Tablet PCs

Compaq Tablet PC TC1000
HP's first tablet PC differs from competitors in several ways. For the $1799 list price ($1699, if you don't need a built-in 802.11b wireless network card), you get a convertible device, which, like the C102Ti and the Toshiba Portégé 3500, functions as either a notebook PC or as a true tablet PC. However, you can completely remove the Compaq Tablet PC TC1000's keyboard, which results in a smaller, lighter device that's easier to hold in one hand for note-taking. A heavy (6.5-pound) optional docking station can hold the unit—without the keyboard—in either portrait or landscape orientation for desktop use. The $299 docking station includes a multibay port that can accept a CD-ROM, DVD, 3.5" floppy disk, or hard drive (at additional cost). A $79 USB multibay port is available if you don't need a complete docking station.

The TC1000 display is outstanding—it offers higher contrast and a wider viewing angle than the other tablet PCs reviewed here—possibly due to HP's choice of tempered glass rather than plastic for the display surface. Unfortunately, the display is too small for comfortable viewing at arm's length—you'll need a separate monitor to use the TC1000 as a desktop replacement. The TC1000's VGA video port provides full multimonitor support.

The TC1000's stylus is unique: All the other tablet PCs I evaluated have a passive stylus, but the TC1000's has a battery and a switch in the nib. The extra weight makes the stylus feel more substantial and gave the best results with Windows Journal and XP Tablet PC Edition's built-in handwriting recognition. The downside is that replacing the stylus is expensive ($49), and you can expect to change the AAAA alkaline battery every 6 months or so. The HP stylus also doesn't transmit pressure information, which some graphics applications use. (The styli of all the other products I tested do transmit pressure information.) HP offers 1-year and 3-year warranty options on the TC1000.

Internally, the TC1000 differs from competitors by using Transmeta's Crusoe processor; which is optimized for minimal battery consumption. HP claims the longest battery life—over 4 hours on a charge—of any tablet PC that uses a standard-sized battery. The overall feel and flexibility of the TC1000 design are outstanding—I only wish it had a larger display.

Motion M1200
A group of former Dell executives formed Motion Computing in 2001. Like Toshiba's Portégé 3500, the Motion M1200 uses a relatively large 12.1" Thin Film Transistor (TFT) LCD display, although in almost every other respect, the M1200 is about as different from the Portégé as possible. Rather than a convertible notebook design, Motion opted for a pure tablet PC that plugs into an optional docking station to become a reasonable desktop PC. The M1200 works surprisingly well in both modes, although the display can feel a bit large in the hand and a bit small on the desktop, and the separate keyboard is smaller than standard.

In tablet form, the M1200 is noticeably larger than the Compaq or ViewSonic units but about the same weight. The larger size can be a bit of a mixed blessing in your hand or lap. The M1200 provides a full-sized stylus that doesn't require a battery; it has a comfortable feel and works well with Windows Journal and the Input Panel. The M1200 provides four function buttons, a five-way directional cursor control, and a dedicated logon button. Like all the other units in this review, it gets warm when you use it for an extended period.

The M1200's optional flex dock ($230) combines a weighted base, substantial hinged support arm, and frame. Slide the M1200 into the frame until it clicks, and you have what looks like a nice 12" flat-screen monitor. The frame rotates 90 degrees to switch between portrait and landscape modes, and the M1200 automatically repositions the text and graphics on the screen when you rotate the frame. All the M1200's ports are replicated on the back of the expansion chassis.

Motion supplies with the M1200 a slightly undersized USB keyboard (I'd prefer a full-sized keyboard) and a fast FireWire (IEEE 1394) DVD-ROM drive that you can plug directly into the M1200 or into the expansion chassis. Motion also provides a stand to hold the M1200 upright on a desktop when you're traveling without the flex dock. In both pure tablet and desktop modes, I found the M1200 acceptable. The M1200 comes with Motion's proprietary Dashboard software and Adobe Systems' Adobe Acrobat Reader; it has a 1-year limited warranty.

Motion recently announced the Motion M1300, which is based on the Centrino mobile technology. The base price for a 900MHz version will be $1899, and the base price for a 1GHz version will be $2099.

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