Panasonic Unveils Rugged Detachable Laptop

Panasonic has announced a new ruggedized detachable laptop. The Toughbook 20 is purpose-built for challenging environments, including field services, utilities, oil and gas, transportation and logistics, healthcare, insurance, public safety and defense. The company said the new device is ideal for field workers.

The Toughbook 20 actually boasts six usage modes: traditional laptop, detached tablet, tablet flipped 180 degrees while attached for presentations, convertible mode with keyboard attached, built-in carry mode or hanging on a wall, and vehicle mode while the device is on the move.

For those unfamiliar with those ratings and certifications, it means that it can withstand electromagnetic interference, drops, shocks, vibrations, water, humidity, sand, extreme temperatures, and so on.

The Toughbook 20 runs on Windows 10 (or Windows 7 if preferred), is powered by a business-focused Intel Core m5 vPro processor with integrated graphics, and ships with 8 GB of RAM and a choice of 128 GB, 256 GB or 512 GB SSD storage.

“While relatively easy to design from a consumer perspective, the stresses a detachable laptop will endure in the environments in which our customers operate created serious design challenges”. The detachable tablet weighs 2.1 pounds. It comes standard with a 2-megapixel webcam with an optional 8-megapixel rear camera to expand communication options for workers.

It has an optional bridge battery to allow for continuous operation and an optional second battery located in the keyboard dock doubles battery life and can also be swapped between the tablet and keyboard dock.

Additional add-ons include a serial port, magstripe reader, 1D/2D capable barcode reader, GPS, insertable SmartCard readers, fingerprint readers and a 4G LTE carrier modem. Essentially users will get the best of both laptop and tablet worlds – outfitted in a rugged treatment – with this one purchase, which will be available February 2016 for an estimated $3,099, including a standard three-year limited warranty. A stylus is waterproof.

The Toughbook 20 starts at $3,099.