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Why Panasonic’s Toughpad makes good sense for New Zealand’s local government

Announcement posted by Comworth 12 Jan 2015

With the demanding outdoor nature of much of their work, Councils across New Zealand are increasingly turning to rugged technology to get the tough jobs done better, with fewer breakdowns and greater flexibility. That much has emerged with the growing deployment ofPanasonic Toughbook and Toughpad products to key personnel, equipping them with devices capable of going anywhere Council staff do their work.

Richard Thomas, IT manager at the Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, explains why tough technology is a better bet for outdoors work: “We decided long ago that a ‘normal’ computer isn’t the best idea on, for example, a building site where you have to cope with dust, potential knocks and drops and other harsh characteristics of these environments. Our Toughbooks have survived just that for over 4 years now with no trouble whatsoever.”

At the Wanganui District Council (WDC), Information Services Group Manager Jason Simons is enthusiastic about the Panasonic devices, singling out the 10.1” Windows 8 Pro FZ-G1 Toughpad for particular praise. “Tablets have become very useful tools in the workplace as they allow applications and technology to easily go with personnel in the field. However, for many Council activities, you need something which is capable of handling knocks, drops, spills and splashes – and, while it may not seem a major issue, you really do need something that can be viewed clearly outside.”

Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1

Panasonic Toughpad FZ-G1

 Tough tablet technology

Simons says WDC initially tested standard tablets but quickly found their limitations, particularly for what he calls ‘infrastructure areas’ – staff members tasked with building inspections and management of drains, roading and other council property. “These are our extreme users; we’ve found the Windows 8 Toughpads to be an ideal solution not only as a tablet device for the field, but as a complete desktop replacement.”

That’s because Panasonic’s Windows 8 Toughpads are a complete Intel computer, with RAM, processing power and SSD drive capacity comparable to that of a desktop PC – all self-contained in a device with a 10.1-inch screen. The Panasonic has also been expanding with two Windows 8.1 Pro models now available; the 10.1-inch FZ-G1and the 7-inch FZ-M1, along with a new 7” Celeron model running Windows 8.1 standard.

What this means in practice is issuing staff members with a single device which slots into a dock at their office workstation and which also goes with for field work. While delivering considerable convenience for the employee, there is a further benefit, Simons explains: “There isn’t any need for synchronisation or double-keying of information and we have fewer devices to look after, from a support and management perspective. And because these are Windows devices, our enterprise applications work seamlessly on them.”

Thomas affirms Simons’ mention of the necessity for a daylight viewable screen and also points out how tablet features such as cameras and dedicated GPS become a major advantage for Council work. “The availability of a camera on the FZ-G1 Toughpad is a real advantage as inspectors can take geotagged photographs of sites where work needs to be completed and include them in reports, saving a lot of hassle. In addition, the visibility of the screen is especially important and something you won’t get with a regular tablet,” he explains.

Best tool for the job

The flexibility, reliability and performance of the Toughpads has resulted in Wanganui District Council expanding the use of the devices in its environment, Simons confirms. “We’re moving through our field staff to see where Toughpads are the best tool for the job. Wherever we have a need to either capture or retrieve information – and with Council a landlord and property manager, there are a lot of such environments – and whenever we have anyone in a truck or car or environment which isn’t nice and clean, then we look at deploying the Toughpad.”

Simons says his staff members’ devices are the envy of employees of neighbouring Councils. “We do a lot of work providing support to our colleagues in adjacent localities and yep, there is some jealousy that our people have the best tools for the job,” he remarks.

And on longevity? “These things are built tough and that means they last. Some are looked after better than others, but with the Toughpad, there are no breakages and that means no business process interruptions,” he concludes.

Toughpad: Built Kiwi Tough