Gateway C-Series

infobox computer
Name = C-Series
Developer = Gateway, Inc.
Type = Convertible Tablet PC
Photo =
Caption = A C-140 in mid-conversion
Released = June 28, 2007
Processor = (Early 2008) 1.46 / 1.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Baseprice = USD$899
Website = [http://www.gateway.com/systems/series/529597319.php Gateway C-Series storefront]

The C-Series is a line of notebook computers with convertible tablet PC form factors manufactured by Gateway, Inc. It replaced the CX series convertible tablet in Gateway's lineup.

The flagship product in the C-Series, the C-140, was released on June 28, 2007. The 14-inch notebook utilizes Intel Core Duo processors, with optional discrete ATI graphics solutions. C-Series notebooks are convertible tablet PCs, meaning that they have the shape of a traditional notebook computer while possessing the ability to have their screens rotated through 180 degrees, and laid flat against the keyboard, essentially converting the notebook into a slate-form factor tablet PC.

As of the beginning of February 2007 the C-Series line includes only the low-priced C-140S and the higher-end C-141. Discontinued models include the C-140X and C-140XL. Models for sale to small business customers carry the S-7235 designation, while the product is sold to the educational market as the E-295C. Another member of the C-Series which is currently unavailable from Gateway is the C-120, a similar design to the C-140, but featuring a 12-inch, rather than 14-inch screen.

C-Series models purchased through Gateway's online store offer few possibilities or customization, a move which allows for more aggressive pricing by sacrficing the ability to custom-build a system that customers are used to. Faster processors and a variety of different configurations are available through MPC, which purchased Gateway, Inc.'s Professional Services Unit business line on September 5th, 2007. C-140s sold through MPC carry the E-295C designation.

Overview (C-140)

The C-140/E-295C/S-7235 (henceforth referred to as the "C-140") features a widescreen 14.1" LCD display ith a 1280x768 resolution. This display features a Wacom Penabled touchscreen with an active digitizer, allowing the user to use an included electromagnetic stylus pen to interact with the computer, through handwriting recognition or using the pen as a replacement for a standard computer mouse or touchpad. Input and output ports include VGA, built-in Ethernet, 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi, Bluetooth capability, three USB ports, one Firewire 400 port, and a proprietary Gateway port for connecting to a docking station. The notebook also possesses a "5-in-1" memory card reader (which can access Secure Digital, Memory Stick, and xD Picture Card, among others), as well as a single PCMCIA Type II Cardbus PC Card slot. The chassis incorporates a Synaptics touchpad, an integrated microphone, and provides biometric security in the form of a fingerprint reader. The C-140's optical drive is removable and is replaceable with a modular battery (although this product is now largely discontinued); the drive is capable of reading and writing to most popular forms of DVD and CD-ROM media. The laptop has a single hard disk bay, and two available slots for connecting RAM memory boards (no memory is hard-wired to the motherboard. A PCI-Express slot is available for future expansion. The C-140's battery extends out beyond the rear edge of the computer, acting as a handgrip when the computer is in slate-tablet mode; a 6-cell battery is included, while heavier 8-cell and physically larger 12-cell batteries are also available.

The C-140 comes pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows Vista, which includes the rudimentary Microsoft Works productivity suite, Windows Media Player 11, and Internet Explorer 7.

pecifications

Issues

C-140s with Windows Vista operating systems may encounter difficulty leaving "Sleep" mode when this state is entered automatically (through leaving the notebook alone for a period of time, or by closing the lid when this setting is active). The pulsing light which indicates "sleeping" activity becomes extinguished, and the computer is unresponsive to depressing its power button. A solution to this problem is deactivating automatic sleeping, as the glitch does not seem to occur whenever the user actively puts the computer into Sleep mode. The problem does not appear to exist in systems using Microsoft Windows XP.

External links