Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 1 of 10
`
`Current Cover
`
`The Bull
`Pen
`Message Board
`
`Fujitsu Stylistic 2300
`
`Pen Computing 27 - April 1999 -- Looks can be so
`deceiving. For example, when you look at the new
`Stylistic 2300 mobile decision support computer from
`Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. (FPSI), chances are
`that you won't notice much of a difference between
`this new model and the Stylistic 1200 it replaces.
`
`And that's just fine with FPSI and most of their
`customers. Unlike office systems which can be just
`about any size or shape as long as they fit on or
`under the desk, handhelds are highly optimized tools
`where form follows function. "Collect all five" may
`well help Apple sell more of its now multi-colored
`iMacs, but in the field, where standardization matters
`and where customers may already have invested in
`millions of dollarsÕ worth of peripherals, docking
`systems, or device protection gear, whimsical design
`changes are not only frowned upon, they can literally
`kill a deal.
`
`This is not to say that vertical market customers do
`not seek to keep their field force computing
`equipment up-to-date--new technology often has a
`direct impact on productivity--but it must not come at
`the cost of changing shapes and designs simply for
`the sake of it. Fujitsu Personal Systems, the
`undisputed market share leader in pen tablets, knows
`that. The company has reached $100 million in sales
`per year by knowing what its customers want and by
`concentrating on one product and one product only,
`pen-based mobile decision support computers.
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 2 of 10
`
`During 1998, FPSI shipped some 35,000 (20,000
`Stylistics and 15,000 Points) pen computers, a very
`significant number in this market. According to IDC
`estimates, FPSI had a 55% market share in unit
`shipments in 1998, a number that may have
`decreased a bit due to a number of new pen products
`that have come on the market since, but FPSI
`continues to occupy a leadership position the likes of
`which are hardly ever seen in hotly contested
`markets. Think GM in its heyday. In addition, FPSI
`has been profitable since 1995, a fact that is certain
`to be comforting to the growing number of FPSI
`clients (which include, by the way, American Airlines,
`Nabisco, Nestle, Gillette, Southwest Air, State Farm,
`and ADP).
`
`Update of a proven design
`
`But to get back to the new Stylistic 2300. Although it
`looks virtually unchanged from the Stylistic 1200,
`nothing could be further from the truth. While the
`2300's exterior has been left largely unchanged--
`including the all-important placement of ports and
`peripheral connectors, the inside is all new. "What do
`I care what the thing looks like inside," you may say.
`"So they put in a faster processor and a bigger disk."
`
`Fujitsu did that, and a whole lot more, but the extent
`of the work that went into making the new Stylistic a
`better machine in every respect is totally amazing.
`
`We've opened many pen tablets in our lab over the
`years and have seen many clever solutions and fine
`quality, as well some atrocities that we'd rather forget
`about. We never cease to marvel at the complexity of
`the task--to pack an entire computer into a very small
`space, place all the connectors in just the right place,
`and put it all together in a way that can withstand
`abuse that a regular notebook computer cannot.
`Open any handheld computer and you immediately
`see that it's infinitely more difficult to design, and
`assemble, a good mobile device than it is to build a
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 3 of 10
`
`desktop computer where space simply isn't an issue,
`and where it really doesn't matter where the
`connectors are since you can simply run a ribbon
`cable to the plug on the back of the machine. Given
`the huge complexity of fitting all that power into a
`small package you might expect mobile computers to
`be less reliable than desktops or notebooks.
`
`At least in the case of FPSI's products, that's not the
`case. According to Fujitsu's Geoff Walker, the
`Stylistic 1200 has an annual failure rate of under 7%.
`According to Ziff-Davis, the failure rate of corporate
`notebooks runs between 25 and 30% per year.
`Amazing. Take a look at the insides of the Stylistic
`and you know where that stellar repair record comes
`from. Fujitsu literally spared no expense to get every
`detail correctly designed, optimized for the purpose,
`and just plain right.
`
`Here are two examples that illustrate FPSI's design
`approach. First, all too aware that heat is a major
`problem in small, fan-less devices powered by hot-
`running Intel processors, FPSI designed the Stylistic
`2300's motherboard around a sophisticated thermal
`heat dissipation model. This approach had worked
`well in the Stylistic 1200, and the 2300's thermal
`subframe that carries heat away from the Pentium
`processor is even more impressive.
`
`The 233MHz Mobile Intel Pentium II processor itself,
`incidentally, isn't the same clumsy brick you see in
`desktop machines. Far from it. Fujitsu developed a
`multi-chip module (including 512KB of L2 cache)
`sitting on a small 280-pin daughter board that itself is
`smaller than a standard Pentium chip, dissipates far
`less heat and takes up 70% less space. The Pentium
`chip itself is less than a half of an inch square, about
`the size of your pinky fingernail. The elaborately
`engineered heat dissipator subframe then passes on
`whatever little heat the mini-chip generates. As a
`result, the Stylistic 2300 runs even cooler than its
`slower predecessor. Second, and here FPSI clearly
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 4 of 10
`
`has an advantage over most of its rivals, every FPSI
`pen tablet has close and extensive genetic ties to an
`existing product of Fujitsu's highly regarded
`notebook computer division. This may not be
`immediately obvious, given the big difference
`between a pen tablet and a clamshell notebook, but
`put a Stylistic next to certain members of Fujitsu's
`"Life-book" series of notebook computers, and you'll
`see many shared components, and inside the
`resemblance is even greater. This ability to share
`components, and the significant resources of
`Fujitsu's notebook engineering staff, quite obviously
`have a positive impact on the design and quality of
`FPSI products.
`Inside: cleaner and better than ever
`
`Continuing our examination of the 2300's innards, it
`becomes obvious that the overall design philosophy
`hasn't changed. Like the successful 1200, the 2300 is
`built in four "layers," those being, from top, a) the
`screen, b) the active, electromagnetic Mutoh digitizer
`(now on a thinner orange Capton substrate instead of
`a standard circuit board, c) a rigid magnesium
`subframe, and d) the motherboard with its
`peripherals. The 2300, however, seems cleaner and
`more efficiently designed than the 1200 which was a
`bit of a challenge even for seasoned service
`technicians. The 2300 seems simpler and more
`cohesive, and is thus easier to work on if anything
`should go wrong.
`
`This effort to make things easier to fix, incidentally,
`didn't stop at the layout and organization of the
`electronics. Other small plastic bits and pieces that
`were difficult to handle on the 1200 have been
`redesigned, undoubtedly lowering repair costs of the
`new unit. Another impression is how efficiently
`Fujitsu's engineers used every fraction of a cubic
`inch inside the 2300 and how tightly packed
`everything is. Comparing the guts of, say, a
`MicroSlate Datellite to the Stylistic is like comparing
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 5 of 10
`
`the power plant in the cavernous engine bay of a 60s
`muscle car to the way the complex 3.2 liter inline six
`fills up the engine compartment of my BMW M3 (yes,
`we love cars almost as much as mobile computers
`here at PCM).
`
`An analogy to such high performance automobiles is
`relative, of course. For while the Stylistic 2300
`represents a very major advance in power and
`performance over the 1200, Fujitsu has always
`placed reliability and functionality higher than
`bragging rights for the fastest processor. At the time
`of the release of the Stylistic 2300, Intel had already
`announced 366MHz and 333MHz versions of the
`mobile Pentium II processor, "relegating" the 2300's
`233MHz chip into the middle echelon of mobile
`processors. While more processing power is always
`good, we fully understand, and agree with, FujitsuÕs
`decisions to go with the 233MHz chip. The 266
`version of the same chip runs about 8% faster but
`consumes 14% more power, and waiting for the yet
`more expensive mobile 333/366MHz chips made even
`less sense. Given the tasks it is likely to perform in
`the field, the Stylistic's 233MHz processor is plenty
`fast enough, and then some.
`The choice of the right processor, however, was not
`the only decision Fujitsu had to make. After the
`switch from PC Card hard drives (Stylistic 1000) to
`the larger-capacity and more rugged 2.5-inch drives
`(Stylistic 1200), FPSI engineers took a look at
`alternative storage technologies, such as IBM's new
`microdrive (not available yet, not enough capacity),
`but decided to stay with the shock-mounted 2.5-inch
`format, although now using an Ultra-ATA interface
`that's twice as fast. Storage capacity rose to 4.1GB
`(Toshiba HDD2914), more than enough to even store
`entire CD-ROM images, should a client need them. In
`an additional effort to increase reliability, Fujitsu
`equipped the 2300 with a "real" RJ-11 jack.
`Customers had complained about the fragility of PC
`Card modem connectors (a motion that we would
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 6 of 10
`
`second anytime) and the 2300 now has an internal
`56k v.90 hardware modem that uses the ubiquitous
`Lucent chipset.
`Screen advances
`
`The screen was one area where the Stylistic 1200 had
`fallen a bit behind the times. The 7.8-inch diameter
`TFT was certainly bright enough, but its standard 640
`x 480 VGA resolution made it unsuitable for the
`increasing number of applications that require SVGA,
`and, like any other standard TFT screen, it could not
`be used outdoors.
`
`Things have changed, as has the state-of-the-art in
`display technology. Fujitsu doesn't even offer a
`monochrome display with the new Stylistic. Instead,
`the new 2300 comes with a larger (8.4-inch versus the
`1200Õs barely 8-inch) 800 x 600 SVGA screen and
`there are two display options available. One is a
`standard, and very bright and stable, 262,144 color
`TFT that's perfect for indoor use.
`
`The second is--drum rolls, please--a Color
`Transflective screen that can be read both indoors
`AND outdoors. Both screens have an ultra-fine dot
`pitch of 0.21mm, which is a good thing because
`Windows in SVGA resolution can be a bit of a handful
`on an 8.4-inch screen.
`Let's talk about the screen options. If you look at
`them indoors, side by side, there is no doubt that the
`standard TFT, which displays 262,144 colors, is
`significantly brighter and more vibrant than the color-
`transflective DSTN display that only shows 4,096
`colors. Go outside, however, and in bright sunlight
`the standard TFT simply disappears, whereas the
`color-transflective screen remains easily readable, as
`easy as any transmissive monochrome screen, only
`in color.
`
`This means that you must decide what matters in
`your application. If your users primarily work
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 7 of 10
`
`indoors, by all means select the standard TFT. If they
`work both indoors and outdoors, let them make the
`choice, for it IS a compromise. If they are always
`outdoors, the color-transflective screen is the only
`choice. We applaud Fujitsu for including a color-
`transflective screen even though the technology is
`still at a relatively early stage in its development.
`Several companies (including LCD heavies Sharp
`and Epson) have indoor/outdoor color screens, and
`FPSI chose to go with Kyocera's design. A tough and
`easy-to-replace 2mm-thick Plexiglas shield protects
`the LCD screen on each unit. Both screens, by the
`way, can be panned across a 1024 x 768 XGA display
`area. Brightness, and contrast in the color-
`transflective unit, are pen adjustable via silk-
`screened controls below the display, as are speaker
`on/off and volume, monitor settings, and a user-
`programmable "hot pad." These controls work well
`enough, though I will always prefer mechanical
`adjustments.
`
`Unlike the Point models, the Stylistics have an active
`electromagnetic digitizer. It is made by Mutoh
`America (see sidebar next page), has a 1016 points
`per inch resolution and a 133 points per second
`sampling rate. The handsome black pens use a
`AAAA battery, that should last a year to a year and a
`half, and can be tethered to the unit so that they don't
`get lost.
`
`In the memory department, the 2300 comes standard
`with 32MB of RAM, adequate for Windows 95, albeit
`marginal for Windows 98, and can be upgraded to
`96MB via its single memory expansion connector.
`
`In terms of size and weight, the Stylistic 2300
`remains completely unchanged from its predecessor.
`It still measures a handy 11.1 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches and
`weighs a manageable 3.9 pounds. This is despite a
`boost in capacity from 3.9 to 4.5Ah in the unit's
`massive Lithium-Ion battery pack that, Fujitsu claims,
`can power the 2300 for up to four (TFT) or five (DSTN)
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 8 of 10
`
`hours. Between the larger capacity, the relatively
`thrifty mobile Pentium chip, and improved power
`management, this estimate doesn't appear
`unrealistic. The battery can also power the 2300 in
`suspended mode for up to ten daysÑstill not as good
`as Windows CE's instant on, but quite impressive.
`While multimedia is certainly not the Stylistic's
`primary purpose in life, the unit has impressive AV
`credentials. In addition to full-duplex, Sound Blaster
`Pro compatible audio and stereo microphone and
`speaker jacks, the 2300 also offers "zoomed video," a
`technology that streams video directly to the AV
`subsystem, bypassing the CPU and system bus,
`enabling full-motion 30 frames-per-second video in a
`mobile pen system.
`
`Some of Fujitsu's competitors like to point out that
`the Stylistic is not "rugged," and that is true. FPSI
`calls the Stylistic "semi-rugged," meaning that is
`very well built, shock-mounted, and able to operate
`under a significantly wider range of environmental
`conditions than your average notebook computer
`(which, incidentally, FPSI says is the primary
`competitor to its tablets in most bidding situations).
`There are also a variety of harsh environment cases
`and screen protectors, but the bottom line is that the
`Stylistic is meant to be treated with some respect.
`
`Not much has changed as far as options go. Since
`the Stylistic 2300 already has parallel, serial, video,
`audio, keyboard, modem, infrared, and even a USB
`port, the optional port replicator is primarily a
`convenience if you plan on using the unit on a
`desktop for extended periods of time. Fujitsu also
`offers a futuristic looking hand strap designed for left
`or right handed users and for either landscape or
`portrait mode. There is also an external floppy disk
`drive option and a wand-style barcode reader. Fujitsu
`has never been in the market of offering more
`esoteric, "James Bond"-style options and still
`doesnÕt. This doesnÕt mean that they arenÕt
`available from third parties, however.
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 9 of 10
`
`As far as operating systems go, the Stylistic 2300
`comes with Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, or
`Windows NT Workstation 4.0. All come with CIC's
`PenX 1.51 pen extensions; 95 and 98 also come with
`Pen Services 2.0. As such, the 2300 proudly carries
`the Microsoft "Designed for Windows 98/NT" sticker.
`Pricewise, the new units are in the same range as the
`ones they replace. The single unit list price for a
`color-transflective Stylistic 2300 is US$4,485,
`expensive given the recent dramatic price reductions
`of desktop PCs, a bargain compared to most high-
`end notebooks. Note that Fujitsu isn't in the business
`of selling single units, so corporate customers will
`likely pay a significantly lower volume price. Best of
`all, while customers had to wait several months until
`the eagerly awaited Stylistic 1200 became available a
`couple of years ago, the new 2300 ships right now,
`and has been shipping since December of 1998.
`
`The best Stylistic yet
`So what's the bottom line? The Stylistic 2300, pen
`tablet market leader Fujitsu's new high-end product,
`is a strong and attractive follow-up to the hugely
`successful Stylistic 1000 and 1200. Its cautious,
`albeit very thorough "outside-in" design may
`disappoint some customers who had hoped for a
`new look or technology closer to the leading edge.
`We don't share that opinion. FPSI took a very good
`product, redesigned its innards completely, updated
`every meaningful component, took advantage of
`every feasible standard and feature, and combined it
`in a thoroughly competent device that leverages the
`investment of existing customers while attracting
`new ones. We still don't understand FPSI's aversion
`to CD-ROM drives, but applaud the availability of the
`indoor/outdoor readable color-transflective screen in
`addition to the color TFT.
`
`As the vertical market begins to explore Windows
`CE, there is still plenty of opportunity for a powerful,
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015
`
`

`
`Pen Computing Magazine: Features
`
`Page 10 of 10
`
`full-function decision support computer such as the
`2300. Great job. -
`
`- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer
`
`[Homepage]
`[Features] [Showcase] [Developer] [Members] [Subscribe] [Resources] [Contacts] [Guidelines]
`
`All contents ©1995-1998 Pen Computing Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved.
`Unauthorized reproduction in any form is strictly prohibited.
`Contact the Pen Computing Publishing Office for reprint information.
`
`http://pencomputing.com/archive/PCM27/Hardware/fpsi_2300.html
`
`7/31/2015