Review of my HP TX1003AU Tablet PC
Saturday, June 30th, 2007I recently bought HP’s new tablet PC - the TX1003 AU. I’ve been using it for about a month now and it’s been quite fabulous. The basic features are:
| Processor | AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile TL-52 (1.6 GHz with 1 MB Level 2 cache) |
| Memory | 1024 MB (1 GB) DDR2 667 MHz (max. 2 GB) |
| Hard Disk | 120 GB SATA 5400 RPM |
| Optical Drive | Lightscribe Super Multi DVD Writer (+R/-R/+RW/-RW) with Double Layer support |
| Card Reader | 5-in-1 integrated Digital Media Reader for Secure Digital cards, MultiMedia cards, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, or xD Picture cards |
| Modem | 56K High Speed modem |
| LAN | 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet |
| Wireless Technologies | 802.11 a/b/g WLAN |
| Bluetooth | Integrated Bluetooth |
| External I/O Ports | 1 VGA port; 3 USB 2.0 ports; 1 RJ 11; 1 RJ 45; S-video TV out; 1 Microphone-in; Stereo headphone with SPDIF, Additional headphone jack, Expansion Port for xb3000, 2 Consumer IR |
| Expansion Slots | One ExpressCard/34 slot |
| Display | 12.1″ WXGA High-Definition HP BrightView Widescreen Display with Integrated Touch-screen |
| Display Resolution | 1280 x 800 |
| Video Adapter | NVIDIA(r) GeForce(tm) Go 6150 |
| Control Panel | HP QuickPlay dedicated menu controls, music and DVD buttons along with a remote contol. |
| Internal Audio | 3D Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound 16 bit integrated |
| Speakers and Microphone | Altec Lansing(r) integrated speakers with Integrated Microphones |
| Keyboard | Next Generation 12-inch Compact Keyboard |
| Pointing Device | Touch Pad with On/Off button and 2-way scroll with 8 Quick Launch Buttons |
| Webcam | HP Pavilion WebCam |
| Security | Fingerprint Reader |
The first thing I did was upgrade the memory to 2 GB. The sad thing is that this baby comes pre-loaded with Windows Vista and there are no drivers available for any other operating system, even on HP’s site. Anyway, once I got past that fact the features of this tablet have kinda swept me off my feet.
First of all the integrated Finger-Print Reader saves me a lot of time everyday, cause I don’t have to type in my password to log into Windows, websites, messengers and many other applications that may require authentication. After the initial setup, all I have to do is swipe my finger and I’m logged in.
Another great feature is that the volume controls are a separate set of buttons just above the ESC, F1 and F2 keys. Unlike my older laptop, where I have to hold a key combination to mute or increase/decrease the volume, it’s much easier to have access to specifically assigned buttons to do this job.
The integrated speakers on the TX1003AU are attached to the bottom of the screen. Manufactured by Altec Lansing, the sound quality is quite amazing - crystal clear and loud. They lack a little bass, but heck - it’s a tablet PC - not a boombox. There are 2 microphones integrated at the top of the screen, which are supposed to provide better clarity or something, but I’ve not noticed much of a difference from my older laptop which has only one microphone. Anyway, the mics are well positioned and optimal for voice chatting or making VoIP calls.
The mini Remote Control is an awesome feature - just great to watch movies or play music sitting away from the tablet. I just plug it to my Creative sound system and 19″ TFT 
and it’s movie time!
Now, for the best part - the screen of the HP TX1003AU, that normally looks like a laptop, swivels 180 degrees and goes flat down to become a tablet. Pop out the stylus and I have full touch screen control, including handwriting recognition and drawing capabilities. The touch screen features can be used even when the tablet screen is in it’s normal position - but it becomes useful when it’s swiveled into a tablet. The screen is remarkably sharp and is great for my long hours of work.
The WiFi ON/OFF switch is located on the right hand side, on the front panel and is easily accessible. The range seems quite good right now, I get network signals from 2 houses away through the walls - but that could be because they have wooden houses here in Toronto. I will have to check the strength again when I’m back in Goa.
There is a small touchpad ON/OFF switch just above the touchpad and is quite useful when typing, so that the cursor doesn’t jump, if I accidentally touch the pad. It is a very unique touchpad that blends smoothly into the body of the laptop and only has dots on it to show its existence.
There are 2 headphone sockets on the front panel - so 2 people can watch a movie or listen to music at the same time, while in a quiet zone, like a plane or the like.
Lastly, the battery - after about a month of charging and discharging the battery, as I use the tablet on battery as much as I use it on AC power, I still get about 3 hours of battery time. If I’m running some heavy application like playing a DVD or a game, then I get a little less than 2 hours of battery time.
So, overall, a great buy at just Rs. 63,000 - a whole load of features and amazing performance. This tablet seems to be just perfect for my business and personal life.
