Tablet PCs and Other Portable Devices
The Tablet PC allows users to be productive in more situations. Somewhere between
a notebook and a PDA, Tablet PCs have found their niche. A smaller niche belongs
to specialty products such as AlphaSmart and Dreamwriter, which provide simple,
low-cost alternatives to more robust technology tools. Whatever you choose,
mobile computing has the capability to expand your productivity horizons.
Acer TravelMate Convertible C100
The Acer TravelMate Convertible C100 Tablet PC is an ultra-portable convertible
notebook that transforms from clam-shell to Tablet mode by twisting the LCD
panel. It's powered by the Ultra Low Voltage Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor-M,
which is optimized for high-performance computing with low power consumption.
The C100 has 128MB/256MB of SDRAM. It weighs 3.2 pounds and has integrated 802.11b
wireless connectivity, an extended battery life of 3.5 hours, and a Disc Anti-Shock
Protection system, to reduce the impact of knocks and bumps.
Contact: Acer, San Jose, CA; (408) 432-6200; www.acer.com.
Fujitsu Stylistic ST4000
The Fujitsu Stylistic ST Series Tablet PC weighs 3.2 pounds, measures 0.88-inches
thick, and runs on an Ultra Low Voltage Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor 800MHz-M.
The Tablet has a shock-mounted hard drive, and up to 768MB of system memory.
An optional Tablet Dock features ports needed to connect desktop peripherals,
as well as a modular bay to accommodate a DVD/CD-RW combination drive. The Tablet
is powered by a high-capacity Lithium six-cell battery and is equipped with
standard 802.11b wireless LAN capabilities.
Contact: Fujitsu, Sunnyvale, CA;(408) 737-5600; www.fujitsu.com.
HP Tablet TC1100 WXP PC
HP’s TC1100 WXP Tablet PC measures .8-inches thick, weighs three pounds,
and includes: an Intel Celeron or Pentium M processor; a 10.4-inch TFT display
featuring a wide 160-degree viewing angle, hardened cover glass, built-in 802.11b
wireless LAN capabilities, up to 60GB hard drives, and USB 2.0 connectivity.
A battery-free digital pen supports pressure-sensitive applications.
Contact: Hewlett Packard, Palo Alto, CA; (888) 999-4747;
www.hp.com.
Motion Computing M1200 Tablet PC
Motion Computing’s M1200 Tablet PC weighs less than three pounds in a base configuration. The clipboard-sized design, with a slate form factor, is engineered for mobility. It features a 12.1-inch XGA display that is 35 percent
larger than a conventional 10.4-inch screen. The M1200 can be adapted for conventional
desktop use with a selection of peripherals such as a keyboard, mouse, and docking
station. The wireless 802.11b standard is built-in to the unit, which has a
memory capacity to 1GB and hard disk drives from 20GB, 40GB or 60GB. The system
is powered by Intel’s ultra-low voltage 866MHz Mobile Intel Pentium III
Processor-M.
Contact: Motion Computing, Austin, TX; (512) 637-1100;
www.motioncomputing.com.
Toshiba Portégé 3500 Series Tablet PC
Toshiba’s Portégé 3500 Series Tablet PC convertible weighs 4.1 pounds and features an 802.11b Wireless LAN Module, integrated Wi-Fi antenna, Bluetooth wireless connectivity options, and 10/100 networking. The Tablet includes an Intel Pentium III-M processor, 1.33GHz, Secure Digital (SD) Media slot as
well as integrated CompactFlash to maximize workforce productivity. The Portégé includes the Zinio Reader, which brings a digital magazine on screen, and Sensiva’s Symbol Commander, offering end users a natural way to use their device by drawing symbols with the pen.
Contact: Toshiba America, Irvine, CA; (800) GO-TOSHIBA;
www.toshiba.com.
ViewSonic Tablet PC V1100
ViewSonic’s Tablet PC V1100 uses the Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor-M
at 866MHz, along with 256MB RAM, 20GB hard drivem and a 56Kbps modem. It features
a full-color, 10.4-inch display and up to a three-hour battery life, weighs
just three pounds, and is less than 1-inch thick. The system comes with embedded
802.11b wireless connectivity, and an optional dock adds one-touch access to
common USB peripherals, and local area networks. A suite of accessories includes
an extended battery, battery charger, USB keyboard, and handgrips for added
protection.
Contact: ViewSonic, Walnut, CA; (909) 444-8888; www.viewsonic.com.
Xplore iX104-TPC Rugged Tablet PC
The Xplore iX104-TPC is a ruggedized Tablet tested around military standards
(MIL-STD 810F) for harsh outdoor or mobile environment extremes. The 4.5-pound
system has a sealed magnesium housing, a removable bumper protection system,
a 10.4-inch XGA Hi-Brite color LCD, Wacom Pen-enabled Sensor technology, lithium
polymer phosphate batteries, dedicated, programmable function keys, sealed on-board
ports, and options including GPS receiver, and video camera. The Tablet integrates
a Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor-M at 866MHz, a supporting Intel 830 chipset,
a 133MHz system bus, and 512KB L2 cache. The iX104-TPC TPC has embedded Bluetooth
capabilities in addition to multiple wireless radio bays to accommodate Wireless
LAN.
Contact: Xplore Technologies, Austin, TX; (888) 449-7567;
www.xploretech.com.
AlphaSmart 3000
The AlphaSmart 3000 allows users to enter and edit text, then send it to any
computer for formatting or directly to a printer. Its portability allows students
to use it anywhere and anytime—in the classroom, at home, or on field
trips. Its low price is attractive in situations where budget constraints may
force an institution to choose between outfitting all students or providing
systems to be shared. The AlphaSmart 3000 can run for 700 hours on three AA
batteries and it weighs only two pounds. With mini-applications, or applets,
word processing, calculator functions, keyboarding instruction, classroom quizzing,
outlining, and word prediction are available.
Contact: AlphaSmart, Los Gatos, CA; (408) 355-1000; www.alphasmart.com.
Dreamwriter
The DreamWriter 500 is a full-featured word processor with a laptop design.
Users have access to full text styling such as bold, underline, superscript,
expanded, and a large font. Also included is a built-in spell checker and thesaurus.
The backlit screen is adjustable between 8 to 16 line display, making it a good
match for special needs students. And its storage capacities—including
a floppy drive—enable students to easily transfer their work to computers
located at home or in other classes. The product weighs 2.2 pounds and can run
for 13 hours without a battery recharge.
Contact: Dreamwriter, Maple Ridge, British Columbia,
Canada; (800) 663-7163; www.dreamwriter.com.