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New Motion Computing Slate Tablet PC Coming Soon, I’m Loving It Now

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I had the privilege of meeting with Motion Computing last year and got an exclusive first-look at some designs for their new tablet pc and accessories. At that point they were all wood models, so I wasn’t able to fully appreciate the extent of what they had accomplished.

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been quite fortunate to actually use their new slate tablet pc, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. This new slate is totally different. Without getting in to specifics, I can tell you that Motion has done a superb job in the design, asthetics, and usability of the slate and accessories. While not perfect, it is clear that their engineers and designers have been very busy the last several years working hard on this new offering. For example, Motion went back to the drawing board on their convertible keyboard, and finally nailed it. It is easy to attach, type on, and remove. It no longer feels like a klunky add-on. It only took them   five years, but I believe they have a winner.   In addition to seeing their new convertible keyboard in action, you’ll also get to see their new slate and docking station in action when my InkShow is released.

This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but this new slate is NOT the much-asked-for LS800 replacement. I wouldn’t put it past Motion to take a fresh look at that market opportunity, but this particular slate is not it.

Once the official announcement is made, Motion Computing wants to hear your thoughts and questions regarding their new product, and any other questions you might have for them. We’ll be hearing directly from various designers and product managers at Motion, so you’ll get non-PR answers to your tough questions. Look for more on that soon.

Meanwhile, I’ve got to run. I have a slate tablet pc calling my name!

27 Comments

27 Comments

  1. Sumocat

    03/09/2009 at 11:01 am

    If you’re loving it now, then I’m envious now. I’ve been waiting for big slate news for too long. BTW, if the keyboard converts and detached, wouldn’t that make this a hybrid, ala the TC1100? Either way, I’m looking forward to the official announcement.

  2. Scott S

    03/09/2009 at 11:31 am

    Echo Sumocat……..when do you estimate your inkshow will publish?

  3. Rob Bushway

    03/09/2009 at 11:34 am

    I can’t say for sure, but I can safely say that it won’t be months away

  4. Amitai Rosenberg

    03/09/2009 at 11:41 am

    When will we know more about it?

  5. Rob Bushway

    03/09/2009 at 11:49 am

    @amitai – soon….

  6. Genghis Khent

    03/09/2009 at 12:22 pm

    Rob is doing it to me again … Just kidding. Enjoy your quality time with the slate. I just wonder if this is a specialized device like the C5 and F5? I know you can’t tell us. Hopefully we’ll find out more details soon. I still like my LS800, but like me, it’s getting old.

  7. Mickey Segal

    03/09/2009 at 12:59 pm

    The sensible thing to do with a bigger tablet is to make it very thin. This of course would also be the sensible thing to do with a smaller tablet.

  8. schmolch

    03/09/2009 at 4:00 pm

    Hey Rob its me, the CEO of MotionComputing.
    How are you doing?
    Im so glad you like our slate!
    Feel free to tell your readers everything about it :-)

  9. Toby

    03/09/2009 at 4:01 pm

    I’d love to hear about integrated features such as WWAN and GPS. Also, battery options. Adding up to how the new slate could help you keep mobile (powered and connected) as long as possible.

  10. Toby

    03/09/2009 at 4:05 pm

    …and a question of timescale and pricing for this new slate in terms of making it over the pond to Europe (and personally for me over to London, England!)

  11. jaszzz

    03/09/2009 at 4:28 pm

    Will it appeal to the masses? Please not an other hospital device :-)

    Then again, those folks who take care of us when we get sick need love too! So bring it on, Motion has guts.

  12. Frank

    03/09/2009 at 4:47 pm

    nice to hear something new from Motion Computing.
    But most of the mentioned things don’t make it interesting for me. If I use a slate, then I don’t need a QWERTY keyboard. At home I place it on a docking station, connect it to an external display and use an external keyboard. On the way I need something compact, which a QWERTY keyboard definately not is. So I hope they changed more.
    I’m somehow happy that it is not the LS800 successor, this is netbook, umpc domain now. So it has to be something like the Fujutsu ST6012 and Modbook, portable, useable and fast.
    You said that this slate is totally different. I hope that’s true. Powerful like the Modbook, handy like a medical slate, functional like the Fujitsu Stylistic, while still good looking and affordable (not >$2000)

  13. robphy

    03/09/2009 at 7:37 pm

    The Motion website makes reference to a J3400.
    On the accessories page, “Additional Digitizer Pen – Black”
    says
    “Erase and write on your tablet PC with the ease of standard paper and pencil by using the digitizer pen for your J3400, F5 or L-Series Tablet PC.”

    The FCC site has an entry for a Motion model J3400/T008.
    It seems that photos will be available after 3/15.

  14. cartoonmonkey

    03/09/2009 at 10:39 pm

    Will this be the ‘macbook air’ of the slate world, with wacom capacitive touch / pen digitizer and a boe hydis wide angle screen?

    Biting my nails..!
    Love Motion products!
    C

  15. elmstrom

    03/09/2009 at 11:06 pm

    This is very exciting! as others i hope the price in EU will be better then the current price on 2 year old Motion hardware. Would really love a good slate, without paying 2600 euro’s.

  16. Harry de Vries

    03/09/2009 at 11:57 pm

    Great news Rob! I’m still on my TC1100 as my primary machine and would love something updated with the same basic design – too much to ask Motion?

    @Frank ditto – thin and light with loooooong battery life or at least a built-in hand-crank to keep it going….

    I honestly can’t wait.

  17. Steven Gill

    03/10/2009 at 2:07 am

    A nice slate tablet for me at the moment would be;

    Edge to edge 12″ 133dpi screen
    Multitouch + active digitiser
    Pen with eraser on the end
    <1″ thick
    10hr battery life
    WWAN a/g/n + BT + a-GPS
    SD & smartcard slot
    TC1100 style keyboard/batteryslice
    Windows 7

    Well, except for Win7, let’s see!

  18. robphy

    03/10/2009 at 3:08 am

    googling “motion j3400”

    yields a link at servicemanagement365-com,
    which says
    â€ŔLaunch of rugged tablet PC announced

    Motion Computing has announced the launch of the J3400 rugged table PC, which combines a sleek exterior with rugged design for mobile professionals across industries that require full PC functionality in a highly mobile device.

    [snip]

    Design features include integrated attach points for optional shoulder strap, rounded corners and slip-free grip surface.

    The J3400 also incorporates a dual-battery design that offers a full day of approximately 7.5 hours operation. Batteries are small, light and easy to transport, the company claims, making it convenient to carry an extra battery for an even longer workday.

    The J3400 has been designed to offer the durability and functionality of a rugged PC without the extra weight and price associated with traditional fully rugged devices, says Motion.

    [snip]

    Other features include ightweight magnesium internal frame, shock-mounted display and hard disk drive (HDD) with DataGuard, an exclusive thermal management system that protects from data loss, a one-year field ready warranty, free with SSD option and optional 64GB SSD for extreme shock and vibration protection.
    ”

    (typos are theirs)

  19. robphy

    03/10/2009 at 4:40 am

    There’s a photo of the J3400 on
    itrportal-com. (Apparently, making a link puts my comment into a moderation queue.)

    On the article there, there is a link to a currently nonexistent page at Motion:
    motioncomputing-com products tablet_pc_J34.asp

  20. thomas

    03/10/2009 at 7:19 am

    just need to know one thing
    Multi-touch yes / no

  21. Rudeboy

    03/10/2009 at 12:13 pm

    its not multi-touch. its good has a camera which wasnt there in the le. design is good as well and i luv the feel of it. i luv the attachable keyboard. unlike the le keyboard this one is really firm. good thing is they are useing magnets and powerful ones too. so easily attach a keyboard and easily take off your keyboard.

    price wise i think its too MUCH :( but then again am sure its designed for field workers.

    its not that powerful i.e 1.6 ghz is the max and has the intel core 2 duo so you can forget photoshop like software.

    and its VERY quiet also i felt it didnt really warm up like the le. maybe its caused of the special casing they using but no warming up.

  22. thomas

    03/10/2009 at 8:58 pm

    damn, no multi-touch? well, just keep waiting

  23. Brett Gilbertson

    03/11/2009 at 7:05 pm

    I am excited about the J3400. I’ve heard that the new screen is *awesome*.

    Look for ULV processor, vPro and dual hot swap batteries. No capacitive touch screen, but maybe one day… Go the slate!

  24. Amitai Rosenberg

    03/11/2009 at 11:30 pm

    Are you going to test Windows 7 on it?

  25. Rob Bushway

    03/12/2009 at 6:27 am

    @amitai – I’m not sure if I’ll test Windows 7 on it or not. I’m not sure of the value it will bring to the review except to say ” yep, there it is and it runs.”

  26. ChrisRS

    03/12/2009 at 6:45 am

    For the many users that skipped Vista, the prospect of a new computer with Vista or downgraded to XP is a dilemma. that may say “I don’t want to get and learn Vista when Windows 7 is just around the corner.” Knowing that this is truly Win 7 ready is valuable information.

    All of this is more important in the consumer/individual user market rather that the vertical markets. (As is price point)

    FYI, I currently use Vista on my tablet pc and have been following Motion from the start.

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