So why e-tools over paper TOs, and why now? Understandably, O&M personnel see the advantages of not having to lug four or five heavy books of paper TOs in and out of aircraft. In fact, e-tools will eventually replace more than 13 million pages of technical orders, in turn eliminating countless hours of taxing manual labor and making better use of maintainers’ time on the flight line. It appears that the Air Force has already begun to experience the benefits of integrating this technology, which include ease of use on the flight line, increased efficiency in processing data, a unified network of information and heightened connectivity.

It is clear that the Air Force is committed to providing maintainers on the flight line with the best equipment. A recent Military.com article discussed the replacement of paper TOs at Robins Air Force Base and several other bases in Air Force Materiel Command, noting that they’re testing how laptops work in a variety of environments, while also weighing in on potential issues related to battery power and screen brightness.

In order to ensure reliable and efficient management of digital TOs, it is vital that the devices selected be properly tested and deemed fit for the e-tools job. As the largest provider of e-tools to the Air Force, Panasonic Solutions Company works closely with them (and other military branches) to ensure Toughbook laptops and handheld computers are optimized to not just survive the rigors of maintenance environments, but deliver new levels of efficiency as well.

Another option that is gaining traction in many government and commercial organizations is to run Windows® 7. The latest generation of handheld devices, like the newly launched Toughbook U1 Ultra, runs a complete version of Windows 7. This capability allows IT departments to future proof their technology investments and keep mobile applications in the field for at least four to six years – compared to the average mobile phone platform of 12 to 18 months.

The benefits of a fully-capable OS for mobile workers in field applications such as direct store delivery (DSD), e-Citation and Public Utility services are immense. The ability to access comprehensive line-of-business customer and product information including legacy CRM and centralized floor planning applications enhances field productivity and helps companies gain operational efficiencies. A full browser Internet experience also increases the amount of content workers can access in the field and eliminates the need for customization, decreasing deployment and management costs. The integration of features, like cameras and barcode scanners, reduces the number devices workers need to carry and enables greater levels of data capture in the field.

Migrating Windows Mobile applications to Windows 7 is somewhat of a process; however, there are solutions on the market that emulate the Windows Mobile OS to run in a Windows 7 environment. This allows legacy applications to be used “as is” on a device running a full OS and creates a short-term migration path while more robust systems are developed to run on the new Windows 7 handheld devices.

To view an in-depth Panasonic white paper on this topic, click here.

While ChannelWeb, PC Magazine, and WIRED Gadget Lab all covered the announcement with zeal, our favorite post introducing the Toughbook H1 Field has to be from Devin Coldewey of CrunchGear who places you in the role of Gordon Freeman; your lab is self destructing and soldiers are attempting to kill you. You need a tablet computer as part of your defense and before you is an iPad and the H1 Field. What do you do? Check out Devin’s suggestion in his post.

Our customers have a different set of critical needs, but it’s fun to pretend to be Gordon Freeman for a day!