First revealed during the Mobile World Congress back in February of this year, Panasonic has announced the US availability of a new 5-inch Windows Embedded 8.1 Handheld-powered Toughpad FZ-E1. This new phablet device is aimed at mobile workers who need a rugged device that can handle voice and data in a field environment.
“The Toughpad FZ-E1 represents a significant expansion of Panasonic’s Toughpad line, the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of enterprise-focused tablets. Like Panasonic’s market-leading Toughbook laptops and convertibles, Toughpad tablets are engineered to deliver performance, security and reliability in extreme operating environments where consumer devices would fail. They are also built for easy integration into existing IT infrastructures and for smooth deployments and ongoing support, and provide organizations with longer life cycles, translating to lower total costs of ownership,” a Panasonic spokesperson told WinBeta.
The Toughpad FZ-E1 features Windows Embedded 8.1 Handheld, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 series 2.3GHz Quad Core processor, MIL-STD-810G certified and tested for 10-foot drops to concrete, IP65 and IP68 certified fully sealed design (sealed against dust and submersible in water), operating temperature range of -4F to 140F, and up to 14 hours of continuous use depending on usage conditions. Hot Swap functionality allows the main battery to be swapped without powering down.
The device also features a 5-inch sunlight-readable, anti-reflective HD (1280×720) LCD with high-sensitivity 10-point capacitive multitouch input. Glove-touch and rain-sensing features are included. There is also 32 GB flash memory with 2GB RAM and micro SDXC card slot. The device also features an 8MP rear camera with auto focus and LED light and a 1.3MP front camera.
The Toughpad FZ-E1 with WiFi-only connectivity will be available in August 2014 for $1,899, followed by the telephony and mobile broadband-enabled version with a target date of October 2014 for $1,999. You can see the device in all its glory via the embedded video below.
