Compaq takes notebook expandability to new height<\/p>\n
By Zatni Arbi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): If we look at the notebook arena today, we will
\nfind that basically there are three players leading the game:
\nCompaq, IBM and Toshiba.<\/p>\n
Other big players are Digital, Micron, Acer and Dell, but they
\ndon't really have as strong an influence on the industry as those
\nin the first tier. It's also interesting to watch how these three
\nplayers take turns pushing notebook technology and usability
\nforward.<\/p>\n
What I find amusing is the fact that the three firms used the
\nfigure 7 to name their high-end notebooks. Look at IBM ThinkPad
\n770, and Toshiba Tecra 740, and now we have Compaq Armada 7700
\nand 7300 Series. It's hard to believe that this is just a
\ncoincidence.<\/p>\n
Over time, we also notice that the three leaders have
\ndifferent approaches to the market. What's unique about Compaq is
\nthat it breaks down its market into multimedia and business
\nsegments. To meet the requirements of heavy multimedia users,
\nthey have the Presarios.<\/p>\n
Those with business tasks in mind can choose a notebook from
\nCompaq's Armada line. Within each market segment, there is
\nnaturally the low end and the high end.<\/p>\n
In the case of the Armadas, there are two mid-ranges and two
\nhigh-ends. It can be confusing indeed, as price is not the only
\nconsideration that users now put into the equation.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Compaq Computer Pte Ltd, Singapore, I was able to
\ntest drive the next to the top-of-the-line Armada, the 7350T. I
\nwas lucky to be able to play around with the ArmadaStation, which
\nintroduced the novel concept of expanding the notebook into a
\nfully fledged desktop workhorse.<\/p>\n
Although Armada 7350T doesn't use a state-of-the-art processor
\nor oversized LCD display, I should admit that right from the
\nbeginning I liked the design very much. Unfortunately, it seems
\nthat Compaq has been rather conservative in some respects. The
\nArmadas still use a Trackpoint III pointing device instead of a
\ntouchpad, for example.<\/p>\n
MMX Technology<\/p>\n
The notebook that I tested ran on Intel Pentium 166 MHz with
\nMMX Technology. It's interesting to note that even as a growing
\nnumber of notebook makers are touting their 233 MHz Pentium with
\nMMX version, Compaq still uses this processor for its high-end
\nnotebooks.<\/p>\n
However, to tell the truth, I found no reason to complain
\nabout the speed of this responsive machine. The new CorelDRAW 8.0
\nsimply flew on it.<\/p>\n
My test unit came with 32 MB of RAM, a 2.1 GB hard drive, a
\nLithium Ion battery, a floppy diskette drive and a very thin 8x
\nCD-ROM Drive.<\/p>\n
While the RAM in the 7700 Series can be upgraded to a whopping
\n144 MB, the RAM in the 7300 Series can be increased to 128 MB.<\/p>\n
That's a lot of memory space even for Windows NT, which the
\n7700 Series has been designed to run on.<\/p>\n
The color of the notebook shell is ivory, and it looks really
\npretty and refreshing. The 7300 Series has been designed for
\nprofessional users who want a slim notebook to tote around. To
\nmake it really thin, Compaq has to use a very thin CD-ROM drive
\nand a very slim floppy diskette drive.<\/p>\n
The keyboard will recede automatically when the notebook cover
\nis folded. It's a new technology invented by Compaq. The 7300
\nkeyboard is acceptable, despite its very short key travel that's
\nnoticeable when we press the keys.<\/p>\n
The keyboard layout is uncluttered and comfortable to use,
\nwith the arrow keys separated from the rest.<\/p>\n
Like the earlier Armadas, there are also four programmable
\nkeys on top of the keyboard.<\/p>\n
The truly top of the high-end notebook from Compaq at present
\nis the Armada 7700. The 7700 Series is thicker and heavier than
\nthe 7300 Series, and its design is not much different from the
\nLTE 5000 that we're quite familiar with.<\/p>\n
The 7300 Series was designed more recently, and that's why my
\ntest unit has a much sleeker look and design -- including a palm
\nsupport in front of the keyboard.<\/p>\n
Both the 7700 and 7300 Series use 12.1\" TFT screen. It's tiny
\nwhen compared with today's 13.3\" and 14.1\" screens, but a recent
\nsurvey revealed that notebook users were not really as concerned
\nabout display size as they had been in the past.<\/p>\n
Therefore, I think Compaq made the right the decision to stay
\nwith 12.1\" screen, particularly because a larger screen would
\njack the price up significantly.<\/p>\n
The new Armadas also incorporate Intelligent Management, a set
\nof software tools that allow administrators to keep track of an
\ninventory, do routine tasks and ensure security from a remote
\nsite. Once a feature exclusive to high-end servers, such tools
\nhave now trickled down to high-end PCs and notebooks.<\/p>\n
Docking<\/p>\n
My test Armada also came complete with its docking station, or
\nexpansion base. Compaq calls it ArmadaStation, and it really
\nexpands the capabilities of the notebook. Honestly speaking, it's
\nnot the most complete docking station I've ever seen though. For
\ninstance, Siemens Nixdorf's MobiDock comes already equipped with
\na SCSI adapter.<\/p>\n
We have to add this to the ArmadaStation if we want to use a
\nJaz or SyJet drive, for instance. However, we can add up to two
\nType III PC Card devices -- including tiny hard disks -- to
\nArmadaStation.<\/p>\n
It can accommodate both the thicker 7700 and the slimmer 7300
\nSeries. The interesting thing about ArmadaStation is that we can
\nalso add a Tower Stand and turn the notebook into a tower PC, as
\nyou can see in the accompanying picture.<\/p>\n
During my test, I connected the ArmadaStation to Compaq's V70
\n17\" monitor and a Compaq keyboard, and I had a full-featured
\ntower PC. The main expansion base has two speakers and a sub-
\nwoofer to enhance the bass range, and the sound is decent.<\/p>\n
We can put the ArmadaStation upright on the floor to get more
\nspace on the desktop. The control buttons and the 4 Mbps infrared
\nport on the ArmadaStation will be on top when we place it
\nvertically.<\/p>\n
The notebook and the cover of the ArmadaStation can be locked
\nand we can secure the entire system with a Kensington lock. Press
\non one button, and the notebook will be ejected.<\/p>\n
The docking station can accommodate up to 2 PCI or ISA
\nexpansion cards, so you can add a TV tuner, too, if you'd like to
\nfollow the news on CNN. Two 5.25' bays are available. Since
\nArmada 7300 has a very slim CD-ROM drive, we need to fit it into
\nan adapter before we can place it into one of these bays.<\/p>\n
A note about the monitor: The V70 -- the name reminds me of my
\ndream Volvo Station Wagon -- is a good monitor. It was a PC
\nMagazine Editors' Choice a year ago, and they still liked it in
\ntheir recent roundup of large screen monitors.<\/p>\n
One thoughtful design in V70 that other monitors should follow
\nis the concealment of cable connectors. They all face downward
\nand are covered by a flip up panel. With such a design, the
\nrequired space can be smaller because you can push the monitor
\nall the way toward the wall. It also looks better when placed
\nwith its back to your guests, as the ugly cable fumble is fully
\ncovered.<\/p>\n
Final word<\/p>\n
After using it for about three weeks, I like the 7350T very
\nmuch. I can find only one minor design shortcoming that Compaq
\nmay want to fix: The speakers in 7300 Series are placed at both
\nends of the palm rest.<\/p>\n
When you're working, your hands cover the speakers and the
\nsound becomes muffled. In the bigger 7700 Series, the speakers
\nare located on both sides of the LCD monitor, directing the sound
\ntoward the user.<\/p>\n
Compaq told me that some future versions of the Armadas will
\ncome with larger LCD screens and faster processors. The color may
\nalso change, although that may not be a good news because I'm
\nalready so enchanted by the beige-ivory color.<\/p>\n
The 7300 Series is not as lightweight as ThinkPad 560, for
\ninstance, but with the full setup -- a large monitor, expansion
\nbase, keyboard and mouse, you'll definitely no longer need two
\ncomputers.<\/p>\n
If you're looking for a new notebook for the office or on the
\nroad, and you don't like the black and boxy shape of the
\nThinkPad, Armada 7350T is certainly worth considering. Even with
\nonly the 166 MHz Pentium processor to power it, it is
\nunquestionably a potent computer that is a pleasure to use.<\/p>",
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