Latest News
Updated:
04/21/2003
Tablet
PC Summit-May 19, 2003
Manufacturers
experiment with Tablet PCs
Confessions
of a Tablet PC Note Taker: Part I
eWEEK
Excellence Awards: Desktop & Handheld Hardware
Note-taking
goes high tech
Fujitsu
Stylistic is fundamentally right
Reason
to buy a Tablet?
Tablet
PCs: What's The Big Deal?
Tablet
PC Secrets Revealed
A
business case for Tablet PCs
Tablet
PC stops files from blowing away
Tablet
PCs, the Next Generation
Intel
Puts Mucscle Behind Centrino Mobile Agenda
Acer
America Selects Mobility Panasonic
Introduces World's Most Connected Convertible Tablet PCs
Tablet
Software Packages Get Graphic
Toting
a Tablet PC to Sales Meetings
What
tablets need to succeed
Vendors and Prices
| Model | Price | Vendor |
| Fujitsu Stylistic 3500 | $3,599.99 | Fujitsu |
| Sony Vaio PCV LX920 | $1,999.95 | Outlook |
| Sony Vaio PCV LX920 | $2,436.82 | Tech On Web |
| Sony Vaio PCV LX920 | $2,499.99 | Circuit City |
| Sony Vaio PCV LX920 | $3,303.49 | TIG |
| ViewPad 1000 dock | $299.95 | Mobile Planet |
| ViewPad 1000 USB keyboard | $39.95 | Mobile Planet |
| ViewSonic ViewPad 1000 | $1,749.31 | Tech On Web |
| ViewSonic ViewPad 1000 | $1,787.48 | True Data |
| ViewSonic ViewPad 1000 | $1,815.48 | Trio Computers |
| ViewSonic ViewPad 1000 | $1,999.95 | Mobile Planet |
Conclusions:
Fujitsu has been in the tablet PC business for nine years,
longer than any of its competitors. The Stylistic 3500 has been given
favorable reviews from several sources. The major drawback is the starting
price of $3,599 (not including a dock or keyboard). Fujitsu also offers
a three-year limited warranty. Purchasing information can be obtained
directly from Fujitsu by completing an online
reseller locator form:
E-mail and telephone information:
1-800-831-3183
fpcinfo@fujitsupc.com
ViewSonic's ViewPad 1000 (not the 100) has received equally favorable reviews. Its passive touchpad technology is identical to Fujitsu's. Both units utilize Intel's Celeron processor with the ViewPad having a clock speed of 800 MHz as compared to Fujitsu's 500 MHz. Fujitsu comes with a larger hard drive (15 GB) but less RAM (64 MB). ViewPad comes with a 10 GB drive and 128 MB RAM. The ViewPad's limited warranty is for one year. The most attractive feature of the ViewPad 1000 is its price range of $1,749 to $1,999. The dock retails for $300 and the wireless keyboard is included. Kingston Technology offers two and five GB DataPak PC Card Type II hard drive cards for the ViewPad 1000. The 5 GB card retails for $499. If hard drive space is not an issue and budgetary concerns prevail, the ViewSonic ViewPad 1000 is a good choice.
The Sony VAIO models did not receive good reviews and they are heavier than its competitors.
NOTE:
The jury is still out on the Acer TravelMate Tab 100. It is not scheduled to come out until the second half of 2002. Acer's tablet PC design is distinctive in that it is one of the world's very first convertible tablet PCs. This new tablet PC is actually an ultraportable laptop that converts from the traditional laptop 'clamshell mode' for keyboard input to 'Tablet mode' for use with a pen, permitting users to enjoy all the functionality of a traditional laptop with the extended abilities of inputting and manipulating data with a pen. The Acer tablet PC will run on a Mobile Intel® Pentium® III Mobile processor. For those who want to have their laptop and tablet too.