Tablets Gain Oomph

If there's a portable device that should benefit from Intel's Centrino technology, it's the Tablet PC. Centrino's combination of powerful Pentium M mobile CPU and wireless-networking hardware delivers the processing muscle to support digital ink capabilities, plus the connectivity to appeal to meeting-hopping office workers. And any assistance in the battery-life department--another promise of Centrino technology--would make a Tablet PC all the more useful.

So it's small wonder that two of the first portable devices to use Centrino technology with ultralow-voltage versions of the Pentium M processor are Tablet PCs. Acer's TravelMate C110 subnotebook and Motion Computing's M1300 slate are second-generation versions of hardware that initially appeared with Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system last fall. If you want to get this latest technology, however, you'll have to pay a slight premium over the price of previous configurations.

Does Centrino live up to its claims for Tablet PCs? In our tests of shipping units based on the 900-MHz Pentium M CPU, the performance rated a yes. Both devices scored significantly better than their ULV Pentium III-based predecessors on PC WorldBench 4. (The Acer used an 800-MHz chip; the Motion Computing, an 866-MHz CPU.) Unfortunately, battery life showed no such leap: Both units ran out of juice more quickly than earlier versions did.

Still, if you intend to make great use of the operating system's digital ink features, the tangibly snappier performance makes purchasing a Centrino Tablet PC worthwhile.

Acer's Convertible

The Travelmate C110 subnote ($2099) has a slightly curved keyboard and a 10.4-inch screen that swivels, folds back over, and snaps to the keyboard, transforming the unit into a tablet. I found the 3.4-pound C110 somewhat sturdier than its predecessor, the C100, whose screen never felt securely fastened to its keyboard. On the new device, however, the display looked somewhat washed out.

On our PC WorldBench 4 test suite, the C110 posted a score of 100--a full 33 percent higher than the C100's mark (note, though, that the new model includes an additional 256MB of memory). Centrino's 802.11b Wi-Fi worked fine, but using it would shorten battery life to less than the 2 hours, 49 minutes the unit managed in our tests (we disable Wi-Fi before running all battery tests). The C100, using the same battery technology, lasted 6 minutes longer.

The C110 offers expansion possibilities, including VGA (video out), ethernet, modem, infrared, FireWire, and two USB 2.0 ports, plus one Type II PC Card slot and a connector for an optional $124 port replicator, which is new with this model. A button that turns off the Wi-Fi radio is handy for people who want to use the notebook on airplanes.

My unit included a FireWire DVD-ROM/CD-RW combination drive; skip the drive, and the price drops to $1899. An optional $219 USB 2.0 CD-ROM drive is also available. The Tablet PC comes bundled with Alias SketchBook Pro, FranklinCovey TabletPlanner, and Zinio Reader software. All in all, Acer's new C110 is a serviceable no-frills device that should appeal to subnotebook fans with a yen for digital ink.

Motion's Slate

The Motion Computing M1300 tablet, sold under both the company's own brand and Gateway's, offers a more upscale slate-style design, with a 12.1-inch screen. The standard $2106 device has a basic stand and a notebook-size keyboard; my shipping unit also came with the optional $230 docking station and a $330 FireWire DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive (an optional FireWire CD-ROM drive costs $150).

The M1300 earned a PC WorldBench 4 score of 103, about 17 percent better than the older M1200's score of 88. Again, however, battery life declined--from 3 hours, 18 minutes for the M1200 to 3 hours flat for the M1300, which uses the same battery technology as its predecessor.

The software bundle includes Colligio's application for ad hoc Wi-Fi networks. Using it, you can set up a wireless network with colleagues and visitors without having to connect via your office's existing wireless access point or router, which can be tricky due to office security measures.

At 3.3 pounds, the M1300 is just a little bit lighter than the Acer (both weigh about the same as their predecessors). I'd recommend the M1300 to those seeking a larger screen without a big weight increase.

The introduction of Centrino technology in Tablet PCs does nothing, of course, to reduce the price premium that you'll pay for a Windows XP Tablet PC-based portable over a laptop PC with comparable features. After you add necessary accessories such as optical drives, you can expect to spend in excess of $2200--which would buy a Centrino-based thin-and-light notebook from a top-tier vendor.

Tablet PCs are still not for everybody: For one thing, the handwriting recognition remains shaky. But for anyone who wants to scribble notes and drawings, either in the included Tablet PC utilities or in a growing number of third-party apps, these Centrino-based models deliver snappier digital ink than previous units for a moderately higher cost. Just don't expect to receive a battery-life boost.

SUMMARY

Motion Computing M1300 Price when reviewed: $2106 Current prices (if available) A large-screen slate with pricey but top-quality options.

SUMMARY

Acer TravelMate C110 Price when reviewed: $2099 Current prices (if available) Well-built convertible subnote could have a brighter screen.