• Better handwriting recognition
• No accidental interference from your wrist or pinky while writing
• You still have the hover ability you have with a standard mouse

August 3 , 2006

Increasing Demand for Multifunctional Architecture to Seamlessly Integrate into Retail Value Chain
Newswire Today

Frost & Sullivan World Quarterly Retail Systems Outlook on POS Systems, Handheld Terminals and Tablet PC Markets – 2Q 2005, reveals that revenue in this industry (POS Systems) totaled $3.20 billion in 2005 can reach $4 billion in 2008.

As the retail market becomes increasingly competitive, there is rising pressure on retailers to differentiate themselves from the competition. With reducing profit margins, retailers are increasingly relying on information technology (IT) to deliver profitable differentiation. Retailers are likely to remain focused on replacing legacy systems with convergence, and remain vigilant about the key technologies in retail; point-of-sale (POS), handheld terminals (HHT), mobile data computers and Tablet PCs.

Gearing Up: Schools putting out the word on student computer needs
Winston-Salem Journal

The university has made arrangements with IBM to offer three types of computers for sale through its Web site.

"We start off with a desktop that is relatively well-equipped," Harmon said. "Moving up to the next level, there's a laptop. Typically, the mobility costs a little more money. On the high end there's a tablet. Basically a convertible laptop, the biggest difference is it has a touch-enabled screen."

August 4 , 2006

Big Laptops On Campus
BusinessWeek

Tablets that can switch their displays to allow users to take notes by hand have been around since 2002. Most PC makers, such as Gateway , Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, and Toshiba, offer a version more to fill a niche than to sub as a full-featured PC. In the past, buying a tablet generally meant giving up extras you may need or want.

That's not the case with Fujitsu's newest convertible tablet, the LifeBook T4210, which starts at $1,729. It runs the latest Intel processors as other speedy laptops do and comes with optional Bluetooth wireless capability and multiple slots for memory cards. And unlike Lenovo's ThinkPad X41 Tablet, say, you can have an onboard CD or DVD drive. You can even order the T4210 with a DVD burner.

Editors note: Look for our review of the Fujitsu T4210 next week

Updated Intel Centrino Patch Blocks "Wi-Fi" Worm
tabletpcreviewspot

Your Intel Centrino-based Tablet PC could be at risk. Intel has advised users to install a security patch for users of certain centrino-based computeres. The Intel Pro Wireless card models 2200BG, 2915ABG, 2100 and 3945ABG are vulnerable to aworm that hops from computer to computer via Wi-Fi networking. Most Centrino Tablet PCs and computer products contain these built-in card models. To protect your Tablet PC, download updated Intel software here.

Help Us Improve Recognition
EverNote

Dear EverNote Users,

Periodically EverNote collects samples of handwriting to improve our recognizer technology. For this to be achieved we release some carefully crafted sentences and ask our users to help us by writing them out in their handwriting on a sheet of paper and submitting it to us.

In return for your efforts - we are willing to give a FREE version of EverNote Plus or ritePen 2.5 for all accepted samples.

New TabletKiosk eo Accessories & Manual
tabletkiosk

eo UMPC i7200 Series User's Guide (English)

Bluetooth Ultraportable keyboard

eo Portfolio Carrying Case                  eo Slip Case

August 7 , 2006

Review: Fujitsu Lifebook T4210 Tablet PC

Fujitsu continues to lead the pack in innovative features, introducing the first Tablet PC to incorporate a Bi-Directional Hinge on the screen.  The unique hinge allows users to share the screen with people on both sides of them in a meeting. 

Tool speeds mobile software development
Electronics Talk

MobiForms is a rapid application development tool for building Java based mobile applications for Tablet PC, Pocket PC, Windows CE, Windows Mobile, EPOC, symbian and Palm based mobile computers and PDAs.

First Look: Franklin Wireless EDVO Card
mobility Today

This revolutionary product will enable Tablet PC and Mac laptop and desktop users that do not have a PCMCIA card slot to connect to the Internet or company information with broadband-like download speeds using Sprint Mobile Broadband Services operating on the Sprint Power Vision Network. Not much information is out on this card but our early tests have shown remarkable speeds! Previous ultra mobile portables have had the "ball and chain" by tethering their EVDO phones/pda's but now those days are over and it looks like Sprint beat everyone to the punch!

TabletKiosk eo v7110 UMPC 1st Look-Video
mobilitysite

Recently, I had a chance to test the TabletKiosk eo v7110 UMPC. I shot a short video and here it is...

If you want to view this video with a little more clarity, visit it page here. Make sure to click the option on the controls of the video and select original size.

I was really impressed with the form factor. This was my 1st experience with a "UMPC". I have checked out some other "small" Mobile PC-like devices such as the OQO, and this was just about perfect size.

Being business savvy
CPILive.net

“We are currently in pilot mode or a very significant RFID based project that will change the way the entire industry uses this emerging technology. Another interesting project that we have is one that uses tablet PC-based wireless computing that will be rolled out for customer service in the next six months.”

It would be safe to say that this company is among the earliest in the region to currently have pilots in the area of RFID and tablet PC-based applications.

“We are currently in pilot mode or a very significant RFID based project that will change the way the entire industry uses this emerging technology. Another interesting project that we have is one that uses tablet PC-based wireless computing that will be rolled out for customer service in the next six months,” Powell shares.

Education falls into the laps of MSU students
Grand Forks Herald

"In 2004 we took the next step and became a tablet," PC university, Stenehjem says. "We were looking for something students and faculty can use in a traditional fashion, if they choose."

The tablet PCs also called convertible notebook computers, allow students to use a stylus and take their notes in cursive writing, rather than typing.

"If they're more comfortable writing than keyboarding this is something they can do," Stenehjem says.

Each of MSU's full-time students is issued a computer when they start classes. Incoming freshman and graduating seniors always get a new computer and sophomores and juniors get a computer that is upgraded from the previous year.

The tablet computers offer faculty yet another tool with which to teach, Stenehjem says.

"The instructional side of the tablet PC, I think, has been wonderful," he says, noting that delivering information to students over the years has evolved from writing on a blackboard, to a whiteboard to overhead projectors and screens.

Now "with the tablet, they're essentially carrying their projector with them," Stenehjem says.

Franklin Wireless Launches First EV-DO Mobile Broadband USB Modem in the U.S.A.
Market Wire

Franklin's CDU-550 is the industry's very first 1x EV-DO USB device, and will be available immediately through Franklin Wireless as well as to business customers through Sprint sales channels later this month. This revolutionary product will enable tablet PC and MAC laptop and desktop users that do not have a PCMCIA card slot to connect to the Internet or company information with broadband-like download speeds using Sprint Mobile Broadband Services operating on the Sprint Power Vision Network. Sprint today has the most wireless broadband coverage of any carrier. The Sprint Power Vision Network now covers 153 million people and services customers in 220 major metropolitan areas as well as 470 airports across the nation, the most of any carrier.

 

August 8 , 2006

Edit documents with ink or speech
jkontherun

Wireless working well for 3's sales staff
Australian IT

Hutchsion plans to use a fleet of tablet PCs - introduced to help process 200,000 former Orange mobile customers swapping to 3 - to make a trip to a 3 shop a better experience.

Two hundred Acer tablets, which connect using 3G data cards, have been in use since February, allowing staff to serve customers outside the shop during peak traffic periods.

The tablets would be part of a second-generation make-over of the company's shops, Hutchison consumer sales general manager David Bickett said.

Expert View: Making A Case for Tablets
ABC News

Virginia Tech's School of Engineering is now requiring new students to buy Tablet PCs. This is important, surprising news and could signal a change in fortunes for the often-scoffed-at Tablet PC. In fact, a quick search online ­reveals a number of schools—primarily engineering and medical—across the country doing the same. I'm not talking about slate tablets, mind you. I'm referring to convertible tablets—those laptops that look like typical notebooks but have screens that can be flipped around and written on.

The handwriting recognition has improved drastically with the latest version of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition; this really helps the case for tablets. The Tablet OS has all the same capabilities as Windows XP Professional. Using Tablet-specific software, you enter a whole new level of computing—one that you may quickly realize you can't live without. Microsoft's OneNote 2003, for example, can be addictive.

August 9 , 2006

California doctors pioneer e-medical records
itworld.com

The Family Practice Medical Group in Oakland is a pilot site for the EMR system, going live in March of 2005, and now "retires" between 10 and 12 paper record files in any given day, said Dr. Careen Whitley, a family practitioner there. The staff prioritized which patients' records should be moved from paper to electronic form first, with those who need the most ongoing care at the top of the list.

"On day one, it's a matter of knowing where things are and learning how to navigate the system," she said of the switch to using a tablet PC while she talks to patients. She used to dictate notes for transcription later, but now she types notes as she goes along. "It's splitting your brain in two," she said of the transition. "Part of you wants to take care of the medical problem the patient has and be compassionate and engaged and the other part of you is trying to figure out the computer.

Microsoft Tablet MVP and ZDNet Blogger Marc Orchant Joins Foldera Joins Foldera as CEO of ClassFolders
Business Wire

Foldera(TM), Inc. (OTCBB:FDRA), the Next Generation Information Organizer and Messaging/Collaboration service, has announced the appointment of software industry veteran and well-known blogger Marc Orchant to the position of ClassFolders' CEO-in-Residence.

Prior to joining the editorial team at ZDNet, one of the most heavily trafficked technology portals on the internet, Mr. Orchant wrote three blogs for Weblogs, Inc., a blog network purchased by AOL last year. He is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for the Tablet PC hardware platform and developed a training course for Microsoft Learning about Time and Task Management using Microsoft Outlook in 2005.

Child welfare on the go
San Antonio Express

Abel Garcia, a state child welfare investigator, spent part of the afternoon documenting child abuse cases and preparing for his next case. It's an important task that usually requires him to drive to the office to collect information.

But on Tuesday — thanks to a piece of technology newly adopted by the Department of Family and Protective Services statewide — he was able to do it from the parking lot of a Whataburger on the city's South Side.

Garcia has been using the tablet since May as part of a pilot program for 90 investigators statewide. Today, the first wave of state child welfare investigators will use the new tablet PCs as part of a statewide rollout.

In the next three months, the state child welfare agency will distribute some 3,000 of these mobile computers to all of its caseworkers at a cost of $16 million, said San Antonio-based agency spokeswoman Mary Walker.

A two-day training program began Monday in Dallas, Arlington, Houston, San Antonio, Waco, Austin, San Angelo, Abilene and Amarillo. Training is also scheduled in 10 other Texas cities through October, when all the tablets should be in use.

The biggest strength of the tablet, which weighs less than 4 pounds, is that it serves as a mobile office.

"The tablet PC is a key component to improving CPS in Texas," said Joyce James, Department of Family and Protective Services' assistant commissioner for Child Protective Services. "This tool will enhance the mobility of our caseworkers and their ability to respond to the needs of children and families."

The PCs come with secured wireless Internet access, map software for finding clients and planning daily routes, voice recognition dictation software, and a computer-based reporting system.

The tablet comes with a digital pen instead of a mouse. The pen also replaces pen and paper because special software automatically converts notes scribbled on the screen into text.

Since May, some 75 percent of the pilot users reported they were "very pleased" with the performance of their tablet PC, officials said. Most also reported the new tool increased the speed and quality of case documentation, which frees caseworkers to spend more time working with clients.

Preview: Microsoft Windows Vista
IT Business Net

Windows Vista Home Premium is the big gun operating system for home users. It has new features designed for the home power user, including Windows Tablet and Touch technology for Tablet PC users, the capability to create DVDs and edit high definition movies, full Windows Media Center functionality to record and watch high definition and regular TV shows, the capability to connect to an Xbox 360, and full search functionality

College-bound have lots of laptop options
MSNBC

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University prides itself on being a PC pioneer. In 1984 the Blacksburg, Va.,  school was the first public institution to require incoming engineering students to buy a desktop. The mandate for this year's engineering frosh: slick laptops that can double as tablet PCs.

Tablets that can switch their displays to allow users to take notes by hand have been around since 2002. Most PC makers, such as Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, and Toshiba, offer a version more to fill a niche than to sub as a full-featured PC. In the past, buying a tablet generally meant giving up extras you may need or want.

That's not the case with Fujitsu's newest convertible tablet, the LifeBook T4210, which starts at $1,729. It runs the latest Intel processors as other speedy laptops do and comes with optional Bluetooth wireless capability and multiple slots for memory cards. And unlike Lenovo's ThinkPad X41 Tablet, say, you can have an onboard CD or DVD drive. You can even order the T4210 with a DVD burner.

Review: Fujitsu Lifebook T4210 Tablet PC

August 10, 2006

Why Get A Tablet PC?
WebProNews

From the geek perspective, a tablet PC is a pretty cool device. Modern ones like those made by Fujitsu and other manufacturers can be used as a modern version of the slate tablet, or by pivoting the screen operated like a conventional notebook computer.

Taking a look around places where one normally sees portable computers and their owners at play, like the library or Starbucks or Panera Bread, and its notebook after notebook. I've yet to see one outside of a display case.

It seems as though tablet PCs should take off. There is some demand for them in a couple of distinct vertical niches. If the very first Tablet PC concept were announced today, it's easy to imagine people seeing them as useful for the healthcare industry.

Going back to the Tablet
Malaysia Star

Having a Tablet PC certainly has its upside – after all, there are situations where having a slate-style computer is a lot more convenient to hold and use than a regular notebook, especially when you’re on the move with no table to put the notebook on. 

The Toshiba Portege M400 is the latest iteration of the Tablet PC – it’s a convertible Tablet and comes with Microsoft’s windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. 

Of course, the major attraction of this notebook is the Tablet PC functionality, which allows you to rotate the LCD screen and close it back on top of the keyboard and use it in portrait format. 

In Tablet mode, the Portege M400 works much like all Tablet PCs – you get an electromagnetic stylus that you can use to tap on icons or write directly on the screen, and have your handwriting translated into printed text. 

Applying a skin to my Tablet PC
Geekzone

To my surprise they now stock skins for my Tablet PC, the Toshiba M200/M205! I ordered one and two days later got it in the mail. I ordered one and two days later got it in the mail.

Note that it doesn't come with that Internet Explorer sticker - that's on top of my own "personal tablet PC". And for fellow Americans reading this blog, follow the link to your equivalent Skinit.

Ah, and I want to see users of slate Tablet PCs do it!

Samsung Q1 BIOS upgrade available
jkontherun

August 11, 2006

Travel Warning: Are You Prepared to Check Your Technology and Valuables?
eCoustics.com

The recent events of plotted terrorist attacks on airliners between the United Kingdom and the United States has caused increased airport security. Officials determined that even everyday items such as toothpaste and shampoo have become material for terrorist plots.

What does this mean for travelers? Airline passengers have been requested to place carry on items in clear plastic bags and soon may be required to check valuables such as laptops, PDAs, cell phones, iPods and personal items like shampoos, cosmetics and liquid bottles.

Otter Products, LLC. manufactures of rugged carrying cases for technology and valuables, offers solutions to meet travel requirements, while providing airline passengers a sense of security that belongings remain protected.

The OtterBox Rugged Laptop Carrying Case, a recently introduced case for protecting expensive laptops, offers protection even in checked luggage. With a waterproof, crushproof, dustproof, drop-resistant design, this case provides the ultimate safeguard for laptop travel. In addition, a lock capability allows travelers to rest easy knowing their laptop, Tablet PC, slate, Ultra Mobile PC or Convertible Tablet PC is securely stowed. See details at: http://www.otterbox.com/products/pc_cases/laptop_case/.

Read our Otterbox Review

Franklin Wireless Launches First EV-DO Mobile Broadband USB Modem in the US
Newswire Today

Franklin's CDU-550 is the industry's very first 1x EV-DO USB device, and will be available immediately through Franklin Wireless as well as to business customers through Sprint sales channels later this month. This revolutionary product will enable tablet PC and MAC laptop and desktop users that do not have a PCMCIA card slot to connect to the Internet or company information with broadband-like download speeds using Sprint Mobile Broadband Services operating on the Sprint Power Vision Network. Sprint today has the most wireless broadband coverage of any carrier. The Sprint Power Vision Network now covers 153 million people and services customers in 220 major metropolitan areas as well as 470 airports across the nation, the most of any carrier.

Tablet PCs Help Police Identify Dead Bodies
tabletpcreviewspot

So you've used your Tablet PC to scribble notes and diagrams, surf the web wirelessly, and perhaps you've even gotten so crazy as to give a PowerPoint presentation on it. Howev er, you can't be considered a true, extreme, power Tablet PC user until you've used it to identify the fingerprints of a decomposing body that has "degloved" and has had one hand bitten off by an alligator! O.K., so a Tablet PC is just one of the tools these folks use, but if you're a CSI fan or just morbidly curious about what the term "degloved" could possibly mean, read on...

August 14, 2006

Imagine LAN Announces UltraSync™ Software for Ultra-Mobile PCs
PR Web

imagine LAN, Inc., a leading developer of mobility and recovery software applications, today announced the introduction of UltraSync, a peer-to-peer PC synchronization application for synchronizing files (music, pictures, documents, video, etc.), folders, Outlook® email, and browser favorites between an Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) and a companion desktop or notebook PC via a wired or wireless LAN.

The Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) platform was designed as a PC companion for today's media-driven, on the go consumer/prosumer. It allows users to surf the Internet, check e-mail, and enjoy their favorite digital media content virtually anytime, anywhere. The UMPC combines the power of Windows® XP with mobile-ready technologies that make it easy to access and use full versions of Microsoft® Office, Internet Explorer, and other Windows-compatible applications on the go - enabling users to communicate, accomplish tasks, and stay entertained and informed wherever life takes them.

ilium looking for beta testers for new UMPC software
Jkontherun

Check Out "Tablet PC Launcher" - Make Pen-Based Computing a Snap!
Tablet PC Reviews

If you are looking for a great utility to cut down pen taps to launch applications, access and open files, switch between tasks and more, "Tablet PC Launcher" by Googgy Software could be the answer for you! This handy little utility simplifies navigation in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, providing the user with a simplified and speedy experience with no keyboard or mouse required.

Tablet PC Launcher is ready to go instantly without any complicated configuration or thought. It is a very small program that stays "out of the way" and can save time and spare Tablet PC users from tedious and redundant "tapping" to carry out everyday repetitive computer tasks.

New Windows Tablet and Touch Technology site:

tabletwiki.com"This is a place where you can find, add, and edit knowledge about your mobile technologies. The initial focus is on Tablet PCs, Ultra Mobile PCs (Origami) and Media Center PCs. As various technologies converge, we may see articles on other gear, but for now our focus will be on Windows Tablet and Touch Technologies. "

MobileSketch(TM) Moves Sketching Forward; Apex Announces MobileSketch Version 3 Release
Business Wire

Apex Software, the standard in sketching in the real estate valuation market, announced today the release of MobileSketch(TM) Touch Tablet Version 3.

MobileSketch Touch Tablet was designed to empower users to quickly and easily draw sketches in the field using a Tablet PC or Ultra Mobile PC. Version 3 is designed to take full advantage of the functionality and form factor of the mobile device making it an invaluable tool to mobile professionals.

"Our goal was to eliminate the need for the clipboard," said Randall H. Garrett, President and CEO of Apex Software. "With MobileSketch v3, mobile professionals don't need anything more than their Tablet PC to get their job done faster and more effectively."

News - Tablet PC Based In-Car PC System
Tablet PC Review

Bitportersmedia has an ambitious coding project in the works to turn a Tablet PC into an in-car PC/Navigation system. The project, named DRADIS (Battlestar Galactica fans might recognize the moniker), aims to aid drivers "with their work tasks while driving" which is a little scary until you read that interaction is based on speech recognition and synthesis. The software makes heavy use of the Tablet PC API and provides navigation, video, and live RSS feeds. .

August 15, 2006

Why a $500.00 Price Tag for an Ultra Mobile PC isn't realistic - and why the Ultra Mobile PC’s are worth the asking price
TabletPc2.com exclusive

OEMs would like nothing better than to sell their Ultra Mobile PCs, for that "ideal" $500 price point.  However, as you can see from the chart above, the hard costs exceed $500 to build each unit, so it is impossible at this time. 

TabletKIosk eo v7110 Ultra Mobile PC               Samsung Q1 Ultra Mobile PC

Tablet PC Tech Support Report Card
Tablet PC Reviews

So how well does your preferred Tablet PC manufacturer provide technical support? LAPTOP Magazine has "graded" some of the top manufacturers in the quality of technical support offered for there products. Two grades were awarded for each company. A seperate "web-based support" grade and "phone-based support" grade were averaged to provide an "overall grade".

Audio InkShow: An interview with Darin Fish

When you want to know the pulse on the Tablet PC and Ultra Mobile PC industry, there is one person at Microsoft to talk to: Darin Fish.

Darin is the Director of Business Development for the Mobile and Tailored Platforms Division at Microsoft, which includes Tablet PC and Ultra Mobile PC / Origami. He has been with Microsoft for 22 years, 4 1/2 of which has been spent working with the Tablet PC team. Darin was on the Tablet PC team for about a year before launch and has been on the team since. Darin’s team manages the relationship with OEM, ODM, IHV, and ISV Partners. If it has to do with hardware or software for Tablet PCs and Origami devices, Darin and his team have their hands in it.

If you are at all interested in Tablet PCs, Vista, Tablet PC marketing, the future of the Tablet PC and devices to come, and some new technology called “Hot Start”, then you need to listen to this Audio InkShow.

Targus Rolling Notebook Backpack

My all time Favorite Tablet PC Computer Case

In October 2004 this bag was the TabletPC2.com product of them month, almost two years later, nothing else has come close and the Targus 15.4" Rolling Notebook Backpack remains my favorite computer bag.

Where has this bag taken me?  into the homes and offices of Actors, athletes Directors and Producers.  Las Vegas, Manhattan, Newport Beach, Beverly Hills and countless other city's.   Microsoft, Miramax, Universal......It's traveled by car, plane, Limo, taxi and bus, bounced up and down stairs, rode in elevators and on more then one occasion been used as a door jamb in a hotel room.

August 16, 2006

Tablet PCs - Which one should I choose?

One of the most frequently posted questions in the tablet PC forums is: Help! Which one should I buy?

This webinar, hosted by Allegiance Technology and featuring a panel of experts, will attempt to guide you towards an answer.

With experts from GottaBeMobile, jkontherun, TabletPC2 and TabletWiki sharing their experience and answering your questions, this promises to be a very information webinar for anyone who is contemplating a Tablet PC purchase.

Title:

Tablet PCs - Which one should I choose?

Date: Wednesday, August 30, 2006                 Time: 2:00 PM EDT

Space is limited.
Reserve Your Webinar Seat Now.

MobileSketch - A "Dream" Tablet Drawing Solution
Mobility Site

Apex Announces MobileSketch Version 3 Release

There was a time when we would draw something we were creating on a piece of paper then re-draw it and re-draw it to get it right. Now when you are out in the field or just at home doing a project there is a very cool program you can use on your Tablet PC called MobileSketch.

MobileSketch Touch Tablet was designed to empower users to quickly and easily draw sketches in the field using a Tablet PC or Ultra Mobile PC. Version 3 is designed to take full advantage of the functionality and form factor of the mobile device making it an invaluable tool to mobile professionals.

There is an excellent video on the ApexSoftware site that gives a great demo. Clearly designed for the professional in mind, this is a terrific application for the serious "do-it-yourself" woodworker. You can visit ApexSoftware here.

August 17, 2006

Solid-state ultra-mobile PC goes on sale
Computeractive

A solid-state version of the Samsung Q1 ultra-mobile PC is to go on sale in the UK late this month – though it will be only available online.

It replaces the usual hard-disk with 32GB of flash memory and is the first mobile PC with no moving parts ever to be available in the mainstream market.

This makes it a double first for the Q1, which was also the first ultra-mobile built to Microsoft's Origami spec to be generally available. The model is being sold exclusively by Expansys .

The solid-state version will cost £1,399 - £600 more than the entry-level Q1. This is not expensive by the standards of ruggedised computers.

Samsung is also bringing out a Q1b model in October which uses Via's C7-M processor, and slightly improved disk space and Ram: 60-byte hard disk and 1GB of Ram. It will cost £899

Back to School, With Cellphone and Laptop
New York Times

Among the popular options this year are laptops that flip around to turn into tablet PC’s, like the Gateway CX210X convertible notebook ($1,299). The stylus that comes with the laptop can be used like a pen. For those unfamiliar with tablet PC’s it can take a little time to become comfortable with the smooth display, however, and the screen is sometimes difficult to see under certain lighting conditions. But the laptop could prove to be a big timesaver for students putting together study guides. For example, students could download a professor’s lecture notes to the laptop, write their own notes in the margins using the tablet PC, then print out a set to study.

Vista TIP Software InkShow

With Vista, comes a whole new experience when it comes to the TIP. It is obvious that Microsoft has listened to alot of suggestions when it came time to start implementing Tablet PC features into Vista. In this Software InkShow, I take a look at the new docking options, Auto Complete features, and password security.

Tablets make Charleston port-able
GCN.com

Wireless tablet PCs help the port of Charleston, S.C., keep tabs on the thousands of tons of cargo that it handles every day. More than 2,000 trucks a day arrive with containers of agricultural products, consumer goods, machinery, metals, vehicles, chemicals and other payloads.

Port workers at the dozen lanes entering the port area use tablets to enter information and paperwork data from truck drivers into the port’s automated Yard Management System. Workers then print a ticket for each container. When a truck arrives to pick up a container, crane operators use their wireless tablets to determine which container is to be collected and where it is located. Then they repack the stacks of containers to make sure that the right one is ready by the time the truck gets to that area of the facility.

In deploying the system, port officials found that all tablet vendors are not alike. The original vendor didn’t keep up with advances in CPUs and RAM, which meant that the tablets weren’t as fast in handling information as the workers preferred, Davis said. Plus, the devices weren’t rugged enough to withstand the shocks and bumps of everyday use at the port.

In 2003, port officials began testing replacement tablets. They conducted demonstrations among several competitors before selecting Hammerhead rugged tablet PCs from DRS Tactical Systems Inc. of Melbourne, Fla. The units have up-to-date CPUs and enough RAM to handle necessary applications. They have larger screens than the previous devices and the touch-screen interface lets workers wearing gloves to operate them simply

Davis advised consulting multiple vendors before selecting a tablet PC. Also, additional features can actually cause more problems. “We prefer units with no buttons, because workers were accidentally hitting them.” Finally, on-site testing is essential: Vibrations at the port severely affect some types of tablets.

Davis points out that handling 2,000 trucks a day without rugged tablets would be impossible. But with the right tablets, it’s become reasonably painless.

August 18, 2006

Microsoft To Offer Free Vista Upgrade

Microsoft has teamed up with PC vendors to promote the delayed Vista OS by offering PC buyers worldwide a free upgrade coupon, as a way of encouraging them to buy a Vista-capable PC as early as possible, according to market sources, citing information leaked from Taiwan-based PC makers.

ASUS Offers Commercial Notebook Series with Solid Security Features

R1F Tablet PC
Handwritten Input Support with Convertible Screen

The R1F Series offers a wide aspect visual enjoyment while remaining compact for high mobility. The 180-degrees convertible LCD screen allows easy presentation and data sharing during meetings or at gatherings.

Increase productivity and efficiency with handwritten input capability! Together with InfoPen software, users can record and edit images or documents as easy as on a piece of paper with color and highlighter options. The DigiPen stylus also has an eraser end and mouse control buttons so that users can now navigate a wide range of applications with single-handed ease!

• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
  - Intel® Core™ Duo Processor T2050/T2250/T2300E/T2400/T2500
  - Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Processor T5500/T5600/T7200/T7400
  - Mobile Intel® 945GM Express Chipset
  - Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection
• Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
• DDR2 667 MHz, up to 2G
• 13.3" WXGA Color Shine & Crystal Shine LCD, ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology
• SATA 80/100/120 GB, 2nd HDD available
• Hot swappable ODD/ Super Multi
• 10/100/1000 Ethernet, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth® V2.0 + EDR
• 3x USB, 1x Express Card, 1x 8-in-1 Card-Reader, 1x Fingerprint Reader, 1x TPM (optional)
• 31.7 x 23.2 x 3.5cm, 1.98kg