meangenedrlove

August 10, 2011 at 4:47pm

Panasonic Toughbooks always have been (and I am convinced they always will be) a JOKE. Just about any computer that is advertised as "tough" or "rugged" or any other adjective suggesting the ability to handle severe abuse is way off from reality. I have worked with HUNDREDS of Toughbooks over the years in the USAF on the flight-line as a fighter aircraft crew chief. The USAF has made a huge push to go paperless and that includes our technical orders and manuals we use to maintain our aircraft. So they have installed all of these tech orders and manuals on to Panasonic Toughbooks (and other "rugged" laptops) so we can use them out doors where they are subjected to the elements (severe heat/cold, rain, snow, etc.), all manner of aircraft fluids (fuel, hydraulic fluid, oil, grease, etc.), and the general neglect of the maintainers. We crew chiefs by nature are not known for our finesse or gentleness, but when a Toughbook falls off of a toolbox on to the floor 2 feet below and becomes a BRICK, I tend to doubt the ruggedness of the machine. This has not only happened once, but over and over again. In fact, I have a file cabinet drawer in my office with 8 bricked Toughbooks that probably have a combined total of 200 hours of use between them all before they ate it. Just not worth the money at all.

Toughbooks may be good for "rugged" use at home, but certainly not for an industrial area. I think the USAF is better off getting el cheapo laptops and replacing those as needed instead of shelling our $2,500 to $5,000 for these toughbooks that don't stand up to our "normal" use.