Acer's full size Tablet PC Convertible gets upgrade
(by Conrad H. Blickenstorfer)

The original Acer TravelMate C300 notebook convertible was for those who liked the pen and ink concept, and the idea of occasionally using their notebook as a tablet, but who didn't like the tiny 10.4" display of Acer's milestone little C110 or its cramped keyboard. The TravelMate C300 delivered with a large 14.1" display and all the conveniences of a full-featured notebook computer, down to an internal DVD/CD-RW drive. It offered superb connectivity thanks to a clever 4-in-1 card reader and a plethora of onboard ports and connectors. At 6.2 pounds it weighed almost twice as much as the diminutive C110 and the big 14" display had the same 1024 x 768 pixel resolution as the C110's 10.4-incher, but if you primarily used your computer on a desk, the C300 made a lot of sense. And it didn't cost a lot either.

Acer then upgraded/replaced the C300 with the TravelMate C310, essentially the same machine, but one that has been equipped with more modern technology. Under the hood of the C310 is either an Intel M 740 (1.73 GHz) or M 760 (2.0 GHz). 533 DDR2 memory is now used for the dual slots inside the C310, and each can handle up to a gigabyte. There is the 915PM Express chipset and Nvidia GeForce Go 6200 graphics. The largest disk available was bumped from 80 to 100GB, and you now have a choice of a CD bruner/DVD player or a DVD-Dual drive DVD burner. The 4-in-1 reader now supports the Sony Memory Stick as well, and Bluetooth is standard. Unfrotunately, the big 14.1 inch screen still only supports 1024 x 768, not much these days, and the faster Intel chips mean rated battery life dropped from 5.5 to four hours. Size is roughly the same, though weight went up by just a bit: 6.4 versus 6.2 pounds. The price remains in the same range ($1,650 - 1,950, depending where you shop and what configuration you get).