I admit it. I was in CompUSA, saw the 2608 and

[CoolVanilla]

I admit it. I was in CompUSA, saw the 2608 and jumped on it so quick I was out the door before I remembered I should have checked online... at the very least for a review or two. I now see the 2610 is a slightly more feature rich unit, and that BestBuy has a pretty nice warranty. I'm not too upset though, the rewards points I earned via CompUSA's program cover the differences in my mind.

Here are my thoughts:

This unit is damn nice. All in all, I find it to be very functional and well built. I really enjoy the fit and finish. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone interested in this format.

Screen: I really like this screen. I'm a software designer/engineer. I come from a long history of laptop ownership; my last being a Dell Inspiron 6000. The screen on it was a nice size, but I found its clarity lacking when viewed at varying angles. The screen on the CX2608 reminds me of the Fujitsu screens; crisp clear and consistent. The blacks are black, and the whites are white. I was worried the reflective-ness of it would be a distraction, but I've yet to notice any problem with it.

Battery: I'm getting 5 hours when set to the maximum conservation settings. I find this extremely refreshing as I've never gotten better than 2.5 hours on any laptop I've owned. The shape, while unorthodox, turns out to be very handy. It makes holding the TPC easy and the grip it enables inspires confidence.

Size: Keep in mind I come from an 8lb behemoth that, when I bought it, I thought was svelte. This guy it going to be a joy to travel with. Remember, the AC brick has to count when considering size. The Dell's is worth at least +1lb. The brick for this guy is 1/2 the size and weight. That has got to be worth something.

Software: All the good stuff. Mine didn't come with too many spam-wares, but I did clean it up none-the-less. I also noticed some of the drivers were pretty out of date, so I ended up upgrading the touch pad, video and wireless nic drivers.

Tablet: I didn't go looking for a tablet PC. In fact, I've never really considered one. But when I saw this in the store, I started to see the possibilities. As a designer, I often need to flowchart on paper. I like the idea of bringing this into meetings and using it instead of paper. We'll see if I can get the hang of it...so far I'm finding it hard to make the transition, but I think this is just a learning curve issue. The digitizer itself seems to be working well, and I don't think I know any better to have any complaints.

Annoyances/Questions: While I'm really liking this guy, there are a couple things I need to address.

1) those corners... man, they are digging into my wrists! Anyone done anything about that yet?
2) the upper right of the keyboard (Del, Home, Backspace area) seems to be slightly raised. This results in an extra clunk when hitting keys in that area. Anyone know how to pop the keyboard up so I can either tweak it to remove that upraise, or stick something under it to prevent that?
3) my hardware scroll button seems really stiff. That and left/right is much harder to press than up down. Again, any thoughts?
4) I'm used to an Alps touch pad; specifically the forward/back gesture ability... this Synaptics pad doesn't seem to have that ability. Am I just missing it?
5) Can anyone recommend a TabletPC for dummies resource? I'd really like to take full advantage of this, but don't really know how.
6) should I go back and get the CompUSA warranty (I declined it at the time of purchase)? The CX2608 seems really sturdy, but I'd bet that hinge is prone to wear.
7) Desktop pictures: I loved having Webshots on my old laptop. However, it looks really weird on this screen, especially after rotating it around. Anyone have a picture program they can recommend, or advise on how to make Webshots work?

Overall, for the price this unit really works. I bought it for its laptop abilities first, and the tablet abilities are a nice bonus. I know this is a bit contrary to convention, but for me and my needs, I really think I've found a winner.

[saahmed]

I also noticed some of the problems you did with my CX2610. The corners are sharp and I am thinking about just covering them with tape or something. The directional pad on the screen is stiff and hard to use. It frequently performs the wrong function. Sometimes I am trying to increase the volume but it brightens the screen instead. Dont know what we can do about that. The other major problem I am having is with heat. I simply cant use it on my lap without being really uncomfortable.

I did opt for the Best Buy warranty simply because a lot of people on here have talked about the fragility of tablet pc's and that they are the item that is brought back in the most to best buy for repair. Also, Best Buy covers wear and tear, so if my screen gets really scratched up or my hinge breaks, theyll cover it. They replace the battery too, which I am thinking is likely to die out within three years since I use it so much.

[rbushway]

Checkout Michael Linenberger's book:

http://www.seizetheworkday.com/

He's also got some updated chapters that relate to Service Pack 2 and the improved handwriting recognition.

[Mindfull1]

Cool Vanilla~
First off, thanks for posting your mini-review... I picked mine up as a trial-period & have many similar thoughts to yours.
However, I've owned a Toshiba M205 Tablet for about a year now... I certainly remember the learning curve you are now experiencing.

I'd start with the "sources" (Gateway & MS) for the basic functionalities. Since the implementation on tablets can really vary (based on proprietary software/ hardware differences), some details NEED to be brand-or-model-specific.
From there, you'll learn the most on either forums like this for Tablet users, people you know (especially same industry) who use them, and finally industry-specific sites that feature them.

Best of Luck & Enjoy the discoveries along the way. I'll do my best to post a rough comparison between the Tosh M205 & the Gateway when I get another moment free...

Well, you've come to the right place!