Transmeta (Semiconductor) (TMTA)

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Here is a brief review of the Sharp MP30...

I would like to begin by stating that the TM8800 1.6GHz processor powering my Sharp MP30 is very fast. I guess I should use the term “snappy”. I am comparing my experience against the classic 1GHz Crusoe TM5800 operating under Windows XP Tablet PC edition on my TC1000 Tablet PC. That said I think that the TM5800 is fast enough for most tasks but the performance TM8800 has been more than significantly improved.

The unit is very small and very light and the included DVD/CD-RW is a very nice upgrade. It has handled everything I have thrown at it and the response has been very satisfying. I admit that I have not played any games but I have watched DVDs and the playback has been very smooth. The screen is very clear and bright and displays 3D images remarkably well. Overall I have to say that I am very impressed with this unit. The most demanding applications load very fast the first time and extremely fast thereafter. Battery life seems very good but I have yet to formally evaluate it.

What don’t I like about the MP30? Two things come to mind. The first problem I have is that it only ships with XP Home Edition. It is possible to manually upgrade it to XP Professional (which I have) but that adds $200.00+ to the overall cost. The second problem I have with the unit is that a docking station is not currently available. This makes it a real pain to grab and go. I want to note that the screen is on the small side but that is part of the design. I know that this computer is not targeted at business users. I personally feel that this is a shame because it easily fits within this category.

In summary, I highly recommend this unit and so far I am extremely impressed with the evolution of the efficeon processor technology. Please feel free to ask me anything that I have not covered.

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