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Transmeta powers first sub-$800 Tablet PC

Plus: Corsair ships DDR500 1GB DIMMs

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Tablet PC

Taiwanese monitor maker TDV Vision has announced what it claims are the first sub-$800 Tablet PC, the Visionary V800XPT.

Image copyright TDV Vision

The new machine is powered by an 800MHz Transmeta Crusoe TM5800 processor, so naturally Transmeta is jumping up and down, and shouting about the design win.

Unsurprisingly, Transmeta doesn't mention that TDV Vision is also offering a 1.2GHz version of the Tablet, the VS1200XP, based on VIA's recently announced Antaur mobile processor.

The V800XPT sports 8.4in LCD panel, while its superiors sibling has a 14in display. There's a 30GB hard drive in there and 128MB of DDR SDRAM. The V800XPT also contains a 640x480 digicam and a four-in-one memory card reader, so it's clear TDV Vision is pitching the machine at consumers rather than the business audience Tablets are typically designed for.

The machine contains a 56Kbps modem and 10/100Mbps Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and audio in/out jacks. Unlike most Tablets, there's no keyboard - instead TDV Vision is offering an external USB keyboard. There's also an external USB optical drive.

Image copyright TDV Vision

The VS1200XP is more of a traditional Tablet. It too contains 30GB of hard disk storage, but has 256MB of DDR SDRAM. It also has a built-in digicam - touted as a videoconferencing aid - and sports a built-in 85-key keyboard.

The larger machine weighs "just over" 1.8kg (4lbs) and contains a six-hour battery. The V800XPT weights 1.2kg (2.6lbs) but its (smaller) battery lasts just 2.5 hours.

The V800XPT and the VS1200XP will go on sale in the US in September for $799 and $999, respectively. They are expected to go on sale in Europe in the same timeframe, though European pricing has yet to be revealed.

Memory

US memory module maker Corsair has followed Kingston's lead to offer DDR SDRAM DIMMs clocked at 500MHz.

The TWNX1024-4000 DIMM was specifically designed for dual-channel systems, in particular the ASUS P4C800 mobo and Intel's 875P chipset - Corsair's test rig. Consequently, Corsair is selling only pairs of DIMMs, which it claims have been tested together.

Each 1GB DIMM operates at 2.75V and with 3-4-4-8 latency settings.

Corsair is also offering parts clocked at 467MHz.

Corsair doesn't sell direct, so it didn't announce specific prices for the module pairs, but expect to pay around $400 for them. ®

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