Tatung's new Tablet PC sports detachable keyboard

Seems like it's never too late to reinvent the whole keyboard/hinge relationship, and Tatung is giving it a pretty good go with their new TTAB-A12D Tablet PC. The unit stores a thin, detachable keyboard on its back, which can then be clipped onto the base of the PC for a tray table-friendly setup. We're pretty impressed with the tablet's overall size, even with the keyboard tacked onto the back, but for all we know of the PC's specs there could be saltine crackers inside that box, so we'll withhold judgement until they're ready to wow us with some news of Core Duos or hybrid hard drives.

[jeff @ Jun 20th 2006 12:46PM]

The HP/Compaq TC1000 and TC1100 among others have been doing this keyboard thing for some time, though the prop on this unit looks like it may help stability.

[DRTigerlilly @ Jun 20th 2006 12:47PM]

There is nothing new or novel about this keyboard/hinge concept & that machine looks like an EXACT rip off of the Electrovaya Scribbler SC3100
http://www.tabletpcreviewspot.com/default.asp?newsID=381

[Benson Leung @ Jun 20th 2006 12:49PM]

Uhm. I fail to see how this is anything new in the world of TabletPCs.

Exhibit A: Compaq's TC1000 series of tabletPCs, one of the grandaddies of all tabletPCs (relatively speaking).
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/HP_Compaq_Tablet_PC_TC1100/4505-3126_16-30573412.html

Detachable keyboard in the same style...

[TheZodiac @ Jun 20th 2006 12:51PM]

Riiiight. So, isnt a tablet PC with a keyboard called a LAPTOP? Whether its detachable or not, this is just some poopoo.

[GUAGUAU @ Jun 20th 2006 12:51PM]

HERMANO QUE DATOS TAN BUENOS LOS DE ESTE BLOG ....
CUANDO SEA GRANDE SERE PARECIDO A UD....
ABRAZO VIRTUAL

[spartan105 @ Jun 20th 2006 1:03PM]

This same tablet goes under a different name as well: the Scribbler sc 3100, from Electrovaya Corp. You can see it at their website: http://electrovaya.com/. It contains an impressive 75wh battery, but the cpu would be more attractive if it was a duo.. nice package anyways. I've personally used one, and it feels very polished. Its got all the details you'd want from a portable: 802.11a/b/g, lots of (covered/protected) ports, a nice screen, a respectable battery life, and an optional keyboard w/ touchpad which is placed over the screen when travelling: protecting the screen and nicely combining into one small package.

[Joe @ Jun 20th 2006 1:24PM]

I've used the Scribbler. Hated it! The keyboard is almost unusable and comes with this very odd detachable/reattachable trackpad that was worse. Mine also had a bad battery that wouldn't hold a charge. I assume it was just a lemon, but I returned it to our h/w guys ASAP.

[. @ Jun 20th 2006 1:24PM]

Specs:
http://www.tsti.com/TTAB-A12D.htm

[Johnson @ Jun 20th 2006 1:33PM]

Yeah, not exactly a "reinvention." Try more like a "copying" of the HP/Compaq TC 1100.

Regardless, I think the slate design is great and love the fact that I can remove my keyboard when it isn't needed.

[schwal @ Jun 20th 2006 1:40PM]

this is just an ugly copy of my tc1000 tablet.

[JW @ Jun 20th 2006 1:54PM]

I also owned a the rebadged Tatung sold as the Scribbler (a little over 2.5 years ago), and also couldn't get the battery to hold a charge. I returned it ASAP as well. As for the keyboard, it was virtually unusable. Typing simple notes from a one hour meeting made my wrists hurt. The trackpad was horrible. I owned the HP directly before that (Transmeta version). I loved my HP, except for the slow processing.

[Richard @ Jun 20th 2006 2:09PM]

All the people going on about this "copying" the Compaq/HP tablet need to realize that Compaq/HP copied it from Motion Computing.

I'm currently using an old Motion P3 tablet that came out before the Compaq tablet and uses EXACTLY the same type of keyboard that's shown above.

[Richard @ Jun 20th 2006 2:13PM]

P.S. Here's an example of a Motion M1400 with the hinged keyboard (scroll down for pics)

http://cgi.ebay.com/LIKE-NEW-MOTION-M1400-TABLET-PC-60-GB-1-GB-RAM_W0QQitemZ103000429618QQihZ013QQcategoryZ39980QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

(The keyboard debuted on the M1200, 2 generations earlier than the M1400)

[Josh Einstein @ Jun 20th 2006 5:26PM]

Electrovaya rebrands Tatungs as Scribbler. And this unit looks exactly the same as it did when I bought mine 2 years ago. Keyboard and all.

[chris @ Jun 20th 2006 11:24PM]

Tatung? How come that sounds familiar... oh yeah, they made my rice cooker, the one that's almost as old as I am. If this tablet pc is as good as their rice cookers, it should be pretty nice.

[Pete @ Jun 21st 2006 7:45AM]

This isn't new. I've been using this device (badged RM) for almost 2 years.

http://www.rm.com/Download/DownloadSWF.asp?cref=MDL168320

The keyboard that's "exciting" is actually rubbish. I don't use it and wouldn't suggest anyone else does either.

[Pete @ Jun 21st 2006 7:48AM]

Sorry, this is a better link:

http://www.rm.com/Secondary/Products/Product.asp?cref=PD161497