XP Tablet PCs by Acer, HP and Toshiba

By
iApplianceWeb
(07/14/02, 01:34:29 PM EDT)

Early this month a number of tier 1 computer manufacturers including: Acer, HP and Toshiba all announced new Tablet PC products based on Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition software. The Tablet PC is a Microsoft and partner initiative to build a digital pen and speech based touch screen PC computers which extends the basic PC by adding capabilities for mobility, wireless support, long battery life and portability using a flat convertible notebook design.

Acer plans to introduce the TravelMate 100 Tablet PC. A ultra-portable notebook that quickly transforms from a traditional "clam shell" mode to "tablet mode" with a simple twist of the LCD panel. The TravelMate 100 provides the capabilities of current notebooks while extending the computer's usage to pen based activities. The TravelMate 100 is powered by the Ultra Low Voltage Mobile Intel Pentium III Processor-M. This processor is optimized for high performance computing with low power consumption.

Toshiba's Tablet PC will join the Toshiba Portege class of mobile computers. The Portege family is best known for new technologies in a thin form factor. The Portege 2000 Series to e offered by Toshiba will take advange of Microsoft enhanced functionality and capabilities built into Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

HP will base its Compaq Evo Tablet PC product line on the Transmeta's 1 GHz Crusoe TM5800 processor. The Evo will be the size of a pad of paper. The Evo is being architected specifically for common business tasks such as taking handwritten notes in a meeting, editting and annotating documents or presentations, and reading electronic magazines or books.

All three products are in development and being tested with the Microsoft beta program for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. The product expected to be in production in coordination with Microsoft's full release of this software.