Test Kitchen: January 2005

Tablet PCs have been the "next big thing" in computing. Hotels and restaurants have already made limited use of tablet sized computers for specific applications, but at 6.1 pounds the Acer Travelmate C300 Tablet PC is too big for table-side use. Rather, the TravelMate is designed for power computing -- think regional managers -- with an Intel 1.5-GHz/400-MHz Pentium M processor, Windows XP Tablet Edition OS and long battery life. With an easy swivel and lock mechanism, the computer switches from laptop to tablet; however, the computer sometimes has trouble distinguishing which pointing device (track pad, pen or mouse) is in use. At $1,900 per unit, the TravelMate offer a nice range of features, but at a price point that would be difficult for most operators to stomach.