In order to patrol the border effectively, the LCSO wanted a mobile computing solution that could keep deputies in the field connected at all times as well as limit the amount of paperwork sheriffs are required to complete at the end of a shift. Purchased with federal funds through Operation Stonegarden grants – money designated for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to help in the fight to secure the U.S. border – the LCSO had thirty police vehicles installed with Panasonic Toughbook 31 PCs.

The Luna County Sherriff’s Department relies on the Toughbook 31 for multiple reasons, especially its connectivity options. Choosing Verizon Wireless as its mobile broadband provider, the sheriffs in the field are connected with not only the LCSO headquarters, but with almost every law enforcement agency in the state. The consistent connectivity also keeps local agencies up to date with activities going on throughout the area as well as helps deputies cut down on excessive paperwork after a shift ends improving time management.

For more information on the Panasonic Toughbook 31 deployment at the Luna County Sherriff’s Office, please click here.

Seagate Momentus self-encrypting drives and Mobile Armor DriveArmor can now be shipped fully integrated with the Toughbook 31 flagship rugged clamshell, the Toughbook 19 rugged convertible tablet and the Toughbook H1 Health, a mobile clinical assistant device developed for healthcare users.

We are very excited about this collaboration with Mobile Armor, and know that our customers will be too.

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.

We agreed, suggested a few more extreme tests and waited for the results.

After testing ruggedized laptops from Dell, HP, Lenovo and Panasonic, Inc. selected its “Best Rugged Laptop”. Can you guess who won? The Toughbook 31, of course.

Having brought to market the first reasonably priced, standard form-factor, rugged PC back in 1995, we have a lot of expertise in this mobile computer space. It is, in fact, our only focus. Combining our commitment to quality with a market specific focus results in the development of products that our customers rely on, even in the most demanding of conditions.

To be fair, only the Dell Latitude E6400 XFR was a direct competitor to the fully-rugged Toughbook 31. The HP and Lenovo fall into the business-rugged category.

HP and Lenovo, if you are listening, we’re happy to put our Toughbook C1 or F9 up against any of your business-rugged devices!  How about we test drop and spill resistance – the two most common causes of failure?  We can also compare battery life, weight, ergonomics and performance.  We think we’ll hold up very nicely.  Do you have that same confidence?  You know where to find us.

The Toughbook 31 is the sixth generation of the flagship Toughbook clamshell notebook line.  The new device is distinguished by the fact that it is both the industry’s highest performing and most durable rugged PC. The premier Toughbook 31 features a full power Intel® Core™ i5 processor (entry level models feature the Core i3), and discreet graphics options for users, such as those in military operations, with intense data modeling requirements.

In addition to pushing the boundaries of performance, the Toughbook 31 also offers the brightest standard battery-powered screen ever at 1,100 nits, with more efficient LED displays, and the same long battery life (up to 11.5 hours), people have come to expect from the Toughbook line of mobile computers.

No Compromises
Traditionally, in creating rugged notebooks, engineers have had to make a number of trade-offs in support of reliability, the fundamental requirement for these devices. However, as they always have, Panasonic’s notebook engineers have pushed the boundaries, resulting in the ultimate no-compromise rugged computing solution. The Toughbook 31 delivers all of this power and goes beyond MIL-STD-810G testing to deliver a 6’ drop rating and IP65 protection—protection against streaming liquids and fine dust. In addition to being the highest performing rugged notebook, the Toughbook 31 is without a doubt the most durable.

Taking the Heat
One of the greatest challenges in engineering fully rugged PCs has always been thermal management. Historically, because of their high degree of failure and the resulting increased exposure to dust and moisture, “fan” has been a four letter word for engineers focused on reliability. As a result, truly rugged PCs have been constrained to using lower voltage chipsets. However, Panasonic, in cooperation with its partners at Intel, has been a long-time leader in developing unique approaches to managing heat, using sinks and pipes designed to keep units running cool and CPUs running at their peak.

Thanks to Panasonic’s ongoing commitment to R&D, the Toughbook 31 continues to break performance barriers. In addition to its proven heat management technology, the new Panasonic hybrid cooling system incorporates a fully rugged interior fan that keeps air (and dust, sand, and fluids) moving, allowing for the use of a desktop class processor, like the Core i5. Because Panasonic engineers are 100% focused on reliability and creating fail-safe solutions, they’ve also devised a software solution that, in the unlikely event of a cooling fan failure, the device is programmed to run cooler, stepping down the clock speed. Only Panasonic, with its engineers focused on up-time, is in a position to innovate in this way.

Protecting Investments in the Long Run
Why do Panasonic’s engineers obsess over these things? For two reasons: 1. to continue to deliver the industry’s most reliable PCs, and 2. to ensure a high ROI and lower total cost of ownership for our customers.

To contribute to this, the Toughbook 31 includes multiple future-proof wireless options, including Gobi2000™ chipset from Qualcomm. The 31 is a 4G-ready device designed from the inside-out to enable superior data access and productivity for any mobile professional in mission-critical applications and extreme environments.

In addition, the Toughbook 31 maintains Panasonic’s now eleven year commitment to vehicle dock compatibility, ensuring that this critical and expensive hardware investment is protected over time. It is these kinds of things—based on the ongoing feedback of our customers—that make purchasing mobile computers from Panasonic a solid long-term investment.