Panasonic Toughbook CF-19 and CF-30 announced

Panasonic is not the only maker of notebooks for rugged conditions, but it does produce its Toughbook range to a consistently high quality. The company also does a good line in 'semi-rugged' notebooks made to withstand the knocks and look good at the same time.

Two new additions to the Toughbook range have just surfaced in the shape of the CF-19 and CF-30.

The CF-19 is a 10-4-inch Tablet PC which responds to both finger and stylus based input. The CF-30 has a 13.3-inch screen and its armour plating and solid internals mean it weighs a hefty 3.8Kg.

Both benefit from LED backlit screens - the first time this has appeared in a Toughbook. The benefits include longer battery life and improved viewing angles. Notably, though, neither notebook has a widescreen format. Instead both are XGA (1024 x 768). Panasonic really should think about the wider format.

It generally takes Panasonic quite a while between initial announcement and provision of a review sample, but rest assured I've got my eye on both of these and hope to review them as soon as I can. In the mean time, there is more information here.