customers how items, such as furniture, could look in their homes. In the logistics and warehousing side of retail the camera could be used for the instant measurement of boxes for shipping through to the assessment of warehouse space and capacity.

Another area of customer need has been for sophisticated docking solutions for its range of rugged devices to allow mobile workers to fully harness the power of the devices when in their vehicles. As a result, Panasonic created its Global Docking Solutions business (GDS).

Headquartered at Panasonic Manufacturing UK Ltd. in Cardiff, Wales, the GDS team has many years of experience in integrating Panasonic docking solutions into all types of vehicles. The team designs, develops and certifies its specialised docking solutions in-house, ensuring all docking solutions are brought to the global market at the same time as their accompanying Toughbook or Toughpad product.

In addition to the design and development of proprietary vehicle docks, the GDS team has access to the latest 3D scanning and rapid prototyping capabilities in-house, which enables them to quickly turn around any bespoke development projects that customers may require.

“The range of Panasonic Toughbook and Toughpad solutions continues to evolve but the essence of our success over the past 20 plus years will remain with us as we move forward,” said Kevin Jones, Managing Director for Panasonic Computer Product Solutions Europe. “We will continue to listen to our business customers and develop solutions for their mobile workforces that improve productivity and reduce costs. We will continue to innovate with our functionality and ergonomic design, and with our partnerships, to produce business solutions that solve our customers’ challenges.”

Commenting on Panasonic’s future direction, Nick Parker, Corporate Vice President of the OEM Division at Microsoft Corporation said: “Our strategy and vision align with what Panasonic is doing with its Toughbook product line, which is to build the best mobile and productivity services for today’s mobile-first, cloud-first world.

With Windows 10, we are pushing the boundaries of modern computing to bring exciting new software and services capabilities to the market, and industry partners like Panasonic are also pushing the limits with fantastic new hardware that brings these new experiences to life in remarkable ways.”

“Throughout the twenty year evolution of Toughbook, Panasonic engineers have taken full advantage of the computing power and reliability of Intel processors to create one of the world’s most rugged PCs,” added Navin Shenoy, Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the Client Computing Group, Intel Corporation. “We’re proud that Intel technology has contributed to Toughbook’s success, and we look forward to continuing the great work with Panasonic for years to come.“

Panasonic, Toughbook and Toughpad are brand names and registered trademarks of Panasonic Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, Intel vPro, Core Inside and vPro Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. Microsoft® and Windows® are registered trademarks of Microsoft® Corporation of the United States and/or other countries. All other brand names shown are the registered trademarks of the relevant companies. Google, the Google logo, YouTube and Android are trademarks of Google Inc. All rights reserved.

All working conditions, times and figures quoted are optimum or ideal levels and may differ as a result of individual and local circumstances.

Computer Product Solutions (CPS) BU, Panasonic System Communications Company Europe (PSCEU), Panasonic Marketing Europe GmbH, Hagenauer Straße 43, D-65203 Wiesbaden (Germany).

www.toughbook.eu