1. Looks good Marc, I look forward to reading your posts about it once it arrives.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Colin Walker

2. Anxious to see how it goes. How many model numbers does Gateway have now?

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Warner Crocker

3. I have looked and looked at that machine, salivating sometimes. And it has some really enticing features -- the writing palette high among them.

The deal breaker for me was no eraser on the pen. I have come to really enjoy the eraser on my Cross pen. I know that you can tap on an eraser function in all programs -- but for me that adds just a little too much overhead. I like to think with my tablet -- and when I am messing with buttons I don't think.

Do you know if there is going to be some sort of a driver upgrade, or if that is even possible with their technology?

And another question, how did James Kendrick get 256 MB of video RAM? That's not an option on the site that I see.

I'll be following your assessment very closely.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Julie

4. Marc,

That machine's specs look pretty sweet. I've got a bunch of "why" questions to ask, and although I should probably wait for you to get the Gateway, I'll put them here so you can possibly address them in the future:

1. Why leave the M200 platform? I've got an M200 and like it, but feel it has some shortcomings. I'd like to see the comparison between the two machines, and what 'made you leave' your M200.

2. Why go bigger? I've been leaning toward the smaller Lenovo X41, despite the reduced resolution.

3. Why not go to a slate? Just curious. I think I know the answer, but still, did you give it a thought?

I've got more questions, but will leave it at that for now :)

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Nitin Badjatia

5. Warner - How many models? I have no idea to be honest. The Gateway site follows the model of Dell and asks customers to self-select who they are (consumer, small business, etc.). The model I selected in the Small Business section and seemed to offer the best price/performance ratio for my target budget (under $2K). The only thing I sacrificed is more video RAM (I would have loved to have gotten 256 MB like the unit James is using).

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant

6. Julie - I'll have a better idea about what the possibilities for using an eraser-equipped pen will be once I get the new Tablet. I have a Cross stylus (with eraser) that may work. It's not as big a deal for me as it seems to be for you. I figure I can add a keyboard command to toggle between ink and eraser in most of the apps I use regularly (either in the app itself or with ActiveWords).

On the VRAM question, James is using a high-end model that I don't think is publicly available just yet. I could have waited but I was working on a self-imposed budget of under $2K and felt that 64 MB would be more than adequate (I've been plenty happy with the 32 MB card in my current M200). I may not get full Glass effects in Vista with the 64 MB but I can do without that eye candy. I suspect, based on a lot of comments being made about Vista's hefty VRAM requirements that there is additional optimization work being done to reduce some of the high-end requirement being bandied about (like Michael Dell's statement that you'll need a minimum of 128 MB to get the full Vista effect).

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant

7. Nitin - I feel pretty good about trying to answer your questions right now. Having ordered the new Tablet, I have already wrestled my way through all of them.

1. Why leave the M200? I've been very happy with it. I think it represented the best convertible configuration at the time I got it (May 2004). But a lot can (and has) happened in the past 18 months to make the M200 a bit out-of-date for my purposes. First, it's been feeling a bit under-powered. The new unit will have a marginally faster processor than my M200 (not a big deal), twice as much (and faster) RAM, faster video with more VRAM, and a faster, bigger hard drive. And, it will have a built-in optical drive which I've really missed having. The 7-in-1 flash reader, FireWire, and a third USB port are nice bonuses too.

2. Why go bigger? It suits my needs. I don't care as much about weight and heft as folks who are continually on the move. I use the Tablet everywhere but I'm generally sitting down when I use it so the weight isn't a factor as it would be for a healthcare worker or theater director (like Warner). I have always liked wide-screen displays for the extra real estate they provide and the display on these Gateways is just beautiful - very saturated color and very sharp definition. The resolution was the other big consideration. I simply can not work on a 1024 x 768 display. All other considerations aside, this was a deal breaker on the ThinkPad for me. And my eyes are getting pretty fatigued looking at the M200's very high res display, especially when I'm working late into the evening. I'm not as young as I once was ;^)

3. Why not go with a slate? I use the keyboard a lot. I need a great keyboard, not some snap-on kludge. I read Rob Bushway's experiences with the Motion 1600 which sounded promising but ultimately ended up being an obstacle. I really liked the feel and action on the Gateway keyboard and, as I'm a Trackpad kind of guy (I really do not like the ThinkPad pointing stick thing), I was pleased at the size of the pad on the Gateway which includes a well-defined scrolling area and big, raised buttons.

That's my rationale in any event. Time will tell how wise these decisions will prove to be. And you can count on the fact that I'll be my usual talkative self about my experiences.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant

8. Congradulations. I've been looking at the Gateway model at Best Buy as well. Do you know if pressure sensitivity is supported? The display tablet I used didn't have Sketchbook, which was a dissapointment.

Also, would you be looking to sell your M200?

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Patrick

9. The cross pen won't work on the gateway - the gateway uses finepoint digitizer and cross pen only works on wacom.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Rob Bushway, Tablet PC MVP

10. In addition to what Rob said, the gateway also doesn't have pressure sensitivity. I think this platform is great for people considering a tablet because it has a very low entry price ($1150 I think for a celeron equipped with 1gb ram and 80gb hard drive) but for a tablet afficionado like yourself, it seems to be a strange choice.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Josh Einstein

11. Josh - I can understand why you'd say that but pressure sensitivity is a feature I need maybe 5% of the time while having tons of big bright screen real estate, fast video, an excellent "writing" surface (the Gateway screen is almost glass-like compared to the nubby, textured Toshiba screen), and all of the other positives I've described above are things I'll want 100% of the time.

I'm not an artist. I'm not a heavy user of photo editing applications. I write. A lot. In ink and via the keyboard. I mind map like there's no tomorrow. And, as you know as well as anyone (better than most I suspect), I spend a huge amount of time in Outlook.

For me the Tablet PC has always been primarily about reading and writing in a variety of settings. And I'm a committed one computer person - have been for more than 10 years now. I want everything with me at all times.

I've also seen and appreciate the issues both Rob and James have had with the Gateway form factor. My use case is just different than theirs (or yours I'm sure - developer monster that you are). Unlike James, I have a strong back and have lugged really big heavy laptops around before. By comparison to some of the units I've used, the Gateway is downright svelte. And, aside from the occasional airplane outing, most of my lugging tends to be from my car to wherever I'm going to sit down and work.

I've also used ultraportables like the Toshiba Portege (the tiny, non-Tablet version) and my current M200. If I ever go back to being a road warrior (man, I hope not), I'll want something tiny yet powerful. Right now, I'm more interested in an affordable, full-featured machine that lets me think in ink.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant

12. I for one think you'll love it, Marc.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by James Kendrick

13. In answer to Julie's question, the Gateway I am using as far as I know is not available yet but it seems to me to be exactly like the one Marc got, with some beefier components. The 256 MB VRAM was a real surprise as it was only supposed to have 128. :)

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by James Kendrick

14. Like getting a new baby. Well, maybe not. With a new baby, you wouldn't be selling the old.

I too have looked and loved the screen, but along with many of those who've commented above, I'm wary of the extra weight. Over the years, I've noticed that the lighter the monster the more likely it is that I'll pull it out of the dock and take it to a meeting or to a class.

In any event, I'm looking forward to hearing how the weight affects your usage patterns, and I want to complement you on how you made your choice. Too many folks go for the bells and polish. You've got those with the Gateway, but you began by asking, "How do I use the tablet?"

Most of my usage is also reading, writing, and mind-mapping. Most of the reading is of pdf files. Most of the writing is via keyboard, for which I use my desktop. The tablet is where my life is parked in the form of Outlook and Mind Manager. If I can ever convience my students to email their papers, I've considered commenting on the tablet, but I haven't taken this step as of yet.

Congradulation.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Stephen Brandon

15. Is this Gateway the one that has a more "paper like" writting surface? I have a TC1100 and am thinking about an upgarde also.

Also is there any delay betweeen writting and conversion to text. With the processor speed and memory I would think it would be very fast.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Dave

16. Dave - the surface is actually very smooth and almost glass-like, not textured. The TIP input and ink recognition in OneNote and Journal (based on my admittedly brief in-store testing) was very quick.

Posted at 6:17AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Marc Orchant