Wish my ThinkPad could do this

[AlphaKilo470]

http://www.panasonic.com/computer/toughbook/vid.asp

These are some of the publicity videos for the Panasonic Toughbook. One one of them, the guy slams the Toughbook into a metal pole. There is also a video showing the computer being dropped. Heck, back in January, I had my 760E in it's carry case when the handle on the case broke and caused a 1 or 2 foot drop for the laptop in it's padded case and there were still some cracked plastics. I don't see why we can't see more notebooks made like the Panasonic notebooks.

[egibbs]

I've used my share of Toughbooks. The ones I've used tend to be heavy, thick, have membrane keyboards, be a generation or two behind the leading edge in specs, and are expensive. They are great on the flightline or in a shop, but I would not want one for personal use.

I think it is a limited market that is being served well by the few companies in it. If more people wanted a truly rugged laptop and were willing to make the tradeoffs listed above there would be more companies trying to sell to them. But most people want either a slim, sexy laptop, or a desktop replacement with a 17" widescreen LCD.

Ed Gibbs