m200 was released something rare happened. I saw

[neuro]

m200 was released something rare happened. I saw it at a retail store, immediately purchased it. I couldn't believe my eyes at the time (back in 2004?) Greater than 1024x768 (way too low res for me), Instead we got amazing, over the top resolution of 1050x1400 - perfect for sketching/writing. A tabletPC with Wacom pressure sensitivity and a Geforce video. It had almost everything I wanted and then some. No one had anything like this. Combine that with the vertical docking station to prop up your tablet while at a desk, unparalleled.

Fastforward to presnt day. Toshiba's best effort is the M400. Some really nice improvements (the much needed, improved viewing angle!) the usual CPU clock upgrades etc. But then the docking station is dropped... the GPU is dropped...

The R400 is released... Another fine looking notebook at first glance, but again - we're lacking a GPU.

Toshiba continues to confuse the Tablet line with a new product, the R500 which strangely isn't a tablet. Another fine tablet, again released without a GPU.

I planned on upgading well before the M400 came out, to something better in every way. I'm still using my M205, waiting for a real reason to upgrade.

Toshiba,I'd upgrade every year or two if you'd release some no compramise products, but your products lately keep taking shortcuts. Only thing you have on yourside is that no one else is doing anything much different.

Put aside these nickle and dime tweaks to the line and
bring back the revolutionary efforts of the M205, and I'll be onboard again.

[Steve S]

neuro: I sympathize with your feeling of disappointment. In my case, I'd make very similar comments about Fujitsu, a company that built an enviable heritage in slates and now seems to just be coasting along making minor upgrades at lengthy intervals...

Update: You know, I just rethought this. Maybe Fujitsu is smarter than I thought... They may be on a path to upgrade to a Santa Rosa slate before anyone else...?1??

[wallen]

As for the dedicated graphics, find me ANY tablet with it these days. Everyone is going the embedded (shared) graphics route.

As an aside, I imagine that the M400's replacement will be due soon, so I'm keen to see what they do this time around...

[Grant516]

Yeah- the M400 is heavier, considerbly bigger, and lacking an extra CF slot that my Portege 3505 had.

Most of these tables have integrated video.

The Acer C200 was an exception- but for some reason we won't be seeing that in the United States.

Obviously the TabletPC was not a commercial success. One major issue I'm sure was the cost of the machines- it seems a lot of companies are cutting corners now to get a product out that isn't considerably more expensive.

My anger is in Microsoft too now- for allowing TabletPC's to be shipped with passive digitizers. The original standard -REQUIRED- an active digitizer to be a "TabletPC".

I would love to see some of Fujitsu's little machines be shipped with Active Digitizers.

I'm a bit of a size queen and miss the beautiful 10.4 and small size of my Acer C110.

I doub't the M400 will be with me too long as it is a little too big, and rediculously loud.

The R400 does not seem like a huge advance in technology. Sure it's pretty and has nice battery life... but it's absolutely absurdly priced.

[apivision]

Neuro - your are so right!

I'm still using my 3,5 year old M200 and I don't see a thing (am I blind or something?) that would make a HUGE difference in my productivity and would make me upgrade to something newer.

My M200 with 1,5 Centrino, 1GIG of Ram and an 80 GIG 7200 disk is not that much slower than the newest core 2 duo machines... and it's very quiet as the fan very rarely kicks in.

M400 - ugglier (my opinion) and not really that much of an improvement... and constantly running fan.

R400 - slower than anything else (1,2 Ghz on Vista?) and pricier than anything else

M600/R600 - Toshiba, please do something to make me want to upgrade... it's the first time in my whole career that I'm using a laptop more than two years... and not because I can't afford to upgrade... but because I don't really see a point.

[WNewquay]

Hi Grant516

quote:
My anger is in Microsoft too now- for allowing TabletPC's to be shipped with passive digitizers. The original standard -REQUIRED- an active digitizer to be a "TabletPC".


When Microsoft added / allowed full software support at the operating system level for passive digitizers, they opened the door to more people to experience Windows in different ways. There are now several levels user experience:

Touch (passive digitizers)
Pressure sensitivity (active digitizers)
Dual Mode (passive and active digitizers)

and who know what else they may have planned? Well there has been plenty of speculation about that, but I won't go there.

I find a passive digitizer to be fine for my UMPC (even for inking). This very convenient if not liberating to be able to interact with the machine without the pen. It also works fine for most tasks except for artwork or situations where I really want pressure sensitivity in my handwriting. When I want those capabilities I'm just a happy to do those kinds of tasks on a larger machine anyway.

[SLAGURU]

quote:Originally posted by apivision

Neuro - your are so right!

I'm still using my 3,5 year old M200 and I don't see a thing (am I blind or something?) that would make a HUGE difference in my productivity and would make me upgrade to something newer.

My M200 with 1,5 Centrino, 1GIG of Ram and an 80 GIG 7200 disk is not that much slower than the newest core 2 duo machines... and it's very quiet as the fan very rarely kicks in.



I agree.

I'm still on my M200 that I bought 2.5 years ago, and see no new tablet pc that makes me need to change. 2.5 years for a laptop for me is a life time, as I'm an upgrade freak.

My M200 still goes everywhere with me, and is still going strong. I would like a bit more GPU + CPU horsepower and better battery life, but no real complaints. (apart from the screen in the sun).

Maybe a UMPC is in order ?!?!?

[BlackTiger]

But what about Tecra M7?
It has GeForce Quadro NVS 110 with 128 dedicated memory? It's MUCH MORE faster than Intel's crap and has some 3D capabilities. Better than nothing, I think.

I'm going to replace my M200 by M7. There are no comparable Tablets on the market.

Probably Intel paying good "reward" to Toshiba for not using any other video systems such as NVIDIA or ATI.

[wallen]

M7 is end-of-life. If you can find a new one, it is old stock...

[BlackTiger]

quote:Originally posted by wallen

M7 is end-of-life. If you can find a new one, it is old stock...


Yep. I know. But M7 is better than M400/R400/R500. It has quite not bad GPU.