Panasonic unveils its new fully rugged tablet PC CF-D1 at the International Exhibition MILIPOL 2011.

With its full shift battery life, 13.3” widescreen HD LED display, the latest 2nd Generation Intel® Core™i5-2520M (2.5GHz) standard voltage processor and a 320GB hard drive, the CF-D1 is equipped perfectly to handle today’s intensive diagnostic applications. In addition, the tablet combines all the rugged intensity expected of Toughbook and is built to stand-up to the knocks, falls, liquids, dust and extreme temperatures of the workshop and outdoor environments.

Russell Younghusband, General Manager Diagnostic Sales, at Panasonic, said: “Diagnostic technicians require a tablet device that can stand up to the harsh industrial environment they work in and run the high-powered applications they need for their precision work. The Toughbook CF-D1 is the result of working closely with the leading vehicle manufacturers to deliver a next generation diagnostic device that has been specifically designed to meet the needs of workshop technicians and field engineers both today and tomorrow.”

The screen has been specifically built for clarity both inside the workshop and for use outside in bright sunlight. The model delivers LCD brightness of 400cd/m². There is also an optional outdoor display delivering up to 1,000cd/m² by using a circular polarizer and anti-reflective coating, providing the best screen visibility on the market.

The power to handle diagnostic applications
The CF-D1 is a powerful industrial device built to integrate into the enterprise with first-class manageability, security and flexibility. To ensure the new tablet has the power to fulfil its industrial purpose, it utilises the latest 2nd generation high performance Intel® Core™ i5-platform and runs the Microsoft® Windows® 7 Professional operating system. The CF-D1 will run for 9 hours at a 60cd/m² brightness setting (MobileMarkTM 2007).

Triple modular bay designed for customisation
Designed specifically to meet the wide-ranging needs of diagnostic technicians, the device has configurable triple bay ports fully designed for customisation, and able to support all specialist ports for reliable diagnostic data transmission. The ports can be easily configured to meet specific requirements such as a Serial or VGA interface, a second LAN port or rugged USB connector.

Built for communication
The tablet also has all the wireless and wired communication capabilities mobile diagnostic technicians would need with Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6205 AGN WLAN, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, Ericsson F5521gw 3G (optional) and GPS (optional). This ensures that the device can be used in the workshop or at the roadside or in the field to diagnose faults.

A wide range of security features, including AMT, vProTM (optional), Kensington lock, Fingerprint reader (optional), Smartcard reader (optional) and Panasonic security utilities, ensure that the device meets the highest security requirements for data protection.

Other optional additions include the capability for a 1.3Mpixel front webcam or 3Mpixel high-resolution back camera to capture diagnostic documentation or paper information electronically.

Built to last and for convenience
The CF-D1 has all the rugged elements expected in a Toughbook. Drop tested to a height of 90cm* and with water and dust protection giving it an impressive IP65* rating.

For convenient use by technicians whatever their environment the device has been ergonomically designed with semi-mobility in mind. Weighing approx. 2.25kg, the CF-D1 can be carried by the handle, held in one hand for data input using the hand strap or stand alone alongside the technician using extendable legs (Project driven). The device can also be used in a docking cradle with adjustable viewing angle to allow optimized viewing in various usage scenarios or back at the technician’s desk in the office.

Appropriate for diagnostics in sectors such as automobile, truck, construction and mining machinery, agricultural machinery, material handling and car rescue clubs, the Toughbook tablet will be available from November 2011 and priced 2955€ for the standard model.

*Tested in Panasonic Factory