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News Week of September 9, 20072012 destined to be the year of the Ultra-mobile device UMDs are comprise of two distinct types of devices featuring multiple Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and cellular Internet connectivity; there is the windows-based Ultra Mobile PC (UMPCs) that will likely be the favourite of the enterprise for running business applications and the less expensive, more popular, consumer oriented Linux Mobile Internet Device (MID) that will likely turn out to be the bigger seller of the two, according to the ABI report. In addition to new carrier revenue streams the UMD “ecosystem” will sustain hundreds of vendors including ASPs, chipmakers, device and display makers and service providers. Posted Friday, September 14, 2007 by ChrisD Rating: 2 Comments (0) Hands-on with Fujitsu's teeny tiny laptop We mentioned this guy a few weeks ago, when it was first announced. Now, we're pleased to report that the FedEx guy has just dropped off Fujitsu's new ultra tiny laptop, the LifeBook U810, and we just had to snap a shot of it to show off how small it really is. The U810 is a hybrid between an ultraportable convertible tablet and a UMPC (that's ultramobile PC, if you haven't been paying attention). We've always liked UMPCs in theory, but these pocket-sized systems, including the OQO model 02 and Sony VAIO UX390, were more like suped-up smart phones than actual computers. There's only so productive you can be on a BlackBerry-style thumb keyboard. (Source: Dan Ackerman, CNet Blogs) The Toshiba R400-S4933 Tablet PC with the Toshiba UWB Port Replicator The Wow factor, The Cool factor - The Fun Factor the R400 has it all Those of you who have already read my review of the Toshiba R400 know that I am a big fan of this particular Tablet PC. I knew I was going to like The Toshiba R400 from the first time I laid eyes on it at CES in January of this year. Nine months later my opinion hasn't changed. The R400 still makes me smile every time I open it and using always makes me feel good. Toshiba's latest offering from the R400 series is the R400-S4933 Tablet PC Screens Modded into a Giant DS Handwriting recognition Meetings, meetings, meetings. They’re an unavoidable part of work in the modern office, and all too often you need to take notes. For many people that means a pen and paper because their typing’s not fast enough. The obvious solution would be a tablet PC, but they’re about £150 more expensive than a comparable notebook, which rules them out for many people. However, with Vista, you don’t have to splash out on an expensive tablet PC. All versions of the new operating system except Home Basic already include tablet PC functions. Just add an affordable graphics tablet they start from about £20 and you can convert any computer into a tablet PC. So next time you’re in a meeting, simply put your laptop to one side and write on a graphics tablet in front of you. (Source: IT Week) More Universities Jump on the Tablet PC Bandwagon Fujitsu, Wacom: LCD Pen Tablet Connected to PC at 300M Away Once dismissed as 'the coolest product no one could use,' tablet PCs finally find a niche. A kick-start finally came from Microsoft. Its XP Tablet operating system melded tablet functionality with the standard keyboard option. The hardware makers regrouped, too, and two years ago combined the touch-screen functions of a tablet with a standard laptop configuration. The result is what the industry calls a "convertible," a standard laptop whose touch screen twists 180 degrees and can be folded flat against the keyboard to create a clipboard-like platform. While there's still a price premium for such functionality--about $300 or more--the tablet is finding fans in the service field, where it can replace paper forms and allow quick reporting in digital format of work performed or parts deployed. Health care professionals are using it to replace the traditional paper chart. What is really going to be a driver for tablets, however, is the merger of the tablet PC operating system into Windows Vista, said Todd Bradley, vice-president of Hewlett-Packard's personal systems group, who in May unveiled a new convertible laptop in Shanghai. The Compaq 2710p, which is aimed at business users, joins a consumer tablet launched in January. "It's now simpler for CIOs to deploy tablets and harder to say no," he said. (Source: Ian Harvey, TheGobeandMail.com) Medical Schools Select CDW-G for Tablet PC Learning Initiatives Freed-Hardeman University, Morehouse School of Medicine and Palm Beach Atlantic University Embrace 1:1 Computing to Prepare Students for Medical Careers VERNON HILLS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CDW Government, Inc. (CDW-G), a wholly owned subsidiary of CDW Corporation [NASDAQ:CDWC] and leading source of Information Technology (IT) solutions to governments and educators, today announced that the Freed-Hardeman University nursing program, the Morehouse School of Medicine, and the Palm Beach Atlantic University Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy have established 1:1 tablet computing initiatives with CDW-G. Promoting an interactive learning environment for students and faculty, the tablet PCs enable students to easily capture and manage information, and develop real-world technology skills to support careers across the spectrum of medicine. Freed-Hardeman University’s Nursing Program Although Freed-Hardeman University’s nursing program is just two-years-old, it has already achieved success in providing students with the expertise and technical knowledge required to succeed in the nursing field. “We evaluated a wide range of technology solutions before we decided that tablet PCs would provide our nursing students with the best real-world technology experience,” said John Bentley, chief information officer at the Henderson, Tenn., school. The school selected CDW-G to provide Fujitsu T4000 tablet PCs to students and faculty. Nurses Talk TechTM 2006, a study by CDW Healthcare, found that 86 percent of nurses believed that technology has the potential to improve patient care. “We are preparing the next generation of nurses,” said Bentley. “Providing innovative technology now, before students enter the field, is one of the many benefits that our program offers to students.” Morehouse School of Medicine Based in Atlanta, Ga., Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is a fully accredited, four-year institution dedicated to recruiting and training minority and other students as physicians, biomedical scientists and public health professionals committed to the primary health-care needs of the medically underserved. The American Medical Association’s 2006 Healthcare Trends Report cited that younger physicians “rely more on technology than their older colleagues” and that consumers increasingly demonstrate interest in e-health and physicians who provide some medical services online. Understanding the increasingly important role technology will play in higher education and the future of healthcare, MSM evaluated the most effective tools to enhance its students’ learning experience and ultimately selected Fujitsu Lifebook T4215 tablets through CDW-G. “Our 1:1 computing program incorporates a learning management system that enables our students to access and utilize our custom online coursework,” said Perry Riggins, Interim CIO, MSM. “We look at grades and student feedback to measure the effectiveness of individual applications available on the tablet PCs and then adapt the program accordingly.” Riggins noted that the program has been a great success and that “we continue to look at more opportunities to integrate the tablets into our curriculum.” Palm Beach Atlantic University’s Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy The Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) aims to provide its 300 pharmacy students with the technology, training and support they need to succeed professionally, while enabling a hands-on, interactive learning experience. The school, located in West Palm Beach, Fla., selected CDW-G to provide incoming students with HP TC4400 tablet PCs equipped with DVD drives as well as accessories including custom backpacks and flash drives with the PBAU logo. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, the rapid growth in prescription volume is leading to an overall demand for pharmacists and their services. “While in school, tablet PCs facilitate the electronic dissemination and management of course-related materials and classroom wireless Web access,” said Ian Burchette, pharmacy IT specialist, PBA. “Once in their field, our students are able to quickly adapt to evolving technology such as electronic prescriptions and other online health records used throughout the medical industry.” PBA utilizes CDW-G’s configuration services to load the school’s image – including Microsoft software – onto each machine. CDW-G delivers the fully-imaged machines directly to the school for distribution during orientation. In addition, a CDW-G representative attends orientation, leading a three-hour on-site training session. “Technology both enhances the medical learning experience and prepares students for their professional careers,” said Julie Smith, director of higher education, CDW-G. “CDW-G has helped Freed-Hardeman University, Morehouse College of Medicine and Palm Beach Atlantic University achieve both of these benefits for their students.” For more information about CDW-G 1:1 computing solutions in higher education, please visit www.cdwg.com/education. (Source: Press Release) OQO Updates Award-Winning model 02 Product Line SAN FRANCISCO – September 10, 2007 – OQO Inc., creator of the model 02, the world’s smallest PC running Windows Vista® and the first ultra mobile PC (UMPC) with embedded 3G mobile broadband, today announced new model 02 products with high performance features that deliver increased Anytime/Anywhere Productivity™ and extend OQO’s lead in the category. To accelerate consumer and enterprise adoption of the model 02, OQO is aggressively pricing its upgraded UMPCs starting at $1,299. The improvements to the model 02 product line start with a choice of high-capacity storage options. In an industry first, OQO now offers an ultra-mobile PC with a 120GB hard disk ideal for video, audio, and data-intensive applications. At the same time, HDD capacities have increased across the board: to 40GB in the entry-level model, and to 80GB in the standard high-end configuration. For users requiring an even more advanced storage solution, OQO now offers the model 02 with a flash-based 32GB solid state drive. The SSD provides up to 50% faster boot and application launch times, as well as increased battery life and the ultimate in rugged physical data protection. The new model 02 delivers faster CPU speeds of up to 1.6GHz, another industry first in a UMPC. WWAN configurations of the model 02 are now available with higher-speed wireless connectivity provided by EV-DO Rev. A with mobile broadband service from Verizon Wireless or Sprint. EV-DO Rev. A offers data rates of up to 1.4Mbps, improved upstream speed, and lower latency. Users will find Rev. A particularly useful for online video, interactive web content, and bandwidth-intensive enterprise applications. Due to increased volumes and new technologies, OQO is delivering the new model 02 with a lower price point or improved functionality at every level of the product line. The entry-level price for an OQO model 02 has been reduced by $200 (to just $1299) while increasing disk drive capacity by 33%. Additional pricing is available at OQO’s online store at www.oqo.com/store. |
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