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TabletPCBuzz.com - I feel sorry for all of you buying Averatec Tablets
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I feel sorry for all of you buying Averatec Tablets All Forums >>
Averatec
I bought 2 C-3500s on 10-17-2004. The price allowed for us to each get one. My wife and I are very happy with them. It has been 1 month and neither of us regret the purchase.
We have not owned laptops before, so have no long term prior experience with other devices for comparison purposes.
We each would use "loaner" laptops from our jobs before and would rate these as better. I was sold on the tablet pc because of web sites like this one. We read about the heat "problem" so bought $20.00 USB laptop coolers.
The battery has made it through a few conference room meetings each lasting a bit less than 2 hours. The heat was noticible but not unbearable, and I'm a wimp. So if that's true I feel sorry for those who couldn't take the heat. I've not been testing to see how long I can go without recharging. I was surprised how well the word recognition works. OneNote is way cool. I guess my lifestyle and job are Averatec friendly.
At home I find myself using this more than my main machine. Alias Sketchbook Pro Trial has convinced me not to quit my day job and become an artist. But I still like to doodle.
My wife is a working college student, and uses it for her school work. She does not have a lecture class until next year so has to wait before using it in a classroom setting.
Overall, we feel lucky that we have not experienced the problems others have. For the price we paid we are not disapointed by the weight, the fan going on and off (just lets us know it's working), nor that the digitizer is not a Wacom (we are not digital artists). Then again we have not been spoiled by higher priced machines nor do we have the budget for them.
To anyone considering getting one of these, try it out, if you like it keep it, if you don't return it. This goes for any purchase you make.
42 Posts My Tablet PCs: Adveratec 3500, Fujitsu ST5010,
Motion 1400va on it's way back :(
Posted - Nov 21 2004 : 9:11:13 PM
quote:Originally posted by Mannyman
I bought 2 C-3500s on 10-17-2004. The price allowed for us to each get one. My wife and I are very happy with them. It has been 1 month and neither of us regret the purchase.
You are missing the point, for perhaps 100 dollars more each you could have gotten a first rate system with a proper warranty.
quote:Originally posted by Mannyman
We each would use "loaner" laptops from our jobs before and would rate these as better. I was sold on the tablet pc because of web sites like this one. We read about the heat "problem" so bought $20.00 USB laptop coolers.
The battery has made it through a few conference room meetings each lasting a bit less than 2 hours. The heat was noticible but not unbearable, and I'm a wimp. So if that's true I feel sorry for those who couldn't take the heat. I've not been testing to see how long I can go without recharging.
It must be very hard to use it as a tablet while holding that cooler. : )
You are missing the point about the heat as well. The heat comes from poor design AND will lead to the accelerated failure of the cheap components. The excess heat is kind of nice on a cold day though. : )
If battery life is not important to you, you are not making very good use of the tablet form factor. The excess heat will rapidly cause the battery to lose capacity.
quote:Originally posted by Mannyman
Overall, we feel lucky that we have not experienced the problems others have. For the price we paid we are not disapointed by the weight, the fan going on and off (just lets us know it's working), nor that the digitizer is not a Wacom (we are not digital artists). Then again we have not been spoiled by higher priced machines nor do we have the budget for them.
To anyone considering getting one of these, try it out, if you like it keep it, if you don't return it. This goes for any purchase you make.
Good luck. Based upon my test results and those of others you will need it. Be VERY careful not to lose your pen! You can not buy another yet.
I could not recommend this machine to anyone. If you must try the Averatec PLEASE be sure to get it from somewhere that you can return it!
Hi Doug, Let me guess. You'd recomend a Motion Slate?
By reading this site, not everyone has had your bad experience with this Convertible. I figured people should be aware that us 1 in a million exist.
It's only been a month since we bought our tablets, so I guess time will tell, if ours fall apart.
I could not find a new convertible with all the fixins this one has for anywhere near this price point. Please help the readers out with where these other low priced convertibles are sold.
I don't use the cooler at meetings, just at the desk. Maybe I can take the heat a bit more than you can. :) Don't feel bad I know waitresses that can handle hotter plates than I. If you agree that running these things cool is a good idea, then we agree at least on two things.
I may not be taking advantage of the tablet form factor as much as you are, but again I've not had to use it in Tablet form for more than a couple of hours. I use this primarily at my desk at work, and in the living room at home, and sometimes I'll read this site in bed (in Tablet Mode). I find the inking like icing on the cake. Hope I don't get kicked out of here for enjoying the laptop aspect of my convertible. I'm still primarily a typist(typer?) and use the inking for the occasional meeting,and occasional doodling.
I'm sorry I don't regret the purchase enough for you, but I think it's fair that others hear of my positive experience with this machine. I don't sell the thing, just like using it.
The other thing we seem to agree with each other is not to buy something you can't return. Unless you think it's ok to buy a Motion product whether or not you can return it.
42 Posts My Tablet PCs: Adveratec 3500, Fujitsu ST5010,
Motion 1400va on it's way back :(
Posted - Nov 23 2004 : 08:24:58 AM
Lower priced convertibles can be had at your local Micro Center. They had one on sale just a couple of weeks ago for about $150 more than the Averatec 3500 that they now sell as well.
I would not necessary recommend a Motion for everyone, that depends upon their needs. Our company specializes on vendor agnostic needs analysis and recommendations for systems management infrastructure and we practice what we preach.
BTW: It is possible to return a Motion... As well if it is broke they will repair it in a reasonable fashion, and if one decides that one doesn't like it after a few months they are easy to sell on e-bay for nearly what they were purchased for.
One of the things that turns me off the most about convertibles now is that one can not type on them in portrait mode. That is a great orientation to work on e-mail reply. But it is easy to hook up a slate to a keyboard, blue tooth perhaps even, and make full use of portrait.
I said in another thread that it was quite easy for me to hook up a keyboard to my convertible and type in portrait mode.
Sure, TPC manufacturers don't build keyboards with stands for that purpose, but it's not only possible to type in portrait mode with a convertible, it isn't even remotely difficult. That is how I posted my response the first time.
Reading the provocative "sorry for you" title of the thread and the transparent "I have an important job, I am an authority" preamble, I was hardly surprised to read some of the Chicken Little "sky is falling" nonsense that started this thread.
I've had a C3500 for a few months now. I've posted to this site on my experiences with the machine and I've found it to be quite a useful and productive Tablet PC.
That said, I'll concede the following:
* Battery life is insufficient. I can go two hours with WiFi and using the digitizer, but no more. The first week I had the C3500, I got almost three hours like clockwork. Averatec seems to be aware of the problem, but their response is just to replace the battery.
* The digitizer doesn't "understand" when the video resolution setting switches to "pan n scan" 1280x1024 instead of native 1024x768. This is a major issue for me because I have one application that needs 1280 to work.
* It took me ages to get the C3500 to "recognize" an external display and switch to fixed 1280x1024 instead of pan-n-scan. It's still tricky to get it to work happily, but it does work. Right now, I'm running 1280x1024, 32bit color at 75Hz on an external display and 1024x768 on the built-in display. Very handy.
* Suspend and resume don't work out of the box. But it does work.
And I'll say that XP Tablet w/ SP2 is a leap forward. Plus, Averatec is a relatively big company and they're putting out fixes and patches and they respond to email.
I had a "money no object" buying decision, but that doesn't mean I was comfortable paying huge permiums for relatively low-spec laptops just because they had a digitizer. Having tried one or two other machines and returned them, I stumbled across the C3500 and I'm happy with the results. I look forward to an Averatec TPC with native 1280x1024, 5hr battery life, Bluetooth and a SCSI port would be super handy too... :)
42 Posts My Tablet PCs: Adveratec 3500, Fujitsu ST5010,
Motion 1400va on it's way back :(
Posted - Dec 02 2004 : 10:19:15 AM
Now you are missing the point as well. I know that you may have invested ~1300 in a machine however...
Do you have a problem the Authority?
The reason that I might be an authority, that is for an individual to decide, is due to my Experience. The review that I posted here is so that people can potentially profit from my Experience and the time that I spent working with the 3500.
You admitted yourself that your battery as lost roughly 30% of it's capacity in just a few short months. Read up on Lith Ion batteries yourself and you will find the explanation. HEAT If the batteries were too old (on the shelf too long) they would be crippled to start. These lost capacity at an unusually fast rate, that comes from too much heat.
Heat also makes this particular type of plastic more brittle and easy to break. That explains the cracks that I have experienced at stress points near heat sources in the 3500.
Heat is probably also a factor in the failure of my sound and display.
Their warranty and tech support speak for themselves, give them a call. I called them and told them how to fix the sysprep issue in their first production run of the machines. If they missed that how many other problems are there. I mentioned just a few. You know about the Bios problem.
I stand by my review. Other reviews may have a little bit different spin on the same information but if one really reads the reviews even the relatively positive ones are putting a good face on the same problems or ignoring the issues. Perhaps they have not used the 3500 for long enough to experience them. That is the problem with many reviews, they are a short term look which may be fine for simple components but complex systems require study over time.
You are as well demonstrating your lack of understanding with your money is no object statement. MONEY is the whole point!!! I really would have liked for the 3500s to work out better because their initial hardware cost is less expensive. I really did... But in my Experience money saved on flaky, badly engineered, poorly supported hardware, is quickly lost on repairs, lost data, downtime, and shorter refresh cycles. I expect the Motion 1400s that we are most likely to purchase to be in service for 3 years, on the other hand I would be thrilled if we were getting 1 year of the 3500s and the batteries need replaced after only a few months. You do the math. Money foolishly spent.
I stand by my initial assessment. If anyone wants to talk to me about it they can e-mail me directly.
Edited by - leftyrightfoot on Dec 02 2004 10:41:48 AM
I appreciate all the positive and negative product reviews. I am a partially satisfied FJ4110 owner who will upgrade to a newer tablet, ... someday.
But as an outside observer, people may appreciate a less accusatory tone in your replies.
I think if you take a step back and reread your posts in this thread, you may be surprised at what you see. True or not, I see a disgruntled former customer, or worse a possible competitor plant, who will say anything to prevent sales of this brand of tablet. Is that what you intended?
By the way, if you have a link to a cheap, well equipped tablet PC, please post a link.
42 Posts My Tablet PCs: Adveratec 3500, Fujitsu ST5010,
Motion 1400va on it's way back :(
Posted - Dec 02 2004 : 5:34:33 PM
Outstanding, if I am not mistaken they are available for a similar price at your local Micro Center as well. I have had a quick look at one and it seemed pretty nice.
Thanks
Sorry if I seem a bit brusk but I am a pretty straight forward person. I tend to tell it like it is.
And I hate to see people looking for a bargin get stuck with a deficient product. I have been there when I was a student. A deficient product is never a bargin.
Edited by - leftyrightfoot on Dec 02 2004 5:52:07 PM
I bought 2 C-3500s on 10-17-2004. The price allowed for us to each get one. My wife and I are very happy with them. It has been 1 month and neither of us regret the purchase.
You are missing the point, for perhaps 100 dollars more each you could have gotten a first rate system with a proper warranty.
quote:Originally posted by Mannyman
We each would use "loaner" laptops from our jobs before and would rate these as better. I was sold on the tablet pc because of web sites like this one. We read about the heat "problem" so bought $20.00 USB laptop coolers.
The battery has made it through a few conference room meetings each lasting a bit less than 2 hours. The heat was noticible but not unbearable, and I'm a wimp. So if that's true I feel sorry for those who couldn't take the heat. I've not been testing to see how long I can go without recharging.
It must be very hard to use it as a tablet while holding that cooler. : )
You are missing the point about the heat as well. The heat comes from poor design AND will lead to the accelerated failure of the cheap components. The excess heat is kind of nice on a cold day though. : )
If battery life is not important to you, you are not making very good use of the tablet form factor. The excess heat will rapidly cause the battery to lose capacity.
quote:Originally posted by Mannyman
Overall, we feel lucky that we have not experienced the problems others have. For the price we paid we are not disapointed by the weight, the fan going on and off (just lets us know it's working), nor that the digitizer is not a Wacom (we are not digital artists). Then again we have not been spoiled by higher priced machines nor do we have the budget for them.
To anyone considering getting one of these, try it out, if you like it keep it, if you don't return it. This goes for any purchase you make.
Good luck. Based upon my test results and those of others you will need it. Be VERY careful not to lose your pen! You can not buy another yet.
I could not recommend this machine to anyone. If you must try the Averatec PLEASE be sure to get it from somewhere that you can return it!
Doug
Hmmm... I find the hinge tension on the c3500 better than on my M200 - feels more solid to me. The heat is the result of AMD's hot CPU - no cooling in the world will change that. An Athlon XP Mobile costs about half what a similarly priced P-M would. Via or SiS logic chips are way less than Intel's 855, as are the C3500's wifi, and video systems.
The Wacom digitizer costs more than this generic one too.
I think if this thing were $999 it would be a nice investment.
But... the LG tablet (amoung others) is only a bit more money and it is way nicer.
I did some more research on this unit and what I found was not pretty. It seems that it uses a desktop core logic chip set from silicon integrated systems. I suspect that the heat problems most reviewers refer to are related to both the heat of the CPU and also the heat of the core logic chip. the north bridge of this chipset includes the video system the memory controller the AC 97 controller and a few other things. Normally this would have some active cooling but I suspect that given the space limitations inside a laptop it is using some form of passive cooling. This means it's quite likely that a big contributor to the heat problems is the north bridge. This laptop is using the chipset that powers the cheapest commodity AMD mother boards.
I could be wrong the 741 north bridge may also come in a mobile flavor that I don't know about, but if I'm right this smells a very poor product development.
I should also point out that a clever shopper can find good deals. I actually paid less for my m200 than I would have paid for this laptop (PM 1.6, 512, 60GB 7200rpm). Mine was an open box though. But I still get the full warranty and a laptop that runs circles around the Averatec.
If you like Averatec wait for version 2.0 of the their tablet. They learn quickly.
42 Posts My Tablet PCs: Adveratec 3500, Fujitsu ST5010,
Motion 1400va on it's way back :(
Posted - Dec 09 2004 : 06:36:34 AM
You make some excellent points Lewdvig, it is just not worth it when something simular can be had for just a little more money. The cost in the long run of one of these things is just too high.
Sorry if it seems like I'm being a bit harsh. But I go through a lot of laptops and it seems to me as though this one is not worth the money - even taking into account its low price. a fair price for this model would be closer to a thousand dollars.
Having said that I'm pretty confident that Avertec is going to get this formula right in their next version. I think they would be wiser to look at a non Centrino implementation of the P-M or Celeron-M. What Intel needs right now is for another company to come up with a low cost Pentium M chipset. Something that won't compete with their 855 chipset, but will reduce the cost of laptops using Intel's CPUs.
I feel sorry for all of you buying Averatec Tablets 
Posted - Nov 20 2004 : 6:17:16 PM
