Unique Technology

As you probably know, the Panasonic Group has world-leading teams renowned for developing excellent battery technology and producing superior battery products. This means, ahead of other computer makers, we can equip our PCs with the latest, most advanced batteries.

We have designed the CF-C1 so that it can be powered by two of the latest high-capacity battery packs which contain cells boosted in capacity.
With two batteries the operating time is about 10 hours* and the weight is 1.69 kｇ {3.74 lbs}. If you know you will not be using the CF-C1 for a long time, you can make it lighter and portable at 1.49 kｇ {3.28 lbs} by using one battery which will give you about 5 hours* of operation. Depending on circumstances, you can choose what is best for you.

* Battery life changes depending on environment, LCD brightness, and system setup. Battery life is approx. 80% of reactive when ECO mode is active. It is measured by using MobileMark^® 2007, 60 nits.

Most mobile computers come with only a single battery. The reason for this is that when two batteries are used, the computer needs to have built-in circuitry and the extra casing for both batteries. This increases the weight and also makes control more complicated.

Despite this, we have made the leap to a dual-battery system with the CF-C1. By making it hot swappable, which means being able to change a battery without having to turn the power off, we are able to achieve very long running times. So long, in fact, that you can actually use the CF-C1 all day long while keeping the power on the whole time. With a typical notebook PC, when the battery needs to be replaced, you have to power down the PC, change the battery, and reboot. During this time, the PC is not useable. This short time loss, however, could be detrimental for people such as pharmaceutical sales reps.

In their effort to persuade doctors to adopt the drugs and equipment sold by their company, these sales reps usually spend long hours waiting for doctors to finish consulting or other business. A doctor will eventually emerge from the examination room only to disappear again. This short time is the opportunity to make eye-catching presentations of relevant information about a medical product and explain its merits. In this situation, where "two hours wait per two minutes of presentation" is the norm, the ability to instantly take advantage of even the smallest opportunity is decisive. Once a busy doctor has been stopped, he or she will get irritated if asked to wait for the computer, even if it is only to wake from sleep mode. It is essential to have the computer running all the time, always available to seize the moment. Running out of power would be unthinkable. Naturally, it is also out of the question to take time out to power down and replace the battery.

Now, with the CF-C1, equipped with two high-capacity battery packs installed in parallel, you can be always ready. Besides having impressive long-running specifications, if one of the batteries runs low, there is no need to switch off the computer, you can simply replace it with a fresh battery while the computer is running. This hot-swap capability means that the replacement battery is recognized without the need to reboot the system, and extended running time is possible.

If you want to keep the computer running all day through, all you need is a few spare battery packs. Using a battery charger, you can keep the spares fully charged and take them with you. In places where mains power cannot be used, this reserve power can make all the difference.

For example, when two batteries are inserted, power from only one of the batteries is used. When the remaining capacity of the battery in use drops to less than 10%, a red low-power indicator lights up for that battery to show which one needs replacing. Then, when the remaining power falls to 5%, the system automatically switches to get its power from the previously unused battery. Thanks to this singly battery usage and red low-power indicator, you can keep both at full power and continuously use this CF-C1 in longer period.

When two batteries are used, it is easy to get confused about which one is running low and so mistakenly remove the one with the greater remaining power. If this is done, it would be necessary to immediately replace the battery again. Measures to ensure removal of the battery with less power are required.

On the CF-C1, an LED flashes on the side with less remaining power when you pull the battery release lever on the bottom when changing batteries. This is very convenient, because you can easily see which battery you need to replace (The LED flashes regardless of whether the power is on or off).

This is a very useful function if you have to quickly choose, from a number of computers, which unit to use, which unit should be selected.

For example, if a number of units are on charging on a rack in a hospital, a nurse may have to choose which one to take into the ward. If the charge state is not clearly indicated on each of the different machines, selection has to be done by guesswork, and if a machine with insufficient charge is chosen, the battery may die during offsite nursing duties.

With the CF-C1, however, the charge state indicator system immediately shows how much power each unit has. It is easy to confidently select the computer with the most power.

For users who operate multiple units of the CF-C1, unlimited continuous operation can be assured by purchasing an optional charger capable of holding four batteries at a time.
In the next installment, you can read in more detail about other features which make the CF-C1 easy to use.