TMGNote - Frequently Asked Questions
The main differences between the TMGNote and conventional Notebooks is that the TMGNote does not use PCMCIA devices for expansion and does not have an internal Lithium-ion battery. While at first this may seem like a disadvantage, it is actually an advantage. The TMGNote has built-in 3D stereo sound, 2D/3D accelerated AGP graphics, a 56K V.90 Voice/Data/Fax MODEM, a 10/100 Base-TX fast Ethernet adapter, S-Video TV output, Infared communications port, secondary VGA output port and 4-USB ports for upgrade ability. As you can see all of the features that one required a PCMCIA slot are now built-in, eliminating the need for expensive PCMCIA devices. If you need to add anything to the system, the TMGNote includes 4 external USB ports on the right side for easy USB connectivity. Today all the devices that were once only available as PCMCIA cards are now available as less expensive USB devices. By removing the PCMCIA ports, we have been able to lower the cost of the system.
The second main difference between the TMGNote and a Notebook is the battery. Most Notebooks include a built-in Lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion batteries are expensive, very heavy and they get very hot when used. Lithium-ion batteries also decay gradually; the more you recharge them, the less of a charge they will hold. In other words, when you first charge the battery it may hold a three hour charge, however with repeated recharging six months later the battery may only hold a 1 1/2 hour charge and later still may only hold a 1 hour charge or less. The TMG
Through market research we have learned that the majority of people who use Notebook computers rarely use the built-in battery, in most cases they use AC power to power the system. Most Notebook users use their systems in locations in which there is an available AC power source (such as an office, at home, in a hotel, etc.). Since few people actually use the built-in battery, there really is no need to force them to pay for something they do not need or make them carry around more weight. By removing the internal battery from the TMGNote design we have been able to dramatically lower the cost of the system, the operating temperature of the system and the weight, making it much lighter and much more affordable. Since removing the internal battery also eliminates the main source of heat in the system, the TMGNote does not get hot like Notebook systems, and as such the internal components of the TMGNote have a much greater lifespan then Notebook components. An optional external metal hydroxide battery pack is available for those customers who absolutely require a backup battery. The external battery pack also functions as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and is provided as an optional accessory if the customer request it.
The last difference between the TMGNote and Notebook computers is that the TMGNote does not use expensive SODIMM SDRAM. The TMGNote uses standard PC-100/133150 168-pin SDRAM memory modules such as those used in desktop systems. Because the TMGNote uses standard SDRAM, you are able to upgrade the memory to 512MB for much less than you would be able to with a Notebook.
The TMGNote price is 30-50% lower than Notebook systems because of its design. By removing devices that are no longer necessary and making them optional, we are able to provide a great low-cost portable system solution. See above for details.
The TMGNote uses a VIA C3 GigaPro processor. VIA a motherboard chipset manufacturer for more than 15 years now, has recently acquired several smaller computer processor manufacturers such as Cyrix and Rise in order to manufacture their own brand of processors the C3. A VIA C3 processor is unlike any other processor available on the market and is not directly related to any other. The VIA C3 processor is based on the Cyrix III Samuel processor but has undergone major design changes and now includes MMX (Intel) and 3DNow (AMD) technologies. A VIA C3 GigaPro processor is the equivalent of a Intel Celeron processor. VIA C3 GigaPro processors have lower core voltages and therefore operate at much lower temperatures, making them perfect for use in the TMGNote. The VIA C3 GigaPro processors currently in use range from 667MHz to 733MHz or faster. For actual CPU speeds please contact your sales representative or Technical Support.
The TMGNote includes a single SDRAM DIMM slot and uses standard 168-pin SDRAM memory modules such as those used in desktop systems. The TMGNote will support up to 512MB of PC-100/133/150 non-ECC SDRAM.
The TMGNote currently supports a maximum of 512MB of SDRAM. In a single DIMM slot.
Can I upgrade the processor in the TMGNote?
As with most Notebooks, the processor in the TMGNote can not be upgraded. The processor is physically integrated into the motherboard to provide the highest possible performance and stability. The TMGNote uses a specially design heatsink and cooling fan system to cool the processor which, is secured to the system case.
You can replace the CD-ROM drive with a DVD-ROM or CD-RW drive in only a few minutes. Later the TMGNote will include DVD-ROM drives as available options, but for now you would need to purchase a DVD-ROM or CD-RW drive yourself. It is not recommended that you try to replace the drive yourself, as it may be difficult to find replacement drives with the same type of face plate.
With a full charge, the external battery pack will last 45 ~ 90 minutes depending on use. If the system is in an idle state the battery pack may last longer than 90 minutes, however if you are multitasking with several applications running simultaneously, the battery will last on average about 60 minutes.
No. Notebook type floppy drives are expensive and very few people use them anymore. Software these days is only sold on CD and there is little need for a floppy drive. Why pay for something you may never use? For this reason the TMGNote A900 does not include a built-in floppy drive. I a customer absolutely needs a floppy drive, then small external USB floppy drives are available.
If you need to be able to transfer file from one system to another, there are other, faster methods of transferring files that are more efficient than floppy. You can a Ethernet cross-over cable to quickly transfer files to any computer with a LAN adapter in it, or you can purchase a USB flash memory device which can hold many times more information than a floppy disk for less than $20. You can also connect a USB ZIP drive or USB hard drive to the TMGNote and transfer or save files that way.
All of our systems come with a 1-year manufacturers warranty. Which is good from the original date of purchase. All warranty repairs or replacements are done on a component basis, which means that if a single component is bad, that is all that needs to be replaced. There is no need to return the entire system for repair or replacement unless the motherboard or processor is bad.
Not likely. Adding internal battery to the TMGNote would dramatically increase the price and weight and would go against the general design concept.
Of course. There is a VGA monitor port for connecting an external monitor and USB ports for connecting other devices such as a mouse, keyboard, webcam, etc. There are also microphone and stereo line out jacks for connecting speakers and a microphone. If you wish, you can even use the built-in LCD display and an external monitor at the same time to have dual displays or an extended virtual desktop.
Of course. The TMGNote has both VGA output and S-Video output for connecting it to a television, VCR, monitor, or projector.
The hard drive, memory, and CD-ROM drive are all quickly and easily upgradeable without much technical knowledge or experience, however the processor is integrated into the motherboard and can not be upgraded. The TMGNote uses standard Notebook hard drives and CD/DVD/CD-RW drives and standard 168-pin SDRAM memory modules (the same used in desktop computers).
Yes. In our initial tested we have tested the TMGNote A900 with Windows versions 95C, 98SE, ME, NT 4.0, 2000 Pro, and XP Pro. Everything appears to work great on all of these operating systems.
The TMGNote was tested with RedHat Linux 8.0 and Linux Mandrake 8.0 and 8.1, all of which worked fine. In most situations the only driver that is necessary to install is the modem driver. Linux modem drivers are available for the PCTel HSP 56 modem from the following website.
What type of cells does the external UPS battery pack use?
The external UPS battery pack uses 7 nickel metal-hydroxide cells (Ni-MH).
The external UPS battery pack will last 45 ~ 90 minutes on a full charge, depending on the use of the computer. If the computer is running several 3D programs, or 3D intensive games, or any application that makes frequent read/write requests to the hard drive, then the battery pack will not last as long as it would if you were simply typing a Word document, watching a DVD movie or some other less demanding task.