Tablet PCs: Take one and call me in the morning

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20 June 2003 09:30 AM
Tags: wireless, notebook, tablet, portable, technology, business, pcs, tablet pc


HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1000

HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1000 The HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1000 looks very futuristic, like something out of Star Trek. But looks can be deceiving. The TC1000 is a convertible tablet. The 10.4in display swivels around and tilts back down over the removable keyboard to transform into a tablet. Unlike the other convertible tablets, all the hardware is located on the back of the display rather than under the keyboard.

In the normal landscape mode, if you tilt the display back far enough the keypad will actually raise itself off the table as the weight shifts to the back of the tablet. While in notebook mode, the TC1000 uses a track ball rather than a glidepad and doesn’t have a palm rest. The display is set quite forward, and in fact the base of the display sits way too close to the keypad, which is annoying since it makes it hard to access the function keys.

The TC1000 uses a glass screen while the other tablets use a plastic screen. The thick glass didn’t make writing any more difficult, in fact it felt a little more natural. The stylus uses batteries, unlike the other stylus pens we tested. It has a good tip and actually feels like a real pen.

The TC1000 uses a Crusoe processor, which wasn’t quite up to the task in our performance tests. However in the battery test it managed to outlast all the other Tablet PCs.

Unlike the other convertibles, you can buy a docking station for the TC1000. The docking station can either have a DVD-ROM player or combo DVD/CD-RW drive.

Tablet PCs
Introduction
1. Acer C102Ti
2. Fujitsu Stylistic ST4110
3. HP Compaq TC1000
4. Toshiba Portégé 3500
5. Viewsonic V1100
Specifications
Things to look out for...
Benchmark scores
How we tested
Scenario/Editor’s Choice
About RMIT
Product: HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1000
Price: AU$3,795
Vendor: Hewlett-Packard
Phone: 1300 305 018
Web: www.hp.com.au

Interoperability:
3 USB ports and PC Card slot.

Futureproofing:
Max RAM 768MB.

ROI: ½
Very slow but offers good battery life. Heaviest of the lot.

Service:
1-year limited warranty.

Rating:

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Talkback 1 comments

    You really need to date your a ...Anonymous -- 26/12/04

    You really need to date your articles. I is a pain when Internet Articles are not date stamped. Clearly many of the rveiews are out of date or do not include the laterst products. Tablet Pc's is one such example. I would like a review of the Toshiba M200. I agree that when Tabet PCs are integrated into the Laptop market they will tak off. I also would be interetsed in a version that supports a blue-tooth Mobile phone built in along with a DVD drive for those long hall flights and bring hotel rooms. Oh... One other thing would be a Voice modem that can support an Aswering Machine when the Computer is left on at hme or in the hotel room.

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