Panasonic's New CF-U1: Ultra-Mobile But Still Tough

Already offering different levels of laptop ruggedness to satisfy almost every user, Panasonic is now focusing its attention on the Ultra-Mobile market with the new Toughbook CF-U1, and the Test Center had an opportunity to take a good look at it.

The U1 is the first rugged Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC) that utilizes Intel's new low-power Atom processor. This, in conjunction with a Solid State Disk (SSD) drive, allows it to run cooler and quieter, with an extended battery life.

The device is built to be MIL-STD-810F and IP54 compliant, making it rain-, spill-, dust- and vibration- resistant, as well as able to withstand a 4-foot drop.

Available standard with Windows Vista Business and a 16-GB SSD, our evaluation unit was outfitted with the optional XP downgrade and 32-GB drive, and incorporated the 1.33GHz Atom Z520 CPU with 1 GB of RAM. The 5.6-inch widescreen display is a bright 1,024 x 600 touch screen, driven by an Intel GMA 500 controller.

The included LCD protector film looks very similar to the aftermarket screen protectors for PDAs and cell phones but does its job well and didn't hinder control of the unit when navigating with either the supplied stylus or a fingertip.

Using Primate Labs' benchmarking tool, Geekbench2, the U1 received a score of 690. This is similar to other Atom-based computers and was not unexpected. We're a little curious as to why Panasonic chose the slower Z520 but aren't concerned with the minor difference in performance between it and the slightly faster models.

The small integrated speaker on the back of the device is a powerhouse, producing surprisingly loud, as well as clear, audio. In fact, upon Windows startup and shutdown, reviewers on both ends of the lab thought the sound was coming from one of the desktops.

Volume and mute can be controlled via keyboard shortcuts.

Speaking of which, the backlit keyboard is situated below the display and is spread out in a QWERTY format, separated in the middle where the numeric and directional arrow keys are located. Although small, the keys are raised and spaced just enough apart that even large thumbs should be able to type with few errors.

Besides the numerous status LEDs, the U1 has four programmable application buttons along the right side of the screen and a scroll up and down rocker button on the left side. Also to the left of the screen is a second rocker button that is used to increase or reduce the magnification of the display. Both of these come in handy, since the resolution allows most windows to be viewed without the need to scroll horizontally but at the cost of small-size fonts.

All ports are protected by insulated, plastic doors that simply snap open but must be locked back into place. This makes them easy to access, while preserving the layer of protection worthy of a Toughbook. Our review unit also included the optional bar-code scanner on the top and a 2MP camera with LED flash (which are really two lights that temporarily come on) on the back. The camera took decent pictures and video without the need to resituate your hand from the removable holster/harness strap.

With twin, hot-swappable batteries, the U1 is rated with a nine-hour battery life. When playing a Windows Media Video in repeat mode, with all the power saving settings turned off, our test unit died just five minutes short of six hours. With normal usage and settings, there is a good probability that the computer will make it through a full shift on one charge.

Testers noted that, when charging, the unit automatically alternates between the two batteries, ensuring neither one is ever completely dead. This provides a nice safety net to make certain either can be swapped out without disrupting work. A desktop cradle, which also functions as a docking station, can charge the device while resting in it, as well as two additional, spare batteries.

At 2.3 pounds, with the strap and both batteries, it is not heavy in the hand, although to use the keyboard, you must remove your hand from the strap and hold it similar to a smartphone. In this position, the unit feels a little bulky; luckily, the touch screen reduces the amount of time it would need to be held this way.

Other, integrated, options available include an RFID reader, Mobile Broadband (EV-DO REV. A and HSDPA), a GPS receiver and a fingerprint scanner. Also available are a Magnetic Stripe Reader Expansion Module and a Serial/Ethernet/SmartCard Expansion Module. In addition, there is also a UL 1604 Class I, Division 2, Groups, A, B, C, D certified model.

At an estimated street price of $2,499, the Toughbook CF-U1 is perfect for a wealth of different working environments where full PC performance is needed in a rugged, portable design.