Fujitsu Tablet PC History

In the beginning, there was Poqet…

In 1989, in partnership with Fujitsu, the Poqet Computer Corporation announced the arrival of the Poqet PC. When it began shipping in March of 1990, the Poqet PC was the world’s first hand-held, one-pound, IBM/PC-XT-compatible computer. About the size of a videocassette, the Poqet PC was fully MS-DOS compatible. Its processor was an 8088, running at 8 MHz. The battery life was 2 to 3 weeks, and it boasted 640 KB of SRAM.

Since then, Fujitsu has contained to maintain its leadership in the Tablet PC space by releasing generation after generation of new Tablet PCs incorporating the latest features and technologies, and continually innovating to meet customer needs. As a result, Fujitsu Tablet PCs have become the de facto standard in a wide variety of environments including Healthcare, Field Force Automation, Government and Education. In addition, Consumers have come to rely on the reliability, quality and innovation of Fujitsu Tablet PCs. Today, Fujitsu continues to lead the market with features such as optional dual display (for both pen and touch input), providing users with increased productivity and new ways to interact with their Tablet PC.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

PoqetPad

Fujitsu was one of the founding members of the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), which was founded in 1989 by a small group of Silicon Valley companies that wanted to create a standard for memory cards. By then, Poqet had designed the Poqet PC to use memory cards as removable storage. Poqet needed software developers to put their products on memory cards, but at the time there were ten different types of memory cards sold and there had been no real effort at standardization. PCMCIA quickly became the standard for card devices.

In 1991 the Poqet Computer Corporation, again in partnership with Fujitsu, introduced the PoqetPad. PoqetPad was a handheld, touch-screen computer with an NEC V20 CPU chip running at 7 MHz.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Poqet PC Plus

In 1992, Fujitsu took over Poqet Computer Corp. and embarked on a hugely successful journey to become market leader in pen-based computing.

In 1993, Fujitsu released an updated version of the Poqet PC: the Poqet PC Plus. The Poqet PC Plus contained an NEC V30 chip, and the processor speed was 16 MHz. The transflective Poqet PC Plus display was an improvement over the Poqet PC’s reflective screen. The PoqetPad Plus RF was released shortly thereafter, and was the first pen tablet to use an integrated wireless LAN.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

PoqetPad Plus

When the PoqetPad Plus was introduced in 1993, it had the same form-factor as the PoqetPad, but it had an NEC V30 processor with a speed of 16 MHz, and it used Type II PCMCIA cards. The PoqetPad Plus was destined to be the last of the Poqet products.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Then there was Windows…

325 Point

In 1993, Fujitsu also introduced the 325 Point, which was one of the first pen tablets capable of running Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing. The 325 Point was also the first pen tablet to offer four different operating systems. Along with Windows® for Pen Computing, it offered MS-DOS® with PenRight!, PenDOS, and PenPoint.

The 325 Point was the first pen tablet to use a PCMCIA Type III hard drive as the main storage device.

The 325 Point had an Intel® 386 SX CPU, running at 25 MHz. The system had a 9.4" transmissive screen with backlighting, and weighed in at three pounds.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 500

The 325 Point was followed in 1994 by the Fujitsu Stylistic® 500. The Stylistic 500 was the first pen tablet to use a magnesium frame and co-molding (with plastic and rubber). It was also the first pen tablet to use an off-the-shelf battery pack rather than requiring a custom pack.

The Stylistic 500 tablet was the first to offer Windows® 95 as its operating system. It was an attractive 2.6 pound package with a transmissive monochrome 640x480 display. It used an Intel® 486DX2 processor, running at 50 MHz. At the time, this was the fastest microprocessor ever designed into a pen tablet computer.

Fujitsu took great pride in the fact that the Stylistic 500 was used by the G7 Presidents in 1995 at the Halifax Summit in Canada.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 1000

In 1996, the Stylistic 1000 was introduced. At the time, it was the smallest, fastest and lightest pen tablet computer on the market. It was a real "speed-demon", running at 100 MHz on an AMD AM486 DX4 processor, and was considered a significant breakthrough in pen tablet design. The Stylistic 1000 used Windows 95 as its operating system, and offered a variety of interface ports. The system’s 8 MB of DRAM was upgradeable to 24 MB, and the display was 640x480 VGA, with 256 colors.

In 1997, the Stylistic 1000 was used aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia by Astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who would later die in the unfortunate Columbia disaster. The pen tablet was strapped to her thigh when the shuttle blasted off, and connected to the shuttle's on-board computer system. The tablet was used to display data from the shuttle's own system about the shuttle's location relative to the Earth. Before this method was devised, landing information was available only on paper printouts.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 1200

Brought to market in 1997, the Fujitsu Stylistic 1200 was responsible for a number of pen tablet firsts. It was the first commercially available pen tablet to run Windows® NT.

It was the first pen tablet computer to use USB ports, a 128-bit video controller, and Zoomed Video. These all became industry standards after the Stylistic 1200 introduced them. The Zoomed Video feature allowed the user to display full-screen, full-motion (30 fps) streaming video.

It was also the first pen tablet to offer all four display technologies: TFT color, DSTN color, transmissive monochrome, and transflective monochrome. This selection offered the customer the ability to choose exactly the right display, depending upon environment and applications.

The Stylistic 1200 was the first "radio-ready" pen tablet computer. This meant a customer could use any PC card radio without the card interfering with the computer or the computer interfering with the radio.

Additionally, this was one of the first pen tablets to use a Pentium® chip (running at 120 MHz).

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Point 510

One of the strongest supporters of the pen tablet technology has always been the healthcare industry. When the Point 510 was introduced in 1997, it became the first pen tablet to be specifically designed for use in healthcare. It was the first pen tablet to offer all of the key elements that health care applications demanded:

• Low Cost
• A large, high resolution screen (10.4" SVGA)
• An intergrated wireless LAN
• Color-optimized for healthcare (i.e. light colors)

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 2300

Earlier generations of pen tablets were often difficult to use outdoors because of light reflection. In 1998, the Stylistic 2300 became the first pen tablet to use a color transflective display for indoor/outdoor use. It was also the first of the Fujitsu tablets to have an integrated modem. The Stylistic 2300 had a Pentium® 233, so it ran much faster than its predecessors.

The Stylistic 2300 was designed such that peripherals purchased to support the Stylistic 1200 could also be used with the 2300. This was an important cost consideration for customers who wanted to upgrade to the new system.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Point 1600

The Point 1600 was essentially an improved version of the Point 510. Externally, it was identical, so the peripherals designed for the Point 510 could also be used with the Point 1600. It had a Pentium® 166 MHz MMX™ processor and 32 MB SDRAM on-board memory. For storage, it included a 2.5" Ultra DMA/33 shock-mounted hard drive.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic LT

At the time the Stylistic LT pen tablet was introduced in 1999, it was the smallest and lightest Pentium® pen tablet computer running Windows® 98. Weighing in at two pounds, the Stylistic LT was the first with a built-in LAN that could be used with the mini-dock. This was the first Fujitsu tablet PC that had a keypad built into the front of the system.

The Stylistic LT had a 233 MHz Pentium® processor, 64 MB of SDRAM, and a 4.3 GB hard drive.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

PenCentra 130

When the Fujitsu PenCentra 130 was introduced in 1999, it was the first pen tablet to support the Windows CE operating system. The PenCentra 130 was designed primarily for the needs of mobile workers in occupations such as field services, route sales, and home healthcare.

The PenCentra 130 had everything needed to support field applications in a two-pound, low-cost package.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 3400

In 2000, the Stylistic 3400 was the first pen tablet computer to have processing power that was equivalent to a notebook computer. It was the first pen tablet that was close enough to a portable computer in terms of horsepower and connectivity to be considered a "primary mobile computer". Additionally, the Stylistic 3400 was the first pen tablet computer to use a Pentium® III processor.

The Stylistic 3400 was also the first pen tablet to employ a liquid-filled resistive (passive) digitizer. This digitizer provided substantially more glare reduction than any other pen tablet computer on the market.

The Stylistic 3400 design helped to pique Microsoft's interest in the viability of the tablet market and the development of the Tablet PC operating system, an effort in which Fujitsu partnered from the beginning.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

PenCentra 200

The Fujitsu PenCentra 200 tablet was designed for durability. The easy-to-use design features a liquid filled digitizer that responds to stylus and fingertip while ignoring your hand resting on the display. Built on the Microsoft Windows® CE operating system; and coupled with a long-life battery, the system offers a choice of indoor and outdoor 8" displays and a wide variety of peripherals.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic LT C-500

In 2000, the Stylistic LT C-500 was introduced. It was fast and lightweight. The LT-500 used a 500 MHz Intel® Celeron® processor, and a 100 MHz system bus.

It came with 64 MB, 128 MB or 256 MB of SDRAM, and a 6 GB hard drive. The peripherals designed for the Stylistic LT were compatible with the LT C-500, so for customers upgrading their systems, costs associated with peripheral upgrades was minimized.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic 3500

In 2001, the Stylistic 3500 became the first pen tablet to use an Ultra Low Voltage chip.

With a large 10.4" display and 500 MHz Intel® Celeron® processor, the Stylistic 3500 was available with a choice of outdoor-viewable reflective or indoor-viewable transmissive LCDs. The Stylistic 3500 has several customized peripheral devices, including four docking solutions, external storage, two cases, and portable USB or wireless keyboards.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic LT P-600

The Stylistic LT P-600 was the first Pentium® III tablet to use Intel® SpeedStep™ Technology. The tablet offers a combination of size, performance, and display solutions for maximum productivity. Weighing 2.7 lbs, the LT P-600 has a choice of two active matrix displays—an indoor viewable transmissive display and a viewable-everywhere transflective display. Introduced in 2001, the Stylistic LT P-600 comes equipped with an Intel® Ultra Low Voltage Pentium® III 600 MHz Processor with Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep™ technology. The Stylistic LT P-600 Tablet PC provides all the power and performance of a notebook, in a small package. Additionally, the integrated PC Card slot allows the use of wireless LAN PC cards.

In February 2003, Fujitsu launched the Stylistic LT 800P series with the Intel® Ultra Low Voltage Pentium® III 833 MHz Processor with Enhanced Intel® SpeedStep™ technology.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic ST4000

When Bill Gates took to the stage to officially launch the Tablet PC on November 7, 2002, he was carrying a Fujitsu Stylistic ST4000 Tablet PC. With good reason. Fujitsu has the longest, most successful record of building pen-enabled computers, with a history of continuous improvement. The Tablet PC initiative was a natural extension of the pen tablet systems Fujitsu had been building for over a dozen years. While a number of competitors have built products based on the Tablet PC architecture, only Fujitsu has the history to back up its claim as the leader in the field.

We're proud of the role Fujitsu has played in the development of the Tablet PC initiative.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

New tablet convertible format adopted by many

In 2003, Fujitsu delivered its first convertible Tablet PC - the LIFEBOOK® T3010. The convertible could be used like a standard notebook when the display was positioned vertically to the keyboard, or like a tablet when the display was rotated 180 degrees and laid flat against the keyboard. This design proved to be very popular, especially for the education market, because it allowed standard keyboard input when desired, but a touch-screen for pen input while in tablet mode.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

The Fujitsu Convertible Tablet PC Debuts

In October of 2003, Fujitsu launched its first single-spindle convertible Tablet PC – the LIFEBOOK T3000 Series. The LIFEBOOK T3010 was an important launching pad for future convertible Tablet PCs for Fujitsu.

Specifications for the T3010 included: Intel® Pentium® M 1.4 GHz, 12.1” XGA display, 60 or 40 GB hard drive, choice of Intel® or Broadcom wireless LAN, and Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition operating system.

The LIFEBOOK T3020 refresh was introduced in May, 2004, with updates to the processor frequency (1.7 GHz) and Atheros wireless LAN updates.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

Stylistic ST5000

The Stylistic ST5000 series was first launched in January, 2004 with the introduction of the Stylistic ST5010, continuing the slate tablet tradition. This was Fujitsu’s first 12.1” slate Tablet PC running on an Intel® Pentium® M 1.0 GHz processor.

In November of 2004, the Stylistic ST5020 was introduced with the Pentium® M 1.1 GHz processor and a display with wide viewing angles. Additionally, new features were added such as TPM, Fingerprint Swipe Sensor, and dual-array microphones.

In August of 2005, Fujitsu launched the Stylistic ST5030 utilizing the Intel® “Napa” platform. This model included a Pentium® M 1.2 GHz processor and the Intel® 915 chipset, which supported faster FSB and dual-channel DDR2 memory support.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T4010 Tablet PC

The LIFEBOOK T4010 was Fujitsu’s second-generation convertible Tablet PC. With the T4010, Fujitsu introduced the first 12.1” convertible notebook with a modular bay device. This was extremely important because it allowed the customer the flexibility to outfit the system with a weight-saver, second bay battery, optical drive, or removable 2nd hard drive.

In August of 2005, Fujitsu launched the LIFEBOOK T4020 featuring the Intel® “Napa” platform. This model included a choice of Pentium® M 1.8 or 2.0 GHz processors and the Intel® 915 chipset, which supported a faster FSB and dual-channel DDR2 memory support. .

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK P1510D Tablet PC

In September of 2005, after much persistence by Fujitsu, Microsoft agreed to relax the hardware requirements for platforms incorporating the Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system.

In November, 2005, Fujitsu launched the world’s first passive ultraportable convertible notebook running on Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition operating system – the LIFEBOOK P1510D.

Specifications for the P1510 included: Intel® Pentium® M 753 (1.20 GHz), 8.9” WSVGA display, 60 or 30 GB hard drive, choice of Intel® or Atheros wireless LAN, choice of Windows® XP Pro or XP TPC Edition operating system.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK B6110 Tablet PC

Following the suit of the LIFEBOOK P1500 (with the Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition OS), Fujitsu launched the LIFEBOOK B6110D notebook with the same operating system in mid-December, 2005.

Specifications for the B6110D included: Intel® Pentium® M 753 (1.20 GHz), 12.1” XGA display with touch screen, 80, 60, or 40 GB hard drive, Atheros wireless LAN, choice of Windows® XP Pro or XP TPC Edition operating system.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T4210 Tablet PC

The summer of 2006 saw the introduction of the fifth generation of the Fujitsu convertibles – the LIFEBOOK T4210. This new Tablet PC delivered another industry first – a bi-directional display hinge, allowing the user to turn the screen in either direction for added convenience.

The LIFEBOOK T4210 was powered by the Intel® Core™ Duo processor with a Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. The brilliant 12.1” XGA display offered greater than 160 degrees of viewing angle, and an indoor/outdoor display was also offered.

Security was beefed up on this model with the addition of embedded BIOS support for Computrace, Trusted Platform Module, integrated fingerprint recognition sensor, and the exclusive Fujitsu security panel.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK P1610 Tablet PC

The new LIFEBOOK P1610 was released in the Fall of 2006. At just 2.2 pounds, the P1610 featured an 8.9” indoor/outdoor touch screen display and up to seven hours of battery life.

The P1610 was powered by an Intel® Core™ Solo Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) U1400 processor. The new 8.9-inch WXGA indoor/outdoor display combined the best properties of transmissive and transflective technologies for superior viewing. In indoor lighting conditions, a backlight illuminated the screen, while in outdoor lighting conditions, a reflective surface within the LCD took advantage of the sunlight to make the screen even brighter.

The system also featured the Shock Sensor, an accelerometer-based hard disk drive protection system that retracts the hard drive head if a sudden movement or vibration is detected, reducing the possibility of data loss.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK ST5111 & ST5112 Tablet PCs

Also introduced in the Fall of 2006, the Stylistic ST5111 and ST5112 Tablet PCs were the first slates in the industry to offer Intel® Core™ Duo mobile technology. This new technology delivered maximum power, performance, and battery life in a slate format. Running Microsoft Windows Vista®, the 3.5 pound ST5111 was ideal for project-based applications and vertical markets such as healthcare and field and sales force automation.

The tablets were offered in two form factors: the Stylistic ST5111 featured a 10.4” screen, the largest front-lit reflective display in the industry. The Stylistic ST5112 offered a 12.1” bright transmissive indoor/outdoor XGA display with greater than 160 degree viewing angles.

Like all Fujitsu mobile products, several layers of security enhancements were included with these tablet PCs, including TPM, a SmartCard slot, Fujitsu Security Panel, and a two-level hard drive password.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T4220 Tablet PC

Fujitsu Computer Systems debuted its first LIFEBOOK notebooks to be powered by next-generation Intel® Centrino® processor technology in the Spring of 2007. The new processor technology offered enhanced security, system, and wireless manageability for reduced total cost of ownership. The LIFEBOOK T4220 convertible Tablet PC greatly benefited from the processor improvements in performance, graphics, wireless connectivity, and battery life.

The T4220 was also the first Fujitsu Tablet PC to offer the Intel® Next-Gen Wireless-N, providing up to five times the performance compared to 802.11g and twice the wireless range.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK P1620 Tablet PC

The LIFEBOOK P1620 convertible Tablet PC was the first to offer the new Fujitsu Portshutter™ data leak prevention software. The P1620 was a more powerful, more secure convertible notebook, a 2.2-pound feather-light powerhouse packed with full PC functionality and an 8.9-inch touch screen display. The P1620 sported a powerful Intel® Core™2 Duo processor.

The Fujitsu Portshutter software restricts which I/O ports can be used and what types of USB devices are allowed by the system. The software is designed to help prevent confidential information from being copied to removable devices, and even prevent the connection of external devices that might compromise security. The software can also temporarily restrict the use of ports when the computer is left unattended.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK U810 Tablet PC

Introduced in the Spring of 2008, the LIFEBOOK U810 Mini-Notebook was the world's smallest convertible notebook (as of 5/16/07) at 1.56 pounds with a 5.6-inch LED backlit touch-screen display. The U810 was one of the first notebooks in North America to offer a built-in wireless modem certified to access AT&T's third-generation (3G) High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) BroadbandConnect wireless network. This network provides enhanced 3G performance, with typical download speeds between 600 Kbps and 1,400 Kbps and typical upload speeds between 500 Kbps and 800 Kbps.

Capable of running all standard applications, the LIFEBOOK U810 mini notebook functioned like a traditional notebook with an ultra-slim QWERTY keyboard, or (after swiveling the WSVGA Crystal View illuminated screen), as a handheld tablet PC with a touch screen for finger or pen input. The mini convertible, was equipped with an Ultra Low Power Intel® A110 processor.

The LIFEBOOK U810 Mini-Notebook was one of the first models to comply with the new Energy Star® version 4.0 guidelines.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T2010 Tablet PC

Released at the same time as the LIFEBOOK U810 Mini-Notebook, the 3.5-pound LIFEBOOK T2010 convertible notebook featured a 12.1-inch LED backlit display. Like the U810, the T2010 offered a built-in wireless modem certified to access AT&T's 3G HSPA BroadbandConnect wireless network.

The LIFEBOOK T2010 notebook was one of the lightest convertibles on the market, equipped with a slim 1.3-inch chassis and a 12.1-inch WXGA indoor/outdoor LED back-lit display with a bi-directional swivel. The pen-enabled convertible boasted an extraordinary battery life of up to 11 hours with the extended battery option, or 9 hours with a standard battery. LIFEBOOK T2010 notebooks also complied with the new Energy Star® version 4.0 guidelines. The environmentally friendly notebook was packed with advanced security features to safeguard information, including TPM support, two-level BIOS lock, a fingerprint sensor, and an embedded Smart Card slot.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T5010 Tablet PC

Introduced in the Summer of 2008, the LIFEBOOK T5010 convertible tablet PC was among the lightest 13.3-inch display convertibles on the market. The 4.5-pound T5010 was the successor to the flagship LIFEBOOK T4220 convertible, and supported Intel® Centrino® 2 with vPro™ technology. The new technology offered security and remote manageability on a chip.

The LIFEBOOK T5010 tablet PC offered flexible options for wireless connectivity, including next-generation Intel wireless draft-N or Atheros N, Bluetooth v2.1, and wireless WAN. A spill-resistant keyboard helped guard against damage from common on-the-go spills, and the Shock Sensor utility helped protect the hard drive from damage during a sudden jolt or unexpected drop.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK T1010 Tablet PC

Released at the same time as the LIFEBOOK T5010, the LIFEBOOK T1010 convertible Tablet PC was a value-priced 5.3-pound system, and included many of the same features as the LIFEBOOK T5010, but without the high-end security features that mainstream consumers don't need.

The LIFEBOOK T1010 convertible benefited from the latest Intel enhancements in performance and battery life. The T1010 offered the same wireless options as the T5010, and featured a spill-resistant keyboard and the Shock Sensor utility to help protect the hard drive from damage.

The LIFEBOOK T1010 sported a glossy silver cover and featured a 13.3-inch widescreen touch screen LCD with a built-in Dual-Layer Multi-Format DVD Writer and webcam.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK U820 Tablet PC

Late in 2008, Fujitsu introduced the new LIFEBOOK U820 Mini-Notebook. The 1.32 pound convertible is the first mini notebook combining full-featured Windows® PC functionality with integrated Garmin Mobile® PC navigation software. It provides powerful computing and navigation for about the same cost as a GPS system.

The U820 is powered by the Intel® Atom™ Z-series processor which supports lower power consumption, fewer chips, VT Technology and integrated support for 1080p HD video decode. The mini notebook features integrated, voice-prompted navigation, eliminating the need for separate computing and navigation devices. The U820's 5.6-inch Crystal View wide XGA touch screen offers a similar viewing area to standalone GPS systems. Its improved QWERTY keyboard features an extra set of keys for more comfortable typing and a zoom utility for easier viewing. Up to 7.5 hours of battery life with four-cell battery or 3.5 hours with 2-cell battery option. Hard disk drive up to 120GB or solid state drive up to 64GB.

Fujitsu Tablet PC History

LIFEBOOK P1630 Tablet PC

Fujitsu has also announced the LIFEBOOK P1630 feather-light and compact convertible tablet PC featuring the Intel® Centrino® 2 ULV processor technology, integrated wireless broadband, and a webcam. Up to 6.15 hours of operating time with the high-capacity battery option - an hour longer than its predecessor.

Weighing only 2.2 pounds with an 8.9-inch WXGA touch-sensitive widescreen display with a high contrast ratio and exceptional viewing angle, the P1630 features a top and bottom magnesium-alloy exterior for extra durability and protection.

Advanced security is provided by Fujitsu Portshutter data-leak-prevention software, and built-in biometric fingerprint swipe with pre-boot authentication (PBA).

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