Panasonic Toughbook CF-R1

We should say at the outset that the Toughbook CF-R1 bears virtually no resemblance to the original Panasonic Toughbook. That was a ruggedised brute built to withstand real abuse in the field, including wetting and severe shock, and it looked the part. The armoured exterior also made the first Toughbook a hefty beast: drop it on your foot and you, not the notebook, would be needing repairs. This was fine. The Toughbook was an industrial tool engineered to withstand hostile environments, not for messing about in the office. People who actually needed one were unlikely to worry if it was big and rather ugly.