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!!!