News Week of May 13, 2007

HP To Ship Two Mobile PCs With LED Displays

The 2510p notebook has a 12.1-inch screen, and is available with either Windows Vista or Windows XP. The machine weighs 2.9 pounds, and is powered by Intel's Centrino Pro processor. Specifications for the 2710 tablet PC, which has a touch screen, have not been released.

The new PCs are scheduled to ship in the third quarter. Pricing information was not disclosed.   (Source: Antone Gonsalves , Information Week)

Dell Tablet PC

There's been some chatter about a Latitude Tablet PC coming from Dell. Check out what Jeff Clarke has to say.
(Source: Direct2Dell Blog)

The Samsung Q1 Ultra: YAFF

I do see this as useful for light computing needs: checking e-mail, occasional light browsing, maybe even to copy photos from my digital camera's chip (only SD is supported but there is a USB port), or play a movie while on the plane.

Samsung is moving in the right direction with this latest version of the UMPC line. The power is properly balanced, the screen is small but attractive, and the battery life is reasonable. (The company claims a minimum of 4.5 hours of continuous run time via the integrated Lithium Ion prismatic batteries.)

Now, all we need is more mainstream, real-world applications for this form factor. And perhaps that USB port for the back of my head.  (Source: Gene Hirschel, InternetNews.com)

PhatWare Announces PhatNotes 5.0 Beta Availability

Upgrade of Award-Winning Notes Organizing Software for Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs and Smartphones Features Support for Windows Mobile 6.0 and Windows Vista

PhatWare Corporation, a leading provider of software products and professional services for mobile and desktop computers, announces today the beta availability of PhatNotes 5.0, the next generation of the company's award-winning notes organizer software for Microsoft Windows based desktop computers, Smartphones and Pocket PCs. PhatNotes 5.0 Beta 1 is available immediately to consumers for Beta testing, and PhatWare welcomes user participation and feedback.

PhatNotes, a winner of Pocket PC and Smartphone magazine’s Best Software Awards in the notes category for six consecutive years, is one of the most popular Pocket PC and Smartphone notetaking applications on the market. PhatNotes allows users to create notes and organize them by type, subject, creation, and modification date. The software provides powerful text search with regular expression support, document security and email capabilities.

Unlike previous versions of PhatNotes, the new version will not include multiple editions of the software. Instead, there will be only one edition of PhatNotes that supports both Pocket PC and Smartphone devices and includes the desktop software and the synchronization module for ActiveSync.

New Major Features in version 5
1. Microsoft Windows Vista support
2. Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 support
3. New database manager now supports multiple groups (folders), drag and drop
4. Context analyzer allows dialing phone numbers, opening URLs, and sending emails by clicking on a word that represents a phone number, a URL, or an email address.
5. Full Unicode support
6. New 256-bit strong encryption algorithm
7. New synchronization module supports Windows Vista and ActiveSync 4.5
8. Improved user interface
9. New MSI-based installer

Desktop specific
1. Seven UI themes
2. New database engine
3. New text formatting features
4. New UI for PhatNotes Alarms desktop utility
5. Programmable "magic button"
6. New multilingual spell checker (can use share dictionaries between desktop, Smartphone, and Pocket PC).
7. New Favorites window allows quick access to favorite notes
8. New Shortcut window allows users to launch favorite application and open URLs/Files directly from PhatNotes
9. New Alarms window allows quick access to pending reminders

Smartphone specific
1. PhatSpell - Multilingual spell checker (US English dictionary is included, dictionaries for other supported languages can be downloaded at http://www.phatware.com/install/phatspell )
2. Support for rich text formatting (WM5 or later)

Pocket PC specific
1. Added new buttons and 2nd toolbar for the Note Editor dialog
2. Added new text formatting features (WM5 or later)
3. The Options dialog box is now accessible for Note Editor

"We are pleased to unveil PhatNotes 5.0 for Beta testing as user feedback is a key component to the developments we make," said PhatWare President Stan Miasnikov. "PhatNotes 5.0 with support for new Windows Mobile 6.0 and Windows Vista will keep PhatWare on the cutting edge, supporting Microsoft technology, and we look forward to the testers' response."

PhatNotes 5.0 supports devices running on Windows Mobile 2003 or later software. To participate in the PhatNotes 5.0 Beta Program, visit www.phatware.com/phatnotes/beta5 and follow the instructions on the Web site. The final release of PhatNotes 5.0 is expected in Q3 2007.  (Source: Press Release)
Posted Friday, May 18, 2007 by ChrisD
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Microsoft To Debut 'Origami' Ultra-Mobile PC Specs For Vista

Ideas include built-in QWERTY keyboard, 3-4 hrs battery life and <1.5 lbs

The second set of possible UMPC specifications under consideration calls for ultra-thin PCs that weigh less than 1.5 pounds, incorporate 5-inch or 7-inch displays .and are housed in an 18- to 20-mm footprint, executives said.

Potential features of the next-generation Origami design at the drawing board include an integrated QWERTY keyboard, a touch screen fully integrated into the LCD, at least 1 GB of memory, and battery life of between three and four hours, said Microsoft Vista development manager Vikram Madan, at the Windows Hardware Engineering conference.   (Source: Paula Rooney, CRN)

HP Compaq tc4400 Review

Considering its price, design, features and power we have no qualms about recommending the tc4400 to just about anyone considering a tablet PC. It isn’t absolutely perfect, but it’s the closest we’ve seen yet, and there are no penalties for the speed and responsiveness. There are a few things to consider before placing an order, though.

First, the tc4400 lacks an optical drive. You’ll need to either buy a USB external drive, or go the HP route and opt for a MultiBay II Cradle for ($165) and add a super-slim MultiBay II DVD writer (another $375). For even more flexibility, you could also slip the DVD writer into the Advanced Docking Station (costing $345), giving you six USB ports, two PS/2 ports, DVI-D and D-SUB outputs, plus LAN, parallel and serial connections. It also comes with Windows XP Tablet edition as standard though HP claims it’s fully Vista upgradable.  (Source: Nick Ross, Clive Webster, PC Authority)
Posted Friday, May 18, 2007 by ChrisD
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Dell enters tablet market

Eric Greffier, the company's director of client marketing for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, told ZDNet UK that Dell's delayed entry into the tablet market was timely. "Historically, I do not believe there has been a market for [tablet PCs]," he said. "The convertible format is recent. All three form factors [slate, convertible and hybrid] have been fighting in a small market, and it is clearer now that convertible is the format."

Greffier also suggested that the inherent tablet PC support and enhanced handwriting recognition included with Windows Vista made the form factor more attractive, as users would in the past have had the added cost of buying the Tablet PC Edition of Windows XP.

"We wanted to wait for Vista and the Santa Rosa [Centrino Pro] ultra-low voltage platform," he added, suggesting that the new platform's enhanced power management made it possible to "have enough brightness at the LCD level" to make the tablet usable outdoors without overly compromising battery life.  (Source: David Meyer, ZDNet UK)

InPlay’s State-of-the-Art Technology Produces Industry’s First Intelligent Pen for Tablet PCs

InPlay Technologies (NASDAQ: NPLA) today introduced the InPEN, the first intelligent digital pen for integration with tablet PCs. With a microcontroller inside, the pen is a self-contained smart device capable of a wide range of unique functions while still allowing for additional enhancements in the future.

InPlay has scheduled demonstrations of the new technology for various attendees at Microsoft’s 16th annual

Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) held this week in Los Angeles, Calif.

"Utilizing a microcontroller as the "brain" inside the pen, we make the pen a self-sufficient, intelligent device," said Eric Vandewater, chief technology officer for InPlay’s MagicPoint® division. "The microcontroller sends a unique digital identifier to the system. The identifier can be as simple as a highlighter function or can perform a more complex security code. InPEN is a flexible technology platform that can be customized to meet the needs of the designing OEM."

The InPEN pen technology is easily configured in a variety of ways. For example:

• As a suite of pens for designers including different colors, highlighters and an eraser to offer a digital experience similar to pen-on-paper;
• As unique identifiers for multiple people accessing the same documents or system;
• As a collaborative tool for multiple users in a meeting or teaching environment; and
• As a security device to allow different users different rights and access on the same system.

"Our digital stream communication technology enables new possibilities for pen input," said Ramesh Ramchandani, chief operating officer for InPlay’s MagicPoint® division. "Our competitors’ analog pen system used with most tablet PCs today is limited in its expansion capability. With digital, we offer OEMs an almost limitless roadmap for development of features and functions for their product designs."

"By adding intelligence to the pen, making it an even more useful device, we hope to see pen input ultimately become a standard PC user interface such as the mouse or other cursor controllers," Ramchandani added. The core MagicPoint® technology consists of a digitizer behind the LCD and digital writing pen. InPlay is advancing pen computing technology, using a cordless, active RF digital pen versus the analog pen used with most pen computing systems in the tablet PC market today.

More information on MagicPoint® solutions can be found at www.inplaytechnologies.com.  (Source: Press Release)

WinHEC 2007 - UMPC Home Automation Demo

Microsoft has been working with Exceptional Innovation.  They have a Windows Rally solution that uses web services to allow users to control devices in your house from your UMPC (Samsung Q1).  Example remote devices include the thermostat, lights, etc.  So now you can control your appliances via TCP/IP! (Source: Chris De Herrera, Tablet PC Talk)

WinHEC 2007 - Multi-Touch Demo

Microsoft has been working on a prototype driver change to support multi-touch with Windows Vista. This prototype allows a user to use two finger gestures for common actions that a user may want to take. Examples include zoom (taking your thumb and fore finger and spreading them out to enlarge and closing them to shrink) as well as custom implementations in Earth that allows the user to use two fingers to touch the start and end points of a trip. Also drawing at the same time with two fingers is another possibility. To see multi-touch in action take a look at the video below.

There are no plans if or when this will be release to the public - this was a prototype demo only.  (Source: Chris De Herrera, Tablet PC Talk)

Fujitsu Announces the New 'U Series' of Tablet-Convertible Notebook PCs, the World's Smallest in its Class

Tokyo, Japan, May 16, 2007 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Limited today announced the addition of the U Series of ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs) to its FMV-LIFEBOOK line of notebook PCs. Intended for business users, the U Series is the world's smallest tablet-convertible UMPC[1], weighing only 580g and with a thickness of only 26.5mm. The new series is available as of today. Combining the usability advantages of a UMPC with robust security features, the U Series has wide-ranging appeal as a powerful mobile machine.

Fujitsu was quick to adopt the "Intel(R) Ultra Mobile Platform 2007," announced in April 2007 in the new FMV-U8240, which, with an ultra-slim profile and a weight of only 580g, represents the next level in ubiquitous computing. With advanced communications and security features, the U Series gives users the freedom to work wherever and whenever they choose, encourages new ways of working, and promotes field innovation, which improves productivity on the front lines of business.

"The Fujitsu UMPC combines Fujitsu's systems expertise with Intel's low power processor and chipset," said Anand Chandrasekher, Senior VP Intel Corp and GM Ultra Mobility Group. "The emerging UMPC category delivers the functionality of the PC and full Internet to users who are constantly on the go in ultra light and small form factors."

The FMV-U8240 UMPC is available with the latest operating system from Microsoft, Windows Vista? Business[2], enabling users to employ the same PC environment when they are outside the office as when they are in the office. Its ultra-compact size makes it easy to carry around at all times, and with a maximum battery life of up to 8 hours[3], users can catch up on e-mail, process documents, and do research whenever they need to, without being tied to a desk. The 5.6" widescreen display and keyboard with a 14-mm key pitch and 1.3mm keystroke ensure user-friendliness. Moreover, since it can be used as a handheld tablet PC, users can edit simple documents or perform other tasks on the go, thereby improving productivity when outside the office.

Security measures against theft and information leaks are a serious concern with any mobile PC. As part of the FMV family, the U Series comes with extensive security features, including a security chip and fingerprint scanner. In addition, every aspect of these machines, from design to manufacturing, is consistent with Fujitsu's renowned "Made in Japan" quality.

With its combination of go-anywhere portability and ease of use, the new U Series is expected to elicit strong demand as a popular second computer for users who work away from a desk, such as salespeople, who always need to carry a PC in the field for customer presentations, and repair technicians.

FMV-U8240: Features

1. Ultra-light, ultra-compact?world's smallest tablet-convertible UMPC
With a weight of 580g and thickness of 26.5mm, the FMV-U8240 is extremely light and compact. A key pitch of 14mm and keystroke of 1.3mm, as well as a 5.6" widescreen display (1,024 x 600 resolution) and touchscreen capability, however, enables the flexibility to suit multiple work styles, including both desk-style keyboard entry and pen input for presentations. In addition, it features a standard-equipped keyboard light to make it easy to work even in the dark. Moreover, with a special port replicator(4) it even supports an external keyboard and display, for a desktop-equivalent environment.

2. Runs the latest Windows Operating System and Microsoft Office Version
The FMV-U8240 is available loaded with either Windows XPR Professional or Windows Vista? Business. To meet the needs of large enterprises, it also supports Windows Vista? Enterprise, which includes WindowsR BitLocker? Drive Encryption, setup services, and other features.

Fujitsu offers a customized menu that can include, as a pre-installed option, the latest MicrosoftR Office products, MicrosoftR Office Personal 2007 and MicrosoftR Office Personal 2007 with MicrosoftR Office PowerPointR 2007, which feature advanced tools as well as a new user interface that gives a greater sense of directness, enabling greater productivity.

3. Robust security features
The FMV-U8240 comes standard with a fingerprint sensor for robust, convenient personal authentication. Not only can the fingerprint stand in for a BIOS password, a single authentication can take care of the Windows login and application logins as well.

Also included standard is Portshutter V2, which enables the PC's USB port or recordable media drives to be disabled. With respect to the USB port, not only can it be disabled but it can be configured only to accept administrator-approved devices.

For pricing, availability, and key specifications (in Japan), please visit
http://www.fujitsu.com/global/news/pr/archives/month/2007/20070516-01.html

Notes
[1] World's smallest tablet-convertible UMPC: As of May 16, 2007, according to Fujitsu investigations.
[2] Available with Windows Vista(TM) Business: Also available with Windows(R) XP Professional.
[3] Battery life of up to 8 hours: Up to 8 hours of battery life is possible on a Windows(R)XP Professional-loaded machine equipped with a high-capacity battery. Can be requested at time of order or purchased separately afterward. Standard battery life is approximately 4 hours.
[4] Special port replicator: An add-on unit with enhanced functions that contains external CRT, LAN and USB ports. Can be requested at time of order or purchased separately afterward.  (Source: Press Release)

VIA Enters into Strategic with Chunghwa Telecom and GIGABYTE to Deliver 3.5G Services for Ultra Mobile Devices

World's first collaboration between UMD silicon platform, device, and wireless broadband providers will set the global trend for enabling a rich "Mobility 2.0" lifestyle

Taipei, Taiwan, 15 May 2007 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and device platform solutions, today announced with Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's largest telecommunications provider, and GIGABYTE, a leading IT industry brand, a strategic alliance to deliver high speed 3.5G services for UMDs (Ultra Mobile Devices) powered by the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform.

As a result of this alliance, business users and consumers in Taiwan will be able to enjoy a complete Internet experience by connecting the GIGABYTE U60, a small and light VIA C7-M processor-based UMD running Microsoft Windows Vista, to Chunghwa Telecom's island-wide HSDPA (High Speed Data Packet Access) network.

"We are delighted to be working with Chunghwa Telecom and GIGABYTE to bring a rich mobility 2.0 Internet experience to Taiwan consumers and business users," commented Wenchi Chen, President and CEO of VIA Technologies, Inc. "This alliance is an important step forward in achieving our ultramobility vision, and sets the trends for closer cooperation between silicon platform, device and service providers in the future."

"Wallet-sized full PC functionality with multiple connectivity options and the long battery life enabled by the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform makes the GIGABYTE U60 a more powerful and flexible tool than the current generation of smart phones for the mobile business user," said GIGABYTE Deputy CEO Meng-Ming Ma. "By connecting to Chunghwa Telecom's broadband wireless network services, users can finally carry a true office-to-go device with them everywhere."

"The cooperation between VIA, Gigabyte, and Chunghwa Telecom to deliver 3.5G high speed mobile Internet connectivity services with an Ultra Mobile Device gives users unprecedented functionality and connectivity for the new mobile focused lifestyles," said Feng-Hsiung Chang, Executive Vice President, Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.  

Mobility 2.0 Lifestyle

The Mobility 2.0 lifestyle moves people beyond today's limited mobile Internet to a full-featured Web 2.0 browsing and computing experience at their fingertips through the next generation of Ultra Mobile Devices. Weighing under a kilogram, UMDs are based on the x86 architecture and bridge the gap between the notebook and the mobile phone, bringing the benefits of a PC with all the applications, information and entertainment users require to an ultra portable handheld form factor. 

About the GIGABYTE U60

The GIGABYTE U60 Ultra Mobile Device is based on the power efficient VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform and comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Business, Home Premium or Home Basic or Windows XP. Combining a VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Processor running at speeds up to 1.5GHz and the VIA VX700 system media processor with UniChrome Pro II IGP integrated graphics, the GIGABYTE U60 provides powerful computing functionality and a rich multimedia and entertainment experience all in an ultra compact form factor weighing less than 800 grams and delivering long lasting battery life. For more information about the U60 please visit the GIGABYTE website at:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Notebook/Products_Spec.aspx?ProductID=2506  

About the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform

The VIA Ultra Mobile Platform is based on the low power drawing VIA C7-M ULV x86 mobile processor specifically designed for small form factor Ultra Mobile Devices. The VIA C7-M ULV Ultra Mobile Processor utilizes the advanced VIA CoolStream architecture and is manufactured using IBM's 90nm SOI process for high levels of power efficiency. VIA C7-M ULV processors are available at speeds from 1.0-1.5GHz with a maximum thermal design power (TDP) as low as 3.5 watts, and idle power as little as 0.1 watt, ensuring unparalleled battery life. This is complemented by a low profile nanoBGA2 package measuring just 21mm x 21mm, enabling designs with drastically reduced weight, size, and thickness. For more details on the VIA C7-M ULV processor, please visit the VIA website at:
www.via.com.tw/en/products/processors/c7-m_ulv/,

Further information on the VIA C7-M Ultra Mobile Platform may be found at:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/ultra_mobile/  (Source: Press Release)

WinHEC 2007 Exhibits and Keynote

Exhibits

Hybrid Hard Drives
TufTab with USBDuet
Ultra Mobile PCS - UMPCs
Wacom Booth

Keynotes

Bill Gates Keynote - Natural User Interfaces
Craig Mundie Keynote - Mobile Medical Demo, Many Core Computing
(Source: Chris De Herrera, Tablet PC Talk)

Tablet PC design concept has a flexible color display

The color screen of that tablet PC is flexible enough to fold all the way in half, and the QWERTY keyboard below sides up underneath to form this compact package, which can then be used as a cell phone. The concept calls for rubber hinges and sealing edges so the folded assembly will be completely waterproof. It's a beautiful design that could actually find its way to the real world in the next few years  (Source: Charlie White, SCI FI Tech)
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 by ChrisD
Rating: 2.6 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments (0)

GottaBeMobile Hardware InkShow: OQO model 02 with Docking Station

G'Day from Downunder! My name is Hugo Ortega and yes, I am an Aussie! It is with great pleasure and much enthusiasm that I join the GottaBeMobile Team and provide you with this - my first GBM InkShow.

When faced with the challenge of picking my first topic I couldn't resist the opportunity to showcase my latest UMPC, i.e. the OQO 02. Since unboxing my “shiny” new OQO two-weeks ago I felt the time was right to Vlog my thoughts. This device has captured the imagination of many and had lots of us salivating since its unveiling at CES 2007. As you can imagine I was somewhat excited to receive it and after spending the last 16 days with it as my fulltime machine I felt compelled to break my silence.

In this video I cover the following topics:

(Source: Hugo Ortega, GottaBeMobile.com)

PLX TECHNOLOGY TO DEMONSTRATE INDUSTRY'S FIRST USB DUET-ENABLED UMPC COMPUTERS

Revolutionary USB Duet Provides Ultra-Portable Machines with Fastest, Simplest PC-to-PC Connection

PLX Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLXT), the leading global supplier of PCI Express®, USB and other standard I/O interconnect solutions, today announced it will demonstrate at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Los Angeles the industry's first Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) machines enabled with PLX's USB Duet™ technology.

The demonstrations feature USB Duet - a revolutionary cabling technology allowing computers running the Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista operating systems to connect through a standard USB cable -- in two applications the technology excels in: video-file sharing and computer docking.

The first demonstration shows a USB Duet-enabled TabletKiosk™ eo TufTab™ v7112XT UMPC computer connected directly to an Xbox 360 console through a standard USB cable. Because USB Duet allows UMPC machines to appear as simple USB storage devices, such as flash drives (which require no driver installation), the Xbox 360 system automatically detects the v7112XT as a new storage device and easily accesses its shared folder. The high-speed connection - up to 480Mbps -- enables full high-definition-quality video to be played back on the Xbox 360 console, and then displayed on an HDTV.

The second demonstration features a v7112XT utilizing USB Duet's EZ-Dock function, which allows UMPC machines to "dock" to a second PC and share a keyboard, mouse and monitor through a standard USB cable. This demonstration illustrates how USB Duet enables a quick, simple connection between two PCs, while eliminating the need for hundreds dollars worth of hardware.

"As two innovation leaders in their respective markets, TabletKiosk and PLX each are in a unique position to showcase how UMPC and USB can be blended into a powerful, economical and efficient connectivity solution," said Gail Levy, director of marketing at TabletKiosk. "We're looking forward to working with PLX in expanding the understanding of the UMPC platform and USB Duet technology among the Windows engineering community."

USB Duet unleashes the power of Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and serves as an efficient, high-speed alternative to networking computers. With no network switch, hub or router, two or more computers using the technology can transfer data at USB 2.0's high data rates - ideal for users upgrading to newer computers or using a second PC for extra storage or backup.

(for high-resolution graphic, right-click this link, save as)

PLX, Microsoft Workshop Aids Portable-Device Development

In addition to its robust USB Duet demonstrations, PLX is teaming up with Microsoft at WinHEC to deliver a workshop on designing cutting-edge portable devices. The "Building Portable Devices with MTP Porting Kits" workshop features experts from PLX's USB division and Microsoft's Audio Video Devices Group providing instruction implementing Hi-Speed USB 2.0 on the Windows platform. The two companies also will explain the Media Transport Protocol (MTP) porting kit, which allows developers to create portable devices that connect to Windows Vista without driver development. The hands-on workshop includes kit set-up, using various tools to simplify development, adding Digital Rights Management (DRM) capabilities to the kit, and demonstrating various Windows Media technologies that enable new products using Windows Vista and portable devices.

This workshop will be held on Wednesday May 16, 11:00 a.m. to noon (track number CON-H420).

"PLX developed USB Duet technology to allow a wide range of peripherals and computers to eliminate the need for costly and cumbersome networking equipment," said Jimmy Chou, USB product marketing manager at PLX. "Because WinHEC draws the top echelon of the Windows-developer community, we're confident the video and docking demonstrations of USB Duet, along with the PLX-Microsoft workshop, will serve to educate an influential group on this powerful technology."

USB Duet technology is based on the PLX NET2280, a programmable peripheral controller optimized for fast data transfer between the PCI and USB buses. Fully compliant with the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and PCI 3.0 specifications, and available in a small 8x8x1mm FPBGA package, the NET2280 is ideal as an interface for intelligent USB 2.0 peripherals using PCI as the internal or local bus.

For a full description of PLX's USB family, see plxtech.com/netchip.

For information on the eo TufTab™ v7112XT UMPC computer, go to tabletkiosk.com.  (Source: Press Release)

GETAC Introduces New V100 Rugged Tablet PC and P470 Rugged Notebook

At the Government Technology Conference-West (GTC West) show this week, GETAC unveiled their newest line-up of rugged notebook/tablet PCs. They introduced the V100 Rugged Tablet PC and the P470 Rugged Notebook into the family.

V100 Rugged Tablet PC

The V100 is designed to meet the everyday demands of law enforcement, public safety, military, utility and field service personnel. That is why it is fully compliant with MIL-STD 810F and IP54 standards. The V100 has a wide array of features and plenty of options to make any user happy.  (Source: Tiffany Boggs, TabletPCReview.com)

RCS first in state to provide students with own computer

About 215 Fujitsu "PC Tablet" laptop computers have been distributed to the RCS sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who are familiarizing themselves with the ways that the new computers will be applied to classroom learning full time beginning with the upcoming summer school. Another 55 teacher's edition laptops have also been distributed.

The overall cost of the project exceeded $300,000.

"We got the laptops in later than we wanted to and we've only got a month left before summer vacation, but we want to see how much progress we can make with them in that month," Shelton said. "It really has turned out to be perfect timing because the state testing is behind us and we can devote the time to the tablets. Our school board has really recognized technology as a basic skill and that's kind of the driving force behind this."  (Source: Jeff Bobo, www.timesnews.net)

News Power: Toshiba offers to compromise on damaged tablet PC

A hard lesson in knowing the ins and outs of fine print contained within a $499 extended warranty can be a pretty bitter pill to swallow.

That’s what Jim McFarland of Lockport found out after buying a 3-year extended warranty from CompUSA’s Niagara Falls Boulevard store two years ago when he’d purchased a $1,600 Toshiba Tablet PC for his daughter’s college graduation gift.

McFarland — whose problem was featured in our column two weeks ago — was not happy when CompUSA told him the extended warranty did not cover damage to the laptop’s casing that made it increasingly more difficult to open in the last two months. Even though CompUSA refused to budge, Toshiba was willing to take a look at the laptop. This despite the manufacturer’s warranty having expired one year after the April 3, 2005, purchase date.   (Source: Karen Robinson, The Buffalo News)