Customer Reviews

Gateway M275X Tablet PC (1.4-GHz Pentium M (Centrino), 256 MB RAM, 40 GB Hard Drive, DVD/CD-RW Combo)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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HARDWARE

M275XL tablets 1.6 GHz is one of the high speed tablets compared to other on the market plus not very expensive. Yes more expensive than a laptop. Before buying Tablet PC make sure that you hold it and use it for a while before you buy it (do not drool... bad for screen)

Display View Angle: In tablet mode you will often hold it in different angles and hold it much closer than a laptop. Most screens fail in this test. M275 works OK in default landscape mode but very bad in both portraits and reverse landscape.

Pen: Check how well pens perform at the screen edges. Often scrollbars are on the edge in maximized view. I noticed sometime physical touch point on the screen and the 'soft pointer' don't align (off by 1/2 the thickness of scrollbar) making it difficult to use. M275X works OK. Few times I have had to recalibrate pointer/pen.

Processor and Memory: Low CPU speeds and lesser RAM might might be a factor if you plan to use this for something more than data entry and/or etch-a-sketch.

SOFTWARE

M275 ships with Table PC Edition 2002. Microsoft will be launching 2004 Edition with better features in June... that is what I last heard. It ships with Windows Journal and Office Works OneNote, which are really good basic tools for free form writing and recording information in tablet mode.

Other more serious graphic application such as Corel Graphigo, SketchBook, or Office 2003 with OneNote will improve your productivity.

BOTTOM LINE

M275 is good hardware except viewing angle issues. I just use it in default landscape mode and I am OK with that. Go for more CPU speed and memory. Hard disk space of 40GB~60GB is ample. Upgrade to Edition 2004 will be free... yeah from Microsoft. If you can't wait... BUY IT!!! And, if you can... DON'T WAIT!!!

It takes a week to get used to pen and different user interface.

NOTE: Don't buy (or take it for free) cheapest Gateway carrying case. Better off using manila envelope. Very thin. No pockets. Minimal padding. No protection. No use. Buy an extra Pen $20.

Versatile, lightweight, portable, durable and powerful.

I love this thing! I've had my Gateway tablet for about two months now and it's already changed the way I use my computer for both business and fun.

First of all: Some other reviewers had complaints about the latch breaking... mine is still working just fine! It's easy to get carried away having fun with such a cool new technology, but you have to remember that this is NOT a toy! It's a powerful hybrid computing system that gives you an edge over both laptop AND tablet PC users. If you screw around with it of course it's going to break- just like any number of other delicate parts on your laptop. The latch is built well and works perfectly if you make sure not to force it.

For the guy who broke his after 20 days... you should have gotten an extended warranty! I highly reccomend the extended warranty on this because, like any other advanced technology, you're going to want to protect yourself from any repair or replacement costs you might face should something go wrong. I didnt get the extended warranty because this is a bad computer... I got the extended warranty because it's the smart thing to do!

I love my tablet because it's smaller than a notebook but still has a full-size keyboard. Basically you get the best of both worlds with this one!

I can now do all of my graphic design work by sitting the computer on a desk or my lap and writing directly on the screen... and then swivel the screen out so I have acces to the keyboard when I need to write an e-mail or chat online... this is brilliant!!

I have this set of CDs I recently purchased that contains materials and resources I'm studying for an upcoming licensing exam. Before, I had to sit at my PC for hours a day reading this stuff. Now I just throw the CD in the tablet PC and I can recline or relax at ANY angle and I'm able to hold the tablet whichever way is comfortable. If you ever use your laptop to read, watch movies, or even just surf message boards then you'll love the M275X.

I can't say enough good things about this computer. It's made working when I travel so much easier. Tablets are so far superior to laptops in terms of ease of use and comfortable viewing/ operating options. And this tablet takes it a step further by including the ONLY thing that tablets were missing- a keyboard! Maybe the only downside is all the attention it attracts when I'm using it at Starbucks! Tablet PCs are the future!

Are you looking for an awesome deal on a laptop? Need the best Tablet PC on the market? Are you a student that has difficulty with there typing skills? Are you an office worker that thinks they can be more productive if they didn't have to type everything? Do you need an excellent computer, but don't want to pay $2,000* + on a computer that's not as good as the M275? If you answered yes to any of these questions than the Gateway** M275 convertible tablet pc is the right choice for you. Now you're probably saying ok here's a laptop reasonably priced nothing special hmm... next! WRONG the M275 unlike most tablets that don't have built in keyboards and, unlike most laptops that don't offer handwriting recondition the M275 offers the best of both worlds, when you first open it up it's a normal laptop, then all you have to do is turn the screen, push a button and Boom... it instantly becomes a tablet. What is a tablet you ask, a tablet is a special type of computer with special software made by Microsoft*** that offers converted handwriting recondition, that means that with a special pen (Included) you can write on the screen press a button and BOOM!!! It converts your handwriting. As well as offering handwriting recondition it also offers a 14" screen, something only offered by two manufacturers of tablets (Gateway** and Acer**) in addition it also offers a memory card reader so if you are going on vacation and you're bringing along your digital camera you don't have to pack a cable for your digital camera (if it supports SD, Memory Stick**, or Smart Media) This is why I think the M275 is a excellent system!!!!

By Andrew Kostin -- Student

*Depending on options system can be configurable to exceed $2,000 as of 6/23/04

** products/companies are registered trademarks of there respected owners

The best part about this machine is the versatility it has in providing you both the Tablet PC experience and when needed converts to a standard laptop. It took me about two weeks to get comfortable with the stylus but now it is second nature.

I use the M275 in Tablet mode about 75% of the time. I have downloaded Microsoft Reader and find it quite easy to read ebooks. I also have subsribed to Zinio Magazine reader and have subsribed to both PC Magazine and PC World. Being able to hyperlink to various products in the ezines in great.

The system is a bit heavy but it has not prevented me from carrying it around the house. The Centrino CPU makes it very convenient to take around the house and connect wirelessly to the net. I had no difficulty setting it up with my wireless network. Battery life is quite good and the battery charges very quickly. I can't say enough good things about this system. Although a bit heavy it is well worth the money I paid to get this great system. Gateway has done their homework and developed a great Tablet PC.

Great value - great features. Have been waiting for an "affordable" tablet - have had great experience with Gateway and this is the best one I've had so far. Highly recommended!

Honestly the machine in its prime is a 4. Stable, long battery life, good resolution. There isn't a low enough number offered to reflect the pitiful customer service so a rating of 2 is more an effort to impress my maker that I retain some generosity of spirit than a valid rating.

I have used an M275 for the last two years in my work. I bought it for its tablet capabilities and in that regard it has delivered.

The pity is that it is badged Gateway.

First, after buying the 3 yr extended warranty, but while still in the first year warranty period the hard drive froze.

I was told that it would have to be sent to Texas for repair. Since it was my work machine I opted to have a new HDD sent. I had backed up my data, so a formatted disk with the OS loaded would have sufficed.

That simple solution eluded Gateway through FIVE shipped drives, three unformatted and none with OS loaded. In the end I shipped it and the pile of useless replacement drives to them and yes, they charged me for shipping.

Fast forward to this summer. Broken protective glass over the TFT screen due to a gust of wind coercing the open door of my Chevy to occupy the space that my arm and my computer case had been occupying.

Gateway please send replacement glass which I will pay for and save some shipping by including the little latch mechanism that has been kaput since last year. I expect you to cover the cost of the latch and I will affect the repairs of both items.

So sorry Mr. Lee the Builder but you must ship it to Texas with a check for much more than 500$ for a pane of glass and a piddling latch mechanism.

I say nay nay.

Here's the skinny. Gateway is a dinosaur at the end of its epoch. Do the poor old girl and yourself a favor and look elsewhere. Let her die in peace. There are other tablets and the ones Gateway sells are just badged Gateway anyway so in truth practically the same machines are available elsewhere.

My next will be an Acer. The customer service is not stellar from them either, but it's positively whiteglove compared to doddering old Gateway.

One more thing.

Should you opt for a Gateway product, I wouldn't waste a penny on the warranty. There is ample web based support and parts replacement capability and I suggest that the money would be better off in a short term mid cap than dumping it down the hole that is Gateway and that thing I laughingly refer to here as customer "service".

Make sure you get the extended warranty with this, because you'll need it.

I am on my 4th replacement machine. The first one, the pen functionality stopped working. The pen functionality stopped working on the second one as well. By the way, it took a while to get my second one even though I paid good money to have the extended warranty with accidental damage protection. (I'd hate to see how long it would take to replace if it were actually damaged).

After my second one failed, it took a long time, several phone calls and emails to tech support, and finally a strong letter to the VP to get my third warranty replacement machine.

The 3rd one didn't work when it arrived so they sent me the 4th one which I have been using now for several months.

Recently, the backlight on the screen started to go out intermittently, so I called in to get it fixed. I was told I would be called back the next day to schedule the on-site replacement of the screen. After waiting 8 days, I decided to call them back. Supposedly the tech will be out next week to fix it, but I'm not holding my breath.

Needless to say, this will be my last Gateway machine. I reluctantly purchased this one after a bad expreience with a Solo laptop a few years ago. Their product has not improved and their service has gotten worse. I am going to get this one fixed (for the last time) and put it on eBay or maybe just take it to the shooting range.

This machine isn't worth the frustration; go with another brand!