News Week of April 16, 2006

Will Tablet PCs Replace Textbooks?

The uphill battle that tablet computing continues to face in winning favor with consumers hasn't dampened Bill Gates' enthusiasm for the technology. Microsoft's chairman and chief software architect said Friday that someday tablet PCs will replace textbooks for all students.

"We do see, over time, that the ink input for the tablet and speech input will become as important as the keyboard, not replacing it but equally important." Gates said at a news conference here.

"In fact, we see a day where every student, instead of their textbooks, will simply have their tablet computer connected up to the wireless Internet," he said. "And so the teacher can customize the material, they can quiz the student. That student can have that tablet with them wherever they go and it's actually lighter than the textbooks and more flexible, richer in terms of what it can offer."  (Source: Martyn Williams, IDG News Service, PC World)

Will Microsoft's New 'Ultra-Mobile' Computer Fly or Flop? Past Experience Offers Some Clues

Although Microsoft recently unveiled an 'ultra-mobile personal computer,' or UMPC, in a move to fill a market niche between laptops and handheld computers, it remains to be seen whether this latest innovation from the software giant will be a hit or flop. While Microsoft is following a "build-it-and-it-will-sell" strategy with the UMPC, technology history is littered with innovative products that never found a market, say experts at Wharton. As Wharton professor of operations and information management Eric K. Clemons puts it: "Build-it-and-it-will-sell strategies are a mixed bag."

Regardless, the initial reaction to the UMPC, announced by Microsoft on March 9, will become clear in just a few months. The first UMPCs -- small computers with 7-inch screens that are designed to occupy a niche for consumers who want a device larger than a handheld yet smaller than a laptop -- are expected in the second quarter ending June 30 from electronics manufacturers such as Samsung, Founder and Asus. UMPCs, priced between $599 and $999, promise to run all the applications that a Microsoft Windows desktop computer does.   (Source: Knowledge@Wharton, InformIT.com)

TabletKiosk Introduces Hard Plastic Screen Protector

TabletKiosk Introduces Hard Plastic Screen Protector for Sahara Pen and Touch-iT Tablet PCs

TabletKiosk™, a leader in Tablet PC and exhibitcentric  computing solutions, is pleased to introduce the newest accessory to compliment the Sahara™ line of tablet computers, the Hard Plastic Screen Protector.

The Hard Plastic Screen Protector is the simplest and most lightweight solution for protecting your Sahara™ Pen and Touch-iT Tablet from screen damage.

Fitting securely over the entire front surface, the Hard Plastic Screen Protector safeguards the screen from scratches, dust and spills. The sturdy plastic cover enables the user to easily slip their tablet into a briefcase for ultimate portability and keeps confidential data away from prying eyes. In addition, when the tablet is in use, the Hard Plastic Screen Protector clips securely over the back panel of the machine.

The Hard Plastic Screen Protector is the latest addition to the innovative line-up of Sahara™ Slate accessories. Current Sahara™ accessories included colorful rubber bumpers, docking stations, support stands, POS wedge readers, batteries, battery chargers, and heavy duty cases.

Pricing and Availability
The Sahara™ Hard Plastic Screen Protector is available in both white and black for $19.95 at http://www.tabletkiosk.com/config/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=23&idproduct=90.

Top-Selling Gateway Convertible Notebook Powers Up With Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology

Convertible Notebook for Professionals and Students Features Digital Pen Computing, 14-inch Widescreen Display, Long Battery Life

Gateway today unveils its new Gateway® M285-E and CX210 Convertible Notebooks, which deliver high-end mobile performance with the flexibility of a Tablet PC to let customers take handwritten notes, draw diagrams, edit documents and enjoy a range of pen-based applications.

The new Gateway M285-E and CX210 Gateway Convertible Notebooks build upon the award-winning Gateway M280 and CX200 models with Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology and Intel® Core™ Duo processors(1), which house two execution cores that perform multiple computing tasks at once, letting customers accomplish even more with their Gateway Convertible Notebook.

The predecessor to the new Gateway Convertible Notebook has been successful with Gateway's professional customers, especially in the business and education segments. In addition, the Gateway Convertible Notebook is currently the best-selling notebook with Tablet PC capabilities in retail. According to The NPD Group's data for the weeks of October 9, 2005 through March 26, 2006, Gateway's Convertible Notebook models totaled 54 percent of all Tablet PCs sold via the retail channel. The new Gateway Convertible Notebook with Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology will be offered at retail later this year.

"We plan to continue the success of the Gateway Convertible Notebook line with our new models that deliver the latest technology and true innovation," said Chad McDonald, Gateway's director of notebook products. "We've made Tablet PC applications more accessible and appealing to mainstream customers by providing dual-core processing capability and high-end mobile performance at industry-leading prices."

Gateway Convertible Notebooks Combine Mobile Power with Tablet Flexibility

The unique design of the Gateway Convertible Notebooks enables them to be easily "converted" from notebook- into Tablet-mode, making them ideal for the many environments where a mouse and keyboard are not practical, such as taking notes in a meeting or class as well as moving around the office, school or home. After the display has been swiveled and folded down upon the keyboard, users can write notes, draw diagrams and edit documents directly on the large 14-inch widescreen display, which provides valuable extra work space over non-widescreen displays. The display is comfortable to use since its flush with the surrounding frame and closely resembles the size of a legal pad of paper. Also, writing is crisp thanks to the digital pen's Continuous Sensing Technology™ that improves accuracy.

In addition to Tablet PC capabilities, the Gateway Convertible Notebooks are also full-featured power notebook PCs. Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology complements the systems' high-performance features, such as fast SATA hard drives and dual channel memory. Both models can be configured to order, so Gateway customers have the ability to customize key features to meet a variety of needs. For example, customers can choose optional dedicated ATI Mobility™ Radeon® X1400 graphics or standard integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics, as well as multiple processor, memory and hard drive options. Also, the modular bay lets customers choose from a number of optical drives or a second battery. The new Gateway Convertible Notebooks easily connect to digital devices, digital media and peripherals via a 7-in-1 Media Card Reader, three USB 2.0 ports and one IEEE 1394 port.

Ready for Mobile Computing with an Enhanced Design and Feature-set

The new Gateway Convertible Notebooks are ready for mobile computing with an enhanced ergonomic design that is comfortable for both right- and left-handed use as well as while standing or walking. Plus, the new Convertible Notebooks offer standard integrated 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi for connecting to campus and wireless hot-spots, and Bluetooth® connectivity for a personal cord-free connection to headsets, printers and other peripherals. The systems deliver all-day computing with extended battery life of up to eight hours on a single charge of the optional high-capacity (12-cell) battery(2). In addition, the new Convertible Notebook PCs boast a durable design that features a magnesium display enclosure and reinforced magnesium internal super-structure that protect the system in demanding environments.

Complete Software Solution Today; Power to Handle Microsoft Windows Vista

The new Gateway Convertible Notebooks come with Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system and meet or exceed Microsoft's Windows Vista Current Planning Guidelines. They also come with Microsoft Office OneNote 2003, an easy-to-use, all-in-one program that lets customers capture, share and organize information, audio and files. The systems also include Microsoft's Experience Pack for Tablet PC and Microsoft's Education Pack for Tablet PC.

Distinct Models for Customers; Pricing and Availability

The Gateway Convertible Notebook is offered in several configurations with the support and accessories to meet a range of customer needs.

The Gateway M285-E is part of the company's award-winning E-Series line of professional notebooks for networked, IT-managed environments such as businesses, government agencies, colleges and K-12 education environments. It offers image stability and managed lifecycles of more than 12 months, and shares common accessories with other Gateway notebooks in order to simplify support and reduce costs. In addition, the M285-E supports a port replicator that conveniently connects the PC to peripherals in portrait or landscape mode as well as in both notebook and tablet modes.

The new Gateway M285-E Convertible Notebook starts at $1,399.99. It is available for order now direct from Gateway via 1-800-GATEWAY or http://www.gateway.com/.

The Gateway CX210 Convertible Notebook for home and home office customers is designed to be easy to use and maintain at prices that fit into their budgets. It will be available for order in late May.

Comprehensive Security Solutions via GatewayShield

GatewayShield(3), a comprehensive security solution that combines hardware, data and Internet protection, supports the new Gateway M285-E and CX210. The Convertible Notebooks are available with optional technology that tracks it if lost or stolen, either Computrace®Complete embedded in firmware for professional customers or Lojack for Laptops® for home, home office and small business customers(4). Additionally, the M285-E for business and professional customers is TPM 1.2 hardware ready, providing compatibility for data protection through encryption, user authentication and comprehensive password management.

Gateway helps customers protect the data on their notebooks from online attacks. The new Gateway M285-E for professionals comes with a 90-day complimentary subscription of Symantec Client Security(5), which protects the systems from security risks and intrusions such as spyware, unauthorized network access and mass mailer attacks. The CX210 for home, home office and small business customers is pre-installed with a 90-day trial of McAfee Internet Security Suite™ (Anti-Virus, Anti-Spam, Anti-Spyware, Firewall and Parental Control)(5) and also comes with a complimentary pro-active upgrade tool called BigFix®, which identifies and sends messages offering updates and general PC maintenance(6).

Service and Support Programs

The new Gateway Convertible Notebook PCs are supported by the company's standard limited warranty options(7). Additional service and support options are available. Gateway's commitment to quality and reliability is evident in its award-winning line of PCs as well as in its exceptional service and support programs. The company's extensive online support center helps customers maximize their PC investment; it gives them easy access to customer support representatives and information on important issues such as warranties, technical issues and upgrading.

For more information on Gateway products, customers can visit http://www.gateway.com/ or call (800) 846-2000.  (Source: Press Release)

Tablet PCs A Must-Buy For Hokie Engineers

Incoming freshman to Virginia Tech's College of Engineering have to pickup a pricey item before starting classes - a tablet PC.

The technology requirement for aspiring engineers at Virginia Tech goes beyond the laptops that had been required by that school and many others.

Now, Virginia Tech wants its new engineering students to pick up a tablet PC, a more expensive item than a typical laptop. The school said it is working with vendors to try and get the best price for students, and recommends they wait until May or June before buying a tablet PC.   (Source: David A. Utter, WebProNews)
Posted Friday, April 21, 2006 by ChrisD
Rating: 3 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()

The Best Seat In Sports

But there was a lot more to the operation than the ship and its crew—a fact betrayed by the tablet PC tucked under the navigator's arm. That device, I later learned, was his portal to a secure wireless network broadcasting from BMW Oracle's mothership, a 60-foot converted fishing trawler anchored nearby.   (Source: Thomas Jackson, Forbes)
Posted Wednesday, April 19, 2006 by ChrisD
Rating: 3.1 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()

Fujitsu Makes N. American Push

But Mr. Moore said North American bias is what’s behind perceptions of Fujitsu’s PC shortcomings, and claimed the company is “No. 1 or 2” in Japan and European mobile markets.

In addition, he said Fujitsu has found ways to expand markets for various products.

For example, Mr. Moore said the company has worked with News America, which puts up coupon and other displays in grocery stores. News America employees use Fujitsu’s tablet PCs to complete their work—and can even use the tablet to photograph displays and keep the pictures on file in case of a discrepancy. (Source: Red Herring)

TabletKiosk eo Video Review

In this video review of TabletKiosk’s eo, I take a look at the eo itself, showing my kids interaction with it, an interview with my 11 year old son Dax, overview of the eo, size comparisons with the LS800, software screenshots, handwriting demonstration, resolution demonstration, DialKeys demonstration, and then some closing thoughts. The things that I didn’t mention are covered in the “initial thoughts” post, and if I didn’t cover your particular question or needs, post a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them. I tried encoding this video as a .wmv, but the formatting of the video just never measured up to a quality I was pleased with, so I chose to stick with the embedded Flash Video format.  (Source: Rob  Bushway, GottaBeMobile)

China’s President Hu Begins U.S. Visit In Seattle

Hu at one point was greeted by elementary school children from Seattle's John Stanford International School. Using a Tablet PC -- with a little bit of help from one of the children -- Hu wrote, in Chinese, "Long live the China-American friendship." (Source: TheBostonChannel.com)

Video review of Toshiba Portege M400 Tablet PC

I have created a video review of the Toshiba Portege M400 Tablet PC. This is my first ever video production, so this is more of a learning experience than anything. Also, I was using an old webcam to record to video, so the quality is pretty poor.

Because I don't have any experience with video editing, I did about 100 takes for this. To say the least, my throat got very soar and I drank about 10 litres of water during. The final take, which I'm still not perfectly happy with, but I guess it'll have to do after 6 hours of repetitive talking. (Source: istartedsomething)

Gaming on the Go with the Microsoft Tablet PC GameSDK

Everyone wants to program games. This is one of those "be careful what you wish for," dreams, but the truth is that if you are passionate about programming, it's natural to want to unleash your talents in a game, which have no bounds in terms of programming challenges. One of the things that I love the most about gaming is that things are often very, very frustrating and then suddenly blossom into an application that's going way beyond your imagination.

Oh, and there's good money, too. The game industry is now a $35 billion a year global business. However, think of it like Hollywood—the vast majority of that money flows towards blockbusters that have increasingly huge budgets (when's the release date of Halo 3?). Premiere games for next-gen consoles like the Xbox 360 and PS3 are expected to have budgets in the $10-20 million range, with high-grade cinematics, elaborate modeling, and Hollywood-quality sound. On the other hand, the industry has grown to the point where independent developers can have great success: the "casual games" market is already a $240 million industry and it's projected to grow to $900 million by 2009. The "Independent Games Festival" now offers a $20,000 first prize and its award ceremony features so many recruiters per square feet that there's a danger of them collapsing into a black hole. To become a game developer, you need to develop games, period—not necessarily "Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter" or "The Sims," either, but something that is small, achievable, and unique.

IBM VP and Handwriting Recognition Expert Krishna Nathan to Keynote Mi-Co User Days

Mi-Co announced today that Krishna Nathan, the top services executive in IBM Research and an expert in handwriting recognition technology, will deliver the keynote address at Mi-Co User Days on April 25. In its 4 year span, Mi-Co User Days has become the premier event focusing on the use of digital ink and handwriting recognition for mobile data capture applications.

"I am delighted that Dr. Nathan will be delivering the keynote at the Mi-Co user event," stated Mi-Co CEO, Dr. Greg Clary. "Dr. Nathan is the top Services executive in IBM Research and has a career that put him at the forefront of handwriting recognition technology at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center. We have historically had major industry players deliver the Day 1 Keynote, and this year will be no exception."

Dr. Nathan's keynote address will focus on technology trends in the services and software industry. "Research as a partner in innovation is vital in today's business environment," explains Nathan. "The increasingly mobile nature of today's workforce calls for innovation beyond technology and into other areas such as processes and business models."

His speech sets the stage for a number of other speakers that focus on the implementation of digital ink and mobile data capture applications. These sessions include presentations on health care and government applications using the Tablet PC and the Digital Pen as data capture devices and the forms automation and handwriting recognition technology from Mi-Co to deliver that information to the enterprise.

About Dr. Krishna Nathan

Dr. Krishna Nathan is vice president Services of the IBM Research division and director of the Zurich Research Laboratory. He joined IBM in 1991 at the T.J. Watson Research Center, where he held various research and management positions in pen computing, handwriting recognition, mobile and handheld platforms, and related applications. From 1999 to 2001, Nathan was director for consumer voice systems in the software group, where he was responsible for worldwide sales, marketing and development of IBM's consumer line of speech products. Immediately prior to his current appointment, he was executive assistant to the vice-chairman of the board of IBM. Nathan holds a doctorate in electrical sciences from Brown University and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

About Mi-Co User Days

Mi-Co User Days is the premier event highlighting mobile information solutions, mobile data capture technology and digital ink applications using the Mi-Forms System. The two-day event is designed for users, Mi-Co partners and interested organizations to discover the latest developments in mobile information technology, to explore new ways of using Mi-Forms and to network with mobile data capture and digital ink industry leaders. The conference is organized by the Mi-Co User Day Executive Committee, which is comprised of selected Mi-Forms users, partners and staff. The fourth annual user days will be held on April 25 and 26 in Research Triangle Park, NC. For more information see http://www.mi-corporation.com/page.php?pageid=95. (Source: Press Release)

UMPCs will be great for pilots

Not being a pilot, I actually had no idea about this stuff until he told me - its good to see how these will be useful for a specific segment that is currently not served well by technology.

Craig writes:

It's a hot form factor for use in the cockpit. Laptops and traditional
tablets are too big. Something about the size of a paperback or even a
hard-cover book is better. There's a lot of software for displaying all the
charts that we normally have to carry on paper. Instead of taking a couple
dozen folding paper maps when I fly from here to the coast I just load up
the hard drive. All the maps are georeferenced to GPS so if you have a
portable GPS you can see your position all all the maps.  (Source: Darryl on Mobility, GeekZone)

Mini-Review: OQO model 01+

I don't see how in the world Microsoft and the manufacturers can get the Origami price down to US$500 or so when the OQO is priced over $2,000 unless there are some serious cuts in specifications and device quality.

I have to admit that I find a Windows Mobile Pocket PC to be a much better choice for performing the tasks I want to when away from my laptop or desktop. The Pocket PC is much faster, easier to navigate, and lets me create and edit Office documents, check and write e-mail, surf the Internet, listen to music, watch movies, and more with a much better interface and double or more the battery life. Surfing on the Pocket PC or even with a Smartphone is a content-maximized experience, where the OQO has all the desktop interface crowding the limited screen real estate. Granted, I can't run every application that I can on a full Windows PC, but after using the OQO model 01+ I can't see running more than these type of applications on the OQO anyway.

I feel much more productive on a laptop and desktop combined with a Smartphone or Pocket PC/Palm, and it seems like I had to compromise to get the OQO up and running when I tried to use it as my only mobile computer. Granted, I only had a few days with the device, so my opinion may change with more extended use.  (Source: Joel, Geek.com)

Origami Demo: Oops!

This item (via 37 Signals) reads like a story from a Korean edition of The Onion, but it seems to be legit: At the Seoul unveiling of Samsung's Q1, an undersized portable PC based on Microsoft's "Origami" platform, just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong. The Samsung executive couldn't figure out how to navigate his slides. The battery died a few minutes into the presentation. A Microsoft exec took over and also had trouble figuring out how to use the thing. So did a gent from Microsoft. There must have been prodigious quantities of flop sweat shed on that stage.

I don't know the root of the problems here, but the Q1 is a keyboardless device that you navigate with a pen, like a Tablet PC. And part of me thinks that any Windows-based device that expects you to do without a real, physical QWERTY keyboard is a little like a car with no steering wheel. (I'm aware that there are folks who own and love slate-style Tablet PCs, but they remain a decidedly small percentage of the computer-toting populace.) So it's possible that that some of those demo woes did indeed reveal flaws in the product. But it's also possible that the demo gods simply chose to make trouble. (They even taunt Steve Jobs from time to time, although he's remarkably good at blithely ignoring things that go wrong when he's showing off a new product.)  (Source: Harry McCracken, PC World)
Posted Monday, April 17, 2006 by ChrisD
Rating: 2.93 (Rate it) 1 Lowest 2 3 4 5 Highest Comments ()

Tablet PC - a Lifekludger view

Ok here I am typing on the onscreen keyboard of a Tablet PC*. A first for me.

The good folks at Tegatech Australia kindly sent me a Tablet to loan and have a bit of a play and see how someone without the use of hands might go using a Tablet PC. As they put it “All well and good to call it intuitive when everything (on us) works, but I reckon it’s important for you to have a say”. That expresses the kind of attitude I like and find helpful.

So the Tablet arrived, a Sahara Pen Slate PC with Intel Pentium M 1.3, 512Mb RAM running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, Version 2002, Service Pack2.   (Source: David N Wallace – Dave the Lifekludger)