Product Reviews

Tablet PCs have failed to ignite the passions of consumers worldwide, but for professional markets, they're still a popular alternative to a traditional laptop. And it's a niche which Motion Computing ably occupies, specialising in producing Tablet PCs targeted at vertical markets and professional applications such as hospitals, schools and field work.

Like the rest of Motion Computing's range, the F5 doesn't adhere to the usual Tablet PC blueprint. Instead, Motion Computing refer to the F5 and the rest of its range as Slate PCs, which do away with the keyboard and pretty much any vestige of standard laptop design.

Indeed, prise the F5 from its packaging and its eye-catching light grey and cream exterior immediately sets it apart from your average Tablet PC.

It certainly looks a little odd, but it's designed with practicality, not looks, in mind: the square frame easily accommodates the 10.4in display while leaving plenty of room for a big, solid handle.

The handle might make the F5 look a little too much like some kind of high-tech Speak 'n' Spell, but that's part of its appeal. Whether you're holding it in the crook of an arm, or just carrying it from room to room and job to job, the comfy handle means you don't need to carry a laptop bag everywhere you go.

And thanks to the decision to do without a keyboard and internal optical drive, the F5 is still brilliantly portable, weighing in at just 1.57kgs. That might sound a touch porky when set against the likes of Sony's super-svelte VGN-TZ31 or Toshiba's Portege R500 ultraportables, but whereas those laptops would find life in the field hazardous to their health, the F5 feels as if it is capable of taking such dangers in its stride.

And for those that really do need a resilient and mobile companion, solidity is one area in which the F5 excels. No matter how hard we tugged and flexed, the F5s magnesium alloy skeleton shrugged off our limp-wristed attempts.

The only result of our abuse was that we accidentally unclipped the processor vent on the F5s underside, which quickly clipped back into place. And thanks to sensors which park the hard drive heads in the event of a fall, accidental knocks and drops are unlikely to result in any data loss.

In fact, Motion Computing is so confident of the durability of the F5's semi-ruggedised frame that it offers three years of "Field-Ready" warranty, insuring users against accidental drops of 30in or less, damage from heat and cold as well as dust and moisture ingress.

Of course, submerging the F5 underwater or, a direct quote from the warranty leaflet, leaving it exposed "on an oil platform in the desert", won't be covered, but the comprehensive warranty is nonetheless reassuring.

The

Viewing angles are phenomenal, and apart from a very slight darkening of the image when you move off-axis, the display remains clear and true whatever angle it's viewed from.

The digitiser works equally well as an input device. The supplied stylus feels great in the hand and, importantly, its substantial enough to prove comfortable when used over long periods.

As long as the tip of the stylus is within 10mm or so of the panel, it allows you to control the cursor with a graceful sweep of the hand, and it didn't take long before we altogether forgot the lack of a keyboard.

For those applications where a stylus isn't ideal - navigating through inventory lists or complex spreadsheets, for example - there's a directional pad on the top right of the unit.

And if you really can't live without a keyboard, Motion Computing offer a petite USB model with a built in trackpad as an optional £29 extra. Best of all, its small size turns the F5 into a highly compact workstation.

In keeping with its versatile nature, the F5 sent to us for review boasted an impressive range of features. Wired connectivity is rather limited - there is no VGA port, no USB ports and wired networking is conspicuous only by its absence - you'll need to slot the F5 into the optional docking station if you want those.

In their place, however, there are 802.11abg and HSDPA networking modules, a fingerprint reader and matching TPM 1.2 module, a barcode scanner, an RFID reader and a two megapixel webcam.

The webcam isn't designed for chatting to friends and family, however - it's mounted on the rear of the unit to assist with such tasks as documenting repair work or wirelessly sending images to colleagues for assistance with troubleshooting or diagnosis.

Considering its high price, the F5's core specification is pretty basic. Even with Windows XP Tablet edition installed, the Intel Core Solo U1400 processor and 2GB of RAM limped to a modest 0.34 in our benchmarks. Vista Business is an option but given the limited performance on offer, its one we'd avoid if at all possible.

Battery life is another area in which the F5 doesn't leave us entirely convinced. Under light use the supplied 4000mAh battery lasted an acceptable but, given the low-voltage processor, unremarkable 4hrs 14mins.

Combine the F5 with the optional Docking Station, though, and you can always leave a spare battery charging for when its needed. And under heavy usage the U1400s modest power requirements and limited processing power come into their own, helping it last over two hours.

Finally, we think the 40GB hard disk is also a touch frugal, and although the top of the range F5 boasts a 32GB SSD more in keeping with it's semi-ruggedised credentials, it raises the already eye-watering price tag by another £450.

The F5 is a fine addition to Motion Computing's range, and while the high price puts it well out of the reach of the average consumer, its fine design and carefully tailored range of abilities will prove highly attractive to the vertical markets at which its aimed.

But, remember to factor in the price of a spare battery - £90 - and the docking station - another £190 - as they transform the F5 from an expensive novelty into a compact, versatile work tool.