News Week of October 5, 2008

Fujitsu ST6010 Tablet PC clears FCC

Fujitsu�s ST6010/ST6012 Tablet PC has reached the FCC for the usual round of wireless testing and mediocre photography.  The pen-enabled slate at least got a room with a view, as opposed to other pictures we�ve seen.  As well as certification, we now have access to the ST6010�s user manual, revealing that the PC is more of an evolution of the previous model than a revolution.  (Source: Chris Davies, SlashGear)
Posted Thursday, October 9, 2008 by ChrisD
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Asus Eee PC Tablet Coming in Under Six Months

As it turns out, Asus is planning a touchscreen Eee PC for launch some time within the next six months. This means that we could be tapping the display on an Eee PC, legitimately no less, by the first quarter of next year. This comes from Asustek exec Samson Hu.

What's unclear is whether the touchscreen Eee PC will be strictly a Tablet PC-based device or if it will take on a convertible format like the Gigabyte subnotebooks. We expect the touchscreen Eee PCs to be on display at CES 2009 in Las Vegas. (Source: Michael Kwan, Mobile Magazine)
Posted Thursday, October 9, 2008 by ChrisD
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Toshiba�s Lightest Laptop Even Lighter

Toshiba also announced the Port�g� M750 Tablet PC and the affordable Port�g� A600. All Port�g� models include Intel�s Centrino 2 processor technology and a Mobile Intel GMA X4500 graphics controller with up to 256 MB of shared video memory. Packaged in a titanium silver chassis, the units feature a bilingual keyboard and come loaded with Windows Vista Business. The Port�g� series also comes with a DVD Super-Multi Double layer drive, wireless capabilities and an integrated web camera and microphone.  (Source: John Thomson, MarketNews.ca)
Posted Wednesday, October 8, 2008 by ChrisD
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Motion recommends Windows Vista� Business. Tell Us Your Story

Are you an end user that is using a Motion Tablet PC to change the way you work? Are you a reseller who has helped a customer use Motion Tablet PCs to change the way they work? If so, we want to hear your story.

Fill out an entry form with your Motion story for the chance to win an iPod touch and a $50 iTunes gift card from Motion. We�ll choose one winner each week from 10/5 to 12/19/08. Weekly winners will be entered into the grand prize drawing on 1/05/09 for a 32� HDTV (in the form of a gift card). The entry form can be found at http://motioncomputing.com/promotions/tellusyourstory.asp  (Source: Press Release)
Posted Wednesday, October 8, 2008 by ChrisD
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HP EliteBook 2730p First Look

The 2730p is a nice update to the 2710p processor and graphics wise. The touchpad is a nice addition to the pointing stick as well. I like having both. Taking notes was fun and easy, so was browsing the Internet. Although much of the ports and features are the same as the 2710p it is still a competitive tablet. It has even been compared to Lenovo's X200.

Stay tuned in the next few days for our full review of the 2730p, benchmarks and some comparison tests between it and the X200.  (Source: Tiffany Boggs, TabletPCReview.com)

Boston U. students get tablet PCs for the classroom

Boston U. -- Boston University students are passing notes, avoiding the chalkboard and staring intently at their computer screens � and in at least one class, it�s all at the instructor�s request.

Metropolitan College has begun to use tablet PCs in a math class after it received an $80,000 grant from Hewlett-Packard.

The tablets allow students to sketch notes on a screen with digital pens and send problems to their professor�s tablet. The added technology has gotten students more involved in class, science and engineering program Chairwoman Carla Romney said.  (Source: Max Levy, The Daily Free Press)

Microsoft's Mundie gives campuses peek at tech's future

In one scenario, a student's entire educational history can be accessed from an Internet-connected Tablet PC. Scroll back in time to see notes from high-school biology, scroll forward to a present-day anatomy curriculum.

The conceptual software also looks ahead, charting upcoming assignments and tests.

The tablet replaces the textbook � in this example, the famous "Gray's Anatomy" � giving students access to three-dimensional models of the human body that can be rotated, zoomed in on and explored system by system.  (Source: Benjamin J. Romano, Seattle Times)

Outlining in ink with a Tablet PC

I hate outlining.  There, I feel better having said that, but I hate the writing process without outlining even more than I hate doing them.  The recent conversation about pen and paper making for better thinkers ties directly into the process I use for writing articles.  The outline is critical for getting a jump on writing an article and I find them better and easier to do on the Tablet PC.  Using ink on the slate is a much more natural process for doing a good outline.  This article covers how I do them using the pen and slate.  (Source: jkOnTheRun)
Posted Tuesday, October 7, 2008 by ChrisD
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Microsoft Extends Windows XP Shelf Life Until July 2009

Yet another stay of execution has been given to Microsoft's now "obsolete" Windows XP Operating System, with the new switch off date rescheduled for the 31st of July 2009, further down the initial 31st January 2009 deadline.

Although XP is supposed to be unavailable for sale since June 30th this year, many e-tailers have continued selling them openly without Microsoft complaining and Ebuyer, for example, has substantial stocks of the whole range of Windows XP Products : Home Edition, MCE, Professional and Tablet PC editions.  (Source: ITProPortal.com)
Posted Monday, October 6, 2008 by ChrisD
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FEMA Selects Silanis Electronic Signatures to Speed Response to Disaster Victims in the Field

Silanis Technology, the leader in electronic signatures, announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a division of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has selected the Silanis ApproveIt Desktop solution to speed response to disaster victims in the field. FEMA will deploy Silanis's electronic signature software to upwards of 6,000 of its field agents allowing citizens to electronically 'sign' critical release forms accelerating victims' access to vital US Government aid in the event of a major disaster.

Montreal, QC (PRWEB) October 6, 2008 -- Silanis Technology, the leader in electronic signatures, announced today that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a division of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has selected the Silanis ApproveIt Desktop solution to speed response to disaster victims in the field. FEMA will deploy Silanis's electronic signature software to upwards of 6,000 of its field agents allowing citizens to electronically 'sign' critical release forms accelerating victims' access to vital US Government aid in the event of a major disaster.

FEMA is responsible for coordinating the response to disasters which occur in the United States and overwhelm the resources of local and state authorities. In addition to providing on-the-ground support of disaster recovery efforts, the Agency also provides state and local governments with experts in specialized fields and funding for rebuilding efforts and relief funds for infrastructure, in conjunction with the Small Business Administration. FEMA also assists individuals and businesses with low interest loans, and provides funds for training of response personnel throughout the United States and its territories as part of the agency's preparedness effort.

FEMA agents will spearhead the electronic signing process by having citizens 'sign' release forms on a PC tablet. These forms will then be electronically transmitted to FEMA headquarters for processing and storage.

Silanis ApproveIt Desktop is a flexible and secure electronic signature solution that leverages common document formats such as MS Word, MS Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Accelio and IBM Lotus Forms. The solution embeds electronic signatures within documents facilitating integration with existing content management and workflow systems. Government and commercial organizations such as FEMA, the US Army and the Kansas Department of Transportation use the platform to accelerate approval processes, eliminate the cost of distributing and storing paper documents and to gain real time access to signed documents from any location or anywhere in the world.

"Electronic signatures are proven to accelerate process, and in a disaster, time to respond is of the essence. We have a tremendous opportunity to support FEMA and the DHS in speeding response to victims, allowing them greater opportunity to rebuild their homes and their lives in a time of great need," says Silanis president, Tommy Petrogiannis.   (Source: Press Release)