Might get a Motion Computing LS800 Tablet PC

[5.56X45mm]

I might be able to get a brand new Motion Computing LS800 Tablet PC with Bump case and USB Keyboard for a total price of $400. Good buy or not? It's not hot.... I know the seller personally.

I'm looking for a small laptop PC that I can use for both work and college. I was just thinking of getting another Toughbook like the one I was issued for my patrol car but I wanted something a little lighter and easier to use. What really got my attention about this one is the fact that it uses a pen, which means I can simply write notes when I'm in class. It has a write feature.... That seems pretty niffty. I don't plan on using this thing for gaming and such. I plan on using it for report writing , record lectures, and maybe watching a movie or two.

BUMP CASE (It's the one on the right)

LS800 Tablet PC Specifications
Operating System

* Genuine Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition

Chassis

* Carbon Fiber with Selective Metal Plating

Processors/Cache

* Intel® Pentium® M Processor ULV 733 featuring 1.1GHz Ultra Low Voltage (2MB of L2 cache and 400MHz FSB)

Chipset

* Mobile Intel 915GMS Express Chipset

Display

* 8.4" SVGA TFT LCD
* Ambient Light Sensor (ALS)
* View Anywhere® display (optional)

Digitizer Pen

* Active digitizer pen (no battery required)
* Right mouse click button
* Integrated eraser

Graphics

* Intel 915GMS Extreme Graphics controller
* Rotation 0°, 90°, 180°, 270°

Video RAM

* Supports Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT 3.0) with memory scaleable to a maximum 128MB

Audio Controller

* AC 97 audio codec

System Memory

* DDR2 667 SDRAM - 1GB

System Storage

* 1.8" Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with 40GB capacity
* PCI bus master enhanced IDE
* Supports Ultra ATA 66/100
* Optional 1.8” Solid State Drive (SSD) with 32GB capacity. Learn More

Communications

* Integrated Atheros 802.11a/b/g network connection
* Integrated Ethernet LAN controller with RJ-45 connector
* Integrated Bluetooth®

Audio

* Motion Speak Anywhere® technology
- Dual microphone array design
- Knowles Acoustics IntelliSonic software
* Integrated speaker

I/O Ports

* Universal Audio Jack supporting:
- Microphone-in
- Headphone-out
* Two USB 2.0 ports
* IrDA port
* External VGA port
* RJ-45 connector
* Docking connector
* DC power in

Expansion

* Secure Digital (SD) slot

Dimensions

* 8.94" x 6.69" x 0.87" (227mm x 170mm x 22mm)

Security

* Integrated Fingerprint Reader
* TCG Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.1
* Universal lock slot
* Motion Security Center

Weight

* 2.2 lbs. (1Kg)1

Battery

* Lithium-ion battery with 29WHr capacity

Battery Charging Time

* Approximate charging times:
- 2.5 hours (Tablet PC on) 2
- 2.2 hours (Tablet PC off) 2

System Status LEDs

* Power on/off
* Battery status
* Disk Drive (HDD/SSD) activity
* Wireless activity - Bluetooth and 802.11

Control Buttons

* One 5-way directional control button
* One function button, one programmable escape button and two programmable buttons
* Secure Attention Sequence (SAS) button
* Wireless on/off button

AC Adapter

* 50W universal, 2-pin jack
* 100-240V 1.5a, 50-60Hz

Software

* Microsoft® OneNote 2007
* Autodesk® SketchBook® Pro
* FarStone Technologies VirtualDrive®
* Microsoft Reader for Tablet PC
* Microsoft Streets & Trips Essentials 2006
* Sunbelt Software™ CounterSpy™
* TCB Networks Shorthand
* Motion Dashboard control panel
* Motion Security Center
* Motion/Softex OmniPass™ Security software
* Infineon Security Platform Tools
* Toshiba Bluetooth Software
* Adobe® Acrobat® Reader
* Windows Journal
* Sticky Notes
* Pen/button-based setup utility

Environmental

* Temperature
- Operation: +5°C to +35°C
- Storage: -20°C to +65°C
* Humidity
- Operating humidity: 20% to 80% without condensation
- Storage humidity: 8% to 90% without condensation
* Altitude
- Operation: sea level 0 to 10K ft.
- Storage: sea level 0 to 40K ft.

Standards

* PC2001 logo compliant
* ACPI 1.1 compliant

Regulatory

* FCC: 15B, 15C
* ICES-003, RSS-210
* CE; EN55011, EN55022, EN55024, EN301-489-17, EN301-893, EN300-328
* Safety: UL, CUL, TUV, EN60950 (IEC60950-1 A11/2004)

Motion Computing LS800 Tablet PC

 

[mmarsh]

5.56

AH-HA know you are entering my area of expertise...

AND You're in luck, I know that computer extremely well. I spent 3 months as part of an evaluations team on half a dozen laptops, penpcs and hybrids to replace all the laptops in my company. The LS800 was one of the pcs that made the shortlist.

Unfortunately we selected the Fujitsu-Siemens T4210 instead.

I can tell you why we eliminated the LS800 (what I wrote in my conclusions to my bosses).

The LS800 is a nice pc but its got one tremendous drawback -the lack of an integrated keyboard. That was a deal killer for us. The remote keyboard just sucks when you are on the road and the logical keyboard is too slow to type documents.

Another problem was the fact the the PEN is the older physical type. This means that the pen must make contact with the screen in order to work. The screen itself is very fragile as there is about a 1 mm of glass between the screen and you. The glass screen breaks very very easily (like most tablets). My sales guys handle computers like bowling balls, gives me fits when I see the destruction they have caused on a 1 year old computer.

The new technologies use a magnetic pen which is more accurate. The only drawback is only the "pen" will move the cursor. You cannot use anything else. Also while its more accurate the control gets a little getting used to.

The LS800 also lacked a built-in modem. There is an external kit you can buy. But again for my company it meant yet another accessory to buy and carry around with you. Remember keyboard, case, mouse, modem, it starts to add up.

The LS800 is one of the few tablets that makes a 8in screen. Most others use the 8.5x11 format.

New Motion computing has very good support (I actually spoke to some of the design team in Europe) and there product is good if you can accept the limitations. The whole design team are ex-fujitsu engineers, who specialize only in tablets. In fact thats why they left F-S because Fujitsu-Siemens was focusing more on laptops than tablets.

Its a very good pc if you want a 'pure' tablet, But I think you ought to check out a hybrid like the Fujitsu-Siemens T4220.

Hybrids are laptops with fully rotating screens so you can switch between tablet and laptop modes. They do cost more however...

I just realized you getting it used. Keep in mind that in May 2006 I was quoted a price of 1300 Euros per PC BRAND NEW from New Motion. So $400
is pretty good considering...

 

[A Can of Man]

Looks pretty good.
How long does the battery last on average?

 

[5.56X45mm]

Well folks I went and got my a Motion Computing LE 1600 Tablet PC.

My Desktop from my Tablet PC.

 

[senojekips]

It looks a very tidy unit, I must say that i have never actually seen one myself.

I like it.

 

[5.56X45mm]

LE1600 Tablet PC Specifications

Operating System • Genuine Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition Chassis • Carbon Fiber Blend – upper bezel
• Magnesium Alloy – lower bezel Processors/Cache • Intel® Celeron® M Processor Ultra Low Voltage 383 (1MB of L2 cache, 1GHz, 400MHz FSB) Chipset • Intel 915GMS Display • 12.1" XGA TFT LCD with viewing angles up to 180 degrees
• Intel Display Power Saving Technology
• Ambient Light Sensor (ALS)
• View Anywhere® display (optional) Digitizer Pen • Active digitizer pen (no battery required)
• Right mouse click button
• Integrated eraser Graphics • Intel 915GMS Extreme Graphics controller
• Rotation 0°, 90°, 180°, 270° Video RAM • Maximum 128MB total with Intel Dynamic Video Memory Technology Audio Controller • AC 97 audio codec PC Card Controller • Industry-standard CardBus controller System Memory • Celeron Models
- Base RAM: 768MB 400MHz DDR2 memory - Upgradeable to maximum 1.25GB System Storage • 1.8" Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with 60GB capacity
• PCI bus master enhanced IDE
• Supports Ultra ATA 66/100 Communications • Integrated Atheros 802.11a/b/g network connection
• Integrated 10/100/1000 Ethernet LAN controller with RJ-45 connector (Gigabit Ethernet)
• Integrated Bluetooth® Audio • Motion Speak Anywhere® technology
- Multi-directional array microphone design intelligently switches between two of the three microphones based on screen orientation
- Knowles Acoustics IntelliSonic software
• Two integrated speakers I/O Ports • Microphone-in
• Headphone-out
• Two USB 2.0 ports
• DVI-D custom connector
• IrDA port
• External VGA port
• Motion accessory port
• RJ-45 connector
• Docking connector
• DC power in Expansion • Secure Digital (SD) slot
• One Type I or Type II PC card slot Dimensions • 11.65" x 9.64" x 0.74” - 0.87" (296mm x 240mm x 18.7 - 22mm) Security • Integrated Fingerprint Reader
• TCG Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.1
• Universal lock slot
• Motion Security Center Weight • 3.13 lbs. with Standard Battery1
• 4.19 lbs. with Extended Battery3 Battery • Standard Battery
- Lithium-ion battery with 35WHr capacity
• Optional Extended Battery
- Lithium-polymer with 40WHr capacity
• Combined battery capacity
- Maximum 75WHr Battery Charging Time • Standard Battery only
- 1.5 hours (Tablet PC on/off)4
• Standard Battery with Extended Battery attached
- 3.5 hours (Tablet PC on/off)4 System Status LEDs • Power on/off
• Battery status
• Hard Disk Drive (HDD) activity
• Wireless activity - Bluetooth and 802.11 Control Buttons • One 5-way directional control button
• One function button, one programmable escape button and two programmable buttons
• Secure Attention Sequence (SAS) button
• Wireless on/off button AC Adapter • 50W universal, 2-pin jack
• 100-240V 1.5a, 50-60Hz Software • Motion Dashboard control panel
• Motion Security Center
• Motion/Softex OmniPass™ Security software
• Infineon Security Platform Tools
• Toshiba Bluetooth Software
• Adobe® Acrobat® Reader
• Windows Journal
• Sticky Notes
• Pen/button-based setup utility Environmental • Temperature
- Operation: +5°C to +35°C
- Storage: -20°C to +65°C
• Humidity
- Operating humidity: 20% to 80% without condensation
- Storage humidity: 8% to 90% without condensation
• Altitude
- Operation: sea level 0 to 10K ft.
- Storage: sea level 0 to 40K ft. Standards • ACPI 1.1 compliant Regulatory • FCC: 15B, 15C
• ICES-003, RSS-210
• CE; EN55011, EN55022, EN55024, EN301-489-17, EN301-893, EN300-328
• Safety: UL, CUL, TUV, EN60950 (IEC60950-1 A11/2004)

 

[Fox]

Uh...Sorry, I don't speak computer nerds. But that computer looks nice to me.

 

[mmarsh]

Uh...Sorry, I don't speak computer nerds. But that computer looks nice to me.

Oh look, it one of those "normal people". :wink:

 

[5.56X45mm]

Uh...Sorry, I don't speak computer nerds. But that computer looks nice to me.

Don't worry. I don't either. My friends do.

 

[chronoserpent]

Don't worry. I don't either. My friends do.

Oh look, it's another one of those "normal people". :-o


Nice tablet though, sounds like it was a good buy. Hope it fits your needs well!

 

[A Can of Man]

The only thing that gets me is the battery life. 3.5 hours usually mean something more like 2 hours of meaningful operation.
Other than that it looks real good and the screen poster you got is neat too!

 

[major liability]

I never knew you were a Halo fan 5.56, we should play a game of Halo PC someday. I play under the alias 'a vehicle', because it makes it look like whoever I killed was crushed by an unoccupied vehicle.

Those tablets look really handy for college, but I'd personally prefer a regular keyboard on a mini-laptop to a tablet. Typing comes more naturally to me than writing.