Incremental Blogger

If some hardware company was shipping a dedicated Linux only tablet pc the guys at slashdot would be gushing all over the place saying it was the best invention EVER. They're a bunch of juveniles.

I simply don't understand the appeal of the TabletPC. I had a chance to evaluate the HP/Compaq unit for a couple weeks, and just didn't see any advant to it over many of the recent notebooks that are available.

* It wasn't all that much lighter than a normal notebook.

* Battery life was *something* of an improvement in this particular unit...but only because of the Crusoe processor (I would assume same would be true of the Centrino based devices). But the same would occur with similarly equipped notebooks.

* It required a dedicated pen. Lose the one that comes with the unit, and you're SOL until you get another. True touch screen capabilities like a PocketPC would be a **MAJOR** improvement.

* And most importantly, why is everyone so hot to trot about handwriting recognition??? Jeez, the best thing about computers is the fact that I *don't* have to hand write anything. I LOVE having the keyboard available. OK, so maybe many folks aren't all that efficient at touch typing. But good grief, it ain't all that hard to learn.....and there must be only a gazillion resources available to do so. In short, if I never have to write anything other than my signature for the rest of my life, I will be only **TOO* happy.

TabletPC...no thanks. Give me a desktop or notebook and a PocketPC, and I'm a happy camper. If only the PocketPC platform provided USB, Firewire, or PCMCIA capabilities, and 640X480 resolution.

BottomFeeder:

"...if I never have to write anything other than my signature for the rest of my life, I will be only **TOO* happy."

That's great if everything you enter into a computer can be typed. But for me there are plenty of things that are simply more efficient to draw. Here are just a few: sketching a diagram, annotating a screenshot, writing a math equation. I know several college students that have notebooks and "type" their notes, but I can't imagine doing so when I was taking many of my engineering classes. How can I quickly type out a circuit? I can draw it is faster? How can I type out an integral? I can handwrite it faster. Sure a mouse can be used with a good program to do these things, but I think you'll find that when you have to switch back and forth between multiple types of input (as in notetaking) or as in photo-touch up or sketching out a design, or multiple specialized programs tuned for specific kinds of data input, the pen is faster than the keyboard and the mouse. Don't get me wrong, there are many times that a keyboard is faster or a mouse-based application is faster, but it all depends on what you're doing. Email is often one case.

Notice I haven't said a single thing about handwriting recognition yet. It's a necessity in a Tablet PC, but it's not used explicitly as much as you'd expect.

In terms of a PDA over a Tablet PC, yeah, this might be an ideal solution for how you work. But here again, it depends on what you're doing. I've written a few graphics oriented applications for the PocketPC because I wanted to use it the way I think you're describing. However, for the uses I had in mind, it worked, but the screen real estate was so small that it got in the way. I wanted more. So you say, maybe a bigger screened PDA would work. Possibly. However, the digitizer in a Tablet PC works much faster and with higher resolution than that built into a PDA, so for my uses, I'd rather have a smaller Tablet PC than a larger PDA.

In terms, of a touch screen integrated into a Tablet PC. PaceBlade makes one. There may be others.

Finally, I think you indirectly touch on a key point that I see too: Tablet PC capabilities may very likely be merged into regular notebooks as costs come down and the technology evolves. If you need to ink, it will be there. If you don't, you can ignore it--just like the mouse pad on many notebooks. As a user, I can use the Tablet PC's features today. As a developer, I want to experience, design and build for this possible integrated future as well as the needs of the Tablet PC user today.

Loren:
"....Finally, I think you indirectly touch on a key point that I see too: Tablet PC capabilities may very likely be merged into regular notebooks as costs come down and the technology evolves. If you need to ink, it will be there. If you don't, you can ignore it...."

Now there I think you're on to something.

Though I understand and agree with some of the points you make about the Tablet capabilities for specific purposes, IMO, those are still largely 'niche' needs...not something that will cause Joe Six-Pack to convert to Tablet usage...especially at today's Tablet prices.

FWIW, we were evaluating the HP/Compaq for use with a Health Care related documntation application. The other device under consideration was a Fujitsu P1120 'sub-notebook' device. The *overwhelming* winner in opinion among the 30-35 of our staff to whom I had the opportunity to present both devices was the Fujitsu. And though even it was somewhat larger than many staff would care to carry, it's size & weight were the universally deciding factor in staff opinions. Throw in the ability to attach an 'extended life' battery (which HP doesn't yet offer for their Tablet), and it simply was a no brainer. Plus, the touch screen feature on the Fujitsu doesn't require a dedicated pen. And quite frankly, the digitizer on the Tablet was more than a little finicky.

Maybe the 2nd or 3rd generation Tablets will have more appeal if some of the potential 'convergence' things occur between the standard notebook and Tablets, but at this point in time, I don't see them being more than a 'niche' product. Those whose life revolves around attending meetings, or those with a specific need (such as the engineering types you describe) may find them indispensible, 'but'......

data_bus,

It is possible to use Linux on some of these units. Plus, Lycoris has a tablet they offer with their own distribution installed. It made /. and the majority of them complained. Slashers simply complain -- so don't let it get ya down.

Coming from the Linux world, and using a tablet for several months, there are many advantages above and beyond the obvious. Loren is correct that there should be a merging of technologies with regular notebooks, but right now, the tablet advantages are worth the extra price.

For example, as a teacher, I can freely walk around the room with pen in hand, and enter grades. It was ackward with a keyboard and wonderful with the pen. My lectures are instantly available because I found the FIC unit didn't need to be turned off -- I just hotplug in things. If someone asked a question then I could just look it up using google. Piece of cake.

One more application that is awesome is from FranklinCovey. I was able to plan out the whole school year -- scratching and erasing. I saved hours of frustrations.

And another advantage -- doodling. I found myself sketching out ideas for website design and then asking myself if this or that was possible.

Yes slashdotters, tablets are definitely worth it. They should get one and try it before commenting on it. Maybe Microsoft can just donate one to the editor of /. ;-)