Snap-on, snap-off: IBM's slick new screen technology turns the ThinkPad 755CV into a remote-control color presentation panel
Edmund X. Dejesus
You've never seen anything like IBM's
ThinkPad 755CV notebook computer
-- guaranteed. A superb blend of at least three interesting technologies, the base machine includes a 100-MHz 486DX4 processor (upgradable to a Pentium); a 10.4-inch, 65,536-color active-matrix display; a TrackPoint III pointer; and PC Card, or PCMCIA, slots for one Type III or two Type I or II cards. The ThinkPad 755CDV, a 755CV with an integrated CD-ROM drive, was released in June.
That's pretty good for starters. But in addition to all that, when you undo a latch on either side of the screen, the reinforced casing lifts off the back of the screen, transforming the now-
transparent screen into a presentation panel that opens flat for simple attachment onto any standard overhead projector.
Thus, your presentation can be show-
and
-tell, with the integrated Mwave DSP (digital signal processor) chip delivering audio narration, music clips, and sound effects. This DSP chip also supports recording and playback, MIDI and Sound Blaster support, and a full-duplex speakerphone in conjunction with the internal 14.4-Kbps fax modem.
And, to enable you to magically control your presentation from across the room, front and rear infrared ports accept commands from the wireless MindPath Technologies infrared remote control. MindPath's Presentation F/X software lets you control mouse-cursor movements, click and double-click, and invoke any of over 20 special effects. The infrared ports also allow the exchange of data with IRDA-standard (Infrared Device Association) printers and other computers at rates as high as 115.2 Kbps.
The Competition
There are other presentation panels that offer remote control; there are even other notebooks that can turn into presentation panels, including Aquiline's Cruiser, Boxlight's Multibook, IntelliView's DPS-1 and DPS-3, and Revered Technology's Power Cruiser. But there's nothing else that offers the flexibility and gee-whiz appeal of the 755CV. And, for approximately the same price that you would pay for the LCD color active-matrix projection panels that are currently on the market ($4000 to $12,000), you can purchase a projection panel
and
a full-featured ThinkPad in one box.
The Class B 755CV weighs 6.6 pounds with battery pack, and you can swap out the front-mounted 3-1/2-inch floppy drive for another PC Card slot or a wireless modem. On BYTE's Thumper 2 battery-life test, the Energy Star-approved 755CV scored 3 hours, 38 minutes, which is in line with the claimed 3.3 to 10 hours (4.1 to 12 hours with the optional lithium-ion battery).
Two minor complaints are that the system has no h
andle, and setup for the infrared remote control is not intuitive. But if you're weary of making and carrying overhead foils--or if you just want to impress other technophiles--you'll find your machine in the 755CV.
Product Information
ThinkPad 755CV $6099
ThinkPad 755CDV $7099
(includes integrated CD-ROM drive)
IBM Corp.
Armonk, NY
(914) 765-1900
(800) 426-2968
photo_link (35 Kbytes)
Edmund X. DeJesus is a BYTE senior editor. He has a Ph.D. in physics and has been a professional programmer for over 15 years. You can reach him on the Internet o
r BIX at
edejesus@bix.com
.
Presentation Quality
