Panasonic Toughbook 19 scores upgraded internals to match its mighty shell

If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- words Panasonic has clearly taken to heart with the Toughbook 19. It's time for the rugged, 10-inch convertible tablet to get its annual refresh and not much has changed visibly. Instead, the company gave its internals a boost with some Sandy Bridge goodness and slapped a new TransflectivePlus screen in this military-grade machine for computing in direct sunlight. Impressively, the Core i5 found inside is not of the ULV variety, it's a standard voltage 2520m powering this completely sealed, fanless design. Additionally, the Toughbook 19 now comes standard with 4GB of RAM and has a pair of SSD options for added durability. You'll be able to pick one up, and use it as a frisbee, in September starting at $3,349. While you wait, feel free to check out the PR after the break.

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PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK 19 RECEIVES SYSTEM PERFORMANCE, DISPLAY AND STORAGE UPGRADES

Rugged, Lightweight, Convertible Notebook Offers Enhanced Functionality and Outdoor Viewability

Secaucus, NJ, June 9, 2011 – Panasonic Solutions Company, provider of collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for government and commercial enterprises, today announced a series of upgrades to its Toughbook® 19 fully-rugged convertible tablet. The updated device features a standard voltage processor, increased RAM and hard drive capacity as well as speed, a brighter sunlight-viewable screen and more. With these enhancements, the reliable Toughbook 19 continues to be the ideal device for utilities, first responders, maintenance and field service workers.

Powered by the second generation Intel® Core™ i5-2520M (2.5GHz) standard voltage processor with Intel® HD 3000 graphics, the Toughbook 19's start-up time is more than 20 percent faster and overall CPU and graphics performance have also been improved compared to the previous model. This is also the first time a standard voltage CPU and Intel HD 3000 graphics have been included in the Toughbook 19. The device still does not require a fan, ensuring reliability in a challenging environment remains a priority. The new device also comes standard with 4GB RAM, expandable to 8GB, and runs a 32 bit or 64 bit Windows 7 professional operating system. A 320GB 7200rpm hard drive is standard, with an optional 128 or 256GB solid state drive available.

"The rugged Toughbook 19 convertible tablet has been on the market for five years, providing reliable connectivity to users in some of the most demanding environments including emergency services and utilities," said Kyp Walls, director of product management, Panasonic Solutions Company. "With the new Intel processor and enhanced functionality, our users will benefit from improved performance and outdoor screen visibility without sacrificing battery life."

Improved Functionality

The 10.1-inch XGA touchscreen on the Toughbook 19 now features a TransflectivePlus display, which, in addition to an adjustable LED backlight, harnesses the rays of the sun by using an internal reflecting layer to illuminate the screen and can generate up to 6000 nit of transflective brightness equivalent under 200K lx environment. This exclusive technology comes standard with anti-reflective and anti-glare screen treatments plus a circular polarizing filter for an unparalleled outdoor viewing experience. The LED backlight can deliver as little as 1 nit, useful in dimly lit areas or for concealed nighttime use, which is critical to the safety of military and public sector users.

The Toughbook 19 also includes a new dashboard designed to conveniently customize each Toughbook to the user's preferred settings, providing a user-friendly quick launch interface for common functionalities such as brightness, volume, and tablet button backlighting. The dashboard also allows easy management of the device using helpful tools, such as the popular Panasonic Power Plan extension utility and PC information viewer utility.

To ease customer usability in the field, the Toughbook 19's display rotation mechanism has been redesigned so mobile workers can convert from traditional laptop to tablet mode with just one hand.

Embedded Wireless Connectivity

The Toughbook 19 offers a variety of embedded wireless technologies, including Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth® 2.1, optional GPS receiver and optional Gobi2000™ 3G mobile broadband technology from Qualcomm. The device is certified on the AT&T, Sprint and Verizon Wireless 3G networks, allowing workers to stay connected virtually all of the time. With certifications coming later this year, the Toughbook 19 will also offer embedded support for 4G networks.

Platform Compatibility

The upgraded Toughbook 19 maintains the same platform footprint as previous generation devices. This ensures existing customers can continue to use peripheral equipment, including vehicle docking stations, which significantly lowers the total cost of ownership.

Panasonic Toughbook 19: Key Upgraded Features

· Intel® Core™ i5-2520M (2.5GHz) standard voltage processor with Intel® HD 3000 graphics

o Intel Turbo Boost up to 3.2 GHz

· Genuine Windows 7® Professional (32-bit or 64-bit)

· Screen Brightness: Up to 6000 cd/m2 (nit) in direct sunlight (under 200K lx environment)

o TransflectivePlus

· RAM

o 4-8GB DDR3 (1333 MHz)

· Storage

o 320GB 7200rpm shock-mounted HDD

o Optional 128GB or 256GB SSD

· Embedded Connectivity

o Optional embedded 4G LTE (available later this year)

o Wi-Fi

§ Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 802.11a/b/g/n

· Interfaces

o SDXC

For a full list of Toughbook 19 specifications, go to the Toughbook website.

Pricing and Availability

The upgraded Panasonic Toughbook 19 will be available worldwide starting September 2011. In the United States, the Toughbook 19 is expected to be available starting at an estimated street price of $3,349 from authorized Panasonic resellers.

The Toughbook 19 includes a full three-year limited warranty, parts and labor, providing coverage wherever the unit may be deployed.

Follow the Toughbook Brand

The Panasonic Toughbook brand can be followed on various social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Toughbloggers.com.

About Panasonic Solutions Company

Panasonic Solutions Company empowers people whose jobs depend on reliable technology. The company delivers collaboration, information-sharing and decision-support solutions for customers in government, healthcare, education and a wide variety of commercial enterprises. Products and services within the company's portfolio include Panasonic Toughbook mobile computing solutions, projectors, professional displays (including both plasma and LCD), and HD and 3D video acquisition and production solutions. As a result of its commitment to R&D, manufacturing and quality control, Panasonic is known for the reliability and longevity of its products. Panasonic Solutions Company is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, which is the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation (NYSE: PC).

All brand and company/product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies. All specifications are subject to change without notice. Information on Panasonic Solutions Company's full line of products can be obtained by calling 877-803-8492 or at www.panasonic.com/business-solutions.