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Rugged and drop proof notebook PCs for the accident-prone

Competition in the rugged and semi-rugged notebook space is about to get a lot tougher. Panasonic and General Dynamics Intronix, two of the leading vendors of rugged and semi-rugged notebooks, are each preparing revamped laptop models based on the new Intel Centrino mobile platform.

Unlike conventional laptops for consumers and business customers, rugged and semi-rugged notebooks have their internal components, like the hard drive, protected in shock-resistant casings and are more resistant to dust and water.

Panasonic adds another two of its laptops onto the wagon of Santa Rosa- Toughbook CF-74 and CF-52 models. Features include an Intel 965 Express chipset, an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, an integrated 802.11n WiFI connectivity support, and an Intel Turbo Memory cache that speeds up the loading process.

Panasonic Toughbook CF-74 laptop is expected to hit the store in June, while the Toughbook CF-52 will follow shortly after in July.

General Dynamics' GoBook MR-1 is supposedly the smallest fully rugged ultramobile PC. Weighing just 2 pounds, and the size of a small jewelry box, it has all the features and capabilities of the full-size GoBook XR-1, tho' more compact. With four wireless connections: Wireless LAN, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wireless Wide Area Network, it is built on Intel's new Santa Rosa platform.

These touchscreen notebooks are cold- and heat-resistant, and come with its proprietary outdoor viewing capability, called DynaVue. Outdoor viewing is one of the most confounding problems related to rugged computing.

Originally meant for military and governmental use, vendors are also now beginning to market these PCs for workers who spend most of their time outdoors or in tough environments, such as police officers, fire fighters, EMTs (emergency medical technicians) and construction crews.

[ Via funponsel ] [ Via eweek ]