xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />The first thing you notice about the Acer TravelMate C100 is the hinge: It's a big departure from the type that laptop users are accustomed to. Sure, it opens and closes, but it also swivels 180 degrees, so you can rotate the 10.4-inch XGA LCD screen to face away from the keyboard. Push the screen's back against the keyboard, and voilà!, you've got a slate.

Contortionist? No. The correct term is "convertible," which means you can switch between an ultraportable form factor and a slate. Acer offers two base configurations. The $2,199 TM C102T has USB and Ethernet ports, and a 56-Kbps modem, all standard. For $2,399, the TM C102Ti version adds a built-in 802.11b wireless LAN modem and antenna. Both models include a Smart Card reader, which adds a nice layer of security for your data.

The TravelMate C100 comes with an 800-MHz Mobile Pentium III processor, 128MB to 256MB of RAM, and a 20GB to 30GB hard drive. Acer rates the battery life at 3.5 hours, and the unit weighs 3.2 pounds.

The Acer TravelMate is available in four skews.

 

 

The reviews here have been excerpted from various Issues of LAPTOP and TECH Edge magazines.