Mike Wendland asked:




Get ready for a new type of computer that is about to be as common as the laptop. In fact, you could think of it as the next evolutionary step of the laptop.

Before you replace your current portable computer, you may want to get yourself informed about this handy new machine that is known as the Tablet PC.

Of all the personal technology advances we’ve seen over the past five years, the Tablet PC has to rank among the most significant. For the Tablet PC is truly one of the most innovative and useful products that is just now starting to gain major traction. These machines, which are powered by a specially tweaked version of the Windows XP operating system, allow users to scribble notes on a screen with a pen-like stylus, turning handwriting or block printing into what’s called digital ink.

Although Tablet PCs have been on the market for a few years now, much of the public has been unexposed to them. That’s about to change. Tablet PCs are now showing up on TV commercials, in magazine and newspaper ads and being exuberantly talked about through word of mouth. Maybe it’s time for you to consider one.

Some Tablets are slate models only. That means there is no keyboard, just the screen. You write on them like those old Etch-a-Sketches that kids used to play with. Others, are called convertibles. Flip the screen up and it looks and works like a notebook computer, with a keyboard, CD/DVD slot, track pad and the like. But swivel the screen around and down over the keyboard and it’s a slate.

All of the big computer makers produce Tablet PC models: Dell, Gateway, Toshiba, Lenovo (IBM), Fujitsu and others. There are a couple of Tablet-only makers, too, like Motion Computing and Rugged Computers. Even Apple Computer with its fabled Macintosh line is rumored to be close to developing a Tablet version.

You can get a Tablet PC for arounf $1,800 with most of the features we all demand in portable computers like wo-fi Internet access and Bluetooth wireless. Some models have built-in CD.DVD drives (which adds to the weight factor), others include them as external devices.

Whatever you do, make sure you get enough memory to run all those cool applications. My recommendation is at least one GB, instead of the standard 512MB on most machines.

Over the past couple of years, Tablets have sold fairly well in what are known as vertical markets, among niche interest groups like students (great for note-taking and recording lectures), medical professionals (for keeping track of patient records) and salespeople (for forms and order-taking). Indeed, some schools are now giving Tablet PCs to their students, that’s how great they are as educational tools.

But now that the momentum has built up, most observers are convinced the real market is much larger … and largely untapped, if you’ll excuse the pun.

The Tablet PC does everything a regular computer does. It has a complete Windows XP operating system and can run all of the normal programs and applications consumers are used to on their desktops and laptops. The big difference is that with a Tablet PC, you can also use that electronic stylus to run many programs, taking notes by hand or tapping on the individual letters of an on-screen keyboard representation to type.

Handwriting can be converted to type with just a tap of the stylus, though, obviously, the neater you write or print, the more accurate will be the conversion into type.

I’ve been a a tablet user for several years and, truthfully, I seldom convert handwritten notes on the Tablet. I don’t need to. I can read my own notes just fine. And there’s something satisfyingly personal about seeing my scribbes on a computer screen. It’s sort of the ultimate in customization.

While a Tablet does everything a regular computer does, they have the added advantage of some special tablet-only software enhancements. I bought a $39 add-on to the Outlook program that lets me use digital ink to enter calendar, to-do, journal and contact info. And a $99 program called PlanPlus from Franklin Covey puts the equivalent of a Franklin Planner on my Tablet. I’ve fallen in love with this application.

Then there’s Microsoft OneNote, which comes bundled on many of the Tablets sold today or can be purchased separately for $99. OneNote I believe, is the most amazingly useful application for any platform I have ever tried.

Besides the digital ink note-taking and organizational features, OneNote uses the built in microphone on the Tablet to record meetings, lectures, interviews, whatever you want. As you take notes of a presentation and hear something that’s important, make a star or exclamation mark next to someone’s words that you’ve jotted down, just as you do with pen and paper notes. Afterwards, as you review the notes, you can tap on the special mark you made to hear the actual recording of the subject as the presenter spoke the information.

No matter how much I use OneNote, it blows me away every time.

If you’re thinking about a new laptop and if note-taking is a part of your life, a tablet should be at the top of your shopping list.

It’s that handy.

Is a Tablet PC right for you?

Obviously, only you can answer that. But it’s been my esperience as a longtime road warrior who has used all sorts of laptops, that the Tablet PC offers so many more features and so much more convenience than a standard laptop that I would never go back.

I bet you will feel the same.

Jacob

Nick Smith asked:




Tablet PCs are great. If you are a mobile person, and you have never considered getting a tablet PC in the past, now is as good a time as any to start checking them out – the technology is cutting-edge, the usability is superb, and prices are starting to drop.

There are two main types of tablet PCs: convertible and slate. Convertible tablets look a lot like normal laptops except the screen can be rotated all the way around and laid down flat across the keyboard. You then input information through the screen using a stylus. Slate tablet PCs include only the screen interface – though they are fully integratable with peripherals like keyboards and mouses, the computer itself does not have them. Both types are viable options, depending on your personal preferences and what you’ll be using it for.

As with any technology, tablet PCs have advantages and disadvantages. Thanks to the last few years of development and enhancement, the disadvantages are shrinking in number, and the perks are becoming more and more enticing.

Advantages of Tablet PCs

Far and away, the best thing about tablet PCs is their mobility. You can take and use them anywhere you go, the same way you would take notebook and pen. That means that when your boss bumps into you in the hallway and gives you a number of assignments, you can write them down. In meetings you don’t have to hide your face behind the monitor of your laptop because you can lay the tablet PC flat on the table. For students, this mobility is great – you can study your notes while you’re waiting in lines or even in the car.

Tablet PCs let you use digital ink to store handwritten notes, graphs, charts, and pictures. You don’t have to worry about taking your laptop and a notepad and pen to meetings or classes. Using the stylus, tablet PCs record your handwriting and drawings. They can convert your handwriting to text if you need to turn in an assignment typewritten.

All of the money you have been spending on pens, pencils, highlighters, notepads, papers, binders, folders, staples, and paperclips stays in your pocket. Because of the digital ink option on tablet PCs, much of the need for paper supplies and writing utensils is eliminated. You can keep all your notes on your computer.

Finally, one of the advantages of tablet PCs over regular laptops is that you don’t lose any functionality from your computer. Tablets operate on similar platforms and run many of the same programs. In fact, many programs integrate all of their normal functions with digital ink, so you can add notes to documents and even email your handwritten notes to someone.

Disadvantages of Tablet PCs

Despite my obvious zeal for tablet PCs, I recognize that there are still some disadvantages. First is the price. The prices for tablet PCs are coming down quite a bit from when they were first released, but on average, you can expect to spend more for a tablet PC than for its equivalent laptop. Depending on the bells and whistles you’re looking for, expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 on up.

The handwriting-to-text conversion does not always work the way you wish it would. Just like speech-to-text systems require a trained style of speech to work properly, tablet PCs recognize a trained penmanship easier than the way you may write naturally. A lot of the kinks in these conversion systems have been worked out – but don’t plan on handwriting your next novel expecting to be able to convert into a print-ready copy with no problems.

Finally, their smaller size is both an advantage and disadvantage. They are much more mobile than their laptop counterparts, but the viewing area is also smaller. Likewise, the keyboard also shrinks down to accommodate the smaller size, so if you feel like your fingers are already cramped on a laptop-sized keyboard, you’ll want to make sure you’re going to be able to use the tablet PCs before you buy one.

Jack

Steve Valentino asked:




Tablet PC’s are portable computers that resemble a laptop but are equipped with advance features such as a pen that allows users to access content on it without the help of a mouse or a keyboard. However, all the traditional accessories such as a keyboard and a mouse can also be used with these PC’s.

Some of the well-known tablet PC brands are Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu, Electrvaya, Gateway, Itronix, Panasonic, Table Kiosk, and Acer. Out of these, Toshiba, Hewlett Packard, and Acer are recognized for their quality and advanced technology. However, other brands are also competitive in nature and there are good reviews from users who have purchased them.

The system memory can range from 250 mb to 750 mb depending on the make and model of the tablet. The price of a tablet can range from $2500 to $4000 also depending on the make and the brand. These PC’s can also be leased for as less as $80 per month. Some brand names of popular tablet PC’s are stylistic ST5031, HP Compaq TC 1100, M275, and Travelmate c113ti.

Tablet PC’s can be classified according to their basic structure and the two main designs of tablet PC are the laptop-style “clamshell” design, with a display screen that can be hinged on the keyboard base unit, and the “slate” design, with a removable keyboard. Unlike a “smart display” that is a slim line monitor that is wirelessly connected to a desktop PC and using its settings, the slate form factor tablet PC is a inclusive PC in itself. The tablet PC is also a pen-based computer, with a digital pen that can recognize handwriting as “digital ink,” which can then be reformatted and edited.

Many Tablet PCs are similar to ultra portable laptop computers in design, architecture and dimension. They are networkable devices, with the majority including wired and wireless network connectivity as standard features. Many conventional laptop features are also provided on Tablet PCs, but like ultra portables, they do not have internal floppy or optical drives.

Herman