Panasonic Toughbook F8 Is Lightest 3G-Ready Notebook

Panasonic announced a major update to their line of 8-Series Toughbooks today that is sure to please those on-the-go with a need for a laptop that can stand up to abuse. And now with the introduction of the F8 model, the "business-rugged" idea is being taken further with a lightweight 3G-ready option.

Today's announcement included the Panasonic Toughbook F8, which possesses a 14.1-inch display, weighs just 3.7 pounds, has an internal optical drive, has a handle for easy carrying and is 3G-ready. Other specs include an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of RAM and a 160GB shock-mounted hard drive. It's seriously portable and offers serious flexibility for those that are a little rougher on their computers than most.

The rest of the 8-Series received an update as well, with the W8 and T8 models getting embedded Gobi 3G technology, making for the ultimate in connectivity with mobile broadband (WWAN) from Qualcomm. The 8-Series Panasonic Toughbook notebooks will be available starting in November. The W8 and T8 are expected to cost $2,900 and the F8 is slightly pricier at $2,499.