At Mobile World Congress 2014, Panasonic announced a new handset due to launch this fall in Europe. The 5-inch phone follows in line with their line of Toughpad products, in that it's tough as nails with protection against drops, extreme temperatures, water, and dust. The voice version of the device will have noise cancellation built in, which will be helpful for the industrial situations the it's likely to be used in. A glove-friendly touchscreen, barcode reader, and mounts for fixing screws all paint a picture of a phone that's ready for business.
It's been awhile since Panasonic launched the first Toughbook, but it's good to see the idea's still being supported. There's a niche market for Android devices in rough-and-tumble environments, and we don't see too many solutions that come forward to address it. Even as a consumer device, I'm interested in having a phone that I wouldn't feel nervous about dropping without a case.
Source: Panasonic
Reader comments
Panasonic announces rugged 5-inch Toughpad phone
Aaaand. . .exactly where in the world does Panasonic actually sell smartphones? Other than probably Japan?
I don't use, or acknowledge the word ""troll"".
Maybe in the "underworld". Which is why they focus on making them tough.. it prevents them from breaking during cave-ins
Lmao!!!
I don't use, or acknowledge the word ""troll"".
Well, officially nowhere. They pulled out of the smartphone market in Japan last year sometime.
I am looking forward to the drop test.
Drop test... pfffffshhh. I want to see them fire it out of a cannon at a brick wall.
I hope this cost $20
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Can't wait for the pricing and battery life info.
Got my dad Casio GZone for Korean market (straight from Seoul) last year for 380 w shipping. Great phone but horrible battery life (came with spare too) and still stuck on ICS - clean stock rom w a few extra apps. Kitkat would prob fix it, but will never come.
This would be a nice and early upgrade for sure.
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VZW Moto X
I'm excited about this but it'll probably never come to the U.S.
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Specs for the Toughpad here:
http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/24/panasonic-toughpad-fz-e1-and-fz-x1-ar...
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$1300.
Wow.
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Probably gonna be really expensive.. Toughbooks usually cost a lot...
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I wish Panasonic wouldn't have killed the ELUGA line. I get that this phone is for the rugged market, but it just looks awful.
Not a phone guys, it is a 5" tablet.
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A 5 inch tablet that makes phone calls....
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