Panasonic has released a new rugged notebook in its Toughbook line, the H2. The Windows 7 machine is not only designed for mobile and demanding applications common in clinical care, but it can also withstand wear and tear that is inevitable in a busy hospital environment, such as being dropped or having liquids splashed on. The H2 has no fan vent through which things can enter, is powered by two hot swappable batteries for zero downtime, and has a screen that will look good even in direct sunlight, among other features.
Additionally, Panasonic is promising to release later this year a Toughbook tablet powered by Android that will also have a screen good for working under the sun (think paramedics), rugged construction, and a battery life that should last a full work shift.
More about the H2 from the announcement:
The Toughbook H2 is powered by an Intel® Core™ i5-2557M vPro™ processor (1.7GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.7GHz) for faster speeds and enhanced device management. The device also comes standard with 4GB RAM, expandable to 8GB, and a 320GB 7200rpm hard disk drive, with an optional 128GB solid state drive available.
Starting at only 3.5 pounds, the H2 delivers 6.5 hours of battery life and includes fast charging twin hot-swappable batteries that allow for virtually limitless use, maximizing up time. Panasonic has also upgraded the desktop cradle to improve charge time to three hours.
For healthcare environments, the Toughbook H2 has been designed for easy disinfection, and does not require a fan, reducing the risk of potentially pathogenic microorganisms being spread from patient to patient. The device is a secure and intuitive platform for barcode medication administration (BCMA), vitals capture and electronic medical records (EMR) capture and review. To further aid in disinfection, a Panasonic-designed software utility can be programmed to remind users to wipe the unit down at defined intervals. The utility automatically records a successful cleaning for the hospital’s permanent records.
Some info about the Toughbook tablet:
From a functionality standpoint, the Toughbook tablet will avoid the typical glossy screens—found on current tablet offerings—that are all but unreadable in outdoor environments. The Toughbook tablet will include a high brightness, daylight viewable screen so that mobile workers, in markets like field service, home healthcare and public safety, can easily see critical data and operate the device regardless of lighting conditions. The new tablet will also include an active stylus, allowing mobile workers in sales, customer service and mobile point-of-sale environments to capture signatures on the device’s 10.1” XGA multi-touch display.
Enterprise-class mobile computing requires a heightened level of device security that is not currently available in today’s tablet market. To address this need, the new Toughbook tablet is being designed with security embedded at the hardware level.
The Toughbook brand is widely known for its reliability and durability, even in extreme operating environments. The new Toughbook tablet will be no exception, offering durability, and ingress protection consistent with its other fully-rugged devices.
Other features to be offered on the Toughbook tablet include satellite-based GPS, full-shift battery life, professional-grade accessories and optional embedded 3G/4G mobile broadband connectivity.
Product page: Toughbook® H2…
Press releases: Panasonic Introduces Toughbook® H2 – Faster, More Versatile Rugged Handheld Tablet Computer; Panasonic Toughbook to Address Market Void by Delivering Enterprise-Grade Android Tablet
(hat tip: MobiHealthNews…)
