Today Panasonic unveiled a new Toughbook Permanent Display Removable Computer (PDRC), which combines a 
vehicle-mounted display and full-functioning keyboard for heightened accessibility inside public safety vehicles. We’ve upgraded the new PDRC to include a brighter touchscreen display (40 percent brighter than previous version), improved user visibility and a reduction in connection cables.
You may be surprised to know that eighty-five percent of Healthcare IT professionals are either in the middle of an EHR project or plan to begin execution within the next 18 months. That’s according to a survey by Embarcadero Technologies, a San Francisco-based provider of database tools and developer software. The survey also stated that two thirds of the respondents believe their IT departments are ready to implement EMR systems that will comply with meaningful use.
Meeting specific criteria is daunting and for an EMR project to be truly effective and compliant with official regulations it will require a reliable mobile computing solution that offers security options like fingerprint scanners and smartcard readers. Durability is also a critical element in order to withstand inevitable bumps, drops and spills at the point of care.
I recently discussed critical points for EMR deployments in a blog post titled ‘It’s All About The System…’ The post is worth reading if you are in the process of rolling out an EMR and in search of tips for a successful IT system.
Below is an exciting update from our friends at Kinetic.
Kinetic finished the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race. We won our class and the race overall. We sailed against some keen, experienced competitors and the outcome was in doubt until very late in the race. This year’s race was quite windy and fairly rough, making for some fast, exciting sailing.
The architecture, engine
ering and construction (AEC) markets have lagged behind other industries in the implementation of technology; however, firms are beginning to acknowledge that mobile technology can address current challenges and drive decision making at the point of interaction.
A recent study by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology found that the U.S. construction and engineering industry is losing over $15 billion per year as a result of the industry’s continued paper-based business processes, lack of standardization and overall lack of consistent approach to technology deployment among leading organizations.[1] Read the rest of this entry »
At Panasonic, we fully believe in the quality of the products we make. As a result, we don’t shy away from a little competition. So, when Inc. magazine
said it wanted to compare a few rugged laptops, we were happy to offer up our new Toughbook 31.
The editor sent us a list of tests he wanted to put the 31 through, including placing the device in an oven, covering it in ice, dropping it three feet to a hard surface, dropping objects onto the screen and strapping it to an ATV for a little off-roading. Read the rest of this entry »
Last month, Modern Materials Handling published a whitepaper
titled, “How materials handling operations are using mobile technology to improve processes.” The publication interviewed 376 materials handling professionals – from company managers to distribution directors and plant engineers – in its study on mobile technology in the supply chain. Read the rest of this entry »
I would like to introduce you to David Sutcliffe and his Kinetic team, our guest bloggers, who just set sail on the 2010 Vic-Maui race. During the race, the Toughbook 30 will serve as the team’s main on-board computer, responsible for linking the ecosystem of devices and software to create a central communications system and help guide the crew to the finish line. David’s team sent us the below-embedded video to share with you.
Please join David and his team on this exciting adventure. We wish them smooth sailing on the path to victory. We look forward to receiving their guest-blog updates throughout the course of the race.
More information on David, KINETIC and the race: Read the rest of this entry »
We had the pleasure of visiting Lubbock, TX to see how the Red Raiders are using the Toughbook U1 rugged handheld computer to help enforce parking across their large campus; especially on football Saturdays. Here’s what we found.
With a new football season around the corner, the Par
king Services Department for Texas Tech University (TTU) faced a serious problem. During the previous season, parking lots surrounding the 52,000-seat Jones AT&T Stadium had been regularly accessed by cars without proper passes, because duplicates were difficult to identify. Complaints from alumni unable to park even with legitimate passes were getting louder. Read the rest of this entry »
(Photo Credit: Kevin Burkett / Flickr)
Market research company Input has released a report identifying cloud computing and geospatial technologies as two technology trends that are set to transform the federal government. In the same vein, last year Federal CIO Vivek Kundra announced the launch of Apps.gov, a GSA-operated Web site that government agencies can use to both install and purchase cloud computing applications.
Ultimately, Input’s study shows that the federal cloud computing market will grow from $370 million in 2009 to $1.2 billion in 2014. The federal government’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will require agencies that do not employ cloud computing solutions to explain why before they obtain funds from the fiscal 2012 budget. By 2013, federal agencies will need to create reports for the OMB showing how they plan to move to cloud computing.
Police officers need to rapidly share information from anywhere, and turn to reliable devices that have the same operating system, features and Internet access as a desktop PC without being tied down to their desks. Rugged laptops have traditionally met this need, but now many law enforcement agencies are moving toward even more mobile alternatives in the form of ultra-mobile PCs.
Cpl. Will Dalsing with Toughbook U1 and PDRC (Photo Credit: JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World)
