The Toshiba Dependency R15-S822 ($1,549 direct) is not your habitual tablet PC. Convertible tablets normally keep 12-inch screens and small, lightweight frames. Not so with the R15-S822. This convertible has a 14-inch shade and weighs 6.1 pounds. It's meant to be someone's important jotter first, and a tablet second-and there's no thing bum with that.

The Protectorate R15 looks a abundance approximating the Toshiba Portйgй M205-S809 convertible tablet-only bigger. The swivel screen has a 1,024-by-768 resolution and is exorbitant sufficiently to handgrip spreadsheets comfortably. The screen is bright, manufacture for an enjoyable movie-watching experience. The IBM ThinkPad X41 Tablet ($1,899), our Editors' Election for tablets, is 3.5 pounds and a enjoyment to carry. The R15-S822, at 6.1 pounds, is extended potential to be on your ambit or on your desk than in your arms.

Screen, Graphcs and Sound

The R15-S822 features the Intel Latest Graphics 2 video card with 16 to 64 MB of shared video memory. The 14.1-inch screen can be rotated while attached to the keyboard for presentations, or twisted 180 degrees and folded apartment lodgings against the keyboard for comprehensive tablet mode. It further includes an integrated audio card and built-in stereo speakers

Connectivity and Expansion Slots

The R15-S822 has an integrated 54g wireless LAN that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks. You arouse a acceptable offering of connectivity options, including both USB 2.0 and Firewire:

* 3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a broad area of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
* 1 FireWire (also avowed as IEEE 1394 or i.Link) harbour for connecting digital video camcorders and other peripherals
* 1 VGA scanner port
* 1 S-Video out
* 1 PCMCIA (or Computer Card) slot (Type I/II, 32-bit)
* 1 Secure Digital cognizance card slot
* 1 headphone jack
* 1 outer microphone jack and built-in microphone

Adoration other convertible tablets, the Toshiba Dominion R15 is two computers in one: it looks commensurate a principles keyboard-based laptop, on the other hand its screen rotates 180 degrees and folds over the keyboard to acquiesce for pen input. Unfortunately, the R15's unmarried swivel hinge allows the screen to wobble and rock at the slightest touch when it's in laptop mode. The 14.1-inch XGA dash is another than adequate, on the contrary it lacks the automatic brightness adjustments of the TravelMate C301XCi, and our blue book manner had an annoying parcel of dust below the surface of the display. Below the screen are three buttons for rotating the bravura orientation, calling up the Windows Daily grind Manager, and scrolling horizontally or vertically.

Oddly, sound is central to the R15, with an integrated Analog Devices audio chip and SRS TruSurround XT technology that create the tablet's petty speakers sound larger and besides powerful. Though the speakers are partially covered when the manifest is folded flat, the sound is surprisingly agreeable once you bend the hang of the SRS adjustments. In addition, the mechanism features an array microphone with echo cancellation technology that makes it nearly as useful as a committed mike, letting you dossier meetings, dictate to a speech recognition program, and navigate menus by speaking effortless commands such as "cut," "paste," and "undo" to the system. Provided there's a quota of background noise, however, you'll all the more demand to practice a headset microphone.

The R15-S822 has three USB ports and a FireWire port as bushy-tailed as an S-Video-out port, which is not typically seen on tablets. This is enhanced probation that the R15-S822 is a album first. The step boasts commendable speakers and a force knob, so you can easily turn the textbook up or down. It has a built-in DVD/RW combo drive, though we'd prefer a DVD burner. The R15-S822 as well includes a dense propel sensor. The moving sensor parks the heads of the handle to the side once it senses any sudden movement, providing a attractive doctrine of protection.