News Week of October 16, 2005

VARBusiness PodCast: CTI Solutions

The weekly VARBusiness PodCast includes interviews, product reviews and strategic advice for technology companies on how to run their businesses even better. In the Oct 17 podcast, starting from the time mark of 7:40, is an interview with Brian Russell, vice president of sales at solution provider CTI Solutions, who reports that 40% of his company's business are from Tablet PCs, especially to vertical markets. Russell talks about new features pushing the popularity of Tablet PCs, preferred vendors and trends to expect in 2006. (Source: Var Business)
Posted Friday, October 21, 2005 by ChrisD
Rating: 3 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()

Do tablets face a convertible future?

Hold on to your keyboard. Laptop computer screens that flip around to become convertible tablet PCs could be an increasingly common sight within the next three years.

With manufacturing prices dropping and Microsoft touting tablet PCs, shipments of the products are expected to hit 9.7 million units by 2008. That's up 708 percent from the 1.2 million units expected to ship this year, according to a forecast by market researchers at IDC. Convertible notebooks are expected to make up the majority of those shipments, IDC said. (Source: Michael Singer CNET News.com)

California Highway Patrol Nabs Gateway's Convertible Notebooks Gateway Selected for Its Unmatched Customer Service and Willingness to Meet the Organization's Unique Challenges

Gateway, the nation's third largest PC company, was selected by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to bring convertible notebook technology to one of the nation's most renowned law enforcement agencies.  The $1.7 million deal for Gateway's convertible notebooks was secured based on the company's responsiveness and sales service to the organization.

The deal with the CHP marks one of many that Gateway has secured since winning approval as a select vendor of the California Strategic Sourcing Initiative (CSSI).  The initiative allows state agencies to consolidate their purchasing power and create common computing environments for increased buying power.  Gateway was chosen to provide technology across three major categories -- desktops, notebooks and is the only vendor chosen to provide displays as a stand-alone purchase to statewide and affiliated organizations.

"The California Highway Patrol realizes the importance of working with an organization that is willing to meet its unique needs," said Vin Riera, vice president of government sales, Gateway.  "We are very excited that we were able to address the challenge head on, with not only product innovation, but with the standard way we do business."

The CHP plans to place 1,088 Gateway convertible notebooks in patrol vehicles to assist officers in accessing the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Common Law Enforcement Telecommunications Systems (CLETS) databases and to efficiently communicate with dispatch centers alleviating large amounts of radio traffic.  The notebooks also allow officers to prepare and submit all of the necessary reports required during their work shift.  The device's form factor enables the CHP to take advantage of the vehicle's existing notebook brackets for cost-effective and faster installation.  Additionally, Gateway will provide the CHP with an extended 4-year warranty(1) on the systems.  (Source: Press Release)

Gateway Takes Tablet PC to the Masses

So far, the tablet computer has appealed to a non-consumer market. But the Irvine company believes that it has figured out how to help people get it: Show people why it works.

"What we heard from focus groups was that you really had to see it and experience it to understand it," said Marna Bullard, Gateway's vice president of marketing.

The new campaign -- which includes $1 million spent on print ads, $1 million online and an undisclosed amount on TV, according to Bullard -- shows viewers how tablets can be used to sign documents, instantly e-mail hand-drawn notes and watch movies on a wide screen.  (Source: Tamara Chuang, The Orange County Register, RedNova)

Agilix Labs Announces Enhanced Software Development Kit for Building GoBinder Mobile Learning Enhancements

Agilix Labs, Inc., a worldwide leader in mobile learning solutions, today announced the availability of the beta version of the GoBinder(TM) Software Development Kit (GoBinder SDK). The GoBinder SDK enables application developers to build mobile learning enhancements to GoBinder 2006.Agilix GoBinder(TM) has an open, extensible architecture enabling developers to build enhancements to it. Example enhancements could include integration with course management systems and other online learning resources, support of RSS feeds with an RSS reader, collaboration between students and others, blogging, podcasting and other education-specific features.

The GoBinder SDK is a developer toolset that enables the creation of third-party plug-ins to Agilix GoBinder. GoBinder supports three major plug-in application programming interfaces (APIs)-user interface (UI), database and synchronization. The SDK provides an extensive developer guide and sample source code that exercise the plug-in APIs. Because Agilix GoBinder 2006 and Blackboard Backpack(TM) share the same APIs, the GoBinder SDK can also be used to develop plug-ins for Blackboard Backpack. Blackboard Backpack allows students and faculty to easily download local course and organization content in the Blackboard Academic Suite.

"We have experienced tremendous interest in GoBinder," said Curt Allen, president and chief executive officer of Agilix. "Because of that demand, we have education ISVs and institutions who want to add enhancements to GoBinder. With the combination of GoBinder's plug-in APIs and the GoBinder SDK, this will be very straight forward. The new GoBinder architecture enables the community to benefit from the collective innovation of the entire ecosystem."

GoBinder's APIs support the Microsoft .NET Framework, including both 1.1 and 2.0 versions. As a result, developers can build GoBinder plug-ins using Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 or 2005. Plug-ins can be built using any .NET language, such as Visual C# and Visual Basic .NET.

"The GoBinder SDK makes it possible for the DyKnow and GoBinder technologies to interoperate in a manner not previously possible," said Laura Small, president of DyKnow. "This will enable us to create new value for our customers by combining the best of both products."

The GoBinder SDK helps software developers, such as DyKnow, build plug-ins that leverage many GoBinder features, including: 

     * User Interface Extensions: The ability to add custom user interface
       components to GoBinder to give students access to the extended
       functionality.  Plug-ins can leverage GoBinder's rich user interface,
       digital ink note-taking controls, Digital Paper facility and more, plus
       have the ability to add standard UI components such as custom toolbars,
       pull down menus and dialog boxes.

     * Defining New Data Types: The ability to store semi-structured data in
       the local GoBinder database. The GoBinder database is designed for
       handling large text, digital ink, rich media, HTML, PDF, audio, video
       and other objects that are typically not well suited for SQL databases.
       New data objects can be added using the Data Manager APIs. In addition,
       developers can leverage the GoBinder-defined data objects, such as
       tabs, notes, appointment, tasks and contacts, to add information
       defined as these object types in the GoBinder database.

     * Sync Providers: The ability to synchronize e-learning information
       to/from Web and other servers with the local GoBinder database.
       GoBinder has a powerful sync engine and Sync APIs to enable development
       of "sync providers" that synchronize data with various servers, local
       devices and applications. Agilix used this API to develop sync
       providers to Microsoft Outlook, Palm OS devices and the Blackboard
       Academic Suite.  Multiple sync providers can be configured to run
       concurrently to support integration with multiple sources, such as Web
       sites, electronic content databases, RSS feeds, podcasts, enterprise
       applications and other data sources.

The GoBinder SDK is in beta testing now, with availability scheduled for later this year. For more information on GoBinder SDK or to inquire about participating in the beta testing program, contact Agilix at info@agilix.com or 801-932-1234. (Source: Press Release)

Insurance adjusters use pen-based GUI and wireless

The application includes pen-based software on a tablet PC, a local or wide-area wireless network and a hosted service for data storage and processing, all through an application service provider (ASP). Gore Mutual Insurance of Cambridge, Ontario, found the combination let adjusters spend more time meeting with customers in the field, create estimates quickly and accurately without having to use a keyboard, and then upload the data to the ASP. (Source: John Cox, Network World, TechWorld)
Posted Thursday, October 20, 2005 by ChrisD
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Meet Tablet Guy

Tablet Guy is a foam doll that Microsoft Mobile Platform Divisions, Mobile & Tablet PC ISV team is giving away at conferences. Tablet Guy's first public appearance was on the MPD team's latest Channel9 interview.(Source: Lora, What Is New)

Tablet PCs hit the mainstream

Write, rather than type, in meetings. Create a searchable archive of all your handwritten notes; convert notes to text and share them with colleagues. Work easily with drawings, formulas, or signatures. You can do a lot with a tablet PC, and the past six months have seen a slew of new tablets in all shapes and sizes. The thinnest tablets are keyboard-free slates, such as the Motion LE1600. Lightweight convertibles, such as the HP Compaq tc4200 and the ThinkPad X41 Tablet, travel easily and can function as a laptop or a tablet. And a new group of larger convertibles, such as the Gateway CX200X and the Acer TravelMate C310, are best described as laptops with tablet functionality. Whatever size fits you best, Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition gives you a range of handwriting-recognition and annotation tools, so you can kiss your ink pen good-bye. (Source: Michelle Thacher, CNET)
Posted Thursday, October 20, 2005 by ChrisD
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Blackboard Globalizes Its Latest Product Release -- Release 7 of the Blackboard Academic Suite

New Foreign Language Capabilities and Ability to Access Blackboard Offline Foster Anytime, Anywhere Access for Mission Critical e-Learning Initiatives

Blackboard Inc. (NASDAQ: BBBB), a leading provider of software and services to the education industry and corporate and government sectors launched its latest software release today, Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite™, at the EDUCAUSE 2005 Annual Conference, "Transforming the Academy: Dreams and Reality."

Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite will enable teachers and learners around the globe to educate and innovate everywhere by bringing powerful multi-language and mobile capabilities to Blackboard software. This major global release provides a robust platform upon which future Blackboard innovation will follow. Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite comes with standard language packs providing support for English, Simplified Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish. Any other language can be created with the Blackboard system by utilizing the new Language Pack Editor. In addition to the enhanced foreign language capabilities, Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite features a wide variety of capabilities that enhance teaching and learning and enable it to occur anytime, anywhere.

A sampling of the new features include:

--  Multi-byte Language Support: enables institutions to run multiple
    languages (including multi-byte character languages such as Chinese and
    Japanese) on the same system, supporting cross border education as well as
    foreign language courses.
    
--  Language Pack Editor: allows users of the Blackboard Academic Suite to
    customize any of the eight Language Packs (full translations of all
    Blackboard system text) offered or create a new Language Pack.
    
--  Blackboard Quick Tutorials: provides user training tutorials in the
    form of short animated demos, covering new and key capabilities in
    Blackboard, available to instructors and administrators from within the
    Blackboard system.
    
--  Blackboard Backpack: a tool which faculty and students can purchase to
    synch content from the Blackboard system to their personal computer or
    tablet PC, enabling offline access to Blackboard courses, announcements,
    calendar items, tasks and high-quality content materials.
 

Demonstrations of these features and others in Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite are being given at the Blackboard booth # 413 in the exhibit hall at EDUCAUSE.

A host of improvements to the backend database functionality, aimed at aiding administrators, have also been included in Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite. These improvements include an asynchronous import/export/archive/restore function so instructors and administrators no longer have to wait while courses and materials are being updated or archived to perform other tasks. In addition, new installers and updaters have been designed with client input to make updates more efficient and intuitive.

"Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite demonstrates Blackboard's commitment to deliver a truly global solution that connects diverse users within and across academic institutions to the larger Networked Learning Environment," said Michael Chasen, President and CEO of Blackboard. "The new features in this release are critical to our global expansion, enabling academic institutions all over the world to offer customized teaching and learning content in the language native to their students."

During pre-release testing, this release was well received by Blackboard clients.

According to Terry Verity, CIO of Seneca College, "Seneca College is very pleased with Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite, a mission-critical system on Seneca's campus. This new release has performed well, with faster speeds than our system had previously. The multi-language capabilities of Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite are tremendous and enable Seneca to enhance our market position. These language capabilities are important both for our partnerships in China as well as for enhancing student communication at our main campus."

Clients can download Release 7.0 of the Blackboard Academic Suite in the reference center provided on Behind the Blackboard™, a dedicated extranet and password-protected area of the Company's Website.  (Source: Press Release)

Convertibles: The new laptop bling?

news analysis Hold on to your keyboard. Laptop computer screens that flip around to become convertible tablet PCs could be an increasingly common sight within the next three years.

With manufacturing prices dropping and Microsoft touting tablet PCs, shipments of the products are expected to hit 9.7 million units by 2008. That's up 708 percent from the 1.2 million units expected to ship this year, according to a forecast by market researchers at IDC. Convertible notebooks are expected to make up the majority of those shipments, IDC said.

HP Offers Mobility solutions evaluation center

		Online solution center for reliable, secure solutions for HP notebooks, handhelds, & tablet PCs.

HP wireless solutions allow you to stay in touch with your company and your customers, even if you are in another office, city, or even in a different country. But how do you go about choosing the right solution for your company and how can you evaluate solutions without having to commit valuable budget and resources? To make this easier, HP has partnered with the leading software providers to provide you solutions running on our Handheld, Notebook, and TabletPC platforms.  (Source: HP Website)

Posted Wednesday, October 19, 2005 by ChrisD
Rating: 3 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()

TechNet Webcast: Single Image Deployment with Tablet PC Edition 2005 (Level 200)

Thursday, October 20, 2005 11:30 AM (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)

This webcast will provide the information you need to build and deploy Tablet PCs, leveraging the same Microsoft Windows XP image you have used for your notebook PCs! We show how to use the System Preparation Tool to deploy Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which eliminates the need to maintain separate images for Tablet PCs and non-Tablet PCs. We show you some of our quick tips and best practices for building and maintaining a single image-helping to save you time and increase your information technology efficiencies.

Presenter: David Smith, Senior Consultant, Entirenet  (Source: Microsoft Website)

The Pen is Mightier with GDI+ and the Tablet PC Real-Time Stylus

This article discusses:

InkOverlay versus the Real-Time Stylus Implementing Real-Time Stylus plug-ins Saving strokes and rendering with GDI+ Disappearing ink, packet transformations, and other fun activities

Many programming interfaces are the result of a compromise between the polar ideals of simplicity and versatility. Some, however, break the interface in two and pursue both goals independently. They keep the simple programming interface for many common programming tasks, but also provide a versatile interface for more unusual needs.

Such a separation between the simple and versatile characterizes the application programming interface for the Tablet PC. Much of the Tablet PC API is remarkably easy. With just a few lines of code you can attach an InkOverlay object to any Windows^® Forms control and start doing some of the stuff Paul Yao demonstrated in his article "Add Support for Digital Ink to Your Windows Application" in the December 2004 issue of MSDN^®Magazine.

Yet, as a result of this simplicity, InkOverlay has some severe and inescapable limitations. If InkOverlay doesn't quite meet your needs, you may want to make the leap to the other Tablet PC programming interface—the far more versatile Real-Time Stylus. That's what this article is all about. (Source: Charles Petzold, MSDN)

Microsoft has a winner with Tablet PC operating system

It was the second time this year that Gates and I had a face-to-face and the second time he noticed me using a Tablet. The last time we met, back in April during a visit to Dearborn, he was so taken by my use of the Tablet that he mentioned me by name a few days later during a speech in Seattle. So when Gates saw me last week again using a Tablet, he once again beamed approval and later, when I asked him about technology that personally excites him, he mentioned the Tablet PC.

"I'm staking my reputation on it in a very big way," he said.

The Tablet PC I was using last week is the LS800 from Motion Computing, one of a dozen or so computer makers who put out Tablet versions. Some tablets look just like laptops. The screen swivels around to cover the keyboard and, with a stylus, you can take notes in handwriting right on the surface of the screen. (Source: MIKE WENDLAND, Detroit Free Press)

Agilix Labs Partners With SanDisk to Deliver Secure Mobile Learning Solution for Education

    ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Agilix Labs, Inc., a worldwide
leader in mobile learning solutions, today announced that it is collaborating
with SanDisk(R) Corporation to deliver an integrated solution for education.
The solution will enable the distribution of copyrighted, electronic content
that is supported by Agilix GoBinder.
    Agilix GoBinder is a mobile learning application that enables students to
take notes, capture, organize, search and share learning content and manage
their personal schedules and assignments.  The integrated solution will use
SanDisk's recently introduced FlashCP(TM) technology that can securely, easily
and legally distribute copyrighted and educational material over the Internet
to USB drives.
    Students using the integrated solution will be able to view, annotate and
search copyrighted, protected content within Agilix GoBinder, when used with a
SanDisk Cruzer(R) Freedom USB Flash Drive.  The application will connect to a
SanDisk online catalog, from which licensed and free content can be readily
downloaded.
    "Educators are always looking for ways to increase students' opportunities
to learn regardless of time and place," says Michael Petersen, Executive
Director of the Utah Education Network.  "These tools are ideal because
students have more time to learn.  College and K-12 students will go from
class to class and to home with their application, learning content,
electronic textbooks and notes intact."
    "Agilix is excited about the new partnership with SanDisk," said Curt
Allen, Agilix president and chief executive officer.  "The combination
delivers a secure, protected solution to provide electronic content to
students.  Students will get a solution that offers annotations, highlighting
and fast searching of the content, which could include electronic textbooks.
Whenever we have asked students if this would be interesting, we get an
overwhelming 'Yes' response."
    "We are pleased to be partnering with Agilix Labs," said Dan Harkabi, vice
president of secure content solutions at SanDisk.  "The combination of the
Cruzer Freedom's FlashCP technology and GoBinder opens the door for many
education institutions to affordably empower all students to carry their
personal and educational content anywhere they go." (Source: Press Release)

Posted Tuesday, October 18, 2005 by ChrisD
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Xplore's Rugged Tablet PC's Provide Sharp Service for Global Market Leader

    Xplore's iX104C2D(TM) Tablet PC's Selected by Exel UK Ltd. for Track and
    Trace System

    AUSTIN, TX, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Xplore Technologies(R) Corp.
(TSX:XPL) a leading international rugged Tablet PC provider, announced that
its rugged iX104C2D Tablet PC's were selected for logistics application at a
major customer of Exel UK Ltd. Xplore's rugged mobile computing solution is
the hardware core foundation for the company's Track and Trace project to
improve the efficiencies of its logistics chain, and to provide first class
service for its wholesale customers.
    Exel UK Ltd., the third party logistics and transportation service
provider coordinating the product haulage, searched for the ideal software and
hardware solutions to eliminate a paper-based system for route scheduling and
delivery certification. Exel desired an electronic solution that would provide
drivers instant access to order information and job schedules. Supply chain
process and system specialists 3Peaks Solutions Ltd. developed a system called
Track and Trace, which connects the drivers to the central order management
system and includes electronic order forms. Xplore Techologies' rugged tablets
were introduced to these parties by Xplore's strategic business partner Psion
Teklogix and were selected as the ultimate hardware solution for Exel's and
its customer's requirements.

    "A very important factor that influenced our decision for the Xplore
tablet, is the size of the screen. It enables both the drivers and customers
to view more information, when they are on-line reading dispatch notes. We
also like the element of the dual mode screen, as the drivers often prefer to
use the touch screen", states David Williams, Systems & Process Manager at
Exel UK Ltd. From the design elements, the software developed by 3Peaks
Solutions Ltd., is completely user-friendly for the drivers' purposes. Another
crucial element in the solution is the collection of positioning data: "We use
GPS satellite navigation to collect coordinates on a driver's location, so
that we have accurate confirmation of his delivery coordinates. The Xplore
tablet allows us to measure the accuracy of deliveries utilizing all of these
customized features." (Source: Press Release)

Comprehensive Tablet PC Review with the HP tc1100

OneNote has been a truly transformative experience for me.  I am a somewhat naturally disorganized person and paper has always been the bane of my existence.  With OneNote I can stay fairly organized, print and email notes, and – most of all – search through hundreds of pages of notes instantly.  Tablet PC is also very useful for presentations and emailing diagrams and annotations.

On the other hand, the Tablet Input Panel – although slick, and well-designed – does not work very well with my handwriting.  If you are considering using a pen to replace your keyboard, you would do well to try before you buy to make sure your recognition rates are acceptable.

The tc1100 is an incredibly powerful tool, and makes a terrific supplement to a desktop.  The software side of the equation is also fairly solid – and is actually quite useful – because of digital Ink, not handwriting recognition.  Tablet PC is a killer app.  Just don’t expect to throw your keyboard away just yet. (Source: Andy, BentUser)

Gates to students: Microsoft wants you

Gates mused about the inevitable digital turn he envisions other devices taking--the newspaper turned tablet PC, the television news broadcast that displays only what the viewer wants to see, the camera phone that can snap pictures of price tags on products and instantly flag places to find a better deal.  (Source: Anne Broache, CNET News.com)
Posted Monday, October 17, 2005 by ChrisD
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The Evolution of the ThinkPad X41 Tablet PC - 12 Years in the Making! (pics)

When most of us think of the Tablet PC, we think "oh, they have been out for just a few years now". Interestingly enough, we found some pics of early ThinkPad "tablet computer" models that date all the way back to 1993. Looks like the highly-acclaimed X41 Tablet PC has some great grandparents. We hope you enjoy a look into the past. (Source: Barry J. Doyle, Tablet PC Review Spot)
Posted Monday, October 17, 2005 by ChrisD
Rating: 3.33 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()