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General discussion

Tablet PC for College

Jun 4, 2005 10:22AM PDT

I'm entering college this Fall and, in Aug., am going 2 buy a Tablet PC, a convertible maybe... probably. Does anyone own one and absolutely love it?Or just recommend it? anyone, like me, looking and found a gr8 one for a "mobile" college student? I've been searching and researching so any input helps!

Discussion is locked

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The market spoke.
Jun 4, 2005 10:28AM PDT

Walk into best buy and see how many they offer.

You'll find more Macintoshes than tablets out there.

Bob

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Did that answer my question?
Jun 5, 2005 4:36AM PDT

Way to be positive. I asked for input on what Tablet, not guidance elsewhere. Obviously, you have some tick on ur shoulder about tablets, and I really don't appreciate the comment. If I wanted a Mac I would have asked for info on them. But I want a tablet. I don't care what sells or what more people buy. I want a tablet, and I will ask the question again:

What *tablet PC* would you recommend for a college student?

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My answer.
Jun 5, 2005 4:49AM PDT

NONE!

These are solutions looking for a problem.

You'll kick yourself later as it falls out of warranty and you find out what any minor repair costs. It's 2X than of normal laptops most of the time.

Bob

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ok, here's a serious answer
Jun 5, 2005 2:26PM PDT

While I have to agree with Bob about the high repair costs of a Tablet, I would recommend (based on my little tablet knowledge, I admit) one of Toshiba's tablets. Either the M4 or the M200. Acer also would be a trust-worthy brand. There's also Motion tablets (I hear that they are a division of Dell) which are supposed to be good too.

Lenovo (aka what used to be IBM) was expected to come out with a tablet PC last month, but we're still waiting.

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Another serious answer...
Jun 6, 2005 3:12AM PDT

I too am about to buy a tablet PC and have been researching for quite a while now. I dont know what you need/want in a notebook, specifically, but I am also a student and will use it to take notes and type papers, etc. Right now I'm looking at the Fujitsu T series. It's a little bit pricey (not by much though) so if money is an object look towards a Toshiba M4 or M200. Like the other gentlemen said those are both pretty good models. The motion M's, like the Fujitsu Stylistic ST5000 series, is a true tablet, not a convertible =/ Like i said depends on what you need but there's a little help i hope.

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2005 is not the year to consider Toshiba.
Jun 6, 2005 3:24AM PDT

Far too many misfires as their engineers forgot old lessons about ESD (electostatic dicharge) protection.

While usually a fine company for laptops, I'd avoid them this year until they relearn the lessons.

Bob

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acer a good brand
Jun 28, 2005 1:50PM PDT

i am a college student going into my second year. i've had an acer c300 tablet since april of last year. it's great, just make sure you buy the extended warranty, othertwise you're screwed. other then the warranty i've had good luck working and fixing my tablet. if you want the most up to date version it's the c312, but lenovo/ibm/microsoft DO have a good looking on out now that i would also recommend.

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Wish I'd had a Tablet during college
Jun 28, 2005 2:46PM PDT

Smart move getting a Tablet~! I have used both Toshiba M200 and the Viewsonic V1250 for over a year and both are terrific. They're selling the Toshiba at Costco by the way.

I have replaced the cover assembly on the Toshiba(think plastic screen part)because something fell in between the screen and the base after I closed it. I think it might have been the metal band of a pencil top because it made a round crack in the non-metal black border.

This indented crack proceeded to splinter across the screen and the cover assembly wasn't cheap so maybe this is the time for you to get the extended warranty just so you don't have to pony up cash unexpectedly, say at Spring Break!

I also purchased a new keyboard for the Toshiba because I was messing around with the keycaps and broke some of the black n white thingies that keeps the cap attached and aligned...if there's any way to find out where to get the underparts to the keys (help me out guys with the technical term for that part) I would suggest you stock up. Or just use your pen.


Speaking of the pen,or stylus its the 'single point of failure' because I have misplaced them, lost them, and so I have purchased a WACOM pen I always carry in case the black stylus takes a walk.

They are both much lighter than the laptops I've used (Dell, Compaq etc.)Both run dev environments (compilers) and such exactly like the laptops.

I've used WiFi on both, external USB cd-rom and attached my i-mate sp3 smartphone to both tablets.

I carried the Viewsonic to 6 hotel conventions to take notes, what a pleasure to stand in a crowd and get the info down rather than try to find a counter to type. I don't know for sure but it seems like the Viewsonic screen is clearer and cleaner than the Toshiba and that may be true since Viewsonic builds fab monitors. Be sure to try out different models for screen visibility...neither of my screens are visible (enough) outside but I think that's a computer screen thing, just haven't noticed on my Sony desktop because I don't haul it to the patio.

My first portable was a Kaypro (anyone else ever heard of that??) and wow, when I figure out how to turn back time, I'd do 4 more years of ultracompetitive east coast college happily with a Tablet PC.

Good luck!