[CEATEC 2013] At the beginning of this month, we talked about the Panasonic ToughPad UT-MB5, a 20” tablet that definitely targets professionals who work with high resolution images, and yet do not want something that is all too fragile. Is such a compromise actually possible? Apparently yes, and over here on the CEATEC floor, it makes perfect sense for Panasonic to show it off in their home market, and we could not miss the opportunity to have a look at it. If I had to sum it up in just one word, “stunning” would be it.
First of all, the Panasonic UT-MB5 will run on the Windows 8.1 Pro 64-bit operating system, and you cannot escape the physical Windows button that is located at the bottom of the device. An Intel Core i5 processor will run things from within, where it is aided by an NVIDIA GeForce 745M GPU, accompanied by up to a 256GB SSD and up to 4GB RAM.
Visually, this is as stunning as it gets with a pixel count of 3,840 x 2,560 pixels, and a pixel density of 230ppi (pixels per inch). Tipping the scales at 2.35kg, it is not the lightest tablet around, but considering the size, that is pretty reasonable. Chances are it will be mounted on a wall somewhere or used as a monitor, so the weight should not be a factor when it comes to your purchase consideration unless you intend to move house often.
Now that we have gotten the hardware side of things out of the way, how does the eye “feel” when it takes a look at the tablet? Well, the image below shows it being used by the medical fraternity, where 4k resolution offers a far more detailed look at a patient’s innards, ranging from x-ray scans to other images (ultrasound, perhaps?). Of course, the touchscreen display comes in handy, since software can be programmed to support the doctor circling a problematic area, or perhaps to jot down some notes for his or her reference later on.
Medical app that shows off the patient’s innards in great detail.
For those who have always wanted a collection of the great masters of old, the Panasonic UT-MB5 would make a worthy addition to your array of viewing devices at home. Mounted onto a photo frame, it looks like the real deal from even a meter away, making you feel as though you want to reach out and touch it – only to realize that you are touching a touchscreen display, and not a replica of the painting. Some of the pieces look as though the oil paint is almost 3D in nature as you can see below, and the best part is, you can store plenty of high resolution paintings in the device so that your living room or office decor need not be the same ever again.
It looks so real, that the brain could not comprehend that the finger is actually touching a glass surface instead of an oil painting.
Graphics artists or those who deal with the aesthetics of the human face will also be able to find use for the Panasonic UT-MB5, as evident by the software as depicted below. Will the clients be impressed? Perhaps, but they also might not be too happy to see all of their skin’s flaws decked out in 4k resolution, too.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?
With an asking price of $5,900 thereabouts, the Panasonic UT-MB5 is definitely not something that the layperson can purchase, but for businesses or art lovers, you might want to consider setting aside that sum of money as an investment for the future. Here’s to hoping that the final price point will drop to far more affordable levels for the masses one of these days.
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