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| Portege 3010CT | Hardware |
| In the
constant quest of portable PC manufacturers to find the ultimate balance between
practicality and petite-portability, a new category of laptop has emerged: the ultra
portable. First came PalmPilots, then the Microsoft-bred Windows CE "Palm
Wannabes," then Toshiba's groundbreaking Libretto series of handheld PCs. Then Sony,
with clever packaging reminiscent of the original Walkman, released the VAIO-505 series.
Toshiba now has a U.S. release of its nearly identically sized Portege 3010/3015CT units.
The Toshiba and Sony units are near clones in form and specification. I have had the
pleasure of working with the former. Toshiba's Portege 3010CT looks like a regular laptop. The difference is that it is about two-thirds the size of a normal laptop if laid on top -- measuring about 10 inches wide and about 8 inches deep. The most striking dimension, however, is its thickness -- only about .75 inch. It also is quite svelte, having shed scads of usual portable weight. But at a slim 2.75 pounds, is this $1,900 street-priced little machine too diet-motivated? More importantly, is it usable? Before we can make that pronouncement,
let's do some background checking. The Portege 3010CT is a marvel of miniaturization.
Inside its magnesium-covered slim chassis is a 266 MHz Pentium MMX processor with 512K of
L2 RAM cache, 32 MB RAM comes standard (upgradeable to 96 MB), a spacious 4.3 GB hard
drive, a 56K 3Com Xjack modem in one of its two Type II PC Card slots, and a typically
Toshiba-vivid 10.4 inches TFT active-matrix display. (Remember when that seemed huge even
on luggable laptops?) For pointing-stick aficionados, the Toshiba Accupoint pointing
device is right there between the G, H and B keys. The lithium-ion battery is actually in
the space where the hinge would normally be located to attach the screen to the chassis,
borrowing the innovation from the Sony VAIO-505. In normal use testing, I found the
lithium-ion battery to provide about one hour and 45 minutes of use. For about $150 more, External connectivity is via a built-in 4 Mbps infrared port as well as a USB port and connector for an external floppy drive. The only thing noticeably absent is a CD-ROM drive. Software is the usual Toshiba complement of Windows 95, Intel's LanDesk Client Manager 3.3, Microsoft Internet Explorer (gee, what a surprise!), Puma's Intellisync 97, telephony software and Yamaha Station for the Soundblaster Pro-compatible multimedia system. Okay, so the specs sound fine ... how does it feel? In one word: Great! Touch-typing is certainly possible and I found the Portege's keyboard actually more pleasurable than some full-size laptops' units. For pointing device fans, the Toshiba's Accupoint pointing stick will feel familiar and precise. The screen is typical Toshiba: clear with rich, bright colors. The speed is good; entirely acceptable even for someone used to one of the latest 300 MHz Pentium II-equipped notebooks. The most noticeable aspect of the Portege 3010CT is how amazingly light it feels after lugging around standard notebooks for years. Another big plus, and my own motivation for acquiring the unit as a complement to my regular notebook, is that it is airline-friendly. Have you ever had plans for a few solid hours of work dashed because the ingrate in front of you fully reclines his seat into your lap, preventing you from opening a laptop? The Portege thumbs its virtual nose at such air hooligans. Let them recline! And let's not forget the subjective, but very real "wow factor" when you pull out your cool little Portege 3010CT at the next county bar association meeting or in the middle of your next deposition. For the gadget-conscious, this is of inestimable value. |
Toshiba Corporation (800) 867-4422 www.csd.toshiba.com PC $1,900 Reviewed by Ross L. Kodner, attorney and legal technology consultant, MicroLaw Inc., Milwaukee, Wis. PROS CONS VERDICT |
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