A Few Baaaaaad Apples

SONET writes: "Why aren't all laptops made like this? I'm always putting my lappie in my otherwise empty briefcase. Even if it's just Photoshop/GIMP vapor, I really like the idea of a more rugged shell ... and the design is exceptionally clean. I know there are ruggedized laptops for the military and the like, but they really aren't for the average consumer as I envision something like this could be. The page is in Japanese, but the images really speak for themselves." I'm assuming it's just a mockup, the nicer to be proved wrong about ;) For the Exacto knife-and-firesale crowd though, an anonymous reader whispers that "Some guy modded his G4 Cube to have a Propaganda tile mapped inside the case. Looks excellent. That it does.

Panasonic Toughbook

[gUmbi]

Bah, you call that rugged? Where's the waterproof keyboard and G-force ratings? Besides, a case doesn't protect hard-drives if they're not shock mounted.

Check out the Panasonic Toughbook. [panasonic-toughbook.com]

Re:It's been done before

[norton_I]

Yep. You can tell O1 owners because their right arm is slightly longer than their left.

I still have mine around, somewhere.

You know the speaker works . . .

[Ezubaric]

because there's a musical note hanging in the air [geocities.co.jp].

Re:why?

[piecewise]

Why does everyone say you pay a premium with Apple computers? My bro's iBook was $1299 and it's *great*. My own PowerBook Titanium G4 was $2,599. I couldn't find a single laptop for less money that could beat the Ti that I bought. A $599 15" LCD that is the BEST in the industry (even the biased CNET says that).

I'm not trying to sell Apples here, I'm just saying, I work with them every day, and they're not overpriced, especially considering the greater number of features you get. Come on, even the Sony laptop doesn't have a standard CDRW (or even CD-ROM), you have to add that on.

Tupperware

[Anonymous Coward]

I think computer cases, laptops especially, should be made of Tupperware, it's extremely durable. My mom has Tupperware bowels dating back to the 70's and the stuff still looks brand new.

Re:Panasonic Toughbook

[gig]

Apple shock mounts the hard drives in its portable computers. They are really tough, especially the iBook which is made for schools.

This guy just used a PowerBook G4 for the look and because he's a Mac user. It's not that the PowerBook wasn't rugged to begin with. Of course, now it looks like it's indestructable.

Re:Yes, it's real.

[tswinzig]

But seriously, WFT is that "Bad Apples" story title? Seems to me this is a GOOD Apple, or is /. incapable of doing anything but bashing Apple?

Well you're probably Japanese, so I'll cut you some slack. Go rent Pulp Fiction or Shaft, and picture Samuel L. Jackson saying, "Those are some Baaaaaaaaaaad apples!"

Actually, he'd probably say, "Those are some baaaaaaaaaaaad motherfuckers!" But they can't print that on Slashdot.

This reminds me of...

[RainbowSix]

My self contained portable Linux server... :)

http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/~tw/serv.jpg [cmu.edu]

Re:Tupperware

[bellers]

Man. What I wouldn't give for Tupperware bowels.

It would sure make those 3am Taco Bell cravings much easier to deal with the next morning.

Re:Old IBM Laptop

[Anonymous Coward]

you should come to Europe. You're looking at closer to a dollar a litre... Thankfully, because of this, SUVs haven't caught on over here.

That, and there's something shamefully tacky about them in the first place... They scream "I've got a tiny penis" to the european eye...

Re:Old IBM Laptop

[FrostedChaos]

In my experience, SUVs begin to look very attractive when you decide to take a load of passengers and assorted cargo across a small mountain range with nothing but logging roads to drive on (yes, I've done it, and there was a good reason).

Jolly good show! Let's mount an expedition at once. Our destination shall be the Quick-E-Mart on the corner. I'm afraid we'll have to bring our heavy gear, as this is darkest suburbia. Bully!

Ah, yes, and chaps... we'll refill our gas again on the way back to tide us over on the way back.