Customer Testimonials

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testing the limits of tough

"I was recently on a research expedition with The North Face and The Mayo Clinic on Mount Aconcagua (6,962 m 22,841 ft): the highest mountain in the America's. In an effort to more fully understand the limits of human adaptation, we developed a unique program to test and evaluate individuals who regularly demonstrate elite level performance in adverse environmental conditions. The program aims to use this knowledge to expand the limits of human performance in adverse conditions, to test new technologies that remotely monitor human physiology, and to develop educational materials that disseminate the results of this research. The information gathered from this testing and analysis will provide new knowledge about the limits of human performance and aid the development of new technologies that will allow physiologic monitoring in a non-clinical setting. Since many human diseases force clinical patients to their physiological limits, knowledge gained from athletes pushing the boundaries of human performance in extreme environments promises to advance the care of patients, especially those with cardiac and/or pulmonary disease.

In order to properly monitor individuals in the field and collect data in these adverse environmental conditions, we needed a computer that would survive the expedition and withstand the unpredictable variables of the Mountain. We decided to go with two Fully Rugged Toughbook 30's. The Toughbooks were used the entire expedition, from Mendoza (2,428 ft), Confluencia (10,498 ft), Plaza de Mulas 13,779 ft), Plaza Don Fernando (15,748 ft), to Plaza Don Benegas (17,700 ft). The Toughbooks withstood temperatures down to -20 C, winds up to 40 mph, and various extreme snow/ice conditions. It was strapped to the backs of mules; as they road through streams, rain and snow storms, and was thrown in multiple packs on the go, during many rugged trips up the mountain. The Toughbooks survived through it all, and fulfilled a critical role in completing the task we set out for."

-Luke Johnson

unconditionally tough

"We first purchased three Toughbook 25s in 1996, and mounted the laptops in our police cars for mobile data terminals. When we upgraded to 15 Toughbook 18s six years later, my fellow officers and I stored some of the Toughbook 25s in an outdoor shed.

Three years later, my crew and I took on the task of cleaning out the shed and found the Toughbook 25s still intact. I was curious to see if the laptop would work after being subjected to years of freezing temperatures, heat, snow, ice and rain, and decided to plug one in and turn it on. To my amazement, the Toughbook 25 booted up with no problems at all, and even ran the installed mobile data software smoothly. The exterior had some erosion from the outdoor elements, but the Toughbook 25 still worked effortlessly."

-First Sergeant Manny Shulman - Guilderland (NY) Police Department

toughbook computer survives five months of alaskan winter buried in snow

For the past eight years, Panasonic customer Bruce Reddish has been using a semi-rugged Toughbook 72 as a chart plotter to look up maps and calculate ocean depth while fishing on his boat in the Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. "The Toughbook 72 was everything that I was looking for, and I never had a single issue with it."

But as the Alaskan winter of 2008 set in, Reddish could not find his Toughbook laptop anywhere. After an extensive search, he assumed he must have lost his trusted device. However, in March 2009, at the start of the fishing season, Reddish began gathering up his fishing gear and realized he had never taken his Toughbook notebook out of his pick-up truck, which had been outside and used as a snow plow throughout the winter. Reddish found his Toughbook computer in the back of his truck under a pile of snow with ice frozen over. He did not wait for the ice to melt but took the computer inside, plugged it in and booted it up. "It worked like I had shut it off yesterday - I couldn't believe it." The Toughbook 72 had survived five months of winter in Alaska with heavy snow and two weeks of temperatures 30 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.

"This is a serious product that has been tested under extreme conditions. I've been using my Toughbook computer for eight years and haven't been let down. It has not only lived up but far exceeded all of my expectations."

healthcare professional testimonials

Key customers in the healthcare industry share their reasons for choosing durable, powerful and reliable Panasonic Toughbook mobile computers. Citing features, such as long battery life, lightweight design, wireless connectivity and industry-leading support, these healthcare professionals rely on Toughbook laptops to withstand the hazards of the medical environment and provide a lower total cost of ownership.

in the navy

As part of its increased focus on training and preparation, the U.S. Navy is testing specially designed software using 300 Toughbook 18 notebooks aboard the U.S.S. Rushmore in San Diego. The web-based system lets officers and trainers evaluate how well crewmembers perform critical ship functions on a day-by-day basis. The goal is to outfit every surface ship in the Navy with the system in order to have a real-time idea of how ready each vessel is to respond to a crisis.

The Navy chose the Toughbook 18 because of its durability and ability to withstand the often rough conditions and harsh environments encountered worldwide by the crews of America's fighting ships.

caught in a blaze

"One of our deputies drove to our patrol office and went inside for roll call. The brakes on his car must have been locked and heated to a combustible temperature and caught fire while the deputy was in the building. It wasn't until a citizen passing by noticed the flames coming from the engine compartment that the fire department was dispatched.

The deputy had a Panasonic Toughbook CF-27 mounted in the the driver's compartment of the car. It was estimated that the temperature inside the driver's compartment reached upwards of 1000 degrees. The dash board was melted and everything in the glove box was incinerated. The laptop screen was down and the computer was off at the time. The fire department extinguished the flames, drenching the laptop with hundreds of gallons of high pressure water.

After the fire was out, the laptop was removed from the vehicle and placed in a plastic garbage bag. No attempt was made to dry or clean off the computer. I was given the computer two days later and put it in the back of my truck because it smelled so bad of smoke. After it had aired out for a week I took it into my office to see what I could salvage from the computer. I was doubtful there would be anything usable. I noted the back of the laptop had experienced such intense heat that it melted some of the ports. Just for fun, I hit the power switch and was shocked when I saw the hard drive and battery lights come on. I watched in amazement as the LCD lit up and the computer booted to windows without a hitch.

These are the TOUGHEST computers in the world! This is the reason why we have been loyal Panasonic customers for the last 10 years!"

-Clackamas County Sheriff's Office