Mobile computing has been a hot topic lately with so many advances in chip architecture and power efficiency. Laptops have long been the standard for mobile users, but there is another form factor type that has been on the market for some time that deserves a little more recognition. Sometimes a laptop can be unwieldy and awkward to handle. In situations where opening up a laptop isn't an option, tablet PCs get the job done in a much more inconspicuous way.

The term tablet PCs is a general description for any mobile computer that is designed to be controlled with your fingers or a pen device that is touched directly to the screen surface. There are a few different styles of tablet PCs; some of which have keyboards and others not, both having their own strengths and weaknesses.

·Convertible tablet PCs

* Offers the flexibility of a full keyboard
* Screen rotates 180 degrees and lays flat against keyboard for tablet PC operation
* Rotating screen connection tends to be very weak and easy to break

·Slate tablet PCs

* Has no attached keyboard
* External keyboard can be attached via Bluetooth or USB
* Very thin and light compared to other styles

·Hybrid tablet PCs

* Offers flexibility of a full keyboard
* Screen detaches from keyboard and/or slides away
* More sturdy than convertible screen attachment

Most major manufacturers offer some version of the tablet PC form factor. Gateway, Lenovo, HP, Dell, Toshiba, Fujitsu, ASUS and Sony all have very competitive products to offer.

Here are two examples of popular tablet PCs that do their job very nicely:

Lenovo Thinkpad X61

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo L7500

• Display Size (inches): 12.1 • Wide Screen: No • Total HD Size (GB): 120 • Min. Weight (lbs.): 4.0 • Price (at time of review): $1800

This convertible style model is a great choice for business people who are finding themselves in need of computing power on the fly. Equipped with 2 GB RAM and the always necessary built in Wi-Fi card, this machine will handle document review/creation, data processing as well as VoIP calls very efficiently

Sony VAIO VGN-UX390N

CPU: Intel Core 2 Solo U2200

• Display Size (inches): 4.5 • Wide Screen: Yes • Total HD Size (GB): 32 • Min. Weight (lbs.): 1.0 • Price (at time of review): $2200

Truly a genius invention, this tablet is considered a hybrid and is one of the most powerful machines you will find for its size. Fitting comfortably into your hands, it offers a slide up screen that reveals a full qwerty keyboard. Supplied with a stylus, this tablet PC gives you full computer access that almost fits in your pocket. 1 GB of RAM, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth and a cell phone SIM card slot mean you can take it almost anywhere and have access to your data.

Because of their inherent small chassis and light weight design, tablet PCs can be expected to offer performance more or less on par with ultraportable models. Don't think you will be able to do video processing or run any killer apps on these machines, but if what you are looking for is sleek, discrete access to your computer, tablet PCs might just be your match.