Panasonic's Toughbook CF-U1 gets reviewed

While Panny's Toughbook CF-U1 looks mighty novel, is it really worth the cost to have it added to your gadget collection? For those who've never quite been able to wrap their noodle around the whole UMPC concept, TrustedReviews bets that you'll be able to overlook this one without losing any sleep. All in all, the CF-U1 seemed to make the best of an awkward situation by excelling at tasks that would likely take place in everyday field work, but the average joe / jane may want to see one in person before buying blind. Yeah, hot-swappable batteries, an Atom CPU and a full QWERTY keypad are lovely additions, but if you've never needed a UMPC before (let alone one built for extreme scenarios), you aren't apt to gain a whole lot from owning this one. Hit the read link for the full spill.

[OfflinePK @ Jul 9th 2008 10:28AM]

Looks like a crap book

[Ralph @ Jul 9th 2008 10:28AM]

The screenshot looks stretched.

[OfflinePK @ Jul 9th 2008 10:30AM]

o I just think the resolution of image on the screen is 4:3 while the screen itself is wider than that ratio.

[huh @ Jul 9th 2008 10:31AM]

This is an industrial device, intended for shop floors, delivery people, etc. It is not intended to be an accompaniment to your visits to Starbucks, though it could withstand some spills. :) The only way it is really interesting to Engadget readers (unless they really need a device like this) is considering what features it has they'd want to see in a consumer device.

[Sarig @ Jul 9th 2008 1:36PM]

It's interesting to me because I'm an absolute geek, and spend far too much reading about stuff I don't even have a remote interest in owning anyway (:

Though I wonder if that would be the sort of thing to bring on a backpacker trip. I mean, I don't think a whole lot of people would bother stealing it, and it would double as a weapon as well.

[^ @ Jul 9th 2008 10:55AM]

FUGLY

[L @ Jul 9th 2008 10:56AM]

Now that was an awful post...

[insertAlias @ Jul 9th 2008 3:25PM]

No, but this is a bad post:
http://robdamanii.com/macros/this-is-a-bad-post.jpg

[konshuss @ Jul 9th 2008 11:00AM]

for every pda/smartphone that's come out in the last couple of years appeasing the demand for a real touch keyboard, these guys sure dropped the ball with this chiclet crap.

[tekdroid @ Jul 9th 2008 11:42AM]

Effing brilliant. I want one.

Here's a company putting real engineering talent in a machine for the rugged market and paying particular attention to usability for the target market. Using it in the rain? Yes please. Sun? Yup. This type of product excites me. Hot swappable batteries with 9 hours runtime? SIGN ME UP.

Unique. Absolutely unique product. Brilliant. With almost everyone else diong the same crap - excuse the French - this is a breath of fresh air on these pages.

[geekazine @ Jul 9th 2008 11:53AM]

It's interesting. Not too keen on the keyboard. Might be good for something a delivery person or in a cop car. Put a bar scanner on it.

The Toughbook has always been a great piece of equipment if you bang your computers around. This should do well.

[Sarig @ Jul 9th 2008 1:38PM]

It does come with a bar scanner (:

[Marklar @ Jul 9th 2008 12:04PM]

As was mentioned this is a device designed for ENTERPRISE users. IE business who buy products for employees who will drop them, throw them, try to pick the keys out (yes people do that out of boredom at work), etc.

So no, it's not a good alternative for bringing with you to the airport to surf the web. It IS a good solution if you're on top of a telephone pole trying to reference power line schematics during a rain storm.

[OneLove @ Jul 9th 2008 12:31PM]

My company is looking to buy 400+ lappys with these specs: touchscreen, long battery life, mobile broadband, portability (light). Anyone got any ideas. The ECS comes close but no touchscreen. Panasonics are too expensive.

[iofthestorm @ Jul 9th 2008 3:19PM]

I said this somewhere else, but I'll say it again. HP tx2500z has everything except long battery life (well 4 hours with 8 cell battery but that's not amazing) and I think Thinkpad x61t's have all of those things you want, but are a bit more expensive.

[Dan @ Jul 9th 2008 3:42PM]

It looks absolutelly horror. Frankenstein of the Tablets.

[Marklar @ Jul 9th 2008 3:50PM]

UMPC != Tablet