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Panasonic Toughbook 31
Much more performance, great battery life, an ultra-bright display and many new features mark the 6th generation of Panasonic's rugged laptop platform
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, photography by Carol Cotton)
Update September 18, 2012: Following upgrades to the Panasonic Toughbook 19 fully rugged convertible tablet PC, the rugged Toughbook 31 notebook has also undergone significant technological improvements. First and foremost, there are now third-generation Intel processors (i5-3360M, i5-3320M, and i3-3110M), improving graphics performance (by far), overall performance, and longer life. drums. The i5 models are now equipped with 500GB 7,200rpm drives, the standard 802.11a / b / g / n and a USB 3.0 port for much faster throughput. Updated Toughbook 31 prices start at an estimated retail price of $ 3,499.
Panasonic's flagship Toughbook product hardly needs to be introduced. Few computers have the history and pedigree of rugged Toughbooks, which occupy a special place among the most popular rugged notebooks ever made. In mid-2010, Panasonic announced the Toughbook 31, a fully rugged computer for tough field work, in vehicles and in all situations where a standard notebook would fail quickly. The Toughbook 31 replaces the Toughbook 30 with a variety of updates and technology enhancements that allow the platform to be at the forefront of technology without making obsolete the investment of existing customers in old docks and Toughbook peripherals. In fact, this 6th generation of Panasonic's rugged original laptop platform has now Eleven years of vehicle dock compatibility. This is remarkable because it means that the Toughbook 27, 28, 29, 30 and now 31 computers can all coexist and use the same support infrastructure.
What's new in Toughbook 31?
What has changed with the latest Toughbook 31 model? In particular, Panasonic has moved from Intel Core 2 Duo power to the latest Intel Core i3 and i5 processors. The three processors available in the new Toughbook 31, as well as the new Intel QM57 Express Mobile Chipset, are all part of the Intel "Calpella" platform. 
These 32-nm lithography chips include the memory controller and fairly powerful integrated graphics with high-definition video hardware acceleration directly into the processor, and are essentially the successors of Core 2 Duo processors.
It's a bit complicated here because Intel offers a wide variety of new Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors, as well as ultra-low voltage, low voltage, and standard voltage versions, some designed for mobile and remote use. Others for the office. Among all these solutions, Panasonic has chosen a low-end Core i3 (the Core i3-350M at 2.26 GHz) and two high-end i5 chips (the i5-520M at 2.40 GHz and the i5-540M at 2.53 GHz slightly faster). Note that the last two also have a "Turbo Boost" mode that automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base clock frequency if the CPU runs below the specified power, current, and power limits. temperature. So, the two chips maximum i5 at 2.93 and 3.07 GHz.
While the new processors are the big story, the Toughbook 31 also benefits from new and ever better technologies: the available shock-absorbing and removable SATA hard drive capacities are up to 160GB and 250GB. to be a bit modest, as larger discs are now available. No argument, however, about the optional SSD – who would have thought a few years ago that we would have 256GB SSD drives !? With the new processors, the memory has been switched to a fast DDR3 at 1066 MHz, with a maximum of 8 GB. An additional USB 2.0 port brings the total number of embedded cards to 4, and there is now an HDMI port in addition to VGA.
You will find below the old Panasonic Toughbooks of this series, starting with the CF-27 in 1999.
Design, look and feel
Having followed the evolution of Panasonic's Toughbooks since I served as Editor-in-Chief of Pen Computing Magazine in 1993, what impresses most is Panasonic's infallible and determined dedication to continuous improvement. the platform. It's a quest for perfection: Panasonic's engineers worry about every detail. There is no badge engineering here, no change of supplier (Panasonic makes virtually everything that goes into a Toughbook itself), no mid-course corrections and no uncertainty mergers or acquisitions or policy changes. All of this combines to produce exemplary quality and longevity and, perhaps most importantly, peace of mind for Toughbook customers.
There is really no description of the strength of a Toughbook, nor of how Panasonic has improved the industrial design directive of "function follows function" in making the shape as beautiful as it is functional. In meetings with Panasonic engineers, they explained the "pencil hardness" of finishes and coatings, as well as the links between toughness and abrasion, and the way they pulled to improve toughness. from 3H to 6H. I remember talking about ph levels and how the acidity of sweat can affect or degrade plastics. All in all, and the end result is a machine such as the Toughbook 31. The Powercoat finish of its LCD case is simply amazing, as is its design and design of any computer, down to the smallest detail.
But let's look at the matt black silver Toughbook, which measures 12 x 11.5 x 2.9 inches and weighs just under nine pounds. This is a bulky and consistent machine, although in the age of 17 and even 19-inch laptops, the 31 looks really like a slender appearance. Below you can see the top and the four sides of the machine:
The ports and connectivity are distributed around the machine, including the front part which includes, in addition to the spring lever, a fingerprint reader and the Toughbook brand magnesium carrying handle, which can now accommodate the stylus provided plastic 5 inches long. Note that all ports sit behind protective doors of different designs and technologies. It should be noted here that the Toughbook 31 now has snap-on positive port covers that provide more reliable sealing and protection. This design, which consists of closing a hood, then moving it until it locks with a noticeable slamming sound, was first seen on the Toughbook U1 and is certainly an improvement by compared to older style port hoods.
The image below shows the back of the computer, with all its ports exposed. On the right is a DB9 RS-232 port separately sealed for existing support. The other ports are all located under a single hinged hood with a slider to access the extension bus and external antenna connectors. The door is secured with a spring latch that is a bit of a nail breaker. Under the door are also two USB 2.0 ports, an external display port and separate headphone and microphone jacks. On the left of the door is a standard Kensington slot so you can secure the Toughbook with a cable.
The two images below show the left side (top) and the right side (bottom) of the device.
On the left side, two-thirds are occupied by a large hinged door behind which is the optical drive (a DVD burner in our unit), a Type II PC card slot, an ExpressCard / 54 slot, An SDHC card slot, A smart card slot, and a small wireless power on / off switch that is sufficiently hidden to eventually cause some anxiety when turned off and there is no connection wireless.
Next to everything is the lockable battery compartment and a ventilation port for the Toughbook fan. Yes, there is now a fan to handle the extra heat of the powerful i5 processor, but it is small and harmless and almost never seems to turn on.
On the right side, no less than five separate doors. They protect an HDMI port, a SIM card slot, an RJ45 LAN port, an optional RJ11 modem port (users always use a modem?), Two additional USB 2.0 ports, and a power jack. On the left is the hard drive compartment, which has both a latch and a security lock on the door.
It is worth mentioning how Panasonic designed the LCD case lock. This is important in rugged machines designed for outdoor use, as the lock must be both strong and reliable enough to prevent the computer from accidentally opening, but also easy enough to use to wear with gloves. . To do this, Panasonic has designed a sawtooth latch that securely locks the LCD case against the main body of the computer with a simple push, and also opens when pushed to it. Opposite end. The LCD case also features two small, bolt-shaped bosses that insert into the bottom-cuffed fingerprints and prevent any twisting of the LCD case when it is not in use. is closed.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard of the Toughbook is complete and has 87 keys. The fairly flat keys are black with letters, numbers and white symbols. The keys are backlit and go through five steps, from light to bright, via keyboard control. There is no separate keyboard, but a keyboard feature is available with the usual numeric keys badigned to the numbers 7, 8, 9 and the letters uio, jkl and m. Overall, all these labels and icons make the keyboard a little busy, but normal users will understand it all in no time.
Under the keyboard is the touchpad of the unit. It's a small affair set back with the two mouse buttons in front of him. I'm not a big fan of this touch pad, because it's so small that my fingers are constantly bumping into his food processor. In addition, it needed a touch firm enough for the cursor to move. There may be reasons for this design, but I would prefer a larger, more cooperative touchpad. Under the touchpad are seven LEDs, each with an icon. I only recognized two of them without looking at things, so they are not very obvious. We had criticized the Toughbook 27 touchpad, which was just as small and unresponsive, in 1999, as well as in the CF-29 and CF-30 magazines, and we do not understand why it's still a problem.
Panasonic must also have its reasons for this latest keyboard design, but some will prefer the keyboards of the old Toughbooks with their larger letters more legible on the gray and black keys and their more commercial design.
Performance
All laptops represent a compromise between performance, size, weight, battery life and cost. If you want a powerful processor with a lot of speed, it means more heat and less battery life. You can install a bigger battery, but the computer becomes big and heavy. On the other hand, if you want a small silent computer without a fan, it will probably have a lot less performance. So, more speed, more heat, less battery life. Or more battery life, less performance, less heat. If you want more performance AND more battery, it's more weight AND more heat. So you see that it's a compromise and that's what Panasonic was facing when choosing processors for this new version of the full size Toughbook. In the past, Toughbooks typically had relatively low power processors that focused on battery life.
However, for the new Toughbook 31, Panasonic took a different approach and chose three fairly powerful chips in the Core i3-350M at 2.26 GHz, the Core i5-520M at 2.4 GHz and the Core i5-540M at 2.53 GHz (present in our catalog). examination machine). All three have a thermal computing power of 35 watts, which is twice as much as the Core 2 Duo processor used in the Toughbook 30. This is what Intel calls "standard voltage" processors, as opposed to the low voltage versions. ultra-low voltage. Yet, for the Toughbook 31 powered by Core i5, Panasonic boasts a battery life even longer than the already incredible ten hours specified for the Toughbook 30 predecessor with its lower processor. Is it possible?
It's actually. Indeed, the new Intel processors, while offering impressive performance, are extremely economical thanks to advanced energy saving techniques. Panasonic therefore recommends 11 hours of charge for Core i5 machines if you use Intel integrated graphics cards and about 5 hours for an i5 machine running the switchable and discrete ATI Radeon graphics card available with i5-540M models. Note that discrete, energy-hungry ATI graphics must be enabled in a BIOS setting.
To see what kind of performance the Core i5-540M-powered Toughbook 31 can deliver with and without discrete graphics, we ran our standard Pbadmark Software PerformanceTest 6.1 test suite, which runs about 30 tests covering the processor, 2D graphics , 3D graphics, memory, disk, then calculates the scores of each category and a global PbadMark score. We also ran our second reference suite, CrystalMark, for confirmation and additional information. For comparison, we included the benchmarks of two direct competitors with recent Core 2 Duo processors, the Getac B300 still with an earlier version of the Core 2 Duo and the Motion J3500 tablet with a very low voltage Core i7 processor .
| COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCES | Panasonic | Panasonic | Itronix | Itronix | Movement | Getac |
| Model | 31 (Intel Graphics) | 31 (ITA charts) | GD8000 | GD6000 | J3500 | B300 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 M540 | Intel Core i5 M540 | Intel Core 2 Duo SL9400 | Intel Core 2 Duo T9400 | Intel Core i7 U640 | Intel Core 2 Duo L7500 |
| CPU speed | 2.53 GHz | 2.53 GHz | 1.86 GHz | 2.53 GHz | 1.20 GHz | 1.60 GHz |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 35.0 watts | 35.0 watts | 17.0 watts | 35.0 watts | 18.0 watts | 17.0 watts |
| Processor brand |
1008.8 |
997.3 |
1185.5 |
1538.8 |
699.2 |
893.9 |
| 2D graphic mark |
249.6 |
263.1 |
102.1 |
294.8 |
181.5 |
158.5 |
| Memory brand |
737.7 |
727.0 |
559.0 |
696.8 |
502.5 |
400.0 |
| Disk brand |
589.1 |
590.4 |
372.6 |
378.0 |
1004.1 |
343.3 |
| 3D graphic mark |
352.3 |
487.5 |
52.7 |
180.7 |
276.1 |
138.3 |
| Global PbadMark | 600.2 | 613.5 | 518.8 | 679.5 | 538.6 | 420.8 |
| ALU |
34170 |
34258 |
18527 |
24808 |
23294 |
14320 |
| FPU |
37566 |
37321 |
19617 |
26781 |
21721 |
16990 |
| SAME |
24259 |
24657 |
14381 |
16651 |
17025 |
10148 |
| Hard disk |
8629 |
8950 |
7109 |
6920 |
28029 |
6711 |
| GDI |
5910 |
6300 |
6947 |
7966 |
6862 |
2565 |
| D2D |
5656 |
1530 |
3100 |
3566 |
1416 |
4535 |
| OGL |
2701 |
11318 |
1552 |
1936 |
1694 |
1020 |
| CrystalMark package | 118891 | 124334 | 71233 | 88628 | 100041 | 56289 |
The results of PbadMark are somewhat surprising, as machines with Core 2 Duo 9400 low voltage and standard processor perfectly framed the Toughbook 31 powered by i5, while the Motion Tablet i7 ultra powered by running at only 1.2 GHz was not far behind. In CrystalMark tests, however, the Toughbook i5 fast standard voltage has clearly established its supremacy.
Also note that in both cases, the Toughbook has by far the best 3D and OGL graphics results. In default mode, with only the built-in graphics of the i5 processor, the 3D and OGL results were pretty good, but for any application using a lot of 3D graphics, and especially the OGL code, it is advantageous to enable the graphics ATI discrete. OpenGL Open Graphics Library refers to a multi-language and cross-platform API for 2D and 3D graphics. It is widely used in the fields of CAD, simulation and visualization. As reflected in the benchmark results, the use of the ATI Radeon processor not only improves standard graphics, but offers phenomenal OGL performance.
Whatever the case may be, the Toughbook 31 is very powerful, and by far the fastest and most robust complete Toughbook.
The new hybrid cooling system
Of course, nothing is completely free, and this also applies to the performance of new Intel processors. By choosing "standard voltage" processors that offer the best possible performance while meeting battery life goals, Panasonic had to handle a 35-watt "thermal power" (TDP), more than double the bbad SL9300 voltage of the previous machine. chip.
The rated thermal power is the maximum amount of energy that a computer's cooling system must dissipate and is used by Intel as a measure of energy efficiency. Thus, although new chips work very efficiently, they can still generate much more heat than old ones and this heat must be dissipated. So goodbye design without fan. Panasonic does not mention this specifically, but mentions its new "hybrid cooling system," where hybrid means that a fan helps the internal heat pipe to dissipate the heat generated by the processor. This is not the end of the world. Itronix has been using fans for years. They are totally waterproof. The same goes for the Toughbook 31. It is always less elegant, but the same goes for progress. The Panasonic website shows a video of the fan handling both water and muddy mud (see above).
Power and battery life
So we have now established that the Toughbook is a great product, but how is it compatible with the 11-hour battery life cited by Panasonic? After all, the powerful i5-540M processor alone has a thermal computing power of 35 watts. Apply it even to a big battery like the 91 watt-hour Li-Ion pack of this Toughbook, and you expect it to run out pretty quickly.
But that's not it. Indeed, Intel's new Core processors incorporate excellent power management that allows them to slow down and remain inactive when complete or even partial performance is not needed. We used the PbadMark BatteryMon to measure power consumption and found that, as was the case with other Panasonic machines tested, battery consumption is constantly fluctuating up and down.
The graph on the right shows power consumption when the machine is set up for optimal battery conservation, wireless radios turned off, screen brightness very low, and the machine idle. In this way, we saw a power consumption of less than eight watts, which corresponds practically to the territory of the Atom processor. And that would indicate an autonomy of more than nine hours. However, with power consumption fluctuating constantly, the average power consumption was probably closer to 10 to 12 watts.
With the radios on, the normal screen brightness, and the 1080p video, the machine got a good workout and the power consumption fluctuated between 22 and 35 watts, averaging about 26 watts. So, thoroughly, the life of the battery would exceed three hours, which is quite acceptable.
In reality, most machines alternate between brief periods of heavy use, periods of moderate use, and many idle periods during which the computer will likely go into sleep mode. In our tests, Windows 7 does a much better job than Windows XP, and for this reason alone, we would prefer to see Windows 7 on the Toughbook 31 than the XP of our tester. Windows 7 also seems exceptionally well suited to the energy saving measures of Core processors.
Note that power consumption is significantly higher when ATI discrete graphics are enabled. When we set the BIOS to "Performance Video" to run a second series of performance tests, the minimum power consumption went from less than eight watts to 13 watts. In essence, the Toughbooks with Core i5-540M and discrete ATI graphics look a bit like cars with a big turbocharger: you get exceptional mileage when the turbo is off, but ride on it and extra performance pays off.
Overall, the Toughbook 31 is a fast machine that, unlike the demons of the speed of the past, still manages to make his battery last a long time.
Display
On the display side, the old 13.1-inch 4: 3 screen can raise a few eyebrows at a time when everything has changed to 16:10 or even 16: 9 widescreen. According to Panasonic, this was necessary to preserve the hardware compatibility of the docking station and the same resolution of XGA display of 1024 x 768 also means that it will not be necessary to rewrite the custom software. That may be the case, but at this point, we would like to see a slightly higher, more contemporary resolution that will allow the big Toughbook to run modern applications requiring much higher resolution.
Panasonic, one of the pioneers of daylight readability with its DayBrite ARX, is now calling its outdoor readable display technology "CircuLumin", which is a bit of a tornado of one's own. term describing a combination of anti-reflective and anti-reflective coatings, and circular polarizers that make the display usable on the outside. Combine this with a super powerful backlight and the Toughbook 31 can be used in virtually any lighting condition. What's new for the 31 is the LED backlighting, which brings an additional 10% increase in brightness: you can now turn on the display up to 1,100 nits (versus about 200 for a standard laptop ). Another advantage of the LED backlight is that it can be lowered to two nits while the CCFL backlight did not exceed seven nits, which was still too much when one did not want to be seen.
Another screen problem: all models of the Toughbook 31 are equipped with a touch screen. This is no longer an option at extra cost as it was the case with previous models. It is still durable, so no cursor tracking as you can with active Wacom-style scanners, and not yet multi-touch. Panasonic works there though (the Toughbook C1 already has it).
And more news about the display and graphics: Intel's 2010 Core processors are inherently capable of handling multiple monitors in any combination of display ports, HDMI, DVI and VGA, and even offer a simultaneous dual HDMI support. Of course, all this is not implemented on the Toughbook 31, but it is good to have the HDMI port to make presentations HD and others.
I've already mentioned the fact that the new Core i3 and i5 processors used in the Toughbook 31 have embedded graphics supposed to provide about 1.5 times the graphics performance of the predecessor GM45 platform in a Core 2 Duo equivalent processor , with much better 3D performance, HD. hardware acceleration, post-processing, audio and other enhancements. But Panasonic offers even more: models equipped with i5-540M processors offer additional discrete graphics via an ATI Radeon HD5650 graphics processor.
Actual outdoor viewing performance
Numbers, technologies and numbers are one thing, but using a screen on the outside in bright sunshine and in different lighting conditions is another. The images below are a side-by-side comparison between the 13.1-inch Toughbook 31 and one of our desktop notebooks, a standard Gateway computer. This is not really a fair comparison because the Gateway is just an ordinary notebook while the Toughbook is a highly specialized computer for outdoor applications. However, the gateway display is actually very good, remains legible on the outside and sports one of those very bright modern screens that are now almost everywhere. So what can we learn from the comparison?
The first image below shows both machines outdoors in daylight, but not in direct sunlight. You can see here the brutal power of the 1,100 nits backlight of the Toughbook. For real use, we should turn off the backlight because it is almost too bright, even for the outside. It is also much brighter than the Gateway, which remains quite legible but much darker, although its backlight is actually quite powerful for a standard laptop.
The following comparison photo shows both computers at an angle and here you can see what reflections can do on a display. The glossy screen of the bridge acts like a window, reflecting the landscape and making the display almost useless. The display of the Toughbook is not affected. Its highly effective anti-reflective and anti-glare coatings and the use of circular polarizers make it possible to obtain a rock-solid image that remains perfectly legible.
Next picture on the other side. You can see here the combined effect of the very strong backlighting of the Toughbook and its optical treatments. The bottom of the problem is that the Toughbook screen coatings are probably about as good as they are right now, and the screen is so bright that it gives the kind of look nice "inside" even in daylight.
Overall, the Toughbook's display has not changed for a number of years. It has become easier to read and much brighter thanks to the very powerful backlight, and that's fine. But Panasonic's decision to keep the latest Toughbook compatible with all the old home stations and apps means it remains a 13.1-inch screen in 4: 3 format with a very modest XGA resolution. At some point, the company will have to move to a more contemporary display size and higher resolution. It's inevitable.
Wireless considerations
Properly measuring the radio frequency radiation emitted by a computer equipped with wireless radios is not simple because there is so much radio wave around. 
The solution is to perform the tests in an "anechoic" RF isolation chamber, totally protected from external interference. In its Kobe Toughbook plant, Panasonic has its own special anechoic chamber building (shown in the picture on the right) whose construction required a welded steel plate floor, a double layer of copper shielding on both sides. walls and ceiling, as well as a complete removal of the interior. reflection of radio waves via hundreds of wedge-shaped urethane RF absorption modules. In this privileged space, Panasonic engineers were then able to reliably measure RF performance and ensure compliance with worldwide authorized radio interference standards.
Modern mobile computers rely on strong embedded wireless radio performance, and the Toughbook 31 is no exception. All versions come with built-in Bluetooth v2.1 with improved data throughput. Models equipped with Core i5 processors come with Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 802.11a / b / g / n WiFi modules, while Core i3 models feature a WiFi Atheros AR9285 802.11b / g / module. not.
Gobi 2000 is available as an option for all models. Gobi means global mobile Internet technology. Il s'agit d'une technologie sans fil Qualcomm qui prend en charge les différentes normes de réseau sans fil du monde entier, afin que les utilisateurs puissent choisir le fournisseur qui leur est disponible (voir page Qualcomm Gobi). Gobi 2000, en plus des technologies sans fil actuelles, prend également en charge les normes 4G émergentes. Avec la plate-forme logicielle CSA (Carrier Selection Application Application) de Panasonic, il n'est plus nécessaire de déconnecter physiquement divers modems à un module et spécifiques à un opérateur pour sélectionner un autre opérateur. Avec Gobi, les utilisateurs Toughbook aux États-Unis peuvent accéder aux réseaux AT & T, Sprint et Verizon Wireless avec un seul appareil sans fil et sélectionner ou choisir le meilleur opérateur pour toutes les zones géographiques.
Un récepteur GPS (que notre appareil n'avait pas) est également disponible en option intégrée.
Un coup d'oeil à l'intérieur du Toughbook 31
Panasonic est fier de ses taux d'échec extrêmement bas. Cela est dû en partie aux nombreuses années d’expérience de Panasonic dans la fabrication de Toughbooks aussi à l’abri des balles que possible. Mais cela témoigne également de la qualité extrêmement élevée du produit. Cette qualité est immédiatement visible lorsque vous regardez à l'intérieur de la machine. Il n'y a pas de raccourcis ici. Chaque détail a été pensé, correctement conçu, puis amélioré jusqu'à ce que tout soit parfait. 
Il y a des détails que vous ne trouvez simplement nulle part ailleurs. Par exemple, même les systèmes bien conçus contiennent généralement des fils lâches. Pas celui-ci. Panasonic a en fait conçu de petites cartes en plastique qui retiennent et acheminent tous les fils de modules additionnels tels que le module Sierra Wireless Gobi2000.
La photo de droite montre le bas à l'intérieur du Toughbook 31 après que le couvercle en magnésium léger avec tous ses détails, découpes, renforts et joint torique intégré a été supprimé. Les choses sont complexes là-bas, avec plusieurs cartes et modules empilés les uns sur les autres, s’insérant très précisément dans le boîtier en magnésium robuste et dans un certain nombre de sous-cadres en magnésium puissants.
Aussi complexe soit-il, les entrailles du Toughbook 31 sont également très modulaires. Les sous-cartes sont faciles à retirer et à remplacer, ce qui facilite probablement la personnalisation. Le disque dur se glisse facilement. La baie multimédia est également facilement accessible. Tout semble résulter de nombreuses années d'optimisation et de résolution de tous les problèmes.
Le châssis général du Toughbook 31 est, bien entendu, en magnésium, un métal dont l’utilisation dans les ordinateurs portables par Panasonic a été un peu plus avancée. Le magnésium est léger, facilement disponible, conduit bien, protège des ondes électromagnétiques et est facilement recyclable. Panasonic peut maintenant produire des alliages de magnésium moulés minces de 0,02 pouce d'épaisseur, plus minces que la plupart des plastiques. 
Certaines parties du châssis et des sous-cadres sont si minces qu'il est difficile de croire qu'elles sont en métal. Pourtant, ils sont complètement rigides et incroyablement forts. L'attention portée aux détails s'étend partout. Le capot du module sans fil et de la baie d'accès à la mémoire utilise trois types de caoutchouc mousse. Il existe un joint d'étanchéité sur mesure badez large pour toujours badurer une étanchéité fiable. Il y a un espaceur dense conçu pour maintenir le module de mémoire en place (même s'il ne semble pas se détacher), et sur le dessus de l'espaceur se trouve un morceau de caoutchouc mousse beaucoup plus doux pour éviter toute pression excessive. le module de mémoire.
Les planches et l'bademblage sont aussi propres que possible. Tous les ordinateurs Toughbook 31 sont fabriqués dans l'usine Kobe de Panasonic, une installation ultramoderne où une main-d'œuvre très qualifiée se combine avec les robots industriels les plus avancés pour créer à peu près le nec plus ultra en matière de qualité et d'efficacité de fabrication. L'usine, qui fabrique également les tablettes et ordinateurs semi-robustes et professionnels de Panasonic, constitue une véritable étude de cas sur le déploiement optimal d'automatisation complète, de processus automatisés nécessitant une supervision et de processus nécessitant un travail manuel qualifié. La plupart des robots et des machines ont des voyants rouges et verts qui s'allument en vert lorsque tout fonctionne bien, mais deviennent rouges pour avertir les techniciens d'un problème ou d'une anomalie nécessitant une intervention.
Contrairement à la plupart des fabricants d’ordinateurs, Panasonic n’achète pas de cartes ailleurs. Ils sont fabriqués directement dans cette usine. Et ça ne s'arrête même pas là. La plupart des machines sont également conçues et fabriquées par Panasonic, y compris la machine d’insertion de puces (voir l’illustration à droite) qui, selon Panasonic, est la plus rapide du marché. C’est fascinant de voir ces machines alimenter des puces et des circuits comme des munitions dans une mitrailleuse Gatlin (voir photo à gauche), les puces disparaissant dans la machine et étant ensuite montées avec précision sur les cartes de circuits imprimés.
En regardant à l'intérieur du Toughbook 31, vous vous demandez peut-être où se trouve le ventilateur. Après tout, la machine doit dissiper la chaleur d’un puissant processeur Core i5 à 2,53 GHz, d’une puissance nominale de 35 watts. C’est là que les nombreuses années d’expertise de Panasonic en ingénierie thermique entrent en jeu. Le CF-31 est équipé d’un ventilateur, mais c’est un ventilateur petit, logé dans un boîtier en magnésium parfaitement scellé à l’intérieur. Un système élaboré de caloducs en cuivre évacue la chaleur des puces et des composants, et le boîtier très robuste en magnésium est lui-même un dissipateur thermique. 
Le disque dur est supprimé dans l'image ci-dessus, mais vous pouvez voir où il se trouve du côté droit du tableau. Les disques durs sont des points de défaillance notoires dus aux chutes et aux impacts. Panasonic a donc pbadé beaucoup de temps à proposer la meilleure solution possible. Alors que les disques durs de beaucoup d’ordinateurs robustes ont une sorte d’absorption des chocs, le boîtier de protection du disque dur utilisé dans la 31 appartient à une clbade à part.
Le disque n'est pas simplement monté sur les chocs, mais il se trouve à l'intérieur de son propre chariot amovible. And that caddy isn't just a plastic frame with a bit of padding, it is an intricate metal box inside of which, completely enclosed in foam padding and buffers, sits the hard disk. And this isn't just any foam; it is a special type of slow-collapsing foam that Panasonic developed especially for this very purpose. This means that in a typical drop, the kind that can and will happen in the field, the impact on the disk is reduced from thousands of Gs to just a small fraction of that, well within what the 31's hard disk can handle while operating.
Note that the disk caddy is easily removable from outside. Just open the door on the side of the computer and pull it out. In the past, that sort of arrangement would have been a cause for concern (theft, etc.). Today, easy removal is a must as in many deployments hard disks are retrieved from computers and safely locked away when the machines are not in use.
More rugged than ever
As far as ruggedness goes, Panasonic continues to push the boundaries. It was always clear that Panasonic's rugged Toughbooks could take a substantial beatings, but in earlier generations that wasn't always reflected in impressive ruggedness specs. As a result, not too long ago, the predecessors of the new Toughbook 31 really only qualified as "semi-rugged."
That has changed. Sealing is now up to IP65 standards (with the "6" meaning the machine is totally protected against dust, and the "5" that it's protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions. Kyp Walls pointed out that the newly designed port covers that click-lock into place provide substantially better sealing.
Panasonic now also claims an almost incredible 6-foot drop spec, measured in accordance with MIL-STD-810G Transit Drop procedures. That is extremely impressive. It means that a test machine, turned off, was subjected to 26 drops (one drop on each face, edge and corner) from 72 inches onto plywood. The MIL-STD requests "Following completion of the required drops, visually examine the test item(s), and document the results" and "conduct an operational checkout". According to Panasonic's test report summary, the machine pbaded that test.
While being able to survive a 6-foot drop 26 times seems unreal for such a large and heavy piece of electronic equipment, I've seen the Panasonic engineers' meticulous attention to every smallest details with my own eyes at the Panasonic factory in Kobe, and so somehow they managed to combine all those special materials, shock absorption techniques, special subframes, etc., etc., into a computer that can take more punishment than should be possible.
Panasonic also deserves big kudos for making publicly available all of its ruggedness testing documents right on its Toughbook 31 web page.
security
With notebook computers now being used almost everywhere, machines are entrusted with more and more information, including mission-critical data. This makes security a primary concern, and so Panasonic equipped the Toughbook 31 with several physical and software security measures:
- There are the optional fingerprint and Smart Card readers that can be used as a very effective ways to complement, reduce or eliminate multiple pbadwords.
- Core i5 models include the TPM 1.2 micro controller with cryptographic functionality that allows the creation and management of computer-generated digital certificates. Combined with software, they can send and receive secure email, set up the browser for client identification, sign Word macros, encrypt individual files or entire folders, and create secure network connections.
- The Computrace theft protection agent is in the BIOS.
- The security menu in the BIOS also allows setting pbadwords for hard disk lock as well as configuration for embedded security, fingerprint reader settings, and Intel AMT configuration.
- And don't forget physical security via a Kensington-style locking cable. Simple, but effective.
Remote management with vPro
In the Toughbook 31 webpage, Panasonic highlights vPro, available with the two i5 processors used in the Toughbook 31, and dedicates a detailed video to it.
The video shows the use of vPro technology between a dispatch with a vPro console and a Toughbook-equipped service truck. It demonstrates how the remote console can wake up the Toughbook, run a job, then shut it down again.
So what is vPro all about?
vPro is an Intel technology platform that allows remote access to a PC regardless whether the computer is booted up or the power is even on. It is intended to allow remote management, monitoring and maintenance while maintaining strict security measures. While vPro componentry needs to be included in the processor, it's a platform rather than just a technology feature, one that requires a combination of chip, board, firmware and software. vPro also includes other Intel technologies such as Intel AMT (Active Management Technology), Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel's TXT (Trusted Execution Technology) and, of course, a network connection.
While remote access and management of PCs is commonly available through software such as VNC, VNC alone may not be capable and secure enough for all corporate purposes. With vPro, VNC can still be used, but it is now the Intel AMT part that facilitates secure communication with the PC, and in conjunction with the whole vPro platform, it is not only possible to control a remote PC, but also to start it up and—even more amazingly—log in and perform certain functions even if the OS is corrupted or missing. That's because the vPro engine/platform is available at a very low system level.
How can such vPro-based remote access be used? Well, there could be a system where dispatch sends job requests to the Toughbook 31 in a truck. The request will boot the computer if it is off, and then either perform a job or prompt the operator in the truck to do the job and report back. It can then turn off the computer remotely, even shut down the OS. As long as the computer still has power, it remains remotely accessible (remotely waking up a PC is usually done via a hardwire LAN connection, so Panasonic probably used a vehicle access point with hardwire LAN).
It's an interesting technology, and a great example of how new features can be used to make mobile notebooks ever more useful. (See vPro page at Intel).
Summary: The Panasonic Toughbook 31
The Panasonic Toughbook 31 is a rugged 9-pound notebook computer now in its sixth generation. It's a full-size workhorse of a computer and a platform that's mature and proven in numerous applications around the world. This latest model remains fully vehicle dock compatible with all full-size Toughbooks since the CF-27, and its unchanged display size and resolution means all custom software remains fully compatible as well.
While the lastest Toughbook looks pretty much the same as its Toughbook 28, 29 and 30 predecessors, this is by far the fastest Toughbook ever thanks to the switch to Intel's Core i3 and i5 processors. These chips are energy-efficient enough for Panasonic to go with more powerful "standard voltage" versions and still get very good battery life. Our machine came with Windows XP, but we'd definitely recommend Windows 7 now.
The Toughbook's 13.1-inch display still only has XGA resolution in the old 4:3 aspect ratio format, but it now has even brighter 1,100 nit LED backlighting. Combined with a variety of optical treatments, the display offers excellent outdoor viewability.
Panasonic also beefed up ruggedness yet again, this time boosting the ingress protection rating from IP54, where limited ingress of sand and water was still permitted, to IP65, which means the computer is totally dustproof and protected against water jets from all directions. Even more impressively, this big Toughbook now has an incredible 6-foot drop spec rating.
A touch screen is now standard and it's quick and responsive. We're less enamored with the busy-looking rubber keyboard and its flat keys, and the touch pad remains small and hard to operate.
Design, finish, and execution of Panasonic Toughbook 31 remain unmatched in most respects, and the machine certainly is a very attractive upgrade proposition for existing Toughbook customers, as well as a prime contender for any application anywhere that requires full computing power and extra toughness.
Panasonic Toughbook 31 highlights:
- Significantly enhanced 5th generation of the premier Panasonic Toughbook
- Exceptionally solid and well-made
- Much improved performance with Intel Core i3 and i5 processors
- Very bright display with excellent outdoor viewability
- Superb 3D and OGl graphics performance with discrete ATI Radeon graphics engaged (i5-540M only)
- Excellent glare and reflection control
- Improved sealing via new protective door designs
- Very responsive touch screen now standard
- Optional Gobi 2000 provides global wireless access
- New LED backlight even brighter and less sensitive to low temperatures
- Full vehicle dock compatibility with virtually all predecessor Toughbooks
- HDMI port and optional vidcam
- Incredible 6-foot drop spec!
But keep in mind:
- 4:3 aspect ratio XGA display now feels dated
- Small, unresponsive touch pad remains
- Busy looking keyboard and icons
- There is now a fan
- Battery life takes a dive with discrete graphics engaged
– Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, September 2010
Update May 25, 2011: Panasonic announced a series of upgrades to its Toughbook 31 with new Intel Core i5 (2520M/2540M) and i3 (2310M) processors, increased RAM and hard drive capacity (320GB standard now) as well as speed, up to 20 hours of battery life wWith the optional extended life media bay battery), a brighter sunlight-viewable screen (from 1,110 to 1,200 nits) and more (like newer WiFi, SDXC card, optional 4G LTE, optional USB 3.0). The availability of discrete graphics from an ATI Radeon HD6750 card (instead of HD5650) also delivers significant improvements in 3D graphics. Pricing now starts at US$3,299 (down from US$3,799).
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