Toughbooks^® are exactly what they sound like. They are rugged and used in a wide variety of industries, like construction, emergency services, manufacturing, oil, gas, utilities and more. While Toughbooks have long been considered ‘king’ of mobile devices in these industries, tablets are quickly catching up. Companies are making the switch for these reasons:

Toughbooks are expensive. They can cost upwards of $3,500 per device, which can be cost prohibitive for small businesses. Meanwhile, the cost of an iPad with a highly protective case could cost only $900, or a Toughpad^® could cost as low as $1,200 (half the price of a Toughbook). In an effort to save money, companies are making the switch.

Toughbooks are bulky and heavy. The average weight of a Toughbooks is around 8 lbs. The average weight of an iPad is around 1.5 lbs, making it much easier to carry and handle. A mobile employee who relies on their tablet will have an easier time carrying around a tablet than a Toughbook.

Tablets can connect directly to multiple technologies. Toughbooks can connect to Wi-Fi, while tablets and Toughpads have multiple options of networks to connect to such as 4G, LTE, Wi-Fi and GNSS. This, in particular, helped out the Reading Fire Department Crew in Pennsylvania, who recently made the switch to tablets.

A Toughbook is not a mobile device. It’s a mobile device in that it’s portable, but it requires (mostly) a flat surface and two sets of fingers to work with. Tablets and Toughpads can be maneuvered with one hand. This versatility is perfect for on-the-go employees.

If your organization is considering making the switch, you can transition from Toughbooks to tablets with these helpful tips:

Make a secure charging system part of your transition. Launching a comprehensive mobile device program requires more than just rolling out the devices themselves. It’s imperative to also consider how the devices will be charged, stored, secured and distributed. For optimal productivity, employees must know exactly where to find a fully-charged device before leaving for a job, as well as know where to secure the device at the end of their shift so that it’s ready for the next person or the next shift.

Set up a training with all team members. Make sure your employees know exactly how to use their new tablet or Toughpad devices. There might be a bit of a learning curve, but what’s great about tablets is how user-friendly they are.

Backup all your old devices. This might go without saying, but make sure all important information is backed up just in case.

Hire an outside IT company to handle the transfer of data. If you have many devices that need to be transferred, it might be worth it to hire an outside IT firm to handle data transfers. They will be familiar with this type of transfer, and you will save yourself a huge headache.

When you decide to transition from Toughbooks to tablets or Toughpads, make a secure charging station a part of your seamless transition. View the full lineup of LocknCharge Tablet Charging Stations here.