HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1100 Laptop Computer

HP TC1100

By #1md  Jan 21, 2007 | 3 out of 4 found this HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1100 review helpful

Pros: cool design, removable keyboard, tethered pen, landscape-to-portrait view, WIFI + IR + bluetooth

Cons: have to protect the screen coz when you close it the screen is on the outside, everything is external (CD drive, mouse etc.)

I've had my HP Tablet PC (TF1100) since Sept 2004 and I absolutely love everything about it! It is a bit pricey but it's worth every cent! The design is really cool so it always succeeds in drawing oohs and ahhs from people who see it for the... first time. I'm the only one who has it in my workplace so I can tell that it's mine from a mile away. It would be very attractive for thiefs-to-be but once it's in its black leather case it just looks like a folder or notebook so no one really takes interest in it. Compared to the usual run of the mill laptop, the tablet pc is quite small and lightweight. The small screen isn't very friendly for people with poor vision, but I love the fact that the screen swivels, changes orientation, and doesn't have to be positioned at a certain "angle" just to see images clearly. The keyboard is also very light and is detachable. The latter makes it so easy to clean (crumbs always seem to fall on my keyboard). The pen is tethered (so it doesn't get lost) and is a bit thick so grip is pretty good. The controls need getting used to though. And "writing" with the pen is quite slow. Maybe I'm just not used to it. I still prefer using the keyboard with a mouse. I like to use my tablet pc like a regular laptop. Unlike a laptop which gets hot when you work with it on your lap, the tablet PC heats up on the screen side (not the keyboard side) so it's very comfortable for prolonged lap use. The TC1100 also has WIFI, bluetooth, and infrared (all the connectivity stuff I need). It also has a voice command feature (which I haven't tried out yet). Most laptop bags are bulky, but the tablet pc comes with its own sleek case. You don't have to worry about your unit falling out because there is a contraption that securely fastens it to the case (removable). The downside of portability is that everything is external -- so I have to have a separate bag for its wires/cables, my mouse, cd drive, extra external disk drive, etc. It doesn't upgrade as often as the usual laptops and there aren't too many tablet pcs in the market, so my TC1100 doesn't look obsolete even after 2-3 years of use. Read more Less