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Panasonic Toughbook CF-25

Panasonic Toughbook CF25 – The original Toughbook – 1997

Panasonic Toughbook CF25 - the first toughbook

Panasonic Toughbook CF25

The first Toughbook?

Technically the CF41 was the first Panasonic Toughbook released – in 1994.  However it really wasn’t very rugged, didn’t have a handle, didn’t look ‘butch’ and generally was not fit to wear the name “Toughbook”.

So I’m going to claim the Panasonic Toughbook line started in 1996 with the introduction of the CF-25.  It was the first Toughbook to have a handle, pass some environmental specs, and really put the Toughbook name out in the market.  It was a very successful product (for a rugged portable).

Original units launched with Pentium 120MHz processors.  MK2 units had 120, 150 and 166MHz.  They passed  Mil-810E 516.4 (IEC 63-2-32 free fall) Shock test:  Procedure IV transit drop test 70 cm , 26 drops on each face, edge and corner.

I personally lost a deal to the Panasonic CF-27.  I was a regional sales manager for Kontron Elektronik at the time, and thought I had a shot at the British Gas automation project.  Panasonic sold 7,000 CF-27’s to British Gas.  I didn’t sell any IN-Lite units.  Yes it still smarts a bit.

British_Gas

Bullet-proof reliability:

Well, not so much.  The Panasonic Toughbook range is a high quality, reliable range of computers that are extensively used by field service technicians, emergency services and first responders.   Bullet-proof is not quite the same though – this picture appears in several places on the web, so I’m not sure who to attribute the link to.

Panasonic CF-25, riddled with bullet holes

I have heard Panasonic sales people call their products “bullet-proof”. Hmmm.

 Panasonic CF-25 Manual

CF25 Manual (1997)

Kontron-CF-25 MKII-data-sheet (1997)

History of the Toughbook Click Here

 <<1995 Getac A320  1996  Psion Series 5 1997>>

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Previous posts:

  • Contact
  • First Garfield comic strip
  • History of portable computers with a rugged bias
    • AGS MilPAC-III C4ISR Portable with 3 x 17.3″ displays
    • AGS-MRPC-4 – Lunchbox Computer – 2011
    • Compaq Portable III lunchbox computer
    • Dolch FlexPAC
    • Fieldworks FW7500 – 1994
    • Getac A320 Rugged Notebook
    • Getac B300
    • Getac Z710 – Rugged Android Tablet
    • GRiD Compass – 1982
    • IBM Convertible PC
    • IBM Portable 5155 – questionably rugged, questionably portable
    • IBM Portable PC 5110
    • IBM ThinkPad 700
    • iTronix GoBook XR-1 (General Dynamics)
    • Kontron IN-Lite
    • Kontron IP-Lite
    • Kookaburra PC / Dulmont Magnum 1983
    • Osborne 1 – The first portable PC
    • Osborne Vixen rugged luggable
    • Panasonic CF19
    • Panasonic Toughbook CF-25
    • PSION Series 5
    • Sharp PC-1211
    • TRS-80 Model 100 (Radio Shack)
    • TRS-80 Tandy/Radio Shack
  • Rugged Handheld Computers

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