Panasonic's Sonoma-based Toughbook CF-73
Panasonic's about to hit us with the first ruggedized Sonoma-based laptop, the Toughbook CF-73 — 'cause the only thing better than having the latest technology is being able to beat the crap out of it. The CF-73 comes loaded with a 1.86GHz Intel Mobile CPU with 533MHz front-side bus, Mobile Intel 915 Express chipset and a Graphics Media Accelerator 900 graphics core. Wireless capability comes from integrated Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG chips and built-in GPRS/GSM support. Two different models are available, but (no surprise) neither will come cheap — the lower-end model with 256MB RAM and a 60GB hard drive will set you back $3500; upping that to 512MB and 80GB will push the total up to $3750. A 13.3-inch touchscreen is the only display option and, yes, it's been beefed up too. In addition to being daylight readable and anti-reflective, it's also shock and intrusion hardened. So smack that laptop up.
