Toshiba Portege 3500 - Jun/Jul '03

Toshiba Portégé 3500

If you like portable computing, then you will love the new Tablet PCs. The Portégé 3500 is a full conventional notebook with a screen that pivots so you can “convert” it into a tablet. By turning the screen 180 degrees and closing the lid, you have a tablet ready for pen input. A well-designed lock keeps the screen in position.

The computer is based on a 1.33GHz Pentium III-M processor. Standard configuration included 256MB PC133 Synchronous Dynamic RAM and a 5,400 rpm 40GB IBM TravelStar hard disk.

Video on the computer is basic by today’s standard, with a Trident CyberAladdin-T GPU, which actually steals 16MB of memory from the main system for its own use. This is certainly an area that needs to be improved upon.

The Toshiba Portégé 3500 weighs about 4 pounds, and is approximately 1.2 inches thick. But this added size is well worth it when you consider the Portégé 3500 is both an ultra-portable notebook and a Tablet PC with a whopping 12.1-inch diagnol poly-silicon thin film transistor (1,024-by-768). In daily use I have found no problems carrying around this computer.

Toshiba has included connections for audio, an external monitor, a local area network and a modem. The Toshiba Portégé 3500 also includes a PC Card slot, and unlike other tablets, it can use CompactFlash and postage stamp-sized Secure Digital cards.

Toshiba has really shown off its engineering prowess by including a pair of universal serial bus 2.0 ports; the rest of the Tablet PCs use the slower USB 1.1. Perhaps the handiest addition of the Portégé 3500 is a switch to quickly turn off the tablet’s WiFi radio for use in sensitive areas, during flights or to conserve battery power.

Unfortunately, Toshiba didn’t include a FireWire port, and it should be noted the computer doesn’t come with a CD or DVD drive. This latter issue is particularly problematic if you ever have to restore your entire computer’s hard drive. It’s also a problem when you want to load software. After fumbling with this issue for awhile I finally broke down and purchased Virtual Drive, which allowed me to image CDs for use on this Tablet.

Using the Portégé 3500 takes getting used to as you realize how versatile it is. In tablet form, you can scribble your notes on the screen, open it up to type more information, and rotate the screen around to show a client what you have been working on. Over time, the more I used the Portégé 3500, the more I began to appreciate this flexible design. And thanks to a handy device known as the Podium Pad, writing at my desk is much more comfortable and viewing the screen is much easier.

In tablet mode, Toshiba uses the Wacom pen system. The stylus is placed adjacent to the screen and doesn’t require a separate power source. It’s the best design I have seen on any Tablet PC yet. Overall, I found the writing took a few days to become comfortable with, but since I have had this Tablet for more than a month now, I have overcome any awkwardness that was initially present.

Generally speaking, my Portégé 3500 is indispensable in my daily activities. I use it to take notes for phone calls, office meetings and the like. It’s easy to use in depositions and at hearings. Perhaps most importantly, it’s quiet to use.

A free, downloadable Windows Journal viewer application is available so others in my office can view my notes, located on our server in individual note directories related to each case, client or office matter. By keeping my notes on the server, my associate and others are able to access everything with me at the same time.

Typing on this computer is better than I expected. Toshiba used 19 mm keys, and they are relatively easy to type on. Unfortunately, the amount of key travel is only 1.7 mm, and the spacebar is very short. As for the touchpad, I found it difficult to use. It was not as responsive as I wanted, and nowhere near as accurate and user-friendly as the touch stick found on other Toshiba models or IBM ThinkPad notebooks. Additionally, I found the touchpad didn’t properly respond to my movements, and it required extra force applied to the surface to get the desired movements.

Overall, I think the Toshiba Portégé 3500 is an amazing first series Tablet PC. Is there room for improvement? Of course. At this stage, I would like to see improvements in the following areas:
8The pen stylus was designed to be flush with the screen frame. As a result, it’s flat on one side, and doesn’t feel as nice in your hand as a regular pen.
8During regular use, I have found the Portégé runs only for around 2.5 to 2.75 hours.
8The screen brightness isn’t what I am used to with my IBM ThinkPad T30. The lack of brightness, coupled with a small viewing angle range, makes it difficult to see what you are writing when the Tablet is on a desk.

Toshiba America Inc.
(800) TOSHIBA

www.toshiba.com

Price: $2,299

Reviewed by Jonathan Franklin, an attorney based in Miami. He can be reached at LOCinfo@jfpa.com.

Jun/Jul '03 Issue

PROS
Full-featured subnotebook Tablet PC. Powerful by Tablet PC standards.

CONS
Screen brightness, screen viewing angle, weight, speed and thickness.

VERDICT
If you are thinking about a new notebook, then give the Portégé 3500 a serious look, but it’s not intended as a desktop replacement.