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`Pen Computing historic reviews: IBM ThinkPad 730TE (1995)
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`November/December 1995
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`Current Cover
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`Pen Lab Review
`IBM ThinkPad 730TE
`
`Superb pen tablet gets a faster CPU, more memory, and a bigger disk.
`
`In October of 1994, Pen Computing Magazine ran a comparison test between two of the best pen computers
`ever made, the IBMThinkPad 730T and the Toshiba T200. We called it "Showdown of the Super Tablets"
`because those two machines truly represented the state-of-the-art at the time. Both machines underwent
`PenLab's rigorous benchmarking tests, and when the smoke cleared, we concluded "After 15 rounds, it's a
`draw."
`
`This was 1994, and now it's 1995. How have the two machines
`weathered another tough year in pen computing's quest for
`acceptance? Sadly, Toshiba called it quits, retiring its T200 line.
`That is too bad. While not quite deserving the proud "Dynapad"
`name once coined by computer visionary Alan Kaye, the T200 was
`a terrific platform with lots of potential, and it is sorely missed.
`(Who said the Japanese always stay for the long term?).
`
`IBM, however, is still in the race. And even though its main pen
`competitor retired, the company did not rest on its laurels. No, the
`company went ahead and improved its pen tablet once again. In our
`1994 review we found much to like about the ThinkPad 730T, but
`we felt it was a tad slow, and 105MB of hard disk space was
`inadequate in today's world of storage-hungry applications. Well, on October 27 of this year, IBM made
`available a new and improved version of its pen tablet, the IBMThinkPad 730TE. And guess what, the TE has a
`faster processor-a DX4/75 instead of the 486SL/33 of its predecessor-and a bigger disk-an Integral Peripherals
`Viper 260MB unit instead of the old 730T's marginal 105MB drive. In addition, the 730TE comes with 8MB of
`base RAM instead of the older unit's 4MB, reflecting the reality of today's memory-hungry programs.
`
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`Pen slate design
`
`Other than that, the 730TE remains the purposeful, beautifully crafted, and rock-solid pen tablet it was, an
`almost perfect implementation of the original pen slate concept. The location of the controls and icons indicates
`that the 730, just like the 700 and 710 models before it, was designed for operation in portrait mode (Windows
`has a Rotate control panel to set screen orientation). Measuring 10.6 x 8.3 x 1.4 inches, the unit is primarily
`aimed at vertical market applications-field inspection, appraisals, sales, claims adjustment, health care, law
`enforcement, service, repair, inventory-where light weight (the 730TE weighs just 3.9 pounds), impeccable
`engineering and reliability count. Like most ThinkPads, and perhaps more so, the 730TE feels as if it was
`milled from that proverbial block of steel, and that's not far from the truth: there is no creaking and flexing in
`the 730TE because its entire bottom case is made of solid magnesium. The slim, battery-free Wacom pen is a
`pleasure to use. Just don't lose it. Since the physical design is unchanged, the 730TE inherits its predecessors'
`flimsy plastic latches, one of which houses the pen. Others cover the PCCard slots and the port replicator
`connector. Our guess is that they won't last long in field use.
`
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`Screen
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`Much of the 730TE's surface is taken up by a 9.5" STN transflective, backlit monochrome screen. Its contrast is
`somewhat marginal, but the "track right" edged surface has a very good paperlike feel for pen operation. The
`backlight can be turned on and off through touch controls on the left side of the screen, just like speaker
`operation, brightness, and sleep mode. A row of LEDs indicate battery status, disk activity, and power status.
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`Ports and expansion
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`Like its predecessor, the 730TE comes standard with a port replicator that offers a full complement of serial,
`parallel, SVGA, floppy, power, and PS/2 style keyboard ports. It'd be nice if those ports were built-in,
`especially since the replicator doesn't connect very securely to the main unit. The 730TE also has room for
`either two PCMCIAType II cards or three Type II cards (if one of them is an ICDRAMcard).
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`Recent issues
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`www.pencomputing.com/old_pcm_website/PCM_7/review_thinkpad_730te.html
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`EXHIBIT 1058
`Samsung et al. v. Neonode
`IPR2021-00145
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`12/14/21, 10:01 AM
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`Pen Computing historic reviews: IBM ThinkPad 730TE (1995)
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`Operating systems
`The 730TE offers a variety of operating systems, including PenDOS, Pen for OS/2 Warp, PenRight!, or
`Windows for Pen Computing (IBMsupplies its own ThinkWrite recognizer instead of Microsoft's MARS). You
`can actually still get the unit with the late, great pen-centric PenPoint operating system (special order). At press
`time, there was no word whether IBM will release the driver libraries necessary for the 730TE to run Windows
`95 with the 2.0 pen extension. We hope so. The 730TE is powerful enough to run Windows 95.
`
`What could have been
`Unlike IBM's other pen computer, the clamshell 360PE, which is manufactured in Mexico, the 730TE is made
`in Japan (our unit came with Japanese manuals). One can't help but wonder what would have happened had
`IBM given those clever Japanese designers free reign. Integrated Graffiti?A better on-screen keyboard?Some
`pen killer apps? But those are moot points. The 730TE, after all, is a workhorse vertical market pen tablet, and
`not a platform for pushing the state-of-the-art in pen computing.
`
`Performance
`How does the 730TE's faster chip and bigger disk affect performance? The results are somewhat inconclusive.
`In our benchmarks, the new unit predictably achieved better processor scores and powered to a truly stellar
`WinMark performance. Disk and video scores were mixed, despite accelerated VESA local-bus graphics.
`Overall, expect about a 25% performance increase over the 730T.
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`Power management
`We weren't able to benchmark battery life. IBM's technical information claims that the 730TE's twin NiCAD
`batteries will power the unit for about 3.3 hours of continuous operation with the backlight on. Based on our
`experience with the older 730T, this seems about right. Expect up to five hours with the backlight off. You may
`get more in intermittent use. The unit can be put to sleep with a touch of the pen. Pushing a button wakes it up.
`Unfortunately, when the unit is on, pushing the same button turns it off. Not an ideal solution.
`
`Pricing
`Pricing of the 730TE is reasonable: $2,849 for the 8MB diskless base unit, and $3,499 for a 260MB disk
`version with your choice of operating system pre-loaded. If you want to peruse detailed specs, they're available
`on IBM's excellent World Wide Web site at http:// www.pcco.ibm.com/products.html.
`
`Bottom line is that the IBMThinkPad 730TE continues to be one of the very best pen slates available. Thanks,
`IBM, for keeping the faith!
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`www.pencomputing.com/old_pcm_website/PCM_7/review_thinkpad_730te.html
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