Tablet PC News Archive

February 2005

February 1 , 2005

Classic Cars, Airplanes, and Tablet PCs
whatisnew.com

Barret Jackson auction was this past weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona. Loren, our brother, and our dad had planned to go, but due to work, snow, and thunderstorms they did not attend. Instead, they were at 3 different houses, each logged into MSN Messenger using Tablet PCs, tuned into the Barret Jackson broadcast on TV, and watched the $305,000 and $3 million cars sell.

Hitachi shrinks its Microdrive
Australian IT

HITACHI has raised the stakes in the hard-drive versus flash-memory debate by designing an even smaller, higher capacity Microdrive.

Dubbed Mikey, the drive is 20 per cent smaller than the existing Microdrive format, comes in a more robust case, and ups the capacity from 4GB to as much as 10GB.

Hitachi says the new format continues to address a need for high-capacity devices in the mobile sector.

Applications for Mikey include MP3 players much smaller than devices such as the iPod Mini, portable video players such as Creative's Zen PMC and tablet PCs

February 2 , 2005

HP Compaq Tablet PC tc4200
HP.com

The HP Compaq tc4200 Tablet PC is a full-function PC delivering performance and compatibility in an innovative form factor, while simplifying your computing needs with the added convenience of handwriting. The light and stylish design is meant for mobile professionals needing powerful and highly-mobile computers that also offer enhanced security and reliability. IT managers will value the full portfolio of integrated security options, breadth of integrated wireless choices, and unsurpassed common accessories and consistency with the entire enterprise notebook line. With total cost of ownership in mind the HP Compaq tc4200 Tablet PC is the ideal choice for enterprise-wide deployment to highly mobile users desiring innovation and versatility.

• Mobility: This ultraportable, power-packed tablet adapts to the way you work, simplifying the on-the-go professional experience. Plan for all-day computing using the uniquely designed HP Travel Battery² , offering the convenience of charging while docked and providing up to an additional 4 hours of battery life. Recharge quickly with HP Fast Charge Technology, which recharges the battery up to 90% within 90 minutes. And, with enhanced standby time (up to 1 week), you'll be mobile and productive for days on end.
• Versatility: This sleek tablet PC offers a 12.1-inch display with wide-viewing angle on anti-glare protective glass and has a digital eraser pen with tether and clip, so you can write more like an actual pen. Mobile users will appreciate the performance and extended battery-life of this tablet. Users also choose the integrated industry standard wireless¹, technologies that work best for them. The optional HP External MultiBay II² allows users to utilize a variety of optical drives or a second hard drive² for increased storage capacity and data back-ups.
• Security: HP ProtectTools provide enhanced security capabilities to help protect against unauthorized access to networks and business critical data and enable IT managers to manage their security solutions in a simple, easy-to-use manner. HP Drivelock helps prevent the data on your hard drive from being compromised even if your computer is lost or stolen, and optional integrated Smart Card Reader and a TPM Embedded Security Chip are available. Norton AntiVirus software comes standard with this tablet.
• Ease of use: This tablet PC display features an easy-to-use scroll up, scroll down and enter jog dial as well as pen activated programmable buttons, as well as an ambient light sensor that optimizes panel brightness in changing work environments. The tablet PC attaches and detaches effortlessly to the HP Docking Station² or HP Advanced Docking Station² making your tablet a truly mobile desktop.
• Reliability: The HP Compaq tc4200 Tablet PC is designed to meet tough business standards by providing users with a variety of reliability features and a durable design that will give them confidence in their computer. The HP Mobile Data Protection System helps protect the hard drive from shock and vibration and helps reduce the risk of data corruption. Combined with scratch-resistant in-mold lamination, a spill-resistant keyboard and the HP Panel Protection System that helps prevent the display from scuffing and scratching, your tablet PC will look newer longer.
• Connectivity: Wireless connectivity and enhanced battery life help you get connected and be productive wherever your work takes you. This tablet PC's dual antennas help you work efficiently with a more reliable connection to your network. ¹ Easily identify, manage and turn on and off your wireless devices using the HP Wireless Assistant, optimizing battery life.

Coming Soon !

Symphony Sound
Julius Media

Sydney Opera House hosted The Lord of the Rings Symphony in June, to a sellout season.

 The most telling effect of the System 5 on the set up was the complete lack of processing racks required, indeed the audio department were able to hand back 4 extra seats for sale from the normal allocation. This was achieved by using the on board equalization and dynamics to cover the mics and foldback sends while a wireless tablet PC controlled the newly installed Lake Contour system handling the sound system processing. A Lexicon 960 simply rested under the console frame.

Tegrity Announces Agreements with Campus Partner Institutions; Initial Partnership Established to Deploy and Conduct Research on New Class Archiving and Study System
Business Wire

Students may also use a Tablet PC with Tegrity to capture handwritten notes. "We are launching Tegrity Campus by recording 10% of our classes in the first quarter and looking to move to 100% within 6 months," said Vicki Strunk, President of Colorado Technical University in South Dakota. "As a leading technical university we must ensure that our students are equipped with the latest knowledge and tools to succeed. Tegrity adds that cutting edge to our courses and leverages the Gateway Tablet PCs our students already use daily."

Tablet PC Memory Issues
microsoft

Summary

Friday afternoon a series of blog entries and an article from Andrew Orlowski, The Register UK, reported a bug in the Tablet PC Input Panel in the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system.  The bug causes the amount of memory used by TCServer.exe to increase over time which causes a gradual reduction of system resources available on the machine, which can impact performance.

Status

Microsoft is investigating the issue and working on a solution. This solution will be posted on the Microsoft Tablet PC and Windows Update websites when available.

The interim solution is to reboot your machine if performance issues are encountered after sustained usage.

February 3 , 2005

HP introduces Compaq Tablet PC tc4200
InfoSync

Its second-ever Tablet PC, Hewlett-Packard's new tc4200 relinquishes the sleek looks of the tc1000 series, but adds more features to make up for it.

Hewlett-Packard has announced the HP Compaq Tablet PC tc4200, a swivel-screen model which includes a keyboard and a 12.1" XGA display. Following in the footsteps of the Compaq-developed tc1000 series, the tc4200 adds considerably more bulk, but mitigates the added size and weight through the introduction of a more powerful feature set.

Available with a choice of processors ranging from 1.5 GHz through 2.13 GHz, the tc4200 measures in at 11.2" x 9.3" x 1.4", weighing 4.5 lb. Users will have their choice from 256 to 2048 MB of DDR II SDRAM, and hard drives ranging from 4200 RPM 40 GB through 80 GB 5400 RPM.

MICROSOFT MAKING FRUITFUL USE OF FRIENEDLYWAY
ITNews

friendlyway Secure Browser Software Runs on Tablet PCs
The friendlyway secure browser allows for particularly secure execution of internet applications. Microsoft's Executive Briefing Center currently uses friendlyway browser software for a customer survey application that is run on tablet PCs.
"The deployment of the friendlyway secure browser has enabled the Microsoft Executive Briefing Center in Munich to implement an application that allows us to track customer feedback online for every executive briefing. This professional security solution makes it possible for us to get feedback during any event via tablet PC and still meet all of our relevant security requirements. In addition to the fact that the friendlyway secure browser saves us time and effort, it also enables us to respond quickly to customer feedback,"

HP lifts lid on new Compaq tc4000 Tablet PC
PC Pro

Delegates of HP's Mobility Conference in San Jose were given a rare chance to examine the tc4000, the company's new Tablet PC.

Unlike HP's previous Tablet, the tc4000 is a convertible. This means it can be used as a conventional notebook, or the screen can be swivelled around and folded back upon itself to create a slate. HP has clearly learned from other manufacturers' mistakes when it comes to the hinge mechanism, as the tc4000 is easy to convert from one form to another with no annoying catches that could potentially break.

In day-to-day use, perhaps the most important improvement over HP's other Tablet PC - the tc1100 - is its speed. Gone is the lowly Transmeta processor, to be replaced by an Intel Pentium M. Even the basic model in the tc4000 range will include a 1.6GHz chip, and we found the tc4000 to be very responsive when we put it to the test.

Another positive is the screen. With a 12.1in diagonal and 1,024 x 768 resolution, it's easy to read, helped by far superior viewing angles to the tc1100; this suffered from a mottled effect that doesn't plague the tc4000. The screen's nice and bright too.

Prices for the tc4000 will start from $1,599 in the US, which will buy you a 40GB hard disk and 256MB of RAM (the optical drive is external and optional).

Meditab Software, Inc. releases an upgrade to Intelligent Medical Software
New Media Medicine

The application works with Windows® 2000, XP and the Tablet PC*. Feature rich, extensive and comprehensive, with strong input validation and voice recognition, IMS is serviced with training and software user support. IMS saves you money and time.

* A Tablet PC is required for Image Based EMR.

HP targets mainstream with new convertible tablet
eChannelLine

Hewlett-Packard Tuesday introduces the HP TC4200 Tablet PC, its first entry into the convertible Tablet PC market, and perhaps a first push towards a more mainstream Tablet PC from HP.

The new 4200 joins HP's existing TC1100 tablet PC, which offered a smaller, more mobile product weighing in at four pounds with a keyboard attached. The TC4200 will weigh in at 4.5 pounds and will come without the detachable keyboard offered on the TC1100. Indeed, the TC4200 looks much like a normal notebook -- in fact, other than the screen being mounted on a swivel so that it can be closed in tablet mode, the machine is virtually identical to HP's new NC4200 ultraportable notebook. Ted Clark, senior vice president and general manager of the mobile computing global business unit inside HP's new Imaging and Personal Systems Group, said that thus far, tablet PC "has met our expectations," but that the new product is designed to drive the tablet into the mainstream with a lower price point and a form factor that's more familiar to the average notebook user.

"We would like to see [the Tablet PC market] go a little faster, and we believe we can help it to grow a little bit more," he said.

February 4 , 2005

Out of the door... on the road
Geekzone

By the way, just got my hands on the Toshiba Tablet Multi Dock station (pictured). Very nice. With this docking station I can use the Tablet PC in lots of different ways: standard docked notebook, primary monitor with external keyboard and mouse, extended desktop with desktop monitor, and digital notepad with a desktop monitor. The unit can be rotated for landscape or portrait screen orientation with adjustment to different height levels. Its integrated Slim SelectBay supports an optical drive, 2nd hard drive, and Bridge Media Adapter. Ports include 3-USB 2.0 ports, 10/100 Ethernet, RGB monitor port, Line-out jack, and AC input jack.

I now need a Bluetooth keyboard (already have two Bluetooth mouse) so I can be wireless while the Tablet PC is in the dock

Microsoft's Media and Entertainment Group's Dave Alstadter
Digital Media Net

DMN: What role exactly do Tablet PCs bring to this workflow environment?
DA: This was a tool that was used for a mobile collaborative environment. To see the Tablet PC in use, you may wish to see the Digital Dimension video case study, featured in the “film” section of our website:  http://www.microsoft.com/resources/mediaandentertainment/casestudies.mspx 

Ambient Design spread fun with ArtRage
Reseller News

Last December ArtRage won the company US$100,000, beating 260 other entrants in the Microsoft Tablet PC developer application contest. The money will go towards development of ArtRage2, which Bearsley promises will be bigger and better than the first.

“A lot of the features professional users have been asking for will be included. The thing about it is that I’m constantly astounded by what people do with it - it looks, acts and feels like real paint.”

Zoe Technologies and Broadman & Holman to release Holman Christian Standard Bible for the Tablet PC
press release

Broadman & Holman and Zoe Technologies have reached an agreement to produce the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) for the Tablet PC.

"Major publishing companies, like Broadman & Holman, are recognizing the power of the Tablet PC, and how people can interact with their electronic bible and books on a much more personal level," said Rob Bushway, President of Zoe Technologies. Most recently, Zoe Technologies and Thomas Nelson Publishers released the New King James Version for the Tablet PC.

February 7 , 2005

Microsoft Highlights Huge Industry Shift to Connected Systems Using Visual Studio and .NET Framework
PR Newswire

New Enhancements for the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC 2005 Platform The Tablet PC SDK 1.7 plugs right in to Visual Studio .NET and, soon, Visual Studio 2005, enabling developers to create interactive ink-based applications for the Tablet PC. Today, there are over 200 applications available for purchase or download optimized to run on Tablet PCs.

Microsoft expects the number of applications to grow steadily. Within the last nine months, the number of independent software vendors (ISVs) planning to integrate pen and ink in their Windows(R)-based applications has doubled to over 450 companies worldwide. Microsoft is committed to increasing the ease of development of Tablet PC applications and broadening the market for Tablet PC applications, and is proud to announced two enhancements to this end.

Today, together with 3Leaf Development, Microsoft announced a new Tablet PC Game SDK. This SDK will foster the development of casual games that incorporate some of the unique features of the Tablet PC, especially pen and ink functionality. This SDK will help teach developers how to incorporate features such as velocity of pen movement, pressure sensitivity, gesture-based gaming, and line routing into their games in fun and innovative ways. In addition, Microsoft and 3Leaf Development are building a community around the development of the first game developed from this project, called "Arcs of Fire" (http://www.arcsoffire.com ).

Developers are encouraged to join the "Arcs of Fire" community and contribute not only to the development of this game, but also to the further development of the Tablet PC Game SDK. "Arcs of Fire" will be available free for developers and end users, and all of the source code will be available free for all developers at the Arcs of Fire Web site.

Agilix Labs, a Tablet PC premier partner, today announced the general availability of Agilix InfiNotes, a commercial-quality note-taking control that takes advantage of the .NET Framework to provide rich drag-and-drop ink note-taking for new or existing Windows XP-based applications, significantly reducing development time for note-taking applications.

More information about the Tablet PC partner program, designed to help ISVs and developers market their applications, can be found at http://www.tabletpcpartners.com .

Agilix(TM) Launches Two .NET Mobilized Application Platform Solutions
PR Newswire

New .NET Platforms - GoBinder SDK and InfiNotes - to Help Developers Overcome Limits of Webbased Applications and Tablet PC Development for Mobile Professionals by Making it Easier to Build Mobilized Applications

Agilix Labs, Inc., a leading provider of mobilized software and Tablet PC solutions, today announced the release of two new .NET mobilized application platform products for rapid application development: GoBinder SDK and InfiNotes. The GoBinder SDK provides a complete mobilized application development solution for building applications that enhance mobile worker productivity. InfiNotes is a developer solution for easily adding ink note-taking support to create Tablet PC applications.

Agilix Labs, Inc., a leading provider of mobilized software and Tablet PC solutions, today announced the release of two new .NET mobilized application platform products for rapid application development: GoBinder SDK and InfiNotes. The GoBinder SDK provides a complete mobilized application development solution for building applications that enhance mobile worker productivity. InfiNotes is a developer solution for easily adding ink note-taking support to create Tablet PC applications.

GoBinder SDK offers a comprehensive solution to building the complete mobilized client application, supplying plug-in APIs to GoBinder's user interface (UI), database and synchronization modules. Applications built using the SDK are able to work effectively online or offline to empower the mobile professional. It leverages the Microsoft .NET Framework, and runs on Windows XP with support for laptops and Tablet PCs.

InfiNotes is a set of .NET controls that enable easy development of digital ink and note-taking features for building Tablet PC applications, the optimum mobile device. It allows developers to embed the full functionality of Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Journal within their application.

Tatung Introduces New Ultra-Light, Ultra-Slim Tablet PC Series with 12.1 Inch Screen and Biometric Fingerprint Security
Business Wire

New Tablet to Debut at VSLive/Microsoft Mobile Developers Conference & Exhibition, SF Convention Center, Booth # 740-742

At the VSLive/Microsoft Mobile Developers Conference and Exhibition in San Francisco, Tatung Science and Technology will introduce its first entry into the tablet PC market, with the release of its new model TTAB-B12D 12.1 inch tablet PC. The new hand-held unit can be configured with either an Intel(R) Pentium(R) Mobile LV 1.4GHz - processor with 1MB L2 cache; an Intel(R) Pentium(R) Mobile ULV 1.0 GHZ, 1.1 GHz or 1.2 GHz processor with 1MB L2 cache; or an Intel Celeron M ULV 900MHz processor with 512K L2 cache. The TTAB-B12D weighs only 3.08 lbs and is .73 inches thick, keeping the system manageable and easy to carry for a variety of remote or mobile computing applications. It can be operated either by using a stylus for handwriting, sketching or mark-up, or with an optional keyboard or docking station.

Getac ruggedized tablet PC is ready to rumble
FCW.com 

Standard tablet PCs beware: You wouldn't want to meet Getac's new ruggedized tablet PC in a dark alley if it had a grudge against you.

The MobileForce CA27 is a tough tablet with a magnesium-alloy chassis that meets the military's 810F standard for drops, temperature extremes, vibration, moisture and dust.

So go ahead: Drop it 3 feet onto concrete or steel. Bring it to Alaska and use it in temperatures as low as 32 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. Then warm it up in the desert in temperatures up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Throw water on it and drive it around over rough terrain in a vehicle with poor shock absorbers.

It'll still work, and it probably won't be in a bad mood, because this tablet is built to withstand the kind of abuse computers can suffer in the field, especially in military situations.

February 8 , 2005

Review: Fujitsu 5020 Tablet PC

With a 12.1 inch display and 1.1 GHz processor, and long life battery The Stylistic 5000 series Tablet PC offers some nice improvements. 

Tablet PC 2 Accessory of the Month

Review:  OtterBox 4600 Tablet PC Case

The idea of a case that turns a Tablet PC into a rugged tablet PC is brilliant.  But does it work?   and is it worth the cost?    The answer is a resounding yes.    

SDK adds "commercial-quality" note-taking controls to Tablet PCs
WindowsForDevices

Agilix Labs is shipping a set of note-taking controls intended to make it easy to add digital ink to new or existing Tablet PC applications based on the .NET Framework. InfiNotes, jointly developed with Microsoft, supports devices running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, the company says.

Agilix says that InfiNotes is the first-ever set of "commercial-quality" note-taking controls for Tablet PCs. The company claims that InfiNotes provides a much more complete solution than the InkOverlay and InkPicture controls provided in Microsoft's Tablet PC SDK, by offering integrated support for ink recognition, correction, and more. Additionally, InfiNotes creates an XML-based interchange format standard that allows ink data to be easily shared among InfiNotes-enabled applications.

The company says it developed InfiNotes through a partnership with the Microsoft Tablet PC team.

Stylish Stylistic
IT AsiaOne

The Tablet PC has come a long way in a relatively short time. Earlier flirtations with this versatile offshoot of the notebook PC - the groundbreaking HP Compaq TC1000 comes to mind - offered tantalising hints of what was possible. A couple of years on, the promise is far closer to reality.

Fujitsu's Stylistic ST5020, introduced here just two months ago, is a notable case in point. Oozing class right out of the box, its sleek black and grey profile would look quite at home on the dashboard of a luxury car, and its 12.1-inch XGA TFT screen is brilliant. More importantly, the device is not just great to look at but great to work with.

And that's the key, really. The Tablet PC is, or should be, much more than a notebook. Its distinguishing feature, of course, is the digitised screen that you write on, just as you would on a paper notebook. But that's just the starting point. The 'paper notebook' metaphor reflects a philosophy of giving the user the experience of working the way he or she always has, but in turbo-charged, previously unimagined, ways made possible by technology.

CDMI Software Delivers the Next Generation in Sales Force for Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
PR Newswire

CDMI Software announced today the first public release of Sales Ace, the company's sales force automation software built specifically for the needs of the manufacturer's sales representative in distribution-based industries. Designed exclusively for Microsoft's software platform, Sales Ace offers salespeople the greatest flexibility and mobility when coupled with the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

February 9 , 2005

Tablet OS glitch has fans crying over spilled ink
CNET News.com

A glitch in the latest version of Microsoft's Tablet PC software is causing significant performance problems for those running the new operating system, the company has confirmed.

A Microsoft representative said late Tuesday that the company is aware of the issue, which appears to affect all machines running the latest version of the Tablet OS. The representative said Microsoft hopes to have a fix soon. However, the company did not offer a specific time frame for a solution.

Until a fix is ready, Microsoft is advising those running the OS to reboot their machines daily.

Infotrieve Buys Electronic Laboratory Notebook Firm
socalTech.com

Los Angeles-based Infotrieve said today that it has acquired GenSys Software, a provider of electronic laboratory notebook software for the life sciences and chemistry industry.

The software allows scientists to capture experimental data from either a tablet PC or computer.

Auto Makers Join Forces with Michigan Health Plans and Physicians to Launch Sweeping e-Prescribing Initiative
PR Newswire

Southeast Michigan e-Prescribing Initiative to Enroll Thousands of Physicians across Michigan in the Fight to Reduce Medication Errors DETROIT, Feb. 9

The nation's three largest automakers, General Motors (NYSE: Ford Motor Company ( and DaimlerChrysler Corp. and the International Union, UAW, have joined forces to launch a major quality initiative aimed at addressing medication errors and the subsequent effect on health care quality and costs.

The three companies today announced the Southeast Michigan e-Prescribing Initiative (SEMI), a far-reaching electronic prescribing collaboration with Michigan health plans, electronic prescribing technology providers and pharmacy benefit manager Medco Health Solutions, Inc. As many as 17,000 physicians will have the opportunity to join the program. The initiative encourages physicians to write prescriptions on a personal computer or wireless device and send them directly to the pharmacy for filling. Electronic prescribing gives physicians real-time access to important safety and coverage information when making prescribing decisions.

"Our doctors can access the e- prescribing software through a tablet PC while they are seeing patients. The software is very easy to learn and use. Our patients benefit because e- Prescribing gives our physicians the information they need to make appropriate prescribing decisions based on patient medication history, allergies and insurance coverage. Also, prescriptions can be sent directly to the pharmacy of the patient's choice, so patients don't have to carry paper prescriptions to the pharmacy. We are using data and automation to improve a process that directly impacts patient care."

Mobile Data Collector Announced for Tablet PC
Seattle News

Lush Group, Inc. announced today their Mobile Data Collector Suite for the Tablet PC – a flexible system for defining forms, collecting data in the field, and reporting results. Implemented on mobile Tablet PC’s equipped with Microsoft’s Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system, Smart Client and Handwriting Recognition capabilities enable field workers to feed responses back to a central server in real-time or whenever a connection becomes available.

Mobile Data Collector includes three components that allow non-technical staff to compose forms, distribute the forms to data gathering Tablet PC’s in the field, and then consolidate and report the data – which often includes handwritten responses converted into text.

Toshiba dynabook R10/170L7
Ployer, NY

Toshiba Corporation, Japan has announced the "dynabook R10/170L7" consumer tablet PCs set for release on February 18th. Price is estimated at around 19,500 yen. Toshiba's first consumer tablet PC uses a convertible style allowing the LCD to rotate 180 degrees. Features include a "3D Acceleration Sensor" that detect the rotation of the LCD, and the direction of the image can be adjusted with a single touch, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, Celeron M 360 (1.4GHz) CPU, 512MB of memory (max 2GB), 60GB hard drive, Intel 855GME chipset (integrated video), a DVD Super-Multi Drive (+R DL support), and a 14.1" LCD supporting 1024 x 768 display

Apple upstages Microsoft at VSLive?
CNET News.com

HP takes it up a notch
Although clearly not as chic as iPods, Tablet PCs were also in abundance in the exhibit hall, with Fujitsu and Motion Computing among the companies showing their wares. Hewlett-Packard also had a booth, showing off its latest tablet and other business notebooks and accessories introduced last week.

Another nifty feat is the optional second battery that attaches to the new Tablet PC. The U-shaped battery serves as a stand for the notebook when it is mobile, but the device and its two batteries also fit neatly into a new HP docking station.

Microsoft Include Fractal:PC in the Tablet PC Application Catalogue; Revolutionary File Manager Comes to Tablet PCs
Internet Telephony Magazine

Fractal Edge today announced their inclusion in the Tablet PC Application Catalogue. The Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 offers the reliability and power of Windows XP Professional with the natural interface and mobility of Tablet PC. Fractal:PC makes full use of the pen based interface to offer a step change in navigation speed for Tablet PC users.

February 10 , 2005

Tools Give Tablet PC New Life
eWeek

The Tablet PC platform got a boost this week when Microsoft said that several of its partners have announced support for both its Tablet PC platform and BizTalk Server.

During his keynote speech at VSLive Monday, S. "Soma" Somasegar, corporate vice president of the Microsoft Developer Division, said Microsoft Corp. had made enhancements to the Tablet PC software development kit and that Microsoft partners had taken the platform and delivered new functionality around it.

Microsoft shines a spotlight on PC clients
PC World Magazine

Agilix Labs announced availability of InfiNotes, which are note-taking controls to add digital ink to new or existing applications built on the .Net Framework for deployment on Tablet PC systems.

Also unveiling a product to add ink functionality to .Net is Bluewire Technologies, with its BluewireInk product. Supporting Tablet PC, It is designed specifically for use within Web applications targeted at Internet Explorer. It is priced at US$100 per developer.

Colligo Networks launched Colligo Workgroup Edition 4.0 at the Microsoft Windows Anywhere conference. The software enables mobile teams to connect to Windows-based laptops, Tablet PCs, and Pocket PCs via peer-to-peer networks and then share data and communicate.

Infragistics said it is shipping NetAdvantge 2005 Volume 1, a toolset for developing commercial-grade user interfaces for Microsoft Windows Forms, ASP.Net, Tablet PC, and Com.

Lush Group Inc. unveiled Mobile Data Collector Suite for the Tablet PC, a system for defining forms, collecting data in the field, and reporting results. The product uses the .Net framework and XML Web services to pass information between systems.

What Tablet PCs Can Do For You
WebProNews

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.

Tablet PC Memory Leak to be Plugged ASAP, Microsoft Says
 Mary Jo Foley

Microsoft is working overtime on a fix to the memory leak bug that is causing some Tablet PC customers' machines to overflow with virtual ink, according to company officials. "It's unclear for now how we'll deliver the fix," acknowledged Frank Gocinski, ISV and business-development manager for Microsoft's mobile platforms division. Microsoft has no imminent plans to deliver a new Tablet PC service pack, he said. But the company might just post the fix, as soon as it is available, to the Tablet Web site for download, he said. There's no ETA yet on the fix, Gocinski said.

February 11 , 2005

Survey: Future is Not PDAs
Mobile Health Data

Information technology leaders increasingly believe that the ubiquitous PDA will be eclipsed by other mobile hardware, according to respondents to the Health Data Management 2005 CIO Survey.

Asked which mobile computing device will have the greatest impact on health care, 43% of the I.T. leaders surveyed picked the Tablet PC.

February 14 , 2005

Microsoft UK Innovative Teachers Awards - deadline in 2 weeks
PublicTechnology.net

The Microsoft UK Innovative Teachers Awards are designed to recognise and reward innovation; enhance the effectiveness of educators; and promote the sharing of exceptional innovative practices in the integration of technology into classroom teaching and learning.

Winners of the Primary and Secondary categories will each receive a Tablet PC, with software and peripherals and an invitation to attend a regional best practice forum in one of Microsoft’s European locations, with teachers from Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Softmed Systems Announces Mobile Healthcare Documentation Solution
PR Newswire

SoftMed Systems, a leading provider of healthcare information solutions, today announced the release of ScriptHD(TM), a new generation mobile healthcare documentation solution. The application enables users to capture clinical information on the desktop, laptop, and mobile, handheld computers such as Pocket PC or tablet PC. By offering the flexibility to create, review, and edit clinical records through a choice of data entry options, ScriptHD enables clinicians to acquire clinical data, improve the quality of the documentation, and increase the amount of time spent with patients.

Houston schools look to learn from Tablet PC initiative
Macon Telegraph

A study to examine if Houston County High School students' use of Tablet PCs in the classroom would improve their academic performance has concluded the technology produced no real difference in grades.

Instead of students improving their academics, the "Houston County High School Tablet PC Initiative: Impact on Students and Learning" report, released last week, found that most students instead got hung up on equipment failures and had bad experiences with the technology.

The study also reported that teachers were frustrated because they had little technical support and no real training to use the devices.

Intel and Gateway provided the computers to the school system free of charge.Twenty-eight Houston County High freshmen who were considered average academic students were picked at random and were given Tablet PCs - fully functioning portable computers that are so named because their design allows students to write on a screen, and their writing is then converted to text.Over the course of the school year the experiment was designed to measure if those 28 freshmen would show better computer skills, outperform academically and like using technology. The results of those students were compared to 28 students without Tablet PCs.

February 15 , 2005

What Tablet PCs Can Do for You
The Gadget Files

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.

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 a 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.

WiFiMed Launches New Mobile Patient Care System; Tablet MD EnablesPhysicians to Dramatically Reduce Practice Overhead, Improve Patient Care, Meet HIPAA Requirements
Business Wire

Tablet MD is the first affordable, mobile physician-personalized application for managing and automating the patient workflow process. With Tablet MD, physicians can manage all patient information, including prescriptions, consults, laboratory tests and drug interaction review, based on the patient's specific medical history, and document the entire physician-patient encounter, including check-in, vitals, examination, check out and follow-up -- using medical knowledge, forms, checklists, handwriting, drawing and voice. Tablet MD has the look, feel and form factor of the physician's current paper records, allowing for a smooth transition to electronic records. Tablet MD runs on a Tablet PC that provides physicians with light, mobile access to critical patient history, data, and test results while in the office, at home or on rounds.

Tablet MD provides physicians with an intuitive, affordable solution that dramatically reduces time spent on paperwork," said Jeffrey Simon, CEO of WiFiMed. "To date, systems have been too complex and required too much time to learn and use in day-to-day practice. With Tablet MD, a physician can be up and running in a half day.

Technology would give quick information to firefighters
Coalfield Progress

Giving real time information to fire fighters and police responding to emergency calls could save lives, protect property and improve response time.

The goal is to provide mobile geographic information to fire fighters and other public safety officials, who would use Tablet PCs, a wireless computer, to record information about area fires. The grant paperwork says the system would link to Wise County's enhanced-911 system and information organized by the circuit court clerk's office

As part of the Wise County Interoperability Project, tablet PCs would help firemen quickly learn fire information.

Creative Learning Media win e-learning Project of the Year Award
Training Press Releases

Creative Learning Media's work with Whitbread has received the prestigious accolade of e-learning Project of the Year at the Institute of IT Training Awards for 2005. The award recognised the outstanding success of Whitbread's delivery of CLM's e-learning courses via the el-boxTM - a Tablet PC pre-loaded with e-learning courses for their Team Members.

Creative Learning Media has pioneered the deployment of e-learning in the workplace on Tablet PCs, with over 1000 units being deployed since January 2003 in sites including hotels, restaurants, pubs, nursing homes, hospitals, retail outlets and manufacturing sites.

February 16 , 2005

Electrovaya Launches Scribbler 'TM' SC 2200 With Superior Computing Capabilities
Internet Telephony

Electrovaya Inc. (TSX:EFL) announces the launch of their light, thin Scribbler(TM) SC 2200 Tablet PC. Powered by Intel(R) Pentium 1.4Ghz M LV Centrino Dothan processor with 2MB of L2 Cache and Electrovaya's award winning, patented Lithium Ion SuperPolymer(R) battery, the Scribbler SC 2200 is one of the fastest and most mobile Tablet PCs on the market.

With up to 9 hours of runtime, the SC 2200 is an excellent extension to Electrovaya's current Tablet PC product mix. The Scribbler Tablet PC has been experiencing considerable success in the education and healthcare markets. Professors and doctors respectively enjoy the extraordinary run time, added security offered by integrated fingerprint recognition, and a convenient hybrid - light weight- form factor.

"Electrovaya's Scribbler Tablet PC works wonders in the classroom. With its super-long battery life I go fearlessly into the lecture hall and seminar room without a power cord. At conferences I can go an entire day taking notes while maintaining a wireless connection to the internet. Scribbler is the ideal portable computer for today's faculty.

Stevens Launches Bluetooth® Wireless Transceiver rFor Environmental And Industrial Monitoring And Control
Pollution Online

Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Inc., an innovative developer and manufacturer of environmental monitoring solutions, today introduced a rugged, low-power radio transceiver based on Bluetooth® wireless technology. The unit, called the Shark, is designed for transmission of environmental, industrial and security-related information

The Shark can streamline data collection tasks. For outdoor environmental applications, Shark users can drive by rather than physically interact with less accessible sites to interrogate and/or download data. For the factory floor, deployment of the Shark permits equipment-monitoring instruments to send data regularly to any Bluetooth-enabled desktop or hand-held computer. In law enforcement, an officer with a Bluetooth-enabled tablet PC could transmit data to the Shark-equipped patrol car computer, which sends the information to a central police station server.

February 17 , 2005

El Camino Gets Vitals into Charts
Mobile Health Data

Now clinicians use the vendor's wireless bridge to capture vital signs information from medical devices on a Tablet PC while rounding, Zielazinski said in an interview with Health Data Management Tuesday at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Annual Conference and Exhibition. The bridge uses Bluetooth wireless technology to transfer the data, which then is integrated into the vendor's electronic medical records system from the Tablet PC.

Desktops losing favour
Infoconomy

Meanwhile, organisations are investing in alternatives to desktops. Gartner predicts that sales of mobile PCs (laptops and tablet PCs) will grow faster than those of desktops, driven by falling prices and an increasing desire for mobile devices.

PatientKeeper Mobilizes the Desktop
Mobile Health Data

Boston-based PatientKeeper Inc. has introduced a new application that takes data in its numerous PDA-based systems and configures it for display on desktop PCs, Tablet PCs and laptop computers. The mobile health company made the announcement this week at the 2005 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Conference and Exhibition in Dallas.

February 18 , 2005

Tablet PCs Now Available to Rent From Rentacomputer.com
PR Web

If you are considering buying Tablet PCs for your company, try renting one first from Rentacomputer.com. Evaluate the usefulness of Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition. New models from HP Compaq are now available!

(PRWEB) February 18, 2005 -- The Tablet PC provides all of the features, reliability and power of Windows XP, plus pen and ink capabilities that allow you to write directly on the screen or use the pen as you would a mouse and keyboard. The Tablet PC extends the way you would use a laptop or notebook computer. You can use the wireless pen to take notes while in meetings, sketch ideas, even add personality to your e-mail and instant messages.

Support for wireless internet connections and networks mean you can use the Tablet PC just like your regular laptop computer. You can even power up your Tablet PC immediately with the rapid resume feature.

Use your a rental Tablet PC to create, edit, organize, and search handwritten notes and drawings that you would typically record on paper. The Tablet PC comes with Microsoft Windows Journal®, a note-taking utility.

Try the rental Tablet PC to put a personal touch in your e-mail and messages. With Microsoft Office Outlook 2003® and MSN Messenger® you can send handwritten notes and drawings. This is great for sending personalized messages to friends, family, and co-workers even if they don't have a Tablet PC. Outlook even allows you to add your handwritten signature at the end of all your e-mail.

For more information on the Tablet PC rental offer visit: http://www.rentacomputer.com/rentals/tablet-pc.asp.

Quick! Ink! A Wiki For the Tablet PC
devx.com

Putting a simple ink-based control on the World Wide Web is fairly simple: create a class library, make the class library publicly downloadable, and put an appropriate <object> tag in your HTML (see "Inking the World Wide Web"). Building a real application that can store and recover ink, takes a little more work. The two biggest challenges are dealing with the ASP.NET page lifecycle and dealing with non-Tablet-capable browsers (i.e., any browser other than IE 6 running on a Tablet!).

The application is a basic Wiki - a publicly editable Web site. The Web site is accessed through a single .aspx page with an additional URL query parameter (such as "/weka.aspx?Page=Home"). The data for the page, both ink and a GIF rendering, is retrieved from a database. On a "downlevel" browser or system, the bitmap is returned and the viewer is unable to edit the page. Tablet users, however, can press a button, choose from a number of different pens, and modify the contents freely (Figure 1).

February 21 , 2005

Averatec Tablet PC - $999.99 at COMP USA

3500-T60 Notebook

Mi-Co Goes Vertical at HIMSS--Announces Mi-Forms Home Health Solution for Mobile Data Capture
I-Newswire.com

Mi-Co, the mobile data capture company, announced at the Health Information and Management Systems Society ( HIMSS ) Conference and Exhibition in Dallas that the company is introducing a vertical Solution targeted to home health agencies. The solution, Mi-Forms for Home Health, provides state-of-the-art digital ink capture, handwriting recognition technology and data quality checks geared toward the unique needs of home health and hospice agencies.

Mi-Forms Home Health allows an agency to:

•    Enhance standard or build new home health e-Forms for capturing data with handwriting input on the Tablet PC, the Digital Pen and other hardware platforms.

February 22 , 2005

Tablet PC Stand Organizes Work Area
Laboratory Equipment

The tablet PC stand is a small footprint, rugged device for cleanroom environments. It attaches to a cleanroom cart or table and provides ergonomic PC positioning for cleanroom technicians. Fabricated from precision welded 11 and 16 gauge stainless steel, the stand also provides stainless steel hardware. Each stand is passivated and flash electro-polished, ensuring high corrosion resistance. PC accessories can be custom attached to the stand to organize the work area, leaving the shelf for storage. The stand pivots a full 90 degrees and can be easily locked into place during travel.

New Interactive 3-D Technology Transforms Dentist-Patient Communications
PR Newswire

The days of scribbled notes and diagrams on scratch paper and bracket table covers to explain the latest techniques in dental implants or root canals may be gone!

MedVisor is interactive; drawing, notation and highlighting tools are at the dentist's fingertips when most needed.

Reality Engineering's new dental office innovation can be utilized in an integrated tablet PC with Microsoft Windows XP functionality that is engineered to meet the healthcare professional's broad range of computing needs. Alternatively, it can be installed in a practitioner's existing computer system for use on chair-side monitors with a Wacom electronic writing pad or pen-abled LCD.

February 23 , 2005

Mi-Co, the Mobile Data Capture Software Company, Selected to Present at CED's Venture 2005
Market Wire

These applications are the types that turn a general hardware device, like the Tablet PC, into a vertical or specific solution device. Digital ink applications can be an excellent fit for organizations needing to capture data while in a true mobile state."

SP2 fix not your typical security update
SearchSecurity.com

According to Microsoft's advisory, the patch fixes a condition in which computers running SP2, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 or Windows Server 2003 unexpectedly stop. "Additionally, the following stop error message appears on a blue screen: Stop 0x05 [INVALID_PROCESS_ATTACH_ATTEMPT]," the advisory said.

Cutting the cord on thin clients
Computerworld Australia

Motion executives discovered that some of the healthcare customers for the company's line of tablet PCs, running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, were configuring the devices as thin clients - with no local data storage - linking to Citrix servers.

Motion released the M1400TC Table Client in January, priced at about $1,650. The tablet boasts handwriting support, a wide viewing-angle display screen and a built-in fingerprint reader. It has a 10/100M bit/sec Ethernet interface, a PC Card slot, two USB ports and an 802.11g/b WLAN adapter

February 24 , 2005

Tablet App Mobilizes Patient Data
Mobile Health Data

Maynard, Mass.-based WiFiMed has released a Tablet PC-based application designed to mobilize patient data. The TabletMD software integrates with a variety of practice management, laboratory and other clinical information systems to enable data access on Tablet PCs.

Physicians can enter information into the system via automated forms, checklists, drawings, and handwriting and voice recognition. TabletMD enables management of various patient data, including prescriptions, consults, laboratory tests, drug interactions, documentations and vital signs.

"Good to the Last Drop!" - Get More Time From Your Tablet PC / Notebook Battery
tabletpcreviewspot

So you got a fancy Tablet PC with Intel's Pentium M or Celeron M chip.  Or at least you went for AMD's Athlon M chip.  You got built-in Wi-Fi.  Maybe even Bluetooth for your peripherals.  You are cutting the cord once and for all right?  Making it through a long flight or the most or your day without "plugging in" is a goal most mobile professionals and enthusiasts wish to accomplish.  Whether you are a long time user of Tablet PC's or Notebook computers, we have a 7 tips that just might help you squeeze out some extra time out of your battery per charge.

Microsoft Patches "Blue Screen Of Death" In Windows XP SP2
TechWeb

It may not be the second Tuesday of the month -- Microsoft's normal day to release security bulletins and patches -- but the Redmond, Wash.-based developer has posted a critical fix to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) on its Windows Update site, and pushed it to users relying on Automatic Update.

The problem, which has actually been public since December 2004, also affects Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

February 25 , 2005

Photos: Toshiba Tablet PC at the Grammy Awards

TabletPCEducation.Blogspot.com
whatisnew.com

Pacific Northwest Company, Reality Engineering, Today Launches Interactive 3-D Technology to Transform Dentist-Patient Communications
Market Wire

They say one picture's worth a thousand words! Now dental patients can SEE exactly what their procedures will look like before the root canal, or crown, or implant! MedVisor/dental™, an amazing new interactive 3-D animation technology for the dental profession debuts today, Friday, February 25th at the Chicago Dental Society's Midwinter Meeting, one of the largest trade shows in the U.S.

MedVisor/dental is a package of interactive animations and communication tools with which dental professionals can clearly and efficiently translate the complexities of dentistry for their patients. It's highly detailed and accurate – developed with dentists for dentists.  (Click here for details)

Eight Essentials of Tablet User Interface Success
devx.com

I've seen a lot of Tablet PC applications, and when it comes to the user interface—some are good, but others are not so good.

I'm not talking about the underlying application design, or the back-end connections to databases, wireless networks or the Internet. Rather, many applications simply weren't intuitive to use with a stylus in one hand, tablet in the other.

In some cases, the applications were nothing short of annoying—and we all know that annoying software turns into neglected shelfware. Worse, a bad experience might turn users off the Tablet PC concept altogether, hurting your chances for selling them new tab-friendly applications.

1. Make Everything Simple and Obvious

The beauty of the Tablet PC is that someone can just pick it up and run the application. Your overarching design goal should be to make the Tablet PC plus your application into an intuitive appliance—not a personal computer running some piece of software.

New Swedish/Issaquah ER and Specialty Center to Focus on Community ...
Yahoo News

The ER will also have the first commercial use of Microsoft InfoPath. Using InfoPath technology, LYNX Medical Systems designed the software to allow Swedish clinicians to create, access and update patient records from anywhere in the complex using a Tablet PC or PDA. They can also use this software tool to order lab studies, monitor the conditions of multiple patients and view nursing reports

February 26 , 2005

Sahara i213 Review

Chris De Herrera from Tablet PC Talk reviews the Sahara i213 Tablet PC

Recently I have had a chance to use the Sahara i213 iTablet.   This sleek, fast slate tablet pc clearly differentiates itself from the competition.  It's white case resembles the case on an Apple iBook so I included pictures comparing it to my Apple iBook G4.

February 28 , 2005

PBJ Slate Touchpanel PCs
Gizmodo.com

Japan’s “PBJ Corporation” has announced the “Slate” series of touchpanel PCs. PBJ has apparently built these PCs based on the “PaceBook” series from back in 2002. These seem to be competition towards NEC’s new VersaPro tablet - as the