While Panasonic's rugged Toughbook 30 has been strutting its stuff with a Core 2 Duo within, the poor, poor Toughbook 19 has been going without. No more, however, as Panny has just announced that it'll be boosting the speed and expanding the memory available in the beastly convertible tablet. Available now, the 5.1-pound rig is stuffed with a 1.06GHz U7500 processor (2MB L2 cache), up to 4GB of SDRAM, 80GB shock-mounted HDD, 10.4-inch daylight-readable display, a battery good for around seven hours, optional integrated WWAN / GPS / 2-megapixel webcam and a magnesium alloy case that won't mind getting trampled. So, what's the price for such an (almost) impossible-to-destroy machine? $3,199 and up, we're afraid.

Panasonic just owned up to that Toughbook UMPC we spotted yesterday at CeBIT. No real surprises, the unit runs Vista on an Atom CPU, sports a 5.6-inch LCD and is slated for a Fall release.

So you're the type who actually needs to scrub behind the ears? Good, this UMPC is for you. The Toughbook CF-U1 is a "fully ruggedised" UMPC which runs XP or Vista on Intel's Menlow platform. So rugged in fact, that only a case of glass and gravel can withhold it from Intel's new Atom branding. We can't tell you much without an official announcement or any PR types around to drone on (and on) about its Mil-Spec or Ingress ratings. Regardless, it'll still look great strapped to the dash of your Hummer as you pull into the strip mall for a milkshake. And that's all that really matters right, Mr. Milquetoast?

The all-knowing database gods of the FCC had already tipped us off to Panasonic's newest US-bound Toughbooks, but they've just gotten the official press treatment, complete with beauty shots and -- most importantly -- spec sheets. All models check out with WiFi, Bluetooth, 1GB of RAM, 80Gb of storage, and an optional HSDPA or EV-DO WWAN module, but diverge from there: the ultraportable W7 (pictured) weighs in at just three pounds, but features a 12.1-inch screen, 1GHz U7500 Core 2 Duo processor, dual-layer burner, and a seven-hour battery life, while the slightly heavier 3.3-pound T7 "tablet alternative" drops the burner for a 12.1-inch touchscreen, 1GHz U7500 Core 2 Duo and a nine-hour battery life. Topping out the new line, the 14.1-inch Y7 clocks in at 3.7 pounds with burner and scores a 1.6GHz L7600 Core 2 Duo. Panny says the $2500 Y7 is available now, while the $2100 W7 and T7 should ship in December. We actually got a chance to play with all three just recently, check the gallery for some hands-on action.

If you found yourself quite envious after hearing that Japan would be getting four new Toughbooks while America got the proverbial shaft, it's time to put your beef aside and bust out the party favors. Turns out, a trio of the new lappies have appeared on the FCC's website, giving us great hope that the revamped CF-W7, CF-T7 and CF-Y7 will be headed stateside soon. Sadly, none of the filings are very disclosing when it comes to specifications, but we are assured that each machine will sport Bluetooth, WiFi and integrated support for EV-DO Rev. A / HSDPA. We'll be keeping an ear to the ground for anything official, but for the time being, check out the FCC's uber-sweet photography skills on the W7 / Y7 after the jump.

Read - Panasonic CF-Y7
Read - Panasonic CF-W7
Read - Panasonic CF-T7

Panasonic is getting funky-fresh on everyone today with word of a new lineup of Toughbooks making their way out to store shelves. The company is launching four different models of the hard-as-nails laptops (W7, T7, R7, Y7), all of which are based on Intel's Santa Rosa chipset. The new over-performers are said to be able to withstand a 76-centimeter drop (about desk height) while switched on and continue working, versus the previous model's 30-centimeter rating (which applied only when turned off). The Toughbooks also have an "irrigation system" for the keyboard which can route water away from important bits to a "drain" at the base of the computer. Keep reading after the break to see a rundown of all the new models and specs.

[Via Impress]

It's not like you couldn't get connected to an EV-DO network on a Toughbook before, but Panasonic and Verizon Wireless are making things uber-easy on us all by certifying "the full line" of rugged lappies for connectivity with Verizon's EV-DO Rev. A. Yep, the Toughbook 30, 19, T, W, and Y series of machines have now been admitted into The Network, which means that you can potentially download a presentation while surviving a hail storm at up to 1.4Mbps and send in your corrections whilst dodging tree limbs at up to 800kbps. The Verizon WWAN treatment will require users to purchase the Sierra Wireless embedded MC-5725 PCI Express card and VZAccess software, but the oh-so-important pricing information was casually omitted.

[Via Slashphone]

If you're ready to get rough and tumble with a Santa Rosa-based Toughbook, you're almost there: Panasonic's announcing the new CF-52's availability in the US, as well as new specs and features. There are two base configs (optimized for $2500 and standard for $1650), which feature:

• Core 2 Duo CPUs (2.0 and 1.8GHz)
• 1GB RAM (expandable to 4GB)
• 15.4-inch WUXGA or WXGA display (1920 x 1200 or 1366 x 768), enhanced 512MB grahics for Aero
  
• 80 or 120GB drives (shock mounted), DVD burner
• 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR (optional)
• 3G option (launches officially with Verizon exclusively for 120 days, then will have Sprint Rev. A and Cingular HSDPA support -- or add your own)
• (4) USB 2.0, PCMCIA slot, ExpressCard slot, SD reader, 1394, VGA, gigabit Ethernet, modem, serial
• TPM chip, and optional SmartCard and biometric scanner
• Spill-resistant keyboard and integrated handle

Available in July -- if you're hearty enough to carry around a 2-inch thick 7.3-pound beast of a box.

Fancy yourself a tough guy? Then check the latest Panasonic ToughBook, the CF-08 tablet. No, not a Tablet PC, this slab goes Windows CE 5.0 for instant-on, near virus-free access and up to 14-hours off battery -- you know, just as long as you don't mind keeping the brightness to a min. The CF-08 brings a 1024 x 768 pixel, 10.4-inch touch-panel display capable of withstanding a fall from as high as 1.2-meters. It comes powered by a 312MHz PXA270 processor and packs USB 1.1 (for keyboard and mousing, presumably) with 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 1.2, and fixed Ethernet providing access to data. Thing is, even with a 267 × 208 × 36-mm footprint they only managed to squeeze in 64MB RAM / 64MB ROM -- come on Panny, how about SD expansion at the least? Hitting May 15th for an undisclosed price.

Update: Sure enough, the US specs for the Touchbook-WirelessDisplay (as it's called locally) clearly identifies SD expansion -- same as the Japanese model shown above.

[Via Impress]

While there's already a fair amount of competition in the rugged laptop realm, Rayservers is taking its uber-secure approach and blending it with military-grade toughness for its Cerberus MIL-STD-810F Crypto Toughbook. Aside from borrowing the "100-percent encrypted hard drives and privacy protected internet access" from its other models, this "Secure-Out-of-the-Box" machine also touts a sealed plastic keyboard, 80GB shock-mounted removable hard drive, magnesium alloy case (with handle), and moisture / dust resistance to boot. If these amenities sound familiar, it's because the actual hardware is a Panasonic Toughbook CF-30, but the AES 256 Encrypted Linux is all Rayservers, and you'll also find Intel's 1.66GHz L2400 processor, GMA 950 graphics set, up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 13.3-inch XGA touchscreen, DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, PCMCIA, 802.11a/b/g, FireWire, 56k modem, and a trio of USB 2.0 ports on the machine. Of course, the 8.2-pound beast demands a hefty premium for all this literal and theoretical security, as it'll reportedly cost you about $10,000 (saywha?) to weather a data-jacking invasion and mountainside fall simultaneously.

In addition to launching the new R6 today, Panasonic gave their W5, T5, and Y5 Toughbooks new silicon in preparation for the new Vista OS. First off, the W5 and T5 get their first taste of Core Duo with the 1.06GHz U2400 processor. That nudges battery life from 8 to 10.5 on the 12.1-inch W5 all the way up to 14-hours -- as claimed by Panny -- on the touch-sensitive, 12.1-inch T5. Meanwhile, the 14.1-inch Y5 steps it up to the 1.83GHz L2500 Core Duo processor with battery life now upped from 6 to 8.5-hours. All other specs and prices remain relatively unchanged. All three hit January 30th in line with the consumer release of Vista yet, for whatever reason, these slabs come pre-loaded with Windows Vista Business released back in November.

The words "ultra-portable" and "rugged" are seldom used to describe the same laptop. However, Panasonic just loosed an oxymoronic edition of the Toughbook on to an unsuspecting public. The R6 weighs just 930-grams (2.05-pounds) yet packs a drip-proof keyboard and gutsy shell capable of withstanding a fall from up to 76-cm (2.5-feet) without giving up the ghost. Panny's new fanless laptop features a 10.4-inch, 1024x768 (XGA) display, a 1.06GHz U2400 Core Duo processor, up to 1.5GB of memory and 120GB of disk, and Intel 945GSM Express graphics. It also packs an SD slot, 802.11a/b/g, 8-hour battery, and room for expansion via a PCMCIA slot and 2x USB 2.0. It's a bit chubbier than that picture suggests at a meaty 29.4~42.4-mm (1.16~1.67-inches) thick wedge. Fully equipped, this tough little waif will set you back about ¥240,000 (nearly $2,000) in your choice of platinum, very red, blue apple, pink petal, white air, or black stone -- the perfect accessory to your Sleater-Kinney.

While not the sexiest of laptops, Panasonic's ultraportables make up for that with a lot of heart and now even beefier wireless broadband options. Yeah, 3G options were already available on the W5 and T5 lappies, but now you can outfit these teensy things with that new EV-DO Rev. A stuff all the cool kids are talking about. Sprint is on tap for the service, and boasts average download speeds up to 800kbps. Both laptops will be available next month for $2,249, with the usual 12.1-inch LCDs and extensive battery life trimmings on the combo drive equipped W5 and Tablet PC T5.

[Via Crave]

True road warriors tend to be willing to sacrifice that FPS-boosting power for "just a few more minutes" of battery life, and having an always-on 3G connection sure makes things easier, too. Panasonic's wee Toughbook CF-W5 replaces the slightly heavier W4, and performed quite admirably in the longevity / portability departments during Laptop Mag's prodding. Reviewers marveled at the 12-inch LCD, "rigid" nature of the 1.8-inch thick machine, and its ability to withstand the typical bumps and bruises you'd expect, say, while trekking through through the woods or camping out for a Playstation 3. Another nice touch was the combo drive's automatic shut down feature after three minutes of inactivity, but they were none too pleased to find that a DVD burner wasn't even an available option. Further criticizing the specs, the (admittedly paltry) 60GB hard drive and 512MB of RAM were scoffed at, and the "cramped" keyboard wasn't exactly made for cranking out dissertations. Overall, however, the machine accomplished its main goals -- staying tough and toughing it out -- by offering up 8 hours and 28 minutes of realizable battery life with wireless options inactive, and still mustered just about 5 hours while surfing the 'net. So if you're rarely near a power outlet, and come across cellphone towers entirely more often that WiFi hotspots, the Toughbook CF-W5 just might be your "ideal candidate."