Panasonic's new Toughbook S9 extends the system maker's line of rugged business devices.
According to the rough-and-tumble device maker, the S9, announced
Sept. 28, is the world’s lightest 12.1-inch laptop with an integrated
DVD drive, and really even the most hardened road warrior is likely to
be impressed by its quick specs: Despite the 12.1-inch display and
dedicated drive, the S9 weighs just 3 pounds and offers a full 11 hours
of battery life. That’s with the standard battery, not an add-on also
adding weight.
The S9 is also approved for drops from 1 foot from any angle and for
2-foot drops to its base—while operating. Other features making it a
clutch companion for frequent fliers, or the simply less-than-careful,
are a spill-resistant keyboard and touchpad and a compression weight of
220 pounds. Which means the screen will stay intact even after the S9
is stupidly added to an overstuffed bag or full overhead compartment.
“The Toughbook brand has an average annual failure rate in the low
single digits, while most commercial-grade laptops have double digit
failure rates,” Kyp Walls, Panasonic’s director of product management,
said in a statement. The notebook’s standard warranty is for three
years.
Not losing sight that the S9 is a business device, it pairs
Microsoft Windows 7 with a 2.4GHz Intel Core i5-520M vPro processor,
3MB of Intel Smart Cache, a 320GB of shock-mounted hard drive and 2GB
of DDR3 (double-data rate) memory, expandable to 6GB.
Connectivity options include the Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 WiFi
in a, b, g and n. There’s also Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.1
and—ideal for multicarrier deployments—the option of Qualcomm’s
Gobi2000 mobile broadband technology, for EV-DO and HSPA.
Also optional is a fingerprint reader, though security features are
already rich. There’s Panasonic’s trusted platform module security
chip, version 1.2; the Computrace theft protection agent in the BIOS;
Intel Anti-theft technology; a cable lock slot and, of course, password
security.
Conveniences include a dedicated key for turning off all
connectivity options, an HDMI port, three USB ports, a high-capacity
SDcard slot, a PC card slot and a VGA port, for plugging into
projectors or an additional display.
“Increased workforce mobility can improve efficiency and drive
profit as long as the mobile device on which your business depends does
not become a burden to your IT department,” Walls added. “The only way
to ensure you maximize your mobile computer investment is to purchase a
device with proven reliability.”
The Panasonic Toughbook S9 is now available in the United States at a starting price of $2,499.
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