Satellite R15-S822 Tablet PC, Intel Pentium M Processor 725, 1.6GHz, with Centrino Technology, 512MB RAM, 60GB Hard Drive, 14.1-inch XGA TFT Display, DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive, Windows XP Tablet PC 2005
Larger than previous Toshiba Tablet PCs though still nicely svelte, the R15-S822 includes support for Intel's next-generation Pentium M platform, code-named Sonoma. The Tablet PC design enables you to take notes and write emails without your keyboard and browse the Web with a pen. You can even get creative by sketching out ideas or creating digital art right on the screen. The R15-S822 features a swiveling 14.1-inch display, a DVD/CD-RW combo drive, 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of installed RAM, 54g wireless connectivity, and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
The Basics
- Hard Drive: While the 60 GB IDE hard drive (4200 RPM) has become average for notebook PCs, it's quite sizeable in comparison with other comparable ultra-compact notebooks. It offers road warriors enough capacity for storing documents, digital media files, and productivity software.
- Processor: The 1.6 GHz Pentium M (Centrino) processor is at the middle of the speed spectrum for this processor class (February, 2005). It is well equipped for office productivity software tasks, from complex spreadsheets to databases. The Pentium M processor is designed specifically for low-power mobile usage, and it features the latest in power-saving technologies--ensuring you push your battery and productivity to the max. It also has a large 2 MB L2 cache--which will help speed up your system's performance--and a 400 MHz front-side bus (FSB).
- Memory: The 512 MB of built-in memory (2 x 256 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC2700, 333 MHz) is a good start for power users. It has two memory slots in total, with a maximum memory expansion up to a hefty 2 GB (2 x 1024 MB).
- CD/DVD Drive: The combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive can read CDs at 24x, write at 24x, and rewrite at 24x speeds. It can read DVDs at 8x.
- Keyboard and Mouse: This Tablet PC has an 84-key keyboard with 13 function keys and a two-button touchpad.
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The R15's 14.1 screen can be twisted 180 degrees and folded flat against the keyboard for full tablet mode. |
Screen, Graphcs and Sound
The R15-S822 features the Intel Extreme Graphics 2 video card with 16 to 64 MB of shared video memory. The 14.1-inch screen can be rotated while attached to the keyboard for presentations, or twisted 180 degrees and folded flat against the keyboard for full tablet mode. It also includes an integrated audio card and built-in stereo speakers
 | Connectivity and Expansion Slots
The R15-S822 has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. You get a good offering of connectivity options, including both USB 2.0 and Firewire: - 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
- 1 FireWire (also known as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) port for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
- 1 VGA monitor port
- 1 S-Video out
- 1 PCMCIA (or PC Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
- 1 Secure Digital memory card slot
- 1 headphone jack
- 1 external microphone jack and built-in microphone
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It also has an integrated 56K modem (V.90) and an RJ-45 LAN network port (for a 10/100 Gigabit Ethernet connection to networks and DSL/cable modems).
Preloaded System and Software
This system comes with the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system with Service Pack 2 featuring Advanced Security Technologies, which helps to reduce unwanted downloads and pop-ups while surfing the Web.
Power
This Tablet PC is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with up to 4 hours of battery life.
What's in the Box
This package contains the R15-S822 notebook PC, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a one-year limiited hardware warranty.
1 Excellent hybrid!!!!
I am a first time tablet buyer and thus read everything written on tablets before buying one. I am quite please with my choice.
I have owned an ECS desknote, Compaq Presario, IBM notebooks and Gateway desktop earlier. Right now, I am using the R15 along with my gateway desktop.
Several people wrote that it is probably better to go with a slate rather than a hybrid but I wasn't sure how much will I use my tablet functionality. It appears that I will use the R15 mostly as a tablet and sometimes as a notebook. So, my next purchase will be a slate.
I have such a poor handwriting that I cannot read it myself on some occasions. Thus I am surprised that R15 could read my handwriting so well. I didnt check the speech recognition function, but last time I looked at it, the technology hadn't advanced much.
Overall, R15 is a sturdy machine with good wireless card (I didn't have to set up the wireless). Battery life is good (and can stretch even more than 4 hours on some settings). The pen is very easy to use and pleasant experience. The drive makes a lot of sound but there is a silencer that can make the noise disappear (I am not sure whether it changes the perfomrance). I was quite worried about the cooling of the machine - I checked an averatec which was too hot to handle. R15 manages the heat disspiation quite well, thought it reamins warm (not hot like so many other machines).
I decided not to go with Averatec as I read too many bad reviews and my last experinece with an unknown brand was extremely bad. So, i decided to spend 350 bucks extra on a known brand.
I found the performance of the machine to be at least as good as my 2.2Ghz desktop. I simultaneuously ran word, outlook, excel and onenote and performnnce was still good.
Amazon gave a great deal (and when i bought it was the cheapest R15 around). They also shipped in just 3 days (although they said it woudl take 5-9 days). Buying at Amazon was a pleasure - as always.
The only thing I dont like about R15 is the weight. Although, as a laptop the weigth is not problem, when it is used as a slate holding it in one arm for long is difficult. But this is a trade-off I made to have a larger screen, built in optical drive, and laptop functionality. I am not disappointed with the trade-off.
Overall, I would recommend this machine to someone who doesn't know how much he/she would use it as a tablet and for first time tablet buyers. I would also recommend potential laptop buyers to take a good look at this hybrid as it has amazing features (as a tablet) that would change the way you work with your computer.
2 Overall it's a good machine for the price
I wrote a review of the R15 that would take too much space here. You can view at VBInk dot com.
In general, I agree with the previous reviews. I would recommend it for people new to tablets. My next one may be a slate though. I didn't think I was too mobile beofre getting the R15. A new world has opened up to me. In a couple years I'll be ready for a slate. Someone told me "If you buy a convertable, try to use it only in Tablet mode to really learn and benefit from the tablet features. Otherwise, you'll end up using the Tablet as a notebook and the purchase would have been pointless."
3 Excellent tablet pc - versitile - but A Monster
I agree with the previous review. I've had this machine for over about a week now and I love it...but it's a monster. Heavy and big. When converted into tablet form it is much more manageable (at least it's not so bulky then). I bought a verizon broadband card and I've been in heaven. Never have to worry about an internet connection now...I use the tablet form when in meetings and when I have to walk around. The machine itself is great. Comes with OneNote installed...great features...big screen (although that can be a pain because it makes the machine bigger; I like the big screen though)...and a very good price for what you get. If you're willing to spend over 2.5K you can get the Fujitu T4000 which is smaller and lighter and looks like a great machine....but you pay over 1K more (which I was not willing to do). The R15 is a very functional machine; it does what I need it for and although it's a bit heavy and bulky it is an excellent value. Hopefully it will stand the test of time and not fall apart on me after I write this review :)
4 BEST FOR THE PRICE
I wanted to buy a tablet pc for a long time but the only thing that was keeping me away from it was that the price was too high for something with very low computing power and in most cases no optical drive. For the ones with a good configuration and an optical drive the price was too high. I loved the functionality of the tablet pc so was not able to decided whether to buy a notebook or a tablet, but then this came along and I have to say it is the best for the price, I have given it 4 stars only because it is on the heavier side for a tablet pc, but then I guess you can't have everything for this price. If you want something light and can do without a CD/DVD drive and a smaller screen then you should consider the TOSHIBA M200 or the FUJITSU T4000. Except the weight this is a great machine.
