• CF-29C/E (MK1) Full Package, Windows XP
• CF-29C/E (MK1) download one-by-one

The WinFastNavigator is GPS monitor for Pocket PC, Palm, and Windows laptop. It is used to test and view performance of GPS receiver based on SiRF chipset.

For Windows 9x, NT, ME, 2K, XP

GPSInfo (Freeware)

GPSInfo  is used to test and view performance of GPS receiver.
For Windows

Microsoft Street and Trips 2009 Trial Version

Street and Trips is the best selling GPS software in the US. Microsoft now offers a 60 days trial version.
Download trial version and run it for free for 60 days

Almost 60% of all questions about touchscreen enabled Toughbooks (CF-18, CF-19, CF-28, CF-29, CF-T2, CF-T4, CF-T5) are about touchscreen driver.

The “PS/2 Compatible Mouse” in Device Manager actually covers both the touchpad and the screen, and appears as a fully functioning device right after a new install of XP – there’s no separate device for the touchscreen itself. You have to replace this default driver with the official one from Panasonic here, unhelpfully and simply called “mouse driver”.

Download the mouse driver, extract all the files (Panasonic’s .exe file won’t run on anything but a compatible Toughbook, but 7zip can extract the files by itself), right-click the mouse in Device Manager and point it to Fidmou.inf instead.

Solution #0 CF18 MK1 Win XP

Download and expand mouse-touchscreen driver for MK1 (CF-18BXXX). Follow driver update procedure described earlier in this guide.

Solution #1 CF-T1/T2/T4 CF-18 MK2 Windows XP

Download Toughbook touchscreen driver package #1. Extract and follow driver update procedure described earlier in this guide.

After update, you might need to calibrate the screen. To start calibration procedure open folder where extracted drivers are located and run application named calvin.

Solution #2 CF-T5/T7, CF-18 MK3/MK4/MK5 Windows XP

Download touchscreen driver package #2 (newer version). Unzip and run ftsetup.exe. Restart computer. Run calibration utility if needed.

Solution #3 CF-18 MK4/MK5 Vindows Vista

Download and extract touchscreen update for Vista.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Panasonic-CF-18-Rusted-Busted-ASIS-SEE-THE-PRICE-AB620_W0QQitemZ230423371432QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLaptops_Nov05?hash=item35a64d9ea8

Mark 1: 600 MHz
Mark 2: 800 MHz
Mark 3: 1.0 GHz

CPU: CF-28X—–
==================================
E – PII 300Mhz
F – PII 333Mhz
G – PII 366Mhz
J – PIII 400Mhz
K – PIII 450Mhz
L – PIII 500Mhz
M – PIII 600Mhz
N – PIII 700Mhz
P – PIII 800Mhz
Q – PIII 850Mhz
R – PIII 900Mhz
S – PIII 1Ghz

LCD – Keyboard: CF-28*X*****
==================================
B – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
C – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
E – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
F – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
G – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
H – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
J – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
K – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
M – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard – Blk Cabinet
R – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
S – 12.1″ SVGA Touch Screen – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
T – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen – w/ Std Keyboard
U – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
V – 12.1″ SVGA Transflective Touch – w/ Backlit KB (rubber)
W – 13.3″ XGA Touch Screen- w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)
3 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch Screen w/ Std Keyboard
4 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch – w/ Backlit Keyboard (chicklet)
5 – 13.3″ XGA Non Touch – w/ Backlit Keyboard (rubber)

HDD – RAM – Wireless WAN Carrier: CF-28**X****
==================================
A – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDMA-Verizon
B – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDMA-SprintPCS
C – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – GPRS – Cingular
D – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – GPRS – AT&T
E – 30GB HDD – 256MB GPRS – T-Mobile
F – 20GB HDD – 128MB RAM
J – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM
H – 30GB HDD – 768MB RAM
M – 30GB HDD – 512MB RAM
P – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – CDPD
Q – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Mobitex
Q – 30GB HDD – 1GB RAM
T – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Secure
3 – 30GB HDD – 256MB RAM – Hazardous (Skydrol resistant)

Multimedia Pocket – Modem – LAN: CF-28***X***
==================================
A – Floppy Disk Drive – Modem
B – CD ROM Drive – Modem
C – CD ROM Drive – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
D – CDR/W – Modem
E – CDR/W – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
F – DVD – Super Disk Drive Bundle – Modem
G – Floppy Disk Drive – Modem – Ethernet
H – CD ROM Drive – Modem – Ethernet
J – CD ROM Drive – Super Disk Drive – Modem – Ethernet
K – CDR/W – Modem – Ethernet
L – CDR/W+SDD bundle – Modem – Ethernet
M – Floppy Disk Drive – CD ROM Drive – Modem – Ethernet
P – Floppy Disk Drive – Ethernet – 802.11b Wireless LAN
Z-None

Integrated Options: CF-28****X**
==================================
A – CDPD – No Wireless LAN
B – Mobitex – No Wireless LAN
C – CDMA – No Wireless LAN
E – GPS – No Wireless LAN
F – CDPD – GPS – No Wireless LAN
G – Mobitex – GPS – No Wireless LAN
H – CDMA – VoiceKit – No Wireless LAN
J – GPRS – GPS – No Wireless LAN
K – GPRS – No Wireless LAN
L – CDPD – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
M – Mobitex – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
N – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
P – GPRS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
Q – GPRS – GPS -802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
R – CDPD – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
S – Mobitex – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
T – GPRS – VoiceKit – No Wireless LAN
U – CDMA – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Lucent)
V – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN whip antenna (Cisco)
Y – 802.11b Wireless LAN only – (Lucent)
Z – None”11 – CDPD -802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
2 – Mobitex – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
3 – GPRS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
4 – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
5 – CDPD – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
6 – Mobitex – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
7 – GPRS – GPS – 802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
8 – Wireless LAN Antenna -802.11b Wireless LAN (Cisco)
9 – 802.11b Wireless LAN only – (Cisco)

Operating System: CF-28*****X*
==================================
C – Windows NT
D – Windows 2000
E – Windows 98
F – Windows 2000
G – Windows XP Pro
K – Windows XP Pro
N – OS (No install)
P – Dual (NT-2K)
Q – Dual (XP-2K)
Z – Blank (No-License

Destination Area/Region: CF-28******X
==================================
M – North America
E – UK
G – Germany
F – France
S – Sweden
T – Italy
P – Spain

www.toughwiki.com

MK1 – (first generation) 18B
MK2 – 18D/E
MK3 – 18F/G/H
MK4 – 18K/L
MK5 – (last release) 18N/P

Here is an example extended model number:  CF-18DDAZAMM

CF -
18 – series 18

First character is the CPU & presence of a built-in Wireless card:

B – Pentium 900Mhz (Centrino) / 802.11b+g
C – Pentium 900Mhz Ultra Low Voltage / No wireless
D – Pentium 1.1Ghz ULV (centrino) with builtin B&G wifi
E – Pentium 1.1Ghz ULV / No wifi (Federal Only)
F – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz (centrino) / 802.11a/b/g
G – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz /no wifi (Federal Only)
H – Pentium M 733 1.1Ghz (centrino) / 802.11b/g
K – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz (Centrino) / 802.11a/b/g
L – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz / no wifi (Federal Only)
N – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz (Centrino) / 802.11a/b/g + TPM 1.2
P – Pentium M 753 1.2Ghz / no wifi /(Federal Only) / +TPM 1.2

Second character is the screen options:

C – 10.4 XGA high Bright Digitizer / backlit keyboard
D – 10.4 XGA High Bright Digitizer
E – 10.4 XGA digitizer + black cabinet
F – 10.4 XGA tablet (hazardous locations)
H – 10.4 XGA High Bright Touchscreen
J – 10.4 XGA High Bright Touchscreen / backlit keyboard
K – 10.4 XGA High Bright (Hazardous Locations)
T – 10.4 XGA Transflective

Third Character is HDD/RAM options

A – 40GB HDD / 256RAM / dual ant conn
B – 40GB / 256 / dual ant conn
C – 40 / 768
D – 60 / 256 / dual ant conn
H – 60 / 512 / dual ant conn
K – 40 / 256
L – 40 / 512
N – 40 / 256 / dual ant conn / smartcard
Q – 60GB / 512 / dual ant conn / smartcard
1 – 40 / 256 / dual ant conn / haz loc
2 – 60 / 512 / dual ant conn / haz loc

Fourth Character is WWAN (Builtin Broadband) options:

F – GPRS (Cingular)
G – Edge (Cingular) (AT&T GPRS prior to Pent M733)
H – GPRS (T-Mobile)
J – CDMA 1xRTT Verizon (no voice)
K – EVDO (Sprint) (1xRTT prior to Pent M733)
L – GPRS (Cingular)
M – EVDO (Verizon) (1xRTT prior to Pent M733)
Z – none
3 – special order

Fifth Character is extra goodies options:

A – 802.11 + GPS
B – 802.11 + Bluetooth
C – 802.11 +GPS + Bluetooth
X – base model
Z – none
1 – secured HDD Door

Sixth Character is Factory OS Options:

B – XP Pro SP2
D – Win 2k
K – XP Pro
M – XP Pro Tablet PC
R – XP Tablet MUI
V – XP Tablet 2005
X – XP
Z – no license

Seventh and final Character is origin of release:

M – N America
E – not N America
F – ”
G – ”
P – ”
S – ”
T – ”

Source.

There are two types of tablet screens: touch screens and active digitizers. Touch screens respond to the touch of your finger or stylus and the cursor jumps to whatever point is touched on the display.  Active digitizers sense the tip of the stylus as it approaches the screen surface and display a pen/mouse cursor.

The advantage of the touch screen is that you can use your finger or any pen device for data input. The disadvantage is that there is no “cursor tracking” which can make it difficult to work with applications where precise cursor placement is needed. The advantage of the active digitizer is that it makes for very precise cursor placement, but if you lose the pen you’re out of luck as the display does not respond to touch of any kind.

This is why Tablet PC manufacturers are now moving to displays that combine both touch and active digitizer capability. These displays are referred to as Dual Mode screens. They work like a touch screen until they sense the proximity of a digitizer stylus. When the stylus approaches, touch input ceases and and the pen cursor starts. When the pen is pulled away, the screen once again responds to touch.

Active digitizers generally appeal to tablet PC users and those who do a lot of inking because of the palm rejection, smoother quality of the ink, and handwriting recognition. It does require a special pen, as you said, which makes it ideal for note-taking and for people who either prefer stylus-based (vs. finger-based) interfaces or hate fingerprints/smudges on their screens.

A passive/resistive digitizer (aka the common touchscreen), while not as good for inking, is more versatile because just about anything can be used to interact with it. This makes it ideal for use in the car (mounted to the dashboard or something), among other places. (Source.)

======

Which is best?

If most of your data entry needs involves tapping on a check box or selecting a drop down combo box, a touch screen tablet is sufficient.  If  most of your data entry needs involves text entry via the pen stylus and requires the handwriting recognizer to convert your handwriting to text, then the tablet with the active digitizer is the better choice. (Source.)

Required hardware

#00 Philips screwdriver

There are three major parts to the CF-29 HD caddy

• Metal caddy
• Plastic & foam HD carrier, “damper”
• Heater and HD connector strip

Four screws hold the top (Panasonic part DFHE5025XA.) Three on the connector side and one on the rear side with the plastic pull-tab. Remove the top cover and the HD assembly should come out easily.
On the end opposite the copper flashing, there is a plastic flap under two foam blocks with adhesive holding it closed on either side. Carefully open the plastic HD carrier flap and slide the hard drive out.

Unwrap the heater coil from the HD and unplug the PATA connector. Reverse for HD installation. My cable was not keyed for install direction, so just remember the HD ribbon faces the bottom of the drive as in the picture.

The caddy connector has two tabs that go into the metal caddy to hold it in place. Make sure both tabs are in before closing the caddy up.

Close the caddy up by putting the cover on and screw in the four screws previously removed.

Source: ToughWiki.com

Panasonic N8

Both of them are powered by Intel’s Core 2 Duo P8700 (2.53GHz) processor, and features up to 4GB RAM, 250GB hard drive, Intel GM45 Express Chipset, DVD burner (not in the case of N8), 12.1″ WXGA LCD display, 802.11a/b/g/n wireless, WiMAX, Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI.

Panasonic S8 detailed specs.

Prices start from $1800 in Japan for base configuartions.

Note the termocouple on the picture below. It monitors your battery temperature and shuts it down if it gets overheated preventing fire or exlosion.

Last word. Never ever try to disassemble or repair your battery. It’s dangerous. If it blinks red and gets no charge dispose it properly and get a new one. I strongly recommend genuine parts over the aftermarket.