# Tablet PC Shopping Help **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 28, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856 "2007-09-28T19:33:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/1 "2007-09-28T19:33:58Z")
I’d like to get an equivalent of a laptop, but that has a full sized keyboard. My ideal for this would be to get a tablet PC and a roll up keyboard ([like this](http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/input/5a7f/)), but am a bit uncertain as to the feasability of this. Firstly, it’s not real clear whether any tablet PCs have anything to hold themselves upright. You can buy docking ports for an extra $300, but it seems like they should have some sort of little arm on the back–which I can’t tell since I’m trying to buy just based on a picture on the internet. Does anyone know of any tablet PCs that definitely do have something that can hold them upright like a monitor? And with the roll up keyboard, Amazon lists a few but the reviews for each seem to say everything from “they’re just as easy to type with as a normal keyboard” to “you have to use one finger to type and still hit each key multiple times.” Has anyone tried these? Or have a particular recommendation for model? ---
**Author:** ![Jeeves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jeeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeeves)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/2 "2007-09-28T20:32:06Z")
I have had a tablet for about a year and half now, and love it! I have the [HP TC4400](http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/321957-321957-64295-304455-306995-1847962.html) , and it has changed my life. It is like a normal laptop, only the screen rotates and lays flat for tablet use. I am a student, so this is how I take notes for all my classes. All my notes are always accessible now, including all my old classes, and they are searchable. It doesn’t weigh very much, but it doesn’t have an optical drive. I haven’t found that to be a problem becuase I have a usb one at home, and I have never really needed one right away at school. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/3 "2007-09-28T20:46:21Z")
I was going for something that entirely lacked a keyboard just so it didn’t take up extra space. Being able to write on it like a tablet is actually not something I care about (though I’m sure I’ll like it.) ---
**Author:** ![Smith8762](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Smith8762](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smith8762)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/4 "2007-09-30T12:37:04Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] I was going for something that entirely lacked a keyboard just so it didn’t take up extra space. Being able to write on it like a tablet is actually not something I care about (though I’m sure I’ll like it.) [/QUOTE] Unless you’re wanting this thing to be portable I’m not sure a tablet pc is what you’re looking for. I have a Toshiba Satelite tablet for work and it’s great. But technically speaking it’s just a regular laptop with a swivel screen. So if you don’t want something that you can write on and has no keyboard, perhaps something like [this](http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/sony-vaio-lt19u/4505-3118_7-32587604.html) might be more up your alley. You could probably order it directly from Sony without the keyboard. But I don’t know how portable it would be. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/5 "2007-09-30T16:39:37Z")
[QUOTE=Sage Rat] And with the roll up keyboard, Amazon lists a few but the reviews for each seem to say everything from “they’re just as easy to type with as a normal keyboard” to “you have to use one finger to type and still hit each key multiple times.” Has anyone tried these? Or have a particular recommendation for model? [/QUOTE] A few months back we tried one of those keyboards in an environment where keyclick noise was a no-no, figuring that it would be silent. The keyboard was very quiet, but everyone hated it. It sucked. You really did have to hit each key squarely, so a good touch typist might have to revert to hunt and peck to ensure that the keys really pressed. We eventually were forced to replace it with a conventional keyboard. Having used it for a short while, I would never recommend that someone get one for their day-to-day use. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tablet-pc-shopping-help/420856/6 "2007-09-30T16:44:41Z")
[QUOTE=snowblindfrog] Unless you’re wanting this thing to be portable I’m not sure a tablet pc is what you’re looking for. I have a Toshiba Satelite tablet for work and it’s great. But technically speaking it’s just a regular laptop with a swivel screen. So if you don’t want something that you can write on and has no keyboard, perhaps something like [this](http://reviews.cnet.com/desktops/sony-vaio-lt19u/4505-3118_7-32587604.html) might be more up your alley. You could probably order it directly from Sony without the keyboard. But I don’t know how portable it would be. [/QUOTE] I am looking for something portable, and I don’t care whether it can be written on. Really I just want to know whether tablet PCs have an arm in the back to prop them up or not.