Page 29 - FCW, July/August 2018

Rugged Devices,” found that, by the end of 2016, annual failure rates for consumer notebooks, on average, were 18 percent. At the end of year five of notebook use, 61 percent of notebooks had a failure that needed repair. The average annual failure rate for tablets and smartphones was 15.7 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively.
As the number of devices supported by IT has grown, repair costs and lost productivity also grew, the study found. Decision-makers surveyed by IDC reported that the average cost to repair a consumer-grade notebook was $295. The cost to fix a tablet or handheld was $224, on average. Add in the time it takes for IT staff and device users to deal with damaged devices and the loss of employee productivity, which averaged up to six hours per device, and the total cost of device failure is significant, the IDC report found.
That’s why more businesses are looking to use rugged mobile devices, IDC said. Businesses are also considering rugged devices as a way to reduce the high cost and lost productivity that accompany damaged devices.
While LPTA was attractive to cash-strapped agencies eager to lower upfront costs, in terms of the long-term viability of mobile devices, especially those that aren’t optional for the mission environment, “it’s been a bad experience,” Heckman said. That’s why many civilian agencies are looking at the total cost of ownership (TCO) of rugged devices.
Rugged devices such as Panasonic’s mobile computers are designed for durability and longevity, Heckman said. They are just as capable as their commercial cousins when it comes to processing power, but they use higher quality components. The designed life of products such as Panasonic Toughbooks is more than
5 years. By comparison, commercial grade devices typically have a three-year average life.
“That all leads to a lower overall TCO over the life of the device,” said Heckman, “despite the initial higher price.”
To Learn More:
https://info.panasonic.com/ toughbookterritory-federalcivilian.html
FASTFACTS
WHICH CIVILIAN AGENCIES USE PANASONIC RUGGED DEVICES?
Civilian government agencies have the widest range of products in use already, Heckman said, from first responders – law enforcement and EMTs – to enterprise roles in healthcare, utilities, and transportation and logistics.
WHAT PRODUCTS ARE BEING USED?
Toughbook clamshell notebooks are still a top seller, Heckman said. Toughbook tablets are also popular, but 2-in-1 (tablet with attached keyboards) are starting to replace tablets as users realize a need to create content.
WHERE CAN AGENCIES BUY THESE PRODUCTS?
Panasonic rugged devices are available on all the major Government-Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs), such as NASA SEWP and the NIH CIO-CS, as well as GSA’s Schedule 70 contracts. They are also available on many agency-specific contracts.