I ordered a new computer Tuesday – a Toshiba M400 tablet pc.
Almost three years ago, with the help of my workplace at the time, I got my first laptop computer, a Toshiba Portege 3500, a first generation tablet pc. I have been thrilled with what it has enabled me to do since that time. I love taking class notes on my computer in my own handwriting. It allowed me to create an online newsletter for my classmates within my first year at grad school studying Chinese Medicine. It seems like it has become a portable extension of my brain.
But, the A/B wireless standard is beginning to show its limitations, especially as I have more desire to get away from my desk. At almost three years of seven days a week of frequent use (at least for someone who is not in a 24/7 tech-related job), my current machine is getting a little long in the tooth for me. Also, the arrangement that had been made on the business lease essentially put me into a perpetual lease because of a fair market value rather than $1 buyout option (not my doing).
With the new order, I went with 12 months same as cash. Bye-bye never-ending lease. Because of a backlog of orders (it’s a popular machine), I may not see my new computer for nearly a month. I’m very, very excited both for the machine itself and for the experience of the building anticipation as it comes closer to delivery. Little kid at Christmas excited…
I thought it might be interesting to track some of the specification differences between the first generation through to the third generation to highlight some of the things I’m looking forward to.
| 1st Generation | 2nd Generation | 3rd Generation | |
| Portege 3500 | Portege M200 | Portege M400 | |
| CPU | 1.33GHz Pentium III processor-M |
1.8GHz or 2.0GHz Pentium M |
Intel Core Solo T1300 1.66GHz or Core Duo T2300-T2600 1.66GHz- 2.16GHz T2500, 2.0GHz |
| emory | 256-1024 MB 133 MHz FSB (started w/ 2×256 expanded to 2×512 - Thanks, Memory Giant) |
256-2048MB 333 MHz FSB |
512-4096MB 533 or 667FSB 2×512, 667FSB (looking forward to expanding to 2×2048 when available w/ 667 FSB and $ allows) 4 GB of RAM = computer geek version of Tim Taylor |
| Hard Drive | 20, 30, 40, 60GB 4200 or 5400 RPM 40GB, 5400 RPM |
40, 60, 80 GB 5400 or 7200RPM |
40, 60, 80, 100, 120 GB 5400RPM or 100GB/7200RPM 80 GB, 5400 RPM |
| Optical Drive | External CD PCMCIA |
External USB 2.0 |
Internal swappable CD RW/DVD-ROM or Super Multi DVD (11 formats CD,DVD including DVD burning) |
| Display | 1024×768 16 MB dedicated video(digitizer replaced twice once @ 6 Mo’s, once about 1 yr later - Toshiba warranty service rocks!) |
1400×1050 32MB nVIDIA |
1024×768 or 1400×1050 8-128 dynamic integrated video |
| Selected Communications |
wireless 802.11 B or AB Infrared optional Bluetooth v 1.1 |
wireless 802.11 BG/ABG Infrared optional Bluetooth v 1.1 |
wireless 802.11 ABG no infrared optional Bluetooth v 2.0 |
My PDA has infrared, but its slowly dying, so I’ll probably be switching to a Bluetooth-enabled device eventually, in the meantime, I still have my docking cradle.
| Selected Ports |
2 USB 2.0 | 2 USB 2.0 Expansion Docking Port |
3 USB 2.0 i.LINK IEEE-1394 Expansion Docking Port |
| Sound | Single speaker 3D Sound through Headphone port |
Stereo Speakers | Stereo Speakers Hi Def Audio through expansion BUS |
| Battery | 3.5 hrs | 4.34 hrs | 5 hrs 7min |
| Weight | 4.1 lbs | 4.4-4.6 lbs | 4.5lbs |
| Shock | Operating/Non-Operating 10G/60G |
Operating/Non-Operating 10G/ 60G |
Operating/with CD/Non-Operating 7G/1.5G /60G |
| Vibration | Operating/Non-Operating 0.50G/1.0G |
Operating/Non-Operating 0.5G/1.0G |
Operating/with CD/Non-Operating 0.25G/0.25G /1.0G |
| Other | Fingerprint Reader |
For the most part, it seems like Toshiba has made incremental advances between the three generation of tablets. Between the M200 and the M400, some interesting changes take place in moving to an internal expansion bay for the optical drive. Most notably, video goes from a dedicated graphics card to integrated graphics with dynamic memory allocation. A little more subtle, the operational shock and vibration limits go down.
I’ve been impressed with my Portege 3500’s ability to take a beating without a whimper. I’ll be interested to see how my new M400 will feel.
The M400 also looks like it’s moving to support more multimedia peripherals such as a digital camera or perhaps high definition digital video and audio through the docking BUS.
Mostly, I’m looking forward to taking advantage of the speed of the 2.0 GHz duo-core (related TabletPC ReviewSpot Core Duo Article), 667 MHz BUS speed combo on software that hasn’t played nice together on my 1.33GHz, 133MHz-BUS speed,1 GB Ram current machine.
Oh – and the upgraded wireless.
And better speakers. (Are they going to be buried under the screen in tablet mode? If so, how will they sound?) Of course, just about anything will sound better than my current speaker. Although when I’m at my desk, I tend to use external speakers with a subwoofer through the headphone port.
Oh oh oooh! and I just want to play with the fingerprint reader!
Of course, I’m going to have to try the latest beta of Vista once my new toy arrives for pure geek pleasure. It will probably take me at least three to six months of saturation followed by intensive psychological therapy to revert back to only moderately geeky.
Checking the status of my order online, I see that my warranty has already shipped (can’t wait!!!), and the order for the computer is being processed.
UPDATE
Estimated Ship Date is now April 5th. Maybe I won’t have to wait a month. YAY!!!
