Motion Computing Releases M1400TC: Embedded XP Thin Client Tablet

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000093029028/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000093029028/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Motion Computing has decided to offer a thin client version of their M1400 Tablet PC called the M1400TC; they’ve essentially just stripped out the hard drive and replaced the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition OS it would usually run with Windows XP Embedded on a 512MB embedded flash drive. . . . [It's] got a Celeron M 900MHz or Pentium M 1.1GHz processor, a 12.1-inch LCD screen, built-in 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth, 256 or 512MB of RAM, a fingerprint reader, and it’s about 0.9-inches thick and weighs roughly 3 pounds "</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/2904568466834323.JPG" /> <br /><br />The M1400TC is obviously aimed at the corporate market, but can you guys ever seeing yourselves wanting one of these types of thin client units for use around the house etc? Personally I find that my laptop and PPC complement each other extremely well and that while travelling I will be using either of them depending on circumstances. It's certainly nice to have a smorgasbord of form-factors to choose from. The problem being, exactly which device or combination of devices best suits your needs (and wallet)? Decisions, decisions…. ;-)

[PR.]

I purchased a Tablet PC back in December (HP TC1100 Pentium M) I bought it partly because my old Dell Inspiron 8100 is too heavy to carry around but also because I like my gadgets :)

I have to say that considering that the TC1100 is only a 1ghz M it really flies, its great for work as its light enough to carry to meetings or put in my rucksack and take to the other offices. I used to use my iPAQ 4700 for all these but always found it to be very gimmicky, sure I could access a network drive via wifi from the meeting room but it was slow and fiddly especially when it came to open larger documents. I could web browse on my 4700 at home or at work but again it was fiddly and for sites that aren't designed for the PPC it is painful to wait for the site to load.

I never liked the PPC touch screens either for writing on, it always felt too fragile and limited myself to the on-screen keyboard or my targus keyboard, with the Tablet PC I am happy to scribble away on the screen, or attach the keyboard and use that.

Don't get me wrong I still like my iPAQ and still have it mounted on my belt clip to remind me of meetings/appointments and its handy to take around when users have computer problems as I have typical problem/solutions and user names and passwords on it, I still read ebooks on it and listen to music, but it feels a lot more nimble now I am not trying to wring so much out of it.

[hawkeye]

I love this idea!!

But with no hard drive how could other apps (Picasa?) be installed? Could a network hard drive be used?

Sorry, but I don't know the limitations of XP Embedded.

If nothing else this thing could double as a digital picture frame when you aren't using it. :wink:

[Sven Johannsen]

This is only going to fly if the price is right. I have the full Tablet XP version of this. Got it when it first came out at twice the price they are going for now :? That's neither here nor there. The picture frame isn't a silly comment actually. This is going to require something to serve the OS I would assume, as a thin client is generally something that relies on a server somewhere to support it. Not really a typical home scenario. For a home though it could tie into a central home XP machine in remote desktop I would assume. That would let you browse from anywhere in the house, use it as a remote view for cookbooks in the kitchen, an interface into the X-10 home control stuff.

The target for this could be for situations where you have a lot of folks walking around with clipboards and forms, wharehouses, hospitals, etc. Places where data entry into a database, or other central storage would really be beneficial. Places where a full XP tablet is just kind of overkill.

Funny actually. MS had this remote display concept (Smart Display) that sort of provided a similar capability. They didn't catch on, and I think it was the price.

[hawkeye]

Wasn't Microsoft's "Smart Display" technology called Mira or something like that. They made several displays but ended up cancelling the whole thing. It couldn't catch on because of the price of the hardware. Nobody wanted to pay $1000+ for a mobile second display.


The remote desktop connection should work but doesn't that lock out that desktop, keeping someone sitting at the desktop from using it?

[omikron.sk]

about 0.9-inches thick
That's what I call thin client. :wink:

[Jonathon Watkins]

about 0.9-inches thick
That's what I call thin client. :wink:

Yup, they have the right idea there. 8)

[Felix Torres]

I love this idea!!

But with no hard drive how could other apps (Picasa?) be installed? Could a network hard drive be used?

Sorry, but I don't know the limitations of XP Embedded.

If nothing else this thing could double as a digital picture frame when you aren't using it. :wink:

XP Embedded is a "build-your-own" version of XP. In this case, Motion Computing chose what to include in the OS and what not.
At one extreme, an XP embedded system would be able to run everything XP can run; at the other, it might not run anything but what's in ROM. (Like for a cash register or ATM or voting machine, all apps that use XP embedded.)

Since they're pitching it as a thin-client it is probably intended to run applications remotely, either via a custom client app, browser-based server apps, or a remote multi-user system like Citrix Metaframe.

As for thin, eh, its okay. 8)
The NEC LitePAD versa id 0.5 inches thick and two pounds with a 20GB HD.
But it only has a ten inch screen.
Lots of fun Tablet PC hardware out there; I just wish somebody would hurry up and get the 8 inch tablets out the door...

[johnm]

For the right price this would be really cool thin client device for work and home. All would need is Remote Desktop client, wifi and good handwriting recognition.

As for a full tablet with hard drive, I agree that an 8" form factor would be ideal.

[bkerrins]

I would love to have a tablet. I can't type notes and want to be able to write them. I don't know about going without a hard drive though, partly because they can put a 60G hard drive in an Ipod! You're right about being able to use this around the house. Surf, play music off the server, etc...but I still need something a bit more powerful.

[sesummers]

What I really want to be able to buy is a small tablet that's really a large PPC, but with a better web browser. Frankly, I don't see why, if I can buy a 17" LCD for $250, that I can't buy a tablet with about 1/2 of a 17" LCD (say, 800x480), with a touch screen, and the equivalent of a Dell X50 for the brains, for around $600.

Such a thing would be perfect for web browsing, be big enough for comfortable e-book reading, and with Wireless-G built-in, it could get movies streamed to it from a home media server. If I decide it needs a hard drive, I can put 5 gigs in it with a flash card sized drive.

I believe that when somebody hits this price point with a tablet with specs like these, it'll sell.

[Felix Torres]

What I really want to be able to buy is a small tablet that's really a large PPC, but with a better web browser. Frankly, I don't see why, if I can buy a 17" LCD for $250, that I can't buy a tablet with about 1/2 of a 17" LCD (say, 800x480), with a touch screen, and the equivalent of a Dell X50 for the brains, for around $600.

Such a thing would be perfect for web browsing, be big enough for comfortable e-book reading, and with Wireless-G built-in, it could get movies streamed to it from a home media server. If I decide it needs a hard drive, I can put 5 gigs in it with a flash card sized drive.

I believe that when somebody hits this price point with a tablet with specs like these, it'll sell.

Actually, you can; there are literally dozens of such products out there.
Two caveats:
- They mostly run basic WinCE, not PocketPC software.
- They cost a bit more than $600. I think they range from $700 to $1000.
You ever see the Samsung Nexio?
Its been showcased here a few times...

[sesummers]

When I said "Half a 17 inch monitor", I was implying that I want a BIG screen. A typical 17" LCD at 96dpi is 10.67 by 13.33. Half of that, converted to an HDTV aspect ratio, would be 10.67 by about 6.4" high, 12.4" diagonal- well over twice as big as the Nexio's.

If we go 800x480 at 96dpi, that's 8.33x5 inches, about 9.7" diagonal- still almost twice the size of the Nexio's display.

Again, I'm not looking for a tiny "mini-laptop", or a ruggedized OEM type product. I have seen some machines like this- the Bookeen "Cybook" is getting there. But until HP or Dell or Toshiba or somebody launches one aimed at consumers, I think the machines like this will remain niche products.

[twalk]

When I said "Half a 17 inch monitor", I was implying that I want a BIG screen. A typical 17" LCD at 96dpi is 10.67 by 13.33. Half of that, converted to an HDTV aspect ratio, would be 10.67 by about 6.4" high, 12.4" diagonal- well over twice as big as the Nexio's.

If we go 800x480 at 96dpi, that's 8.33x5 inches, about 9.7" diagonal- still almost twice the size of the Nexio's display.

Again, I'm not looking for a tiny "mini-laptop", or a ruggedized OEM type product. I have seen some machines like this- the Bookeen "Cybook" is getting there. But until HP or Dell or Toshiba or somebody launches one aimed at consumers, I think the machines like this will remain niche products.

You've said above that you're not looking for a mini-laptop, but take 2 minutes to check out the fujitsu P1120. It has a screen that can lay flat, it's a touchpanel, and it's got a built it stylus, while running at 1024x600 resolution. You can typically get used ones from ebay for $500-$800.

Todd.