Toughbook?

[Sir Games-A-Lot]

Hello all,


Since the screen and optical drive on my old laptop died recently have have been forced to start looking for a replacement. One line the reviews of which have consistently impressed me was the Panasonic toughbook series, and more specifically the business rugged class. However I have a question concerning the build quality on these: Are the outer shells really magnesium? I know Sony pulled a stunt a while back in which the advertised metal laptop exteriors when in fact they were simply covered with metallic paint.

So to any owners or users out there, are these things as good as they claim to be? Does the build quality match the advertising hype?

[Limewater]

So to any owners or users out there, are these things as good as they claim to be? Does the build quality match the advertising hype?

I've never used one personally, but a friend of mine uses them at work.

He said that you can buy different levels of "toughness," ranging from slightly more rugged than a Dell Latitude to really friggin tough.

He told me that a guy at work left one outside in the rain overnight once and it still worked.

This is all now third-hand information for you, but since nobody else was replying...

[vskid]

The really rugged ones can take a bullet. If thats not tough, I don't know what is.
I think it depends on what you want to use your laptop for. If you want a desktop replacement that will never leave your desk, don't get one. If you want to take it everywhere you go and don't mind the extra cost, then I'd say its worth it.

[Felino]

Hey so can the macbook pro.



And it still works.

[benol]

But that isn't the top. It's deeper in the front, so more depth to slow down the bullet. And the CD drive doesn't work, does it?

[Felino]

Actually it would, just the battery and possibly the gpu would have been shot (so to speak).

Honestly though, the macbook pro is a really nice laptop, my dad, and soon to be me have one, the graphics are good, ram is easity swapable, slot load drive is nice, screen is great. What more would you need?

And yer, it does run winfows if you wish, or fusion, which is even better.

[benol]

Actually it would, just the battery and possibly the gpu would have been shot (so to speak).

Honestly though, the macbook pro is a really nice laptop, my dad, and soon to be me have one, the graphics are good, ram is easity swapable, slot load drive is nice, screen is great. What more would you need?

And yer, it does run winfows if you wish, or fusion, which is even better.

There is one problem with the MacBook. One freakin' mouse button. And can it survive a drop?

[Felino]

Its got sms, and i have seen the dropped, they work fine.

Also, two finger touchpad

[benol]

Its got sms, and i have seen the dropped, they work fine.

Also, two finger touchpad

Two finger touchpad? Does that mean middle finger=right click, index finger=left click? Sweet! SMS=meh. There are tons of internet SMS clients. (If you are talking about text messaging, that is). If it isn't text messaging, and I am wrong, then what is SMS? Some Apple thing?

[Felino]

SuddenMotionSensor = SMS

Nah, two fingers on the tranckpad lets you scroll.




I am surprised how much i use it by the way.

[dman762000]

I have an older panasonic toughbook, its only 333 mhz but it has been slung off the top of the car onto pavement, slammed around in my backpack, tossed in the floorboard, fell off the bed several times, stood on, covered in dirt, mud and soda and still keeps on rockin, I put dsl on it the other day and it works great. if you order one make sure to order the metal case ones, they are worth it.

[totokan]

I've got a Panasonic Toughbook circa 1997-ish. It's so protected, you could chuck it from a second story window and it would still work (Yeah, somebody 'tested' that for me...).

[bicostp]

Toughbooks are the Game Boys of computers. (If nothing else, Nintendo makes some rugged systems. Except the N64 when you take it apart.)

It looks like 2 fingers + mouse button = right click on newer models.
http://macnewsblog.com/2006/05/can_your ... _this.html

SMS sensors must be fun; imagine smacking your computer to force-quit a stubborn app.

[Felino]

Oh yes bicostp, google smackbook to find out what i mean.

I played with my ibooks sms too, its easily readable, so i used to play this pong like thing, and neverball with it.

[Sir Games-A-Lot]

I have an older panasonic toughbook, its only 333 mhz but it has been slung off the top of the car onto pavement, slammed around in my backpack, tossed in the floorboard, fell off the bed several times, stood on, covered in dirt, mud and soda and still keeps on rockin, I put dsl on it the other day and it works great. if you order one make sure to order the metal case ones, they are worth it.

Pray tell what TB series was it? I'm trying to find the model that has the optimum value VS toughness ratio. Currently, I'm keen on the T5, not very powerful but with exceptional battery life (another must for me), and hopefully with a durable outer shell + internal structure.

Plan B also looks good though, which is to acquire an older fully rugged unit second hand unit off eBay, Pros are I get a fully rugged unit for the price of a business rugged, cons are minimal warranty and I'll probably need to buy a battery separate.