Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 rugged tablet with Windows 8.1 Pro launched at CES 2014

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 will be available at a starting price of $2,099 (roughly Rs. 1,30,500) and is expected to hit markets in early spring 2014, although there is no word yet on specific market rollout.

The new Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 is based on Windows 8.1 Pro (64-bit) and features an IP65 fully sealed fanless design. For those interested in the ruggedness of the Toughpad, should note it has a MIL-STD-810G rating, with a 5-foot drop certification. The tablet comes with a 7-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 1200x800 pixels with glove touch technology and also comes with stylus support (optional).

The Toughpad FZ-M1 includes a 128GB SSD storage, while also comes with a 256GB SSD option. It is powered by a fourth-generation Intel Core i5 vPro chipset clocked at 1.6GHz alongside 4GB of RAM, which can be further expanded up to 8GB. Connectivity option on the tablet includes USB 3.0, microSD card slot, SmartCard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC (optional) and LAN.

The tablet sports a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED Flash and a 2-megapixel autofocus webcam for video calling. It packs a 3220mAh battery that according to the company can provide up to 8 hours of battery life. The Toughpad FZ-M1 measures 203x132x18mm and weighs 540 grams.

Commenting on the launch, Manish Sharma, Managing Director, Panasonic India said, "With its high-class tough performance, connectivity, long battery life and advanced technology, this device is the perfect work companion for all business professionals leading a rugged life. With a long standing commitment towards providing value to consumers with our products, we have been successfully setting new bench marks across product categories. In line with this, the brand will continue to meet the expectations of its customers across the spectrum, in 2014."

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