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Panasonic's latest modular Toughbook is larger and lighter
Panasonic's new Toughbook is lighter despite a larger screen and an extra-rugged modular design.
Apple may launch a rugged Watch for extreme sports
Apple is reportedly planning to make a Watch version with a rugged casing designed for extreme sports and weather.
Samsung's latest rugged tablet gets a Dex and WiFi 6 update
If you thought Samsung was done with its announcements this month, think again. After showing off a slew of new TVs, the Galaxy Chromebook 2, robots, the Galaxy Buds Pro, Galaxy Smart Tags and the Galaxy S21 series, the company has one more thing to share. The Galaxy Tab Active 3, which Samsung launched in Europe and Asia in September, is now headed to the US.
Acer's new ConceptD PCs are for creatives on a budget
Acer has unveiled a host of more affordable ConceptD PCs, including a desktop and monitors to match.
Samsung made a Galaxy S20 Tactical Edition for the military
Samsung has released a Tactical Edition of the Galaxy S20 that's secure, but it's strictly meant for the US military and government officials.
HP's latest Chromebooks for schools include more durable keyboards
HP is once again giving its school Chromebooks an overhaul, and they'll be particularly good news for teachers who bristle at the thought of mangled keyboards. The Chromebook 11 G8 EE, 11A G8 EE, x360 11 G3 EE and 14 G6 all have full-skirted anchored keys that are more "pick-proof" -- a curious kid should have a harder time prying off the Shift key when the teacher isn't looking. You can also expect military-grade drop resistance, enough splash resistance to survive a glass of water, toughened power ports and bodies that can be cleaned with household wipes.
Samsung will launch its rugged XCover Pro worldwide
No, you won't have to go to Finland just to get Samsung's latest rugged phone. The tech giant has confirmed that the XCover Pro will be available around the world. It'll also be available in some markets as an Enterprise Edition with both two years of guaranteed availability and four years of security updates. Samsung will sell the phone in the US for $499 in the first half of 2020, with Verizon (Engadget's parent company) as a partner.
Land Rover's rock-climbing Defender will come in a PHEV version
After shelving the model in the US, Land Rover has brought back the rugged Defender and will soon launch a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the vehicle. The all-new model is far from the capable, but spartan 4x4 that last appeared in the US in 1997. It can still tackle any terrain, including 42-degree hills, but drivers will be able to go off-road with the kind of comfort and tech you'd expect from the luxury UK brand.
Panasonic's modular Toughbook 55 lets you swap out seemingly everything
Panasonic is upping the ante on customization for its Toughbook laptops. The tech firm's new Toughbook 55 touts a highly modular design that lets you add or replace many of the rugged system's components. Add-on packs let you add more ports, dedicated graphics, a fingerprint reader and a second storage drive, while all drives are quick-release to help with upgrades or fixes. You can replace the RAM, as you might expect, but you can even replace the keyboard -- unlike some laptops, you won't have to visit a technician if your input goes haywire.
How to give your hike a high-tech upgrade
Here's all of the gear you need to take your hiking game to the next level.
Panasonic's rugged 4K FT7 compact has a built-in EVF
Panasonic has unveiled one of the first, if not the first ruggedized compact cameras with a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF), the Lumix FT7 (the TS7 outside of North America). It packs a fairly high-resolution 20.4-megapixel back-side illuminated CMOS sensor and a reasonably fast and long f/3.3-5.9, 28-128mm equivalent (4.6X) lens. Most importantly for action fans, it can take a fall from 6.6 feet and is waterproof down to 102 feet.
Samsung's hardy Galaxy S8 Active comes to Sprint and T-Mobile
It used to be that getting one of Samsung's toughened-up Active phones meant signing up with AT&T. What if you'd rather not switch carriers just to make sure your phone can survive a hiking trip without a case? As of now, you (probably) won't have to make that choice. Samsung has confirmed that the Galaxy S8 Active will be available through Sprint and T-Mobile later in November, with the latter network selling it online as of November 17th (in stores on the 22nd). You won't get the desert-themed titanium gold color (just meteor gray), but you're getting everything else that your AT&T friends have had since August.
Panasonic’s Toughbook 33 is designed for extreme field work
Let's be real: The computers we use in our daily lives are too flimsy for seriously harsh environments like war zones or construction sites. For those who need machines that can survive those situations, Panasonic has the Toughbook range of rugged devices. The latest in the series -- the Toughbook 33 -- is a tablet that attaches to a keyboard, and it's the most full-featured of its kind. Not only is it the "first fully rugged product" to use a 3:2 screen ratio for business applications (more on why that is important later), it also offers a comprehensive array of tools that will support workers in even the most extreme environments.
Olympus’ TG-5 rugged camera has 4K video in a compact body
With summer season just around the corner, now is the perfect time for new rugged cameras to start popping up. And what do you know, Olympus has introduced the Tough TG-5, a point-and-shoot with a 12-megapixel CMOS sensor (1/2.3-inch), 25-100mm f/2.0 wide-angle lens (35mm equivalent), 4x optical zoom, 12,800 max ISO and the latest TruePic VIII image processor. If you're looking to record your adventures, you can do so in 4K at 25 and 30fps, or 1080p at 25, 30, 50, 60 and 120fps (slow-motion videos, anyone?). Naturally, since this is a rugged camera after all, the TG-5 is waterproof (50ft), crushproof, dustproof and freezeproof. You'll also get built-in GPS, RAW+JPEG shooting, a 3-inch LCD and WiFi, which makes it easy for you to transfer your images to a smartphone. The Tough TG-5 is hitting stores in June for $450, while an underwater case for extra protection (147ft) will be sold separately for $300.
Fujifilm's FinePix XP120 is a sporty, rugged point-and-shoot
Unlike Nikon and Panasonic, Fujifilm isn't making any major announcements at this year's CES. That said, the company is introducing a camera here in Las Vegas: the FinePix XP120, the latest member of its rugged point-and-shoot series. Naturally, the main highlights here are that it's waterproof (up to 65 feet) and shockproof to 5.8 feet, as well as dustproof and freezeproof. In addition, the XP120 sports a decent 16.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD and 1080p recording at 60fps. These specs won't blow anyone's mind, but the $230 camera could appeal to at least a few outdoor buffs when it launches in February.
Acer built a more durable Chromebook for clumsy students
Apparently, the rugged Chromebook Acer built for schools back in 2015 wasn't durable enough. Today at CES the company announced a new, more durable notebook. Now schools can equip students with a Chromebook 11 N7 C731 that can bear up to 132 pounds of force, resist case and hinge damage while bouncing around in student backpacks, and survive falls from as high as 48 inches -- more than twice the drop height of the old model.
I accidentally broke the super-rugged Cat S60 smartphone
This year's Mobile World Congress played host to plenty of phones I couldn't stop playing with, and the $599 Caterpillar-branded Cat S60 was near the top of my list. First, though, a painfully obvious disclosure: I have never, nor do I currently, work in construction. I'm not an outdoorsman either, and I'm a terrible amateur plumber. That makes me half a lousy test subject here. Bullitt Group, the UK-based phone maker that licenses the Caterpillar brand, is targeting people working in trades, as well as folks who are generally just rough on their phones. I've definitely fallen into the latter camp on occasion, but either way, there's more to the S60 than just how hardy it is.
Samsung's rugged Galaxy S7 Active packs a huge battery
It's that time of year again: now that Samsung's latest Galaxy S flagship has been on the market for a while, it's time for the rougher, tougher Active version to show up. The company has unveiled the Galaxy S7 Active, an AT&T-exclusive rugged edition of the standard S7 that's built to take a bruising. As with the S6 Active, this isn't just a regular smartphone with a beefier drop- and water-resistant case. This year's model has a shatter-resistant 5.1-inch screen, and the battery jumps from the S7's usual 3,000mAh to a massive 4,000mAh -- you won't have trouble making it through a day of hiking.
Casio's first Android Wear smartwatch arrives March 25th
You no longer have to choose between Android Wear and a watch that can survive your epic hiking adventures. Casio has revealed that its first smartwatch, the WSD-F10, will be available on March 25th through multiple outlets (including Amazon and the Google Store) for $500. That's a lot to pay when rival Android watches can cost half as much, but Casio is betting that the rugged, water-resistant design and outdoor-friendly features are worth the extra outlay. On top of perks like a pressure sensor, compass and loads of custom software, the WSD-F10 can last for up to a month on battery in a basic digital watch mode -- handy for that long summer camping trip. Our only real reservation when we tried it at CES was its chunky, utilitarian look, but that's par for the course in the outdoor watch category.
Leica's X-U is the most stylish ruggedized camera you'll find
Leica has revealed its first ever outdoor and underwater camera, the X-U (Typ 113). As we're accustomed to with the German manufacturer, this new shooter doesn't leave much to be desired in terms of industrial design -- it's compact and super sleek, especially when compared to other ruggedized cameras out there. But what's most important here are the X-U's dustproof (sealed body), shockproof and waterproof attributes, which allow it to be submerged up to 49 feet without any consequences.
