HP tc1100 Tablet PC- and so it begins
My quest for a Tablet PC to replace the Sony U750 has come to a close and I thought I should share the process I went through to make the decision. As you know I am all about mobile devices and had a couple of criteria that any device had to fit. I have been looking for the smallest and lightest Tablet PC I could find that still had the muscle to get things done and become my main computer.
I do a lot of writing which makes a keyboard essential so at first blush it would seem a convertible Tablet PC would do nicely. I looked at all the options available currently and the nice thing about convertibles is that there are so many to choose from. I looked at all the new Toshibas, the R10, R15, and the M4, and I also took a long look at the faithful standby, the M200. All of these convertible Tablets are nice machines with each bringing it’s own strengths to the table. With screens either 12.1 inches or 14.1 inches and a variety of screen resolutions Toshiba certainly offers the widest range of Tablets to fit just about anyone’s needs. I also looked at convertibles from HP and Fujitsu and found there are a couple of basic facts that played a big role in my ultimate decision. I also looked at all the various slates from Motion, Electrovaya and Fujitsu and while all are capable Tablets I kept coming back to the keyboard that I wanted. The Electrovaya has a hybrid type of keyboard that is available but the slate was a little too big for my needs.
Most Tablets come with XGA (1024×768) resolution with a couple of exceptions that offer higher resolution, like the Toshiba M200. I don’t have a problem with XGA resolution but I find that this resolution on a bigger screen looks too blown up for my tastes. It’s strictly a personal thing but I don’t like the way XGA looks on screens 12" or bigger. Couple that with my desire to keep the size and weight to a bare minimum and the only real choice became easy for me, so I have ordered the HP tc1100. The tc1100 has a 10.4" screen and only weighs 3.1 pounds without the keyboard attached which I really like. This is the closest device to my dream mini-Tablet in both size and function. The tc1100 is a true hybrid Tablet with a keyboard that can be attached or detached at will so it will be the best solution for the way that I work.
I’m looking forward to receiving the HP and will post all about it when it arrives and eventually do a thorough review of the tc1100.
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I’ve been a TC1100 user for about a year now and I have to say you’ll love it. It’s a great tablet. Just the right size I think for using it as a slate.
There are a few design quirks but as a whole I haven’t seen a tablet I liked better other than the Electrovaya with it’s 9hr battery my buddy has.
The keyboard is a litte so-so I think though. It’s very functional, I find it a little awkward to work with though. Makes the tablet on top woble a bit much for my taste.
apainter, thanks for your insight. What quirks are you talking about on the tc1100?
James,
The TC1100 is a great machine. I selected it for many of the same reasons you list and have thoroughly enjoyed using it for the last 7 months. One thing I will recommend is that you purchase an external keyboard and mouse. I selected the MS Bluetooth combination and it works great. I use the TC1100 is my primary machine and I found the keyboard that comes with the TC1100 inadequate for heavy daily use. The design basically forces you to assume a “hunched over” posture and leads to a lot of neck pain. For travel and back and forth to the office the keyboard is fine, but for the daily work at the office I definitely had to have a keyboard that was a little farther away from the screen so I didn’t end up in traction!
Good luck with the new machine!
MH
I’ve already heaped praise on the HP tc1100 in another post, so I won’t do it again here. However, I did want to comment on the wobbling thing. I had noticed this in an HP video promoting the tc1100 (on the HP website) and it concerned me, especially given the fact that no store had one for me to see in person. However, I found someone with a tc1100 and I tried out the keyboard. I experience little to no wobbling when I type. (I’ve used it as my main PC for about a year). The wobbling may be a function of how hard one strikes the keyboard, so different people may experience different degrees of wobbling. Its been a completely *non-issue* for me.
Yeah, my wobbling is due to my typing style to some degree. Plus I tend to work on less than the flat/level surfaces. It’s not a major turn-off just some people should be aware of compared to a more heavy-duty keyboard on a converible tablet.
Two design quirks.
- Microphone is at the bottom of the tablet as are the audio I/O ports. It’s an odd placement depending on what you connect to it and how you hold your tablet. The microphone placement is less than steller for recording meetings with OneNote I think, but I think it works well for dication-type uses.
- Speakers are at the bottom. They way I hold the tablet against my chest while working in bed or otherwise inclined really muffles the sound.
Most of these are obviously just my personal quirks so the may not apply to everyone. Also left-handed to get that out on the table, so some of my usability feelings are just the fact that I’m half-*** backwards from what its designed for.
All things being equal, I don’t think you could find a better 3 lb computer though. It’s a great piece of technology. Very a strudy device too, I like the fact that when I carry it around from room to room it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart like some cheapie laptops too.
I’ve had my tc1100 for about a year and all I can do is parrot what’s already been said – you’ll love it. I have a PC at both work and home, and only use the keyboard when I travel, so the size/awkwardness doesn’t bother me. If it were my only PC, I’d definitely get an external keyboard – but there’s no need for a mouse. I use the stylus even when I have the keyboard attached. Trouble is, I try to use it on my PC monitor, too!
James, you’ve officially been moved from the “Tech Stuff” category on my RSS feeder to “Tablet Stuff.” Welcome to the family, lol!
I got my Acer C112 for most of the same reasons, and again couldn’t be happier (except if the screen were slightly brighter). I think you’ll find the enormous 10.4″ screen to be much more comfortable than your 5″ one, and I bet the digitizing stylus will feel more natural pretty quickly.
I almost never pull out my Palm anymore because I’ve got my tablet out already. It’s really amazing how indispensible these things become, and I’m a nut for having everything with me, so my 60 gig hard drive is only about 10 gigs short of full.
Well congratulations on your purchase and for being named an MVP. All very exciting.
I like the fact that when I carry it around from room to room it doesn’t feel like it’s going to fall apart like some cheapie laptops too.
Thanks for all the great comments! Day one is great so far. :)