"The OQO model 01 is a full x86 computer packed in a reasonably small, hand-held form factor. It's running a Transmeta Crusoe processor at 1GHz, with 256MB of RAM (fixed, not expandable) and a 20GB hard drive. The device features an 800x480 display. For input, it features a touch screen, a thumbboard and a TrackStik (which is a pointing device very similar to other Trackpoint/eraser-head input devices found on laptops); the screen slides up along a track to reveal the thumbboard and joystick. The device also has 802.11b and Bluetooth. Interestingly, the unit ships with XP Home or Professional, but not XP Tablet PC edition -- although the touch screen is supposed to be compatible with the Tablet PC specification (it's electrostatic, not pressure-sensitive), so a customer could install it if desired.
Suhit's thoughts
One odd thing I noticed was the screen sensitivity and calibration problem. The units we played with were not fully calibrated for the stylus provided though apparently that will be fixed when the units are ready for shipping. However what's worse is that whenever I tapped the screen of the OQO with the stylus, I felt like the screen was not hard enough (unlike those of PocketPCs or TabletPCs). It felt a little too soft and I kept disturbing the matrix of the LCD screen (you know, the effect you get when you touch the screen of a regular laptop, that watery effect). I wish the screen of the OQO was a bit harder.
Janak's thoughts
Now that the OQO's specs and pricing are essentially confirmed, I think it's clear that the OQO is not a PDA replacement for several reasons. First of all, the price puts it firmly into the laptop range, as it can easily cost 4-5 times more than a typical Pocket PC. Second, the device is not designed to be used one-handed. I can pull out my Pocket PC and tap on the screen with my finger (if I'm brave) or just use the app buttons and get very close to the information I need. On the OQO, the experience is akin to a full desktop -- you'd have to click on the Outlook icon, or do something similar. While the OQO's display is surprisingly readable given the resolution, the interface is designed for a desktop, and it's slightly awkward to quickly (say, with one or two taps) to pull up information on a contact. Finally, the OQO has similar semantics to a laptop or tablet PC when it comes to resume. While the OQO may, in its final release, be able to resume as fast as my Toshiba Tablet PC (which is within approximately .5-1.5 seconds), you'd still have to wait for the operating system to "catch its breath" to enable you to switch or start Outlook. Compare that to a Pocket PC, where you have the Contacts applet open in under half-a-second, and it doesn't have the same sense of immediacy. Incidentally, we had some trouble with the suspend/resume functionality being unstable; I assume that's an issue that'll be corrected before release." (Source: Suhit Gupta, Kati Compton & Janak Parekh, Digital Thoughts Media)
Posted Saturday, June 5, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: 2.6
"The agreement calls for Dovarri's sales force automation software product to run on HP's iPac Pocket PC and HP Compaq Tablet PCs. By combining the solutions, Dovarri says salespeople will be able to prospect, qualify and close deals "right in front of the customer on a mobile device."
Dovarri software was recognized as "best of breed" in the HP Mobile solutions program.
"We are thrilled with the combination," notes Geary G. Broadnax, Dovarri's president and CEO. "Partnering with companies with the stature of HP is tremendous to us." (Source: Mary Ann Azevedo, Houston Business Journal)
Posted Saturday, June 5, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: 3.5
"SketchBook Pro was originally released for Tablet PCs. Product Manager Colin Smith said that Mac users have requested the software for their platform since its initial release. "Almost every second or third e-mail has been, 'Can you put this on the Mac,'" Smith told MacCentral. "So when the time came to decide new features for this release, Mac OS X support was at the top of the list." (Source: Peter Cohen, Digit Magazine Online)
Posted Friday, June 4, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"That's where Wi-Fi could help. "It's indispensable," says Mark Maldia, an internist who has worked at St. Vincent's since last July. At another hospital he might spend an hour running from floor to floor to get an X-ray. Now he can download it in five minutes. Lab results come across as soon as they're ready, not hours later. And with his tablet PC, Maldia can show patients images of their broken bones or tumors. He can even compare new images to old ones. In March, Maldia became one of the first doctors at St. Vincent's to begin prescribing drugs by computer. His verdict? "It could be the biggest time-saver yet." (Source: Matthew Herper, Forbes)
Posted Friday, June 4, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Acer Inc., a key backer of the tablet PC, conceded that it may be years before the concept catches on. The company cited a lack of applications to drive adoption and the need to shrink the price premium tablets now command over standard notebook PCs.
Still, Acer said it is moving ahead with research on "commodity technology" intended to lower the cost of tablets, and perhaps push the functionality to become a standard feature in notebook PCs. "If that happens, then it will help boost tablet PC sales and help it become mainstream," said Campbell Kan, head of Acer's notebook product line.
Kan declined to discuss details of the R&D effort, but said it could involve moving away from the higher cost digitized screens, which enable the PC to sense input from a stylus. The specialized screens are usually cited as the most expensive hardware add-on for tablet PC functionality, so engineering a cheaper alternative could give Acer a competitive edge in the stalled market for tablets." (Source: Mike Clendenin, EE Times)
Posted Friday, June 4, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"As VisiCalc turns 25, originators Dan Bricklin, Bob Frankston, and Dan Fylstra recall when people wondered what a spreadsheet was.
Twenty-five years ago, personal computers got serious. The occasion: The introduction of VisiCalc, the first electronic spreadsheet and the original "killer app."
VisiCalc enjoyed a relatively brief time in the sun. The program made its debut in 1979 and saw its sales peak in 1982. It was sold to Lotus Development only three years later, brought down by 1-2-3 and squabbles between creator Software Arts and marketer VisiCorp.
But VisiCalc changed the world by bringing the Apple II into offices worldwide.
...PCW: You've been a big proponent of pen computing. How's the Tablet PC looking?
Bricklin: Tablet PCs are too heavy for some uses, they don't have the [optimal screen] resolution, and there are a lot of other technical issues. But they're getting there. And for some people, they are there.
It's good that Microsoft is pushing the tablet forward; it opens up a new form factor. With [Wi-Fi] and the Internet, we're frequently just choosing and clicking, and the pen is wonderful for that. I can sit here reading with my tablet. I don't even necessarily use the pen; I use the arrow buttons on the machine.
The pen isn't about handwriting recognition. That's completely wrong. That's like taking a sound card and viewing the sound card by how well it does voice recognition--rather than the fact that I can now do voice over IP, and rip MP3s and play back MP3s, and do learning at a distance with Flash movies, and view streaming video with audio." (Source:Eric Bender, PC World)
Posted Thursday, June 3, 2004 by Adam Rating: n/a
"Tatung’s theme at this year’s Computex is “Quality Living to Live Smart.” The company is displaying its full range of IT products that enable people to access and display digital content easily and pleasantly. The line of devices on display includes the Media Center Extender, Photo Jukebox, TV cards, PDP/LCD TVs, Tablet PCs and a broadband videophone.
...In IT products, pride of place is going to the company’s Tablet PC with built-in WLAN connectivity, a full line of server products and the Tatung TIA-8100 broadband videophone that can make calls to regular PSTN phones, GSM mobile phones and other videophones via the Internet. Tatung also has a videoconferencing set-top box system." (Source:DigiTimes.com)
Posted Thursday, June 3, 2004 by Adam Rating: n/a
"See a ton of Tablet PC and Pocket PC pictures from TechEd 2004. Also, there is a 15 minute video from SeaWorld and a video of one of the Smartphone winners!" (Source: Chris De Herrera, Tablet PC Talk Exclusive) Another article on TechEd 2004 is available from Tablet PC2
Posted Thursday, June 3, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"PC World, the most widely-read technology or business magazine, today unveiled the winners of its annual World Class Awards. The "Best of 2004" in the July issue features the finest products and services of the last year, from advanced digital cameras to workgroup printers, from the Alienware Aurora Extreme FX 53 to ZoneAlarm Pro 4.5. The issue will be on newsstands June 15, and the article is now available at http://find.pcworld.com/42892
The complete list of winners follows; editors made their selections based on exemplary usability, design, innovation, features, performance, and value from a reliable manufacturer. The honorees were selected after editors reviewed hundreds of products over the past 12 months.
Best Tablet PC: Toshiba Portege M200" (Source: Press Release, PRNewsWire)
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Some say yea; some say nay. But everyone's a critic, when it comes to the Tablet.
For the record, I didn't declare that Microsoft has decided to ax the Tablet PC. Nor did my colleague Mark Hachman reach this conclusion in his companion news story. Instead, what both of us noted is Microsoft is distancing itself from the slate form factor (which originally was expected to be the ultimate showcase for the Tablet PC) and instead is moving to fold back into Windows the features that distinguish Tablets from plain-old notebooks.
In short, Microsoft originally spoke of Tablets as a revolution. Now they are claiming they are an evolution.
Some Microsoft execs claimed that "assimilation" had been the goal for the Tablet from the start. But that's not our recollection. From our perch, it seems Microsoft is engaged in some fancy footwork (not to mention a rewriting of history) to keep Tablet momentum building." (Source: Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft Watch)
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Late last winter, a group of PC Magazine editors gathered in PC Labs to judge 15 finalist utilities in the "Does Your Code Think in Ink?" contest sponsored by Microsoft. The competition, launched October 26 at the Microsoft Professional Developer Conference in Los Angeles, gave developers roughly three months to build and deliver PowerToy utilities that would take advantage of the Microsoft Windows for Tablet PC operating system and the tablet PCs that run it.
Entries ranged from the silly (games) to the sublime (drawing and font-creation tools). Microsoft required that the applications pass Code Readability testing. Then PC Magazine editors, including editor-in-chief Michael J. Miller, judged the PowerToys on four criteria, each on a scale of from 1 to 10: usefulness to the greatest number of users, innovative pen use, cool factor, and user interface/usability.
"Intellisync Corporation (Nasdaq: SYNC), a leading provider of synchronization and mobilization software, today announced that its Intellisync(R) Mobile Suite software won Windows & .NET Magazine's "Best of TechEd 2004" Award as the top solution in the "Mobile PCs and Devices" category. Intellisync Mobile Suite, which provides wireless access to a wide range of enterprise data, was selected over finalists iAnywhere Solutions, JP Mobile Inc. and AT&T Wireless based on its strategic importance in the market, competitive advantage and value to the customer. It is the second consecutive year in which Intellisync Mobile Suite has captured the prestigious award.
Intellisync Mobile Suite extends corporate data to mobile and remote employees, delivering access to enterprise applications, files, email and PIM data, intranet sites and Web content. It also provides valuable tools for remotely managing mobile devices. Intellisync Mobile Suite is composed of four core products: Intellisync Email Accelerator, Intellisync Data Sync, Intellisync File Sync and Intellisync Systems Management. It is compatible with a wide range of mobile devices, including laptop and tablet PCs, Windows Mobile-based Smartphones, and handhelds based on the Pocket PC, Palm OS and Symbian operating systems. The product also supports groupware and backend databases such as Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Domino, Oracle, Sybase, DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server. The solution provides a comprehensive platform that is designed to meet virtually all corporate mobile infrastructure needs."
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Top Three New Tablet PC Power Toys, Chosen From Over 70 Creative Entries, Available for Free Download From PC Magazine
Microsoft Corp.(Nasdaq: MSFT) and PC Magazine today announced the winners of the Microsoft(R)Tablet PC "Does Your Code Think In Ink?" contest, a competition challengingdevelopers to build the most creative PowerToy utilities that incorporate digital ink functionality included in the Microsoft Windows(R) XP Tablet PC Edition platform. The goal of the contest was to provide users with a new set of free PowerToys that will enrich their Tablet PC experience. Individual developers across the globe submitted code in competition for the grand prize of $15,000. Microsoft and PC Magazine selected one grand-prize winner and two runners-up from more than 70 unique entries.
"I am very excited to see so many innovative pen-enabled PowerToys resulting from the contest," said Andrew Dixon, director of marketing for the Tablet PC division at Microsoft. "The Tablet PC is about enabling people to use the power of their mobile PC in new places and in new ways, and it is always fascinating to see what new software can be created when you combine the Tablet PC platform with a group of talented and creative developers." (Source: Press Release, PRNewsWire)
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Nearly $439,000 has been awarded to the state's public universities to redesign courses to improve student learning and reduce costs of course delivery.
"South Dakota's public universities continue to integrate technology into coursework," said Rounds. "This grant program supports the universities in this effort while encouraging collaboration and efficiency."
Approximately $309,000 is designated to 11 course redesign projects led by faculty at the public universities. The results of the redesign will improve the teaching of an entire course, not just a specific section. A number of the projects' teams are made up of individuals from different universities. Their collaboration will affect courses on more than one campus.
An additional $130,000 is for the redesign of 29 general education courses at Dakota State University to improve efficiency by using wireless infrastructure and Tablet PCs." (Source:AISHA A. TALLEY, Madison Daily Leader)
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by Adam Rating: n/a
"TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 2, 2004--Electrovaya Inc. (TSX:EFL) (www.electrovaya.com), a world leader in lithium ion SuperPolymer(R) battery technology, is pleased to announce the "Recognition of Excellence" award from NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Johnson Space Center) Extravehicular Activities (EVA) Office.
This award was given to Dr. James K. Jacobs, Chief Technology Officer of Electrovaya for his leadership and excellence in Electrovaya's program with NASA's EVA office.
Glenn Lutz, Deputy Manager of the EVA Office said "We were extremely impressed with the ability and innovativeness of Electrovaya and the superior technical support brought by Dr. Jacobs and the Electrovaya team." Mr. Lutz continued "the high degree of expertise has made a significant difference in the relationship and project progress to date."" (Source:Press Release, BUSINESS WIRE)
Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2004 by Adam Rating: n/a
"Twinhead aims to market stylish and diversified products to strive for greater margins and the company has dedicated significant resources to designing products using the latest technology and offering the most flexible and diverse functionality. Prior to Computex this year, Twinhead launched a range of Intel Centrino and AMD notebooks, including the efio!121i 12-inch, efio!14A and efio!14B 14-inch and efio!15B 15-inch models.
...Ruggedized, industrial-use T8 Tablet PC
Taiwan has become the manufacturing base for the world’s notebook industry over the last few years and the country now produces more than half of the world’s output. However, few local industry players have made the demanding move in to industrial-use solutions. Twinhead has broken through the technology barriers and released its first fully-tested, industrial-use solution this year.
Industrial notebooks require distinctive features such as waterproofing and shock resistance. Twinhead has implemented these features into its new T8 Tablet PC. This model has successfully passed shock, vibration, humidity, temperature, water immersion and dust exposure tests. The T8 conforms to military standards (MIL-STD-810) and is equipped with Billinton Bluetooth and Airvast 802.11b wireless modules." (Source:Dalton Kan, DigiTimes)
Posted Tuesday, June 1, 2004 by Adam Rating: n/a
"The Tablets PCs can also be used, for example, to develop three-dimensional chemical structures and statistical models, which can be embedded in a student's notes. They also perform all the functions of a regular desktop or laptop computer.
"They can draw structures, graphs . . . it's a really effective learning device," Grisham said. "It puts the work back in student hands."
The pilot program will run for at least two semesters beginning in the fall and will be used by about 400 students each semester. The courses in the project are biochemistry, psychology and statistics. The Tablet PCs, which range in cost from $1,500 to $2,500 will be loaned to the students involved in the project. The Tablet PCs have been available to the public for about two years." (Source: CARLOS SANTOS, TIMES-DISPATCH)
Posted Monday, May 31, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
"Now just when you thought old technology such as faxing was nearing the end of its product life cycle, companies like Miami-based Venali (www.venali.com) some up with new variations of an old theme. Venali, which is an Internet-based fax tool that works like a printer when you want to send a document from something like MS-Word, is priced lower than a Telus phone line, is perfect for fax blasting companies, and addresses new hardware like Tablet PC's. In other words, you can "sign" an MS-Word form with a Tablet PC pen, then tap a toolbar icon and send it off as a .tif file to the recipient. We'll take an in-depth look at Venali later on this year." (Source: GREGORY B. MICHETTI, CNEWS Tech News)
Posted Monday, May 31, 2004 by ChrisD Rating: n/a
Copyright 2001 - 2012 Chris De
Herrera, All Rights Reserved A member of the
Talksites
Family of Websites
All Trademarks are owned by their respective companies.
