Some of the most prominent takeaways of the report include:

• The importance of designing a rugged product from the inside-out, not just adding a rugged exterior.

• How rugged tablet computers are offering greater functionality and heightened performance

• How Hill Air Force Base is interested in rugged tablets for eTools flight line maintenance

Rugged technology is no longer just a feature or option for field workers: it is nothing less than essential.  Ultimately, the solutions discussed in the Snapshot are changing the ways in which the public sector operates. I would encourage officials in all levels of government to read this report and recognize the possibilities for enhancing their mobile workforce.

Troop Transport

On Sept. 14-16, soldiers from around the country will gather at IDGA’s 2^nd Annual Heavy Vehicles Summit to explore the latest advancements in heavy vehicle technology.  Before the summit begins, I would encourage them (as well as anyone in the military) to watch this Webcast discussing a key component of today’s heavy vehicles:  mobile computers.

The Webcast features my colleague Peter Romness, who heads the U.S. Army sales team for PCSC, providing key insights into why rugged computers have become so integral to missions utilizing heavy vehicles.  Soldiers are using Toughbook notebooks in military applications like the FBCB2 to quickly access vital data and increase their situational awareness on the battlefield.  They’ve also been able to streamline vehicle maintenance paperwork processes by utilizing the notebooks for managing checklists and procedures.

To ensure Toughbook notebooks are the most reliable and durable devices for our soldiers to complete tasks wherever they’re deployed, Panasonic has also tested its fully-rugged computers to meet (and in many cases surpass) the newer and more demanding MIL-STD-810G standard for environmental conditions.

We look forward to attending the upcoming Heavy Vehicles Summit, and are honored to work with the U.S. military finding new ways to utilize heavy vehicles.

The current issue of Government Computer News features an in-depth review of the latest Toughbook® 30 model, by Lab Director John Breeden.  It provides an excellent summary of how the latest upgra

des, such as a brighter screen with anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings, support government users who require a notebook that will operate under any conditions.

The Toughbook 30’s concealment mode is a new feature that can be easily overlooked, but figured prominently in the review due to its significance for the police and military. GCN saw firsthand how easy it is for a user seeking to remain undetected to shut off all external lights while leaving the computer fully running. It’s a great example of how Panasonic engineers its computers to meet the specific needs of end users.

The information collected by aircrafts in Afghanistan is sent to soldiers on the ground, who use Toughbook® computers to spot suspicious changes or patterns. According to Osborn, ODIN is “reputed to have killed 3,000 alleged bomb-planters and led to the capture of several hundred more.”

As technology becomes more pervasive on the battlefield, whether through drones or robots, reliable laptops that can withstand extreme conditions are now more important than ever. We’re proud that Toughbook computers have played an important role in the U.S. Military for years, and look forward to supporting these exciting new technologies as they come along.