a conplicated and challenging request for tablet advice

[PilotDude]

Hey everyone I found this forum and thought it would be a good place to ask...

It is time for me to change out my 4-5yr old laptop with something new after it started skipping keystrokes and loosing keys. I was thinking a tablet for school but also for aviation purposes as well.

I am making what is referred to as an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB). there are many aviation solutions with aviation type prices that are not a pc as well, just a dedicated moving map gps electronic flight bag with charts and what not ($3500 min + subscriptions for charts yearly). I can make my own out of some software and a tablet pc...here is the dilemma.

I would like to find a tablet with about an 8-10 (12 max) inch screen. that is multitouch (both finger inputs and stylus). The screen also has to be very bright for those bright sunny days in the airplane, not direct sunlight but about as close as you get to it. Sun reflecting off clouds back into the airplane can light up the plane like you wouldn't believe.

The multitouch basically is for quickly writing down atc clearances for routing then finger punching on the screen to do the rest of what i need, bring up charts and what not. A wide screen would be nice as well because it will be in portrait mode more often than not and the charts are oriented as such.

A long lasting battery is also important. i can upgrade to a large battery and have a back up as well.

I will also be attaching a GPS to this device in the future if i think it is necessary.

Most of the companies and reviews I have read say this screen or that screen is good for indoor but not bright conditions and I am a bit confused. if anyone has pics of their screens in direct sunlight that would be great. Or you get something like a GETAC V100 with 1200 nits and your good to light up a small block.

Price: you pay what you get for but I would prefer not anything above 2500.

Basically it boils down to: I need a small computer that could be strapped to my kneetop and be tactile for me to write and figer tap on that is fast and pretty durable as well as bright. An airplane is not always a safe haven. I have found slates that are good indoor and big convertables that are good outside but too big.

I really appreciate any help
PilotDude

[Eefrit]

The short reply would be:

Lenovo X200 Tablet with the Multiview/Multitouch LED backlit screen. Get the ULV processor for extra battery life and the WWAN card, which would give you built in GPS as well.

Basically, what you then have is a convertible wide screen 12.1" tablet pc; a battery life of close to 10 hours with the 8 cell battery; and outdoor viewing screen that can handle pen and touch input. I don't see anything that you are asking for that the X200 Tablet doesn't provide.

[PilotDude]

Thanks EeFrit!

I spoke with the Lenovo sales people and they said it was ok for outdoor viewing but nothing very bright. Also I have not heard very good things about the multitouch on the screen. I have heard that it requires some effort to it or a fine point for the touch to work without the pen.

Lenovo has been on the upper end of my list. What about the TabletKiosk i440D? the video review of that for the screen input seems very good. I really appreciate the response

The battery life is exceptional.

[Eefrit]

I haven't received mine yet, but if the touch is anything like the X61 Tablet, then I don't think it is an issue. The biggest issue you have is not how bright the screen is, but how it is viewed. Outdoor screens aren't brighter than indoor ones but rather are a different display method.

Personally, I don't use pure slate tablets, so I have little feedback I can give on the Sahara one. My experience with Sahara products (last was 3 years ago) was that I never once supplied a Sahara product to a customer where it didn't break down. So I stay as far as I can away from Sahara.

You could look at the smaller Fujitsu tablets which have great outdoor screens as well, and also come in a 10" version.

[PilotDude]

Some great information Eefrit. I will do more research. I get so lost with how many ways you can display a screen. transreflective circular polarized. I know LED is brighter but things have changed so much since the last time i bought a laptop. And these days it is really hard to find a good old empirical overview of the cabailities of many products without a heavy bias. Unless i missed it.

Also It needs to run cool because it will essentially be sitting on my leg for hours at a time. I think the lenovo may run a bit warm.

[admin]

Another consideration is the Fujitsu P1620 (now P1630) which is not touch/pen in the same way the the Lenovo is but has a very bright screen and a smaller footprint. I actually already have a lot of customers that use Jeppesen and Anywhere Map on the P1610/P1620 with great success. With the 6-cell battery the run time is very good.