I’ve heard good things about this laptop from a contractor friend: http://www.hummerlaptops.com/
Has anybody else used/seen these? any feedback?
What other brands are guys using for the “mobile office” type work?
Justin Fink – FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
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john7g | | #3My first laptop was a Panasonic Toughbook CF-25. Still running today but limited on expansion but the newer ones are much better than the ancient CF-25. When looking at the one the salesman was using, he folded it up took it outside and drove his truck over it, opened it back up and went back to using it. I was sold. They're not cheap though. They do have different levels of ruggedness on their cases that may help to match your use/budget.
http://www.toughbooksales.com/?gclid=CMCw5ryHwocCFRceUAodFWuuGg
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Justin,
It's an Itronix laptop rebranded to Hummer for marketing.
Itronix makes a decent rugged laptop similar in features and price to the Panasonic Toughbook series.
Panasonic also makes a good rugged laptop.
They both start just over $2000 with non-rugged laptops well under a $1000.
I guess it depends how careful you can be....
I make my living with computers and carry a laptop all of the time.
I buy the next day repair warranty for however long I plan on keeping it knowing that the warranty will be necessary regardless of whether it's a "rugged" laptop or not.
If you're going to carry the computer to the job site setting up on a lift of lumber to use it, by all means get the rugged laptop (and the next day repair warranty).
Marc
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docotter | | #9I buy a fair amount of IT equipment each year, including notebooks. I've been standardized on Dell notebooks with 3 year complete care warantees. They do get broken from time-to-time, but Dell comes to the notebook, wherever it is, next business day, to fix it.
A guy I know ran over his Dell with complete care. The screen cracked, but otherwise it was functional. Dell came the next day to fix it. One of my coworkers put hers on a barstool, knocked a book from the counter onto it and it dropped to the floor. Broke the latch and made some of the plastic come apart. Dell came the next day and made things right. The point being: these things break, what happens when (not if) it breaks? If you have to send the notebook off to a depot to get fixed -- a process that might take two or more weeks -- that might be a major problem.
I think that the Panasonic Toughbooks are worth it if you're likely to break the traditional units often, or expose them to really abusive envrironments.
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stevent1 | | #10Justin,This may be unfair, But why do you post a thread and then pull it after a few responses? I have been on this forum for over 6 years (FH said to reregister at least four times). As an editor of FH some of these threads go into the thousands but you seem to pull yours.Thank you, Fine Homebuilding for the great Forum.Chucklive, work, build, ...better with wood
Edited 9/23/2006 7:34 am ET by stevent1
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rez | | #23
View ImageWill the wind ever rememberThe names it has blown in the past
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docotter | | #16
TANSTAAFL. You're not talking about a $700 notebook here and they do charge for the warrantee upgrade. The cost of the warrantee upgrade is pretty reasonable if you figure that you probably will need one service call on the unit over a 3+ year life.
Also, you'll get better treatment if you buy it through their business division rather than the home user division, and the upgraded warratee will get you better tech support.
Edited 9/23/2006 12:14 am ET by DocOtter
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john7g | | #19
I've gotten a bit fed up with poor IT support from hardware providers sending their standard warranty work off shore. Why leave the unsuspecting buyer hanging in the wind? They're better off saying they offer NO warranty support on new sales and then offering the upgrade to the service that most users expect. And why make the improved warranty available to only business customers?
edit to add: I'll post a picture of my CF-25 with the truck parked on it. Send me one with your Dell doing the same.
Edited 9/23/2006 9:15 am ET by john7g
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Check out this site for a run down of ruggedized notebooks/laptops.
http://ruggedpcreview.com/2_notebooks.html
My biggest client designs and manufactures ruggedized, mobile computers that typically mount on fork lifts and heavy industrial vehicle. They are about to release a ruggedized tablet that mounts in your truck, pops off in a flash into your hands for field work, and docks on your desktop.
I'm working on the ID right now and we should have something to market before year's end.
Edited 9/22/2006 6:29 pm by pino
Frankly, I'd just go and buy a Toughbook or some similarily priced laptop, if and when I can afford to buy a brand new one, which isn't right now.
Anyway, I think Hummers are rather offensive, so no thanks. I couldn't care less what they could do.
A year or 2 ago, Apple started shipping its laptops with a feature called a "Sudden Motiion Sensor". It locks the harddrive, to protect your data, whenever it detects sudden movements (for example if it is being dropped) or strong vibration.
Another nice feature they've added is a magnetic connection between the power cord and the laptop. So if you're powering up, and someone trips into the wire, it falls away nicely instead of yanking the whole shebang onto the ground.
Macs tend to be pricey and I'm not necessarily recommending them to contractors.
Just suggesting examples of the kinds of features that might be available beyond ruggedized housings.
Replies
If the General is backing the marketing, I'd pass.
IMO...Just another glorified gimmick that they hope will boost their lagging sales of poorly built crapola
Panasonic has some that are certified for rough duty IIRC...
(http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/computer/elite_promotion/index.asp?sa_campaign=search_engines/PCSC/google/elite/kw=_laptops_offer)
(the "Hummer" warrantee excludes: "
Not terribly impressive for a heavy duty item ;)
Edited 9/22/2006 2:01 pm ET by PaulBinCT
Edited 9/22/2006 2:02 pm ET by PaulBinCT