Tablet PC for under $1000

[BlackCatt]

I thought this was a pretty good deal. I just read about a tablet pc that will begin being shipped next month. It is supposed to be under $1000 probably $999.99 but still well under the price of other tablet pc's I have seen. And to think, I just bought a laptop this week.

Here is the Link

Specs:
Processor
667MHz Transmeta Crusoe TMS5600

Memory
256MB SDRAM (133MHz SoDIMM)

Hard Disk Drive
20GB 2.5" HDD Ultra ATA

Display
8.4" TFT color LCD (800x600), analog resistive 4 wire touch screen

Video
SVGA, 4MB video memory, external VGA port

Audio
AC 97 16-bit stereo audio, built-in microphone and two speakers, external stereo jack

Camera
250K pixel built-in USB camera

Network
Built-in 10/100 Base-T Ethernet (RJ-45 port)

System Ports
1 USB port, 1 PCMCIA Type II slot, 1 IrDA (max. 4Mbps)

Keyboard/Mouse
Virtual on-screen keyboard support, 4-way jog mouse, 2 mouse buttons, 3 hot keys, optional leather carrying case with built-in 77-key USB keyboard

Operating System
Optional Microsoft Windows® 2000 Professional or Windows® XP

 

[huesmann]

Er, no.

 

[Dacalo]

not to thread crap, but I would rather spend a few more hundred and buy a laptop, IMHO

 

[olouie]

hm.... anyone heard of this company? i am going to get the hp tablet just cause i love having all the new gadgets haha

 

[Tot]

Originally posted by: Dacalo
not to thread crap, but I would rather spend a few more hundred and buy a laptop, IMHO

Actually not a few hundred more but a few hundred less. With those 500-900 laptops from staples.

A tablet PC and a laptop have slightly different uses. I would think that for a tablet, something less then 1000 would be a good deal. But I wouldnt like the screen though, still way too small.

 

[fr]

Processor
667MHz Transmeta Crusoe TMS5600

That's really slow....

It has a built-in camera which is nice. Shouldn't it run Windows XP Tablet PC Edition?

 

[RDMustang1]

Tablet PCs are basically laptops with special screens and special software. The Crusoe cpu is faster than a comparable P3 so it's not THAT slow. Tablet PCs are supposed to be ~$300 more than a comparable laptop and I would say that makes this a decent deal. Still not bad for new technology.

Still not sure if this is an official Tablet PC.. Official ones do not have pressure sensitive screens, instead they use an electromagnetic screen that can sense where the pen is, its angle, its rotation up to 1/4" away from the screen. Official ones also run a special version of WindowsXP...

 

[SyahM]

I dont know bout' this one, the processor seems too slow for today's standard. I prefer Toshiba Portege Tablet PC, faster processor, pretty looking, and Toshiba is well known for its reliability.

 

[dp004i]

I like my (hopefully) $500 HP ze4101

 

[corinthos]

Tablets are the future... you can write like on paper... and Gill Bates is backing it hard...

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: corinthos
Tablets are the future... you can write like on paper... and Gill Bates is backing it hard...

Yes...once their price drops and they give them some muscle.

 

[wferrari]

Originally posted by: RDMustang1
The Crusoe cpu is faster than a comparable P3 so it's not THAT slow. ...

Not really. The CPU speed is comparable to (but still slower than) a PIII 500 in normal use, and to a PII 300 in FPU intensive applications (aka games). a 5800 series @ 800mhz Transmeta is as fast a PIII 600.

 

[wferrari]

Originally posted by: corinthos
Tablets are the future... you can write like on paper... and Gill Bates is backing it hard...

I think that they will really be the future as soon as the battery lasts at least 8 hours and the display is foldable. Right now they are just toys.

 

[badluck]

I think that they will really be the future as soon as the battery lasts at least 8 hours and the display is foldable. Right now they are just toys.

Most people that I know don't have a battery on their laptop that lasts 8 hours. Are you down on laptops as well??

 

[FLaMEagle]

You shouldn't call this a Tablet PC.

A REAL Tablet PC would have Windows XP Tablet Edition PRELOADED. The whole point of a Tablet PC is for a person to take down notes digitally, and via the handwritten-recognition built into the operating system, you can search through your handwritten notes, etc etc.

This screen is basically a touchscreen PC. The only thing you can "handwrite" is in Word via the freeform drawing tool.

Not worth the $1000 for a touchscreen color LCD.

Also, true Tablet PCs have built in WiFi 802.11b. With true Tablet PCs, you can turn the digital pen over and digitally "erase" what you've written.

To have a good handwritten recognition, Tablet PCs need a crapload of RAM.

So basically, this is not really a Tablet PC and NOT worth the money.

 

[Alphacow]

Originally posted by: FLaMEagle
With true Tablet PCs, you can turn the digital pen over and digitally "erase" what you've written.

I didn't know that, thats pretty cool.

 

[wferrari]

I do have a laptop and the battery does not last 3 hours. However, the point is the market of Tablet PC. They are supposed to be something between a Pocket PC and an ultraportable PC. By ultraportable I mean something that weights no more than 2lb, since you're supposed to hold it on one hand and write on it with the other. Pocket PCs last in most cases 10-12 hours. THe difference between a Tablet PC and a laptop is that a laptop is a full PC replacement, while tablet is a larger PDA.

 

[emonkey]

Originally posted by: wferrari
THe difference between a Tablet PC and a laptop is that a laptop is a full PC replacement, while tablet is a larger PDA.

Not really. If it runs a full OS and has a keyboard then it can easily be a PC replacement as well. The tablet pc is going to start out being a businessmans tool but probably will replace most laptops.

 

[JeffBot]

Better make sure that this runs Windows XP Tablet Edition. You will be missing out on a lot of the advantages if it doesn't.

 

[DaCurryman]

Originally posted by: wferrariI think that they will really be the future as soon as the battery lasts at least 8 hours and the display is foldable. Right now they are just toys.

What do you mean by a foldable display, some of the Tablet PCs have a display that you can flip over so it's closed like a laptop.

I actually went to a Microsoft Event yesterday (Tuesday) showing the capabilities of both Tablet PC and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, and I must saw, I think it is awesome. Do I wish they had more than a PIII behind it, yes, but if I was still in college, I would choose this over a laptop in an instant. And it is definitely geared towards the business user for the time being. For home users, they are developing something a bit different called "Mira". It's more of a portable monitor for your current desktop than a Tablet.

As for weight being under 2lbs, the current weight for the Tablets is 3-4 lbs.

 

[NeuralChaos]

Yea, I know.. vaporware, but they do have prototypes.

Presenting the OQO.

 

[corinthos]

M$ should just release a separate OS called Windows TP for the tablets....

 

[emonkey]

Originally posted by: corinthos
M$ should just release a separate OS called Windows TP for the tablets....

i dont get it. Why? Windows XP for desktops and laptops. Windows XP: Tablet Edition for Tablet PC's. Whats wrong with what they have going on right now?

 

[vailr]

Only ~$500 with Lindows pre-installed: http://www.lindows.com/lindows_michaelsminutes.php

 

[badluck]

nm -