Consumer electronics giant Panasonic announced upgrades to its Toughpad FZ-G1 fully-rugged 10-inch tablet, which now features a faster, fourth-generation Intel Core i5 vPro processor, a Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro update and a single battery providing up to 10 hours of continuous use.
The Toughpad FZ-G1 is available this month at a list price of $2,599, and all Toughpad devices can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers.
The updates also include an optional bridge battery, as well as improvements, and is aimed at mobile professionals, including military personnel, first responders and field service and sales teams, in need of a lightweight tablet PC with the power of a desktop but built for use in harsh environments.
Touch-screen enhancements include a daylight-readable display with 10-point gloved multitouch technology plus digitizer, which is operational even in wet conditions, and a hazardous location certification meeting standard chemical resistance, as well as an optional certification available for use in hazardous locations (ANSI).
Enhanced WiFi connectivity includes an upgrade to Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac technology and with expanded configuration options, users have three new choices, including a UHF radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, contactless smart card reader (HF-RFID), or bridge battery, which means 11 options in total are now available.
“Mobile workers are the fastest growing segment of the workforce, and these professionals require highly portable and durable computing tools they can rely on wherever their work takes them,” said Dan Diliberti, senior product manager for tablets and handhelds for Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “Since its introduction in 2013 the Toughpad FZ-G1 has become one of our most popular products, and these key improvements only serve to increase the return on investment it provides.”
Rounding out the package is a camera upgrade to an 8-megapixel rear camera and software with location-based services—for the Windows 8.1 Pro—and enhanced security with the optional Opal-compliant, self-encrypting drive, which will be available later this summer.
The Toughpad also retains key features of the previous model, including a fully rugged design certified to meet IP65 and MIL-STD-810G specifications for drops of up to 4 feet, shock, vibration, altitude, humidity and extreme temperatures.
Last month, the company announced the launch of two 5-inch fully rugged tablets, the Toughpad FZ-E1, powered by Windows Embedded 8.1 Handheld, and the Toughpad FZ-X1, running the Android 4.2.2 operating system.
The tablets feature 14-hour hot-swappable batteries, FIPS 140-2 Level 1 security and sunlight-readable HD touch-screens, and are supported by an ecosystem of accessories such as holsters, vehicle mounts and chargers and vertical market specific application solutions from a wide variety of vendors.