TravelMate C300 User’s guide
Copyright © 2003. Acer Incorporated. All Rights Reserved. TravelMate C300 User’s guide Original Issue: October 2003 Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications.
iii We would like to thank you for making the TravelMate series of notebook computers your choice for your mobile computing needs. We hope you will be happy with your TravelMate as much as we enjoyed making it for you. Your guides To help you use your TravelMate, we have designed a set of guides: First off, the Just for Starters... poster helps you get started with setting up your computer. This User’s guide introduces you to the many ways your computer can help you be more productive.
English iv Basic care and tips for using your computer Turning your computer on and off To turn on the computer, simply slide and release the power switch on the left side of your TravelMate. See “Left view” on page 4 for the location of the power switch. To turn the power off, do any of the following: • Use the Windows shutdown command Click on Start, Turn Off Computer; then click on Turn Off. • Use the power switch Note: You can also use the power switch to perform power management functions.
v Never place objects on top of the computer to avoid damaging the computer. • Do not slam the computer display when you close it. • Never place the computer on uneven surfaces. Taking care of your AC adapter Here are some ways to take care of your AC adapter: • Do not connect the adapter to any other device. • Do not step on the power cord or place heavy objects on top of it. Carefully route the power cord and any cables away from personal traffic.
English vi If any of the following occurs: • The computer has been dropped or the body has been damaged. • Liquid has been spilled into the product. • The computer does not operate normally. Please refer to "Troubleshooting my computer" on page 61.
vii iii iii iv 1 Getting to know your TravelMate 1 A TravelMate tour Front view Left view Right view Rear view Bottom view Using your computer in tablet mode Writing in the tablet mode Features Indicators Using the keyboard Special keys Touchpad Touchpad basics Storage Hard disk Optical drive Audio Power management Smart vision Moving around with your TravelMate Disconnecting from the desktop Moving around Taking the computer home Traveling with the computer Traveling internationally with the computer S
English viii 3 Troubleshooting my computer Frequently-asked questions Requesting service International Travelers Warranty (ITW) Before you call 61 63 67 67 67 Appendix A SoftDial 69 Appendix B Specifications 73 Appendix C Notices 79 Index 89
1 Getting to know your TravelMate
Your TravelMate computer combines highperformance, versatility, power management features and multimedia capabilities with a unique style and ergonomic design. Work with unmatched productivity and reliability with your new power computing partner.
3 After setting up your computer as illustrated in the Just for Starters... poster, let us show you around your new TravelMate computer. Front view # Item Description 1 Pen slot Keeps the stylus handy when not in use. 2 Display Also called LCD (liquid-crystal display), displays computer output.
English 4 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # Item Description 3 Tablet Keys Add enhanced functionality when operating in Tablet mode. 4 Launch Keys Buttons for launching frequently used programs. See“Launch Keys” on page 23 for more details. 5 Palmrest Comfortable support area for your hands when you use the computer. 6 Click buttons (left, center and right) The left and right buttons function like the left and right mouse buttons; the center button serves as a 4-way scroll button.
5 Item Description 3 Ventilation slot Allows air to cirulate through the computer chassis. 4 Optical drive Internal optical drive; accepts CDs or DVDs depending on the optical drive type. 5 LED indicator Lights up when the optical drive is active. 6 Eject button Ejects the optical drive tray from the drive. 7 Emergency eject slot Ejects the optical drive tray when the computer is turned off. See page 64 for more details. 8 Pen slot Keeps the stylus handy when not in use.
English 6 1 Getting to know your TravelMate # Item Description 4 PC Card slot Accepts one Type II 16-bit PC Card or 32-bit CardBus PC Card. Rear view # Item Description 1 Line-in/Mic-in jack Accepts audio line-in devices (e.g., audio CD player, stereo walkman). 2 Speaker/Line-out Headphone jack Connects to audio line-out devices (e.g., speakers, headphones). 3 IEEE 1394 port Connects to IEEE 1394 devices.
7 Item Description 7 Convertible hinge Hinges the LCD screen in place when switching from PC mode to tablet mode and vice versa. 8 External display port Connects to a display device (e.g., external monitor, LCD projector) and displays up to 16M colors at 1024x768 resolution. 9 S-video Connect to a television or display device with S-video input. 10 USB 2.0 ports (2) Connect to Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 devices (e.g., USB mouse, USB camera). 11 Power jack Connects to an AC adapter.
English 8 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Bottom view # Item Description 1 AcerMedia bay release latch Unlatches the AcerMedia drive for removal or swapping. 2 AcerMedia bay Houses an AcerMedia drive module. 3 Cooling fan Helps keep the computer cool. Note: Don’t cover or obstruct the fan opening. 4 Memory compartment Houses the computer's main memory. 5 Hard disk bay Houses the computers Hard disk drive. 6 Battery release latch Unlatches the battery to remove the battery pack.
9 Your computer is designed for convenience, ergonomic use, and portability. Running the Windows XP Tablet PC edition operating system, your TravelMate utilizes an EMR stylus for pen-based input. Software developed specifically for the computer allows for both handwriting recognition converted to application text, or handwriting captured as rich digital ink for manipulation, editing, and formatting.
English 10 1 Getting to know your TravelMate 2 Open the display screen to an angle of about 90 degrees. When viewed from the side, the display should be perpendicular to the computer base. 3 With the screen facing away from the keyboard, close the display cover and slide the lock lever to properly secure the screen.
11 Remove the EMR stylus from the pen slot to begin pen-based input. 5 Double-tap or click on the Keyboard lock icon and select keyboard settings to Enable or Disable this feature.
English 12 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Features Below is a brief summary of the computer’s many features: Performance • Intel® Pentium® M processor with 1MB L2 cache • CD ROM, DVD, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD or DVD-dual drive • High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk • High-capacity LI-ION battery • Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI) power management system Display • 14.
13 Gigabit Ethernet port • USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports • IEEE 1394 port • 802.11b, 802.11 a+b, 802.
English 14 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Indicators The computer has eight easy-to-read status icons at the top of the display screen. The Power and Sleep status icons are visible even when you close the display cover so you can see the status of the computer while the cover is closed. Icon Function Description Wireless communication Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are enabled. Bluetooth Lights when Bluetooth is enabled or a Bluetooth enabled device is within range.
15 Function Description Battery Charge Lights when the battery is being charged. Caps Lock Lights when Caps Lock is activated. Num Lock Lights when Num Lock is activated. Indicators in Cover When the cover of your computer is closed, four easy-to-read icons are shown, indicating which state or feature is enabled or disabled. Icon Description Lights when Bluetooth is enabled or a Bluetooth enabled device is within range.
English 16 Icon 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Description Lights when the Wireless LAN capabilities are enabled. Lights up when the computer is on. Lights when the computer enters Standby mode and blinks when it enters into or resumes from hibernation mode.
17 The keyboard has full-sized keys and an embedded keypad, separate cursor keys, two Windows keys and twelve function keys. Special keys Lock keys The keyboard has three lock keys which you can toggle on and off. Lock key Description Caps Lock When Caps Lock is on, all alphabetic characters typed are in uppercase. Num Lock (Fn-F11) When Num Lock is on, the embedded keypad is in numeric mode. The keys function as a calculator (complete with the arithmetic operators +, -, *, and /).
English 18 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Embedded numeric keypad The embedded numeric keypad functions like a desktop numeric keypad. It is indicated by small characters located on the upper right corner of the keycaps. To simplify the keyboard legend, cursor-control key symbols are not printed on the keys. Desired access Num lock on Num lock off Number keys on embedded keypad Type numbers in a normal manner. Cursor-control keys on embedded keypad Hold Shift while using cursor-control keys.
19 The keyboard has two keys that perform Windows-specific functions. Key Description Windows logo key Start button. Combinations with this key perform shortcut functions. Below are a few examples: + Tab (Activates next taskbar button) + E (Explores My Computer) + F (Finds Document) + M (Minimizes All) Shift + + M (Undoes Minimize All) + R (Displays the Run... dialog box) Application key Opens a context menu (same as a right-click).
English 20 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Hot keys The computer employs hot keys or key combinations to access most of the computer’s controls like screen brightness, volume output and the BIOS Utility. To activate hot keys, press and hold the Fn key before pressing the other key in the hot key combination. Hot key Icon Function Description Fn-F1 Hot Key Help Displays help on hot keys. Fn-F2 Setup Accesses the computer’s configuration utility.
21 Icon Function Description Fn-F5 Display Toggle Switches display output between the display screen, external monitor (if connected) and both the display screen and external monitor. Fn-F6 Screen Blank Turns the display screen backlight off to save power. Press any key to return. Fn-F7 Touchpad Toggle Turns the internal touchpad on and off. Fn-F8 Speaker Toggle Turns the speakers on and off. Fn-↑ Volume up Increases the sound volume. Fn-↓ Volume down Decreases the sound volume.
English 22 1 Getting to know your TravelMate The Euro symbol If your keyboard layout is set to United States-International or United Kingdom or if you have a keyboard with a European layout, you can type the Euro symbol on your keyboard. Note for US keyboard users: The keyboard layout is set when you first set up Windows. For the Euro symbol to work, the keyboard layout has to be set to United States-International. To verify the keyboard type: 1 Click on Start, Control Panel.
23 Located at the top of the keyboard are six buttons. These buttons are called launch keys. They are designated as Wireless, P1, P3 , P3, mail, and Web browser buttons. The Wireless button cannot be set by the user. To set the other four launch keys, run the Acer Launch Manager. No. Description Default application 1 Wireless LAN (optional) Activate wireless LAN for wireless communication. 2 Bluetooh Activate Bluetooth for wireless communication.
English 24 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Touchpad The built-in touchpad is a PS/2-compatible pointing device that senses movement on its surface. This means the cursor responds as you move your finger on the surface of the touchpad. The central location on the palmrest provides optimum comfort and support. Note: When using an external USB or serial mouse, you can press Fn-F7 to disable the touchpad.
25 • Use the 4-way scroll (#2) button to scroll up or down and move left or right a page. This button mimics your cursor pressing on the right scroll bar of Windows applications.
English 26 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Storage This computer supplies you with the following media storage: • High-capacity Enhanced-IDE hard disk • Optical (CD, DVD, DVD/CD-RW combo, DVD or DVD dual) drive Hard disk The high-capacity hard disk is the answer to your storage needs. This is where your data files and applications are stored.
27 Playing DVD movies When the DVD drive module is installed in the optical drive bay, you can play DVD movies on your computer. 1 Eject the DVD tray and insert a DVD movie disc; then close the DVD tray. Important! When you launch the DVD player for the first time, the program asks you to input the region code. DVD discs are divided into 6 regions. Once your DVD drive is set to a region code, it will play DVD discs of that region only.
English 28 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Audio The computer comes with 16-bit high-fidelity AC’97 stereo audio. The built-in dual stereo speakers are easy to access. There are audio ports on the rear panel of the computer. See “Rear view” on page 6 for more information on external audio devices.
29 This computer has a built-in power management unit that monitors system activity. System activity refers to any activity involving one or more of the following devices: keyboard, mouse, floppy drive, hard disk, peripherals connected to the serial and parallel ports, and video memory. If no activity is detected for a period of time (called an inactivity timeout), the computer stops some or all of these devices in order to conserve energy.
English 30 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Smart vision Smart vision light sensing allows the TravelMate C300 to automatically brighten or darken the display’s backlighting to reduce eyestrain. At the top of the screen, with the status indicators, is the Smart vision light sensor.
31 This section gives you tips and hints on things to consider when moving around or traveling with your computer. Disconnecting from the desktop Follow these steps to disconnect your computer from external accessories: 1 Save your work in progress. 2 Remove any media, diskette or compact disc, from the drive(s). 3 Shut down the operating system. 4 Turn off the computer. 5 Close the display cover. 6 Disconnect the cord from the AC adapter.
English 32 1 Getting to know your TravelMate you can put the computer in Sleep mode by pressing Fn-F4. Then close and latch the display. When you are ready to use the computer again, unlatch and open the display, and press and release the power switch. If the power indicator is off, the computer has entered Hibernation mode and turned off. Press and release the power switch to turn the computer back on. Note that the computer may enter Hibernation mode after a period of time it is in Sleep mode.
33 What to bring with you Unless you already have some items at home, bring the following items with you: • AC adapter and power cord • The printed user’s manual Special considerations Follow these guidelines to protect your computer while traveling to and from work: • Minimize the effect of temperature changes by keeping the computer with you.
English 34 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Traveling with the computer “when you are moving within a larger distance, for instance, from your office building to a client’s office building or traveling locally” Preparing the computer Prepare the computer as if you were taking it home. Make sure that the battery in the computer is charged. Airport security may require you to turn on your computer when bringing it into the gate area.
35 Power cords that are appropriate for the country to which you are travelling • Spare, fully-charged battery packs • Additional printer driver files if you plan to use another printer • Proof of purchase, in case you need to show it to customs officials • International Traveler’s Warranty passport Special considerations Follow the same special considerations as when traveling with the computer.
English 36 1 Getting to know your TravelMate Securing your computer Your computer is a valuable investment that you need to take care of. Learn how to protect and take care of your computer. Security features include hardware and software locks — a security notch and passwords. Using a computer security lock A security keylock notch located on the right panel of the computer lets you connect a Kensington-compatible computer security lock.
37 Type a password. The password may consist of up to eight characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9). 3 Press Enter. Retype the password to verify your first entry and press Enter. 4 After setting the password, the computer automatically sets the chosen password parameter to Present. Removing a password Should you want to remove a password, do the following: 1 Use the cursor up/down keys to highlight a password parameter and press the Enter key. The password box appears.
English 38 1 Getting to know your TravelMate
2 Customizing my computer
After learning the basics of your TravelMate computer, let’s get acquainted with the advanced features of your computer. In this chapter, you will learn how to add options, upgrade components for better performance, and customize your computer.
41 Your TravelMate offers you a complete mobile computing experience. Connectivity options Ports allow you to connect peripheral devices to your computer as you would with a desktop PC. Modem Your computer has a built-in V.90/V.92 56Kbps AC’97 Link modem. Warning! This modem port is not compatible with digital phone lines. Plugging this modem into a digital phone line will damage the modem. To use the modem, connect a phone cable from the modem jack to a phone line jack.
English 42 2 Customizing my computer Network Your computer has built-in Ethernet/Gigabit Ethernet capabilities. To use the network feature, connect an Ethernet cable from the network jack to an network jack or hub. Consult your network administrator for details. Universal Serial Bus The Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 port is a high-speed serial bus which allows you to connect and daisy-chain USB peripherals without taking up precious system resources. Your computer has two ports available.
