Panasonic to release hard-nut handheld

NEWS Panasonic has unveiled its first rugged handheld computer, the heavy-duty ToughBook. The device takes the same name as Panasonic's line of hardened laptops designed to resist physical shocks and moisture damage. However, it will not use the Microsoft Pocket PC 2002 operating system Merlin due to launch on 4 October. Instead Panasonic will use Windows CE 3.0 operating system, which doesn't have native support for many of the advanced business applications that Pocket PC 2002 offers. But with a target market of field service professionals, applications like virtual private networks will not be so important. The device is expected to launch in the UK early next year.