14 DAY TRIAL // We have seen a lot of sleek and portable tablets get announced at IFA 2014, but if your taste lies with something more rugged and extreme, Panasonic is here to take care of you.
Present in Berlin as well, the device manufacturer has taken the wraps off the new Toughpad FZ-E1 and Toughpad FZ-X1 business tablets (as seen at Pocket-Lint).
Panasonic has bundled one of the tabs with Windows 8.1 (E1) while the other one runs Android (X1), so professionals activating in enterprise and governmental establishments will get their pick at whatever OS caters to their needs best.
This might seem odd to you, but the company’s latest Toughpad tablets arrive with a 5-inch display, so we might as well be called smartphones.
However, the company is offering them under the slate banner, because they argue that the new products are smaller versions of the previous ToughPad tabs which you can use to place a phone call all or two.
The small size is quite suitable for rugged devices such as these, considering professionals will be using them in the field.
Even as they are small, this doesn't mean the two tabs are less sturdy. On the contrary, both models take advantage of IP65 (high-pressure jet spray) and IP68 (submersible up to 5 ft / 1.5 m for 30 minutes) standards.
Now let’s take each one at a time, the Toughpad FZ-E1 offers a 5-inch display with 1280 x 720 pixel resolution. The screen is sunlight-viewable, and you swipe on it without a problem even if you have gloves on.
Panasonic says the device can be quickly recharged to up to 50% in just one hour. The battery per-se (6,200mAh) should last users up to 14 hours of run-time.
The tablet is completed by the presence of USB 2.0, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, 4G LTE and HSPA+.
As for the Android alternative, the specifications remain pretty much the same, just that you’ll be having a complete OS to play with (Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean).
Under the hood, the Windows 8.1 one takes advantage of a quad-core 2.3GHz Qualcomm chipset, while the Android tab works with a 1.7GHz one. Both tabs have a GPS module onboard.
As you might as well know by now, rugged tablets don’t come cheap, so expect the Thoughpad FZ-X1 to sell for a €1,385 / $1,820 price-tag, while the FZ-E1 can be yours for €1,428 / $1,876, with availability starting this November.
