Three wireless-client devices ease our WLAN testing

We used a number of wireless client devices to establish access to our WLAN switch contenders. Some we already had in the lab, but the following three were brand-spanking new and offered varying degrees of usefulness in our tests.

IBM ThinkPad T41

Specs: Intel Pentium M 1.7GHz; 512MB of SDRAM; 60GB hard disk; IBM 11a/b/g integrated 802.11 and Bluetooth; IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0; 14.1-inch active matrix display; integrated DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive; OS: Windows XP Professional

Price: $2,899 base

Pros: Still our favorite notebook of all time, even fully loaded, this system weighs in at only 4.5 pounds. Add the long-life battery and you’re up to a little more than 5 pounds, but you’ll be able to work with a full-size notebook for about five hours. Add the docking station, and you’ve got the best tradeoff between desktop power and useful portability we’ve ever seen. The new Security Subsystem not only helps find lost notebooks; it also protects your T41 in the event of sudden falls.

Cons: It has so many features, you really need to read up to use everything you get. It’s also a mite pricier than our other clients — but still well worth the money. And IBM wanted it back, too.

Toshiba Portege R100

Specs: Intel Pentium M 1.0GHz; RAM: 256MB SDRAM; 40GB hard disk, a 12.1-inch XGA display; Intel Centrino (802.11b); Windows XP Professional

Price: $1,999 base

Pros: At less than 4 pounds, the R100 is a powerhouse in a diminutive case. The optional long-life battery can mean up to four hours of real-world working time. A near-full-size keyboard means minimal finger adjustment to the smaller case size.

Cons: It doesn’t ship with any form of external drive, so you’ll need to order an external CD-ROM drive or make sure you’ve got network software installation capability to install anything. Network connectivity flaked out a few times with the R100 deciding that it didn’t have either wired connectivity or wireless connectivity. In both instances a full reboot was required to fix the problem. A refusal to recognize any form of power also took its toll, requiring a trip to the repair depot — this all within three weeks of active review.

Toshiba M205-S810 Tablet PC

Specs: Intel Pentium M 1.5GHz; 512MB SDRAM; 60GB hard disk; 12.1-inch active matrix display; bundled external DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive; Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 802.11g; Windows XP Tablet Edition

Price: $2,399 base

Pros: This full-powered notebook simply flips a hinge to turn into a working tablet PC. The battery life in notebook or tablet mode is excellent.

Cons: It’s big for a tablet and it’s impossible to disengage the keyboard for tablet-only use, unlike our Hewlett-Packard TC1000.