GETAC UPGRADES ITS V100 SERIES OF NOTEBOOKS

V100, the fully-rugged convertible tablet PC from Getac has been upgraded. The newest enhancements include processor and memory upgrades, greater storage capacities and better bandwidth and wireless capabilities.

The upgrades are as follows:
Processor has been upgraded from 1.2 GHz Intel Merom to 1.4 GHz Intel Penryn
Front side bus has been increased from 533 MHz to 800 MHz.
The 2MB L2 cache has been upgraded to 3MB.
Memory has been increased from 2 GB to 4 GB.
ExpressCard slot is now offered in the standard configuration.
Wireless networking capabilities now include draft 802.11n.
Minimum HDD has been raised to 160GB and maximum HDD has been raised to 320GB.

The V100 has also received certification by UL 1604 which allows safe, spark-free use of the V100 in potentially explosive environments.

GETAC M230

The Getac M230 comes with a punch proof screen and rubberized carrying handle in a thick magnesium cell. This notebook is rugged to the core.

The GETAC M230 has the following configuration:
Operating System: Windows XP Professional
Processor: Intel Core Duo Processor L2400 (1.6GHz, 2MB L2 Cache, 667MHz FSB)
Display: 15.0" XGA Touchscreen (1024x768, Matte finish)
Memory: 2GB DDR2 System Memory (2 Dimm)
Graphics: Intel GMA950 Integrated Graphics
Price as configured: $4,399

Build and Design
With its thick magnesium alloy frame, the Getac M230 is perfectly rugged. All corners of the notebook have sturdy rubber bumpers screwed into them to absorb impact forces when, for instance, the notebook is dropped. Build quality is excellent, so is the design.

Display
The display on this notebook is equipped with a shock-proof XGA resolution touch screen. This touch screen comes with a protective Plexiglas cover and it won’t break even if a large ball bearing falls on it from about table height. The screen shows no signs of ripple or color distortion when you punch on it.
The display is average with shallow viewing angles. Screen brightness is good, so you can easily work in bright office settings or direct sunlight.

Keyboard and Touchpad
The backlit keyboard is dust, rock and water proof. The silicone keys are not very easy to type on, so typing requires some efforts. The keys are of normal size and there is enough spacing between them. The touchpad is of average size. It works fine and offers good finger sensitivity.

Performance and Benchmarks
With its dual core processor, the Getac M230 is capable of delivering a snappy performance. Boot times are fast and programs load without any noticeable lag. Though gaming is not something you can try on this notebook, you should have no problem working in Photoshop.

Ports and Features
Port selection is good. There are 2 USB ports, Firewire 800, Serial, Docking Connection, 2 PC-Card, VGA, LAN, Modem, Parallel, IR, and Headphone/Mic.

Battery
At 5.5 hours the battery life is excellent.

Conclusion
If you can afford to buy it, you shouldn’t hesitate. This is an excellent rugged notebook that offers great performance and battery life. It is portable and rugged enough to face any situation the user may get into.

Pros
Punch-proof touch screen
Generates neither heat nor noise
Rugged enough to stop a bullet
Cons
Heavy
Silicone keyboard is not very comfortable to type on

GETAC 9213 REVIEW

Getac known for its super-rugged notebooks has entered the business notebook market with the Getac 9213. This is a thin and light 13.3 inch model business notebook with prices starting at $1,799.

System configuration
OS: Windows Vista Business (SP1)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo SU9400 (1.40GHz, 800MHz FSB, 3MB Cache)
Memory: 3GB DDR2 RAM (2GB x 1GB)
Storage: 160GB Fujitsu 5400rpm HDD
Optical Drive: DVD+/-RW
Wireless: Intel 5300AGN, Bluetooth 2.1
Graphics: Intel X4500M Integrated
Built-in web camera

One of the nicest features of this notebook is its keyboard which is very comfortable to type on. There are 3 USB ports, LAN, analog and digital audio ports and VGA. Expansion slots include an ExpressCard/34 slot and SDHC multi-card reader. The speakers work well for VOIP applications but not so great for music and video

Performance
Performance is similar to those offered by Lenovo ThinkPad X301 and Toshiba Portege A605. The notebook can perform day-to-day jobs like word processing, surfing the web, or watching video. The notebook comes with integrated intel graphics and a power-saving Intel SU9400 Core 2 Duo processor. The average battery life is 4.5 hours.

Pros:
Excellent looks and competent build quality
Great keyboard

Cons:
expensive