Blog:: Craig Pringle

Just spotted something interesting GBM

"Do you have an M4 or M400 Tablet PC?? Oh, and you are running Vista RC1. Oh yeah, and are you having any issues??

Well head over to here – the beta driver site for Toshiba – you might like what you see!!!"

Here's the list of software available for the Portege M400

Click the filename to download the file you want.

Bluetooth: bluetooth v5.00.00beta1.10.zip 61,064,494 bytes
Bluetooth Stack version 5.00.00 Beta 1.10
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Buttons: tablet buttons v2.0.2.0beta.zip 3,551,431 bytes
Tablet Buttons Driver version 2.0.2.0 Beta
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Chipset: chipset intel v8.1.0.1006.zip 1,015,791 bytes
Intel Chipset Driver version 8.1.0.1006(Kit9095)
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Fingerprint: fingerprint v5.6.0.2995.zip 10,590,927 bytes
Fingerprint Reader Driver version 5.6.0.2995
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Flash Memory: flashmedia ti v2.0.0.4.zip 4,142,834 bytes
TI Flash Media Driver version 2.0.0.4
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

RAID: raid v1.04.0009.zip 231,291 bytes
RAID driver version 1.04.0009

Touchpad: touchpad alps v7.0.301.0.1.zip 3,487,113 bytes
ALPS Touchpad Driver version 7.0.301.0.1
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Utility: common modules v6.04.00beta1.zip 1,716,430 bytes
Toshiba Common Modules version 6.04.00 Beta 1
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

Utility: hotkey display v2.9.3.0.zip 1,415,292 bytes
Hotkey Utility for Display Devices version 2.9.3.0
Released for Windows Vista Beta 2

I'll be checking these out over the next few days. There are also drivers available for:

Qosmio G35
G35-AV600, G35-AV610, G35-AV650, G35-AV660

Tecra M4

Tecra M5 (PTM50U)

Tecra M5 (PTM51U)

When I got my TC1100 last year it was – to my knowledge – only the second Tablet PC in the Wellington Office of Gen-i.  I openly distributed the business case I had used to justify mine and soon Tablets were in use by several others in other departments.  These included Technical Account Managers, Account Directors and Field Engineers.  However in my own team there was a complete lack of hardware refreshes so there were no additional Tablets in the consulting team. 

With Vista looming we took the conscious decision to refresh the hardware used by some of our team to ensure that we can operate at the bleeding edge.  Lets face it as Technology Consultants, Senior Technology Consultants and Infrastructure Architects we are the technology people in front of our clients.  We need to live with Vista so we can better communicate the benefits – and challenges – to our client base.  The corporate standard hardware – while adequate and Vista capable – would not run Aero Glass.   Like I said – we’re the ones in front of the customers – we need to be able to show off!

We looked outside the standard at mobile hardware that was Vista ready.  At the time it was a short list.   We put forward a case to management to go with the Toshiba M400.  They came back and said that they agreed in principle but we needed to get a laptop option as well.  My boss demonstrated his belief in the tablet platform when he stated “If anyone wants the laptop option they need to write a business case to justify being less productive”  J

Last month the team of consultants I work in took delivery of 13 Toshiba M400s.  More are coming.  The team is running them with Windows XP.  I’ve got Vista RC1 on mine and it seems to be running well.  For the half year (at least) I’m going to be running the Vista stream of an internal project to build our capability and go to market strategy for the raft of new Microsoft products coming soon.  It’s going to be a fun ride.