I have recently dabbled with Tablet PC - in fact

[jaa6921]

I have recently dabbled with Tablet PC - in fact I had a Fujitsu 5011 which I just sold after 4 months. It was originally bought for use in a series of construction projects, but we never went ahead - but it was a great learning curve for me. I bought Fujitsu because I perceived it to be a good brand that would be supported and would have a better resale value.

What I discovered is that Tablet PC is great for some things, but not for others. I own a Sony TR computer which is great for all the international travel, and I use it for writing proposals, spreadsheets etc where Tablet PC fails unless you have a way of travelling with a keyboard and mouse and a way of propping it up on a plane.

My usual method of operation is to hook up my Notebook and access via renmote desktop in my office, and be able to walk out the door with all my documents leaving a backup in the office. I travel 2 weeks per month and spend a lot of time on long haul flights to Europe and Asia

I think what I need to find is a Tablet PC which is both. I am looking for a compact/lightweight format with internal CD/DVD, a 2.5" drive is preferred over the 1.8" in the TR (Max disk size is currently 40gb) 1GB RAM, Centrino technology and a good brand with support etc. Before I bought the Fujitsu, I looked at Averatec, but it simply did not meet my standards - and the store I visited had a whole pile of returns that had failed.

I'd appreciate comments and advice on which are the "Lexus" brands and quality in a PC/Tablet from those who have been down this route.

Thanks in advance

John A
Austin TX

[liquidblaze]

I'd suggest that you have a look into Acer's C303XMI

1GB Ram, 80gigs, 14.1", 1.7Ghz

and you can swap the dvd drive for a second battery which ought to give you 13 hours of usage.(*)

oh and if I'm not mistaken, the largest 1.8 drive is currently at 100gigs

* naturally this depends on your usage pattern and not all options may be available

[rbushway]

Take a look at the Fujitsu T4000 Series Convertible. Its' a 12" screen. To me, 14" tablets are just too heavy to be as mobile as you will be.

http://webshop.fujitsupc.com/fpc/Eco....jsp?pclass=T4

[chaimberbell]

I'd have to agree with Rob. I wouldn't take my 302 on any walking trip...

[KenMagel]

Sounds like you have to consider a tradeoff: do you want less weight (2 lbs as compared to 4 lbs approximately) or a builtin keyboard and mouse equivalent (convertible form factor rather than the slates you seem mostly to be considering). In either event,the 12 inch screens are probably the size you should consider.

[motion1]

you might want to wait And see what the new Toshiba Satellite does for what you want

[CamperMan]

If you are looking for a Lexus of tablet PCs, I would definitely not recommend any of the Acer tablets. Acer's support policy, especially if you travel internationally, would probably not work for you. The same probably applies to some of the US-based pure tablet companies like Motion Computing.

That basically leaves HP, Toshiba, and Fujitsu. Neither the HP or Toshiba tablets have a built-in optical drive. The Toshiba has a higher resolution screen than the HP, which might work better if you're used to the Sony TR. None of those three manufacturers make a tablet as small as your Sony.

The HP TC1100 screen can be removed from the keyboard, allowing it to become a true slate. That might be a nice benefit for you since it sounds like you'll frequently use it as a slate to review and markup documents.

I don't know what the international support policy is for each of the manufacturers. If this is your main computer you'll probably want to invest in a same-day or next-day repair or replace policy; that might be the best way to distinguish between the various models.

Good luck,

Jim

[jaa6921]

Thanks for all the input.

Generally, I am good with my computers and look after them well, and rarely have any problems when travelling - plus I also carry a USB drive with backups of data and software incase I have a major problem on the road, so I don't anticipate needing the overseas suport unless I am stuck somewhere for more than a month.

It seems that the T4000 from Fujitsu is worth looking at. I must admit that I don't have good memories of Acer - but maybe they have got better.

Thanks for the advice

John A