Toughpad FZ-G1 tablet
Image: Panasonic Corp.
Panasonic Corp. continued its quest to make every user's experience of an enterprise tablet "rugged" this week at CES 2013 with two new additions announced to expand its Toughpad line beyond the original Android-powered, 10-inch FZ-A1. Coming soon are the Toughpad FZ-G1, a 10-inch tablet that runs on the Windows 8 Pro operating system, and the Toughpad JT-B1, a 7-inch tablet running on Android Ice Cream Sandwich.
Like Panasonic's Toughbook series of laptops, the devices are tested to meet military standards for durability (MIL-STD-810G) to withstand up to 4-foot drops, temperature extremes from 14 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, and an industry standard for ingress protection (IP-65), which indicates the device's complete protection against dust and rain.
The FZ-G1 features a third-generation, 1.9 GHz dual-core Ivy Bridge Intel Core processor, 128 GB to 256 GB of solid state drive, 4 to 8 GB of RAM with an optional micro SDXC memory card. The specifications include:
• Weight: 2.43 pounds.
• Display: 10.1-inch with 1920x1200 resolution.
• Interfaces: USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and HDMI.
The JT-B1 features a 1.5 GHz processor, 16 GB ROM storage, 1 GB RAM and a micro SDHC memory card. The specifications include:
• Weight: 1.1 lbs.
• Display: 7-inch display with 1024x600 resolution.
• Camera: 1.3 megapixel (Mp), fixed focus front camera; a 13.0 Mp autofocus back camera with an LED light.
• Interfaces: micro USB port.
The FZ-G1 and JT-B1 sport sunlight-viewable screens, a user-replaceable battery with 8 hours of rechargeable battery life, and are Bluetooth v4.0-ready. Both devices support IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi, with the option for 4G LTE wireless and 3G mobile broadband.
The Toughpad FZ-G1 will be available through authorized Panasonic resellers in March and is priced at $2,899; the JT-B1 will be available in February at $1,199. Toughpad tablets have a three-year warranty.
Michael Roach is LTN's associate editor. Send email.
