What's In The Box:
HP-Compaq TC1100 Tablet PC
Portfolio(case), Battery, Tablet PC pen & Tethers, replacement caps for joystick, Full set of Restore CD's, power supply, ethernet cable, Phone cable, Quick Setup sheet, User Guide
Specs:
for full spec's click here
HP TC1100 Tablet PC
Normally I don't take a Tablet or anything else computer related when I am skiing, but knowing the warm weather would mean I would be off the mountain early in the day I made an exception and brought a couple of Tablets along for the trip. With clear blue sky's and temperatures in the high 50's and low 60's the skiing was great until about 1:30 when then mountain became a giant snow cone. Forced off the mountain early I had time to put the New and Improved HP TC1100 through its paces. When I came home I installed Windows XP SP2-RC1 which includes the much anticipated Lonestar upgrade without a problem.
Weighing in at 4.0lb/1.8kg with the keyboard and 3.1 lb/1.4 kg pounds keyboard, the tc1100 is in a class by itself, known as a a hybrid tablet pc. Meaning that the screen swivels and folds flat against the keyboard for use as a slate or at the touch of a button it can be detached from the keyboard altogether. Another nice feature are the small fold out clips that allow you to angle the tablet on the desk for a more comfortable writing experience on a flat surface. There is no question that HP paid attention to the details when designing this machine.
Cleverly placed buttons and a jog dial on the side of the Tablet allow you to enter, tab, escape, and open a "Q" menu of items that emulate tasks quickly and easily. First time users would find the out of box experience more enjoyable and much less threatening if these features were pointed out on the startup sheet or even the front of the manuel rather than having them hidden in in chapter 5.
The Display: 10.4" XGA (1024x768) display is clear, the 1/4 inch black border around the viewable portion of the screen eliminates the problem of trying to close an app from a non responsive corner of the screen. I did not find the screen to be as responsive as other tablet pc's which was a problem for me. It was interesting to note there was a significant increase in the screen sensitivity after Windows XP-SP2 RC1 was installed. The screen orientation changes automatically on the TC1100, which is a very nice feature. Also worth noting, if its slightly overcast outside I can see the screen well enough to work from the upstairs outside balcony so I am not trapped in the house for lack of an indoor outdoor screen. (Thank you HP! )
Battery Life: Between 2 hours and 36 minutes and 2 hours and 43 minutes under normal use with with the backlighting and Wi FI on.
Heat: As I have said in the past, I am not in the habit of working with the Tablet PC in my lap, but I frequently do use the tablet with my hand behind it. The TC1100 does get warm but not overly so.
WiFi: the HP Wlan 802.11a/b/g in the TC1100 literally amazed me. My router is a older Dlink Di-713P and I'm able to connect with with excellent signal strength not only from second and third floors of my home and both outside balcony's, but from the basement, the pool and all the way to the outside mailbox's, which is not something any of my other Tablets Pc's can do.
Notable Features: Q menu, and external pen activated buttons on the tablet allow you do do anything you need quickly and easily.
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Pen: Tablet PC tethered pen, no eraser. The pen is thicker than most pens included with Tablets PC's and has a good feel to it. I am a big fan of tethered pen because it ensures they don't get lost.
An optional Tablet PC eraser pen will we available in April 2004
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Tablet PC Docking Station
NOT TESTED OR REVIEWED HP did not send a Docking station for me to review (my fault, not Hp's as I forgot to ask that it be included) so I can't give you any specifics. But I recommend buying the TC1100 (or any slate model) Tablet with the docking station if you can. In my opinion, the added ease of use and convenience of having a docking station is well worth the price.
- Landscape And Portrait Viewing
- Supports Viewing And Writing Modes
- Supports Multi-Monitor Modes
- VGA Port
- 4 USB 2.0 Ports
- RJ-45 Pass Thru From Tablet
- Line-in, Line-out
- MultiBay - supporting CD, DVD, CDRW, and Combination DVD-CDRW
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Keyboard: since the TC1100 is a hybrid model Tablet PC, the keyboard is removable with the simple push of a sliding switch, so the choice is yours. Leave it attached and it functions as a convertible Tablet PC. Remove the Keyboard an you have a slate.
The attached keyboard is a definite plus from travel and when your on the go, but it's close proximity to the screen may not be comfortable for everyone.
An optional HP Easy Access Wireless Keyboard and Mouse combines a cordless keyboard, cordless optical mouse, and USB wireless receiver in a single package. This stylish set delivers the convenience, comfort, and elegance of wireless keyboard and optical mouse operation to the computer desktop. (Available in late March) |
