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“Addictions can be very, very bad but addiction itself is not bad.
It’s a case of what you’re addicted to.
You better live each day like it’s your last, ‘cos one day you’re going to be right”.
Ray Charles.
Link tip a friend
Here’s a page that gives more info on the CF-30, the first bit below is a stripped down version from the Panasonic site with as much waffle and spin as possible taken out but that’s in fact quite difficult to entirely do; these copywriters can only write like this, so it’s sort of in there - like DNA.
Anyway, then there’s part of a 3 model review and maybe compare the Panasonic info with what the reviewer found? To be fair though, he was testing the Mark 2, not the Mark 3, so now with improved speed in the 3, he may not be writing about it being the slowest of the models he reviewed and his quoted price is now way over the mark. He’s quoting in April ’08 US$4,700 and now and with the newer model, they’re down to a bit over US$3K
And finally on this page there’s a downloadable PDF with all the specs and this is worth a look at because there are a couple of choices that need to be made like whether a Touchscreen model or not and a few others. And it now comes with Vista as standard not XP but it’s got XP ready to go if you’d prefer it.
OK, here’s the Panasonic stuff……..
Thanks to Intel® Centrino® Core 2 Duo Processor Technology, you can benefit from a battery life of up to 8 hours. Greater flexibility and optimum WLAN reception at all times are achieved through the diversity antennae which are integrated into the display casing.
A highlight of the CF-30 is the low reflection 13.3 inch XGA touchscreen, which with its 1,000 cd high brightness screen guarantees you can read the display perfectly at all times, even in direct sunlight.
Features:
Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Business. (XP Downgrade DVD included)
Embedded 3G wireless broadband:
The optional embedded 3G wireless broadband allows you to stay connected at super-fast speeds wherever you are. The internally embedded modem and inbuilt wireless antennas ensure crystal clear reception while not compromising the rugged features of the unit.
Security features:
The Toughbook CF-30 features enhanced security to protect your data. An embedded Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2 chipset prevents your HDD from being read, while the optional fingerprint reader and/or smart card reader gets rid of clumsy and insecure passwords. The CF-30 also features a cable lock slot to physically secure the unit.
Power:
The CF-30 provides up to 9 hours of battery life with the standard battery. It also includes a unique sensor to measure the temperature. This lets the unit charge to the best level for those conditions, so you get the most out of your battery. The multi-media pocket can also take a second battery, providing even longer life.
As well as 3G connectivity, WLAN, Bluetooth and GPS allows you to stay connected and locatable wherever you are.
Multiple input methods:
The pressure sensitive screen allows users to operate the touch screen in many conditions using your finger, gloved hands or the touch pen.
Daylight readable LCD:
The screen itself is as tough as it is clear. It has an extra bright active matrix (TFT) colour LCD panel with 1,000 cd/m2 brightness surrounded with dampers and mounted in a shock absorbing magnesium display casing. An exchangeable anti-reflective foil ensures you have a clear and glare-free view, even under outdoor conditions.
Construction:
The new ultra-strong magnesium alloy casing is now lighter and stronger than ever. This is especially true for the lid that is reinforced thanks to the cross rib structure of the magnesium LCD cabinet which further protects the screen from damage.
Protected features:
The removable hard disk is mounted in an aluminium case surrounded by specially designed shock-absorbing material. Flexible connectors allow the hard disk drive to be isolated from the system board, protecting against the transfer of shock from one component to the next. And if you're worried about the cold, the hard disk drive even has an internal heater, allowing it to boot up and work in sub-zero conditions.
Water and dust proof seals:
Water and dust proofing is essential to a healthy notebook, so we've created a fan-less design to avoid dust and other particles being sucked into the body of the computer. In addition, the individually sealed keyboard, touchpad and display are water and dust resistant to prevent any damage to the interior circuits. All key areas of the casing are sealed with a flexible elastomer sealant, ensuring all the seals are tight and durable to meet IP54 water and dust resistance standards.
Eliminating heat:
Because Toughbooks are water and dust-tight, an internal fan just wouldn't work so our engineers created an innovative heat dissipation system based on heat pipe technology. This evenly distributes heat from the inside of the computer to the outside of the casing, avoiding the appearance of hot spots.
Keyboard:
The keyboard is likely to take a lot of punishment. So we've made the keys even more durable, testing each key with a 200gforce over 5 million times, to make sure they're built to last. And because we fully intend the units to be used outdoors, we've made the keys black so they won't fade or turn yellow in the sun.
Dust-proof reinforced hinges:
The hinges can handle the most punishing use thanks to their 2mm thick fixings and ultra-strong screws. They are also completely sealed from dust, and have been opened and closed 50,000 times to thoroughly test their durability.
Port connectors:
The CF-30 has port connections that sit deeper in the casing than before. Not only does this give you a stronger connection, it also avoids the risk of them being knocked out and damaged if you move your Toughbook around whilst it's connected. The connections themselves are tested 20,000 times. Integral connector covers keep out dust and moisture to make sure you are able to work outside in all conditions.
Below is part of this review:
"It's easy to see why the Panasonic Toughbook 30 is the market leader for rugged systems. On top of being the most up-to-date system of its kind on the market, it delivered more than 7 hours of battery life and stood up to the torture tests. On the downside, it fell short on performance.
With its handle in place, the silver and black Toughbook 30 measures 2.8 by 11.9 by 11.3 inches, making it the thickest of the bunch; like the others, you can cut an inch off of its depth by unscrewing the handle. It weighs 8.4 pounds with the handle -- just a few ounces more than the XR-1, which has a smaller screen. With its AC adapter, the Toughbook 30 has a 9-pound travel weight.
Arguably the most carefully engineered notebook reviewed, it has a magnesium case and shock-mounted components; doors or covers seal all its openings. Even the system memory modules are held in place with rubber bumpers, and the display has a replaceable plastic screen guard.
Inside is a 1.6-GHZ Core 2 Duo processor backed up by an 80GB hard drive and 2GB of system memory; the system can hold up to 4GB. Its 13.3-inch display has an antiglare coating and did well in direct sunlight. It has the latest Intel 965 graphics controller, which can borrow up to 384MB of system memory.
While its array of ports can't touch that of the M230, the Toughbook 30 has what's needed on the road. There are three USB connectors, audio jacks for a headphone and microphone, and plugs for serial and external monitor. While it's the only one of the three to include an SD flash card slot, FireWire connector and an Xpress card reader, the Toughbook 30 lacked a fingerprint scanner or smart-card reader; adding both costs an additional US$140.
Communications are covered with a modem, wired LAN and wireless networking. Although all three systems offer a cell network data card as an option, the Toughbook 30 was the only one to include it in the test unit. The Sierra Wireless radio quickly connected to Sprint's EV-DO network and was able to download data at 520Kbit/sec. and upload it at 154Kbit/sec. -- more than enough for all but the biggest mobile data hogs.
The thing that really stood out, however, was the Toughbook's battery life of 7 hours 20 minutes -- more than twice that of the XR-1. It lacks the LED charge indicators that the M230 has.
It's unfortunate that the price to pay for this long battery life is subpar performance. Despite having the newest hardware and design, the Toughbook 30 lagged behind the field, with the slowest PassMark Performance score and the middle score on the PCMark05 benchmark. Still, it never left me hanging or froze up.
In spite of dousing, dropping, burying, cooking, freezing and dunking it, the Toughbook 30 came back for more. I found no damage after any of the tests, although the cover for the power connector broke off after being baked, indicating that the plastic used softens when heated.
On top of Windows XP Pro with the Service Pack 2 updates, the system came with a good assortment of utilities, including a great program called Panasonic Handwriting for scribbling, sketching or writing on the touchpad. My favorite was the utility called (appropriately) Battery Calibration, which makes sure you get every minute out of the power cells.
According to Panasonic, you'll find the Toughbook 30 on duty in Afghanistan, Iraq and America's urban battlegrounds. It performs under the most stressful conditions and keeps running. At US$4,773 (including the wireless modem), it's the most expensive of the group, but it proves the saying, "You get what you pay for."
- U.S. Marines at F.O.B Dwyer, Afghanistan, 2009.
Go here to the global Panasonic site for the specs PDF. Look for the Product Documents tab and the PDF's there
And go here for the CF-19 page or here for the last one on stuff like warrantys.
