Consumer electronics giant Panasonic announced upgrades to the Performance version of its Toughpad 4K tablet, also known as the FZ-Y1D.
The upgraded Toughpad 4K increases device performance while adding features to improve functionality for professionals across a variety of visual-intensive fields, such as photography, videography, computer-aided design (CAD), high-end retail and healthcare.
The Toughpad 4K also supports HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) 2.2 for DRM (Digital Rights Management) to protect content by creating a secure connection between the tablet and source.
“The Toughpad 4K 20-inch is a business rugged tablet, so rugged enough to travel with but not designed for regular outdoor use,” Kyp Walls, director of product marketing at Panasonic, told eWEEK. “A 20-inch tablet provides much of the flexibility of smaller tablets but with a large enough display to been seen by multiple users and to make a big visual impression. With a HDMI 2.0 input, the newest Toughpad 4K can be used as a portable on-set monitor to check focus on 4K cameras or review stills.”
To meet the horsepower needs of content management, production and editing, the Toughpad 4K Performance model now features an Intel Core i7-5600U vPro processor and an AMD FirePro M5100 graphics chip.
“A computing device that is durable, as all portable devices should be, but lacks usability loses much of its appeal. Our engineers have invented technologies and processes to ensure we deliver machines that are strong enough to survive in the field, but light enough and sufficiently easy to use that customers have the portability they need to get their work done wherever they are,” Walls said. “Advanced Mg Alloy casework, Li Ion battery technology, screen treatments, shock mounting techniques; these all help our engineers achieve industry leading durability along with outstanding usability.”
The upgraded Toughpad 4K Performance model with Windows 10 Pro will be available this month at a list price of $4,229, and the Windows 7 model will follow in January 2016.
All Toughpad tablets can be purchased through authorized Panasonic resellers, and all products in the Toughpad family come standard with a 3-year warranty.
“Panasonic does not believe in a one size fits all approach, but we do believe that anything that leaves the desk needs to be reliable enough to work where it is needed,” Walls said. “That’s one reason we drop test all of our designs, since portability and accidents go hand in hand. The tablet market will become more reliable over time, just as the laptop business has.”