IBM 730T with Pen for OS/2, ultimate PDA Options

[Ross Russell]

EBAY

The Fujitsu Point 510 or Point 1600 are color tablet PCs that are relatively cheap and work great as PDAs. The only "problem" with these machines is that they are relatively valuable and could be hard to replace if they are broken.

The IBM 730T 730TE is very very cheap, you can pick up the basic machine for under $50.00. These machines are monochrome but they are so cheap, rugged and easy to replace that they make great PDAs. These machines are about twice the size of the standard PDAs at about half the price and they can run standard Windows 95.

While the machines CAN run windows 95, I have Pen for OS/2 in my IBM 730TE which makes it an extremely unique PDA.

OS/2 requires a lot less memory and resources than Windows 95 which makes it great for a machine like the 730T 730TE. And because it is OS/2, a lot of people who might be stealing PCs might not understand what OS/2 is.

If you get a 730T (the 730TE has a slightly faster processor than the 730T) on ebay, it would probably help if you bought it with all the parts and in working condition, i.e. with a hard drive with extra memory and with Windows 95 already loaded. If you are not technical it may be somewhat difficult to deal with a barebones tablet PC.

Obviously, you can use the machine with windows 95 and you don't have to install Pen for OS/2 on it. I guess that OS/2 is really something for the more technical.

FULLY LOADED 730T with PRINTER AND CASE


One of the things that is neat about using Windows 95 (in addition to Windows 95 being fully compatible with your desktop PC) is that IBM created some software for use with the CrossPad notetaking Tablet that works perfectly on Tablet PCs running Windows 95. The Software is called Ink Manager.

So, with the Ink Manager Software loaded on your Tablet PC running Windows 95, you can literally use your Tablet PC to take notes as if you were writing on paper. The Ink Manager Software has the ability to store and organize your notes as you desire. The notes can be stored graphically or you can use the software to try to translate your notes into text.

You can of course spend about $2,000 or $3,000 to buy one of the new tablet PCs to do the same thing described above.


IBM 730T Tablet PC with WINDOWS 95