August 1, 2004  

Holiday gadgets: It's a fine line between work and play
Independent, UK

Travellers who need more screen "real estate" than a smart phone or PDA can provide have two options: a tablet PC or a laptop. Tablet PCs have not been an overwhelming success in sales terms, but manufacturers are still producing new models that address some of the shortcomings of earlier versions.

Motion Computing's M1400 tablet is designed for those who need to work as much outdoors as in the office. Motion has taken its standard M1400 tablet - a "slate" design built around a 12.1in (31cm), touch-screen display - and added a technology called View Anywhere.

Motion claims that the screen cuts reflections to a tenth of those on a normal flat screen, and improves contrast 225 per cent. The M1400 already has a 160-degree viewing angle, which makes it possible to read data on the screen no matter where you are sitting. The new screen also reduces power consumption.

August 2, 2004 

GoBinder 2005 August Product of the month

I have experienced and worked with every hard copy planner or software organizer on the market for over 20 years and GoBinder 2005 is the Best! 

As National Corporate Relations Manager for the March of Dimes, it has allowed me to manage my corporate accounts & contacts quite effectively, not to mention what I am able to accomplish in meetings with GoBinder.

Read the Final review

New Avertec Forum on TabletQuestions.com
TabletPCquestions.com

Due to the overwhelming success of the newly released Averatec C3500 Tablet PC
I've created a special place for the product. Please join us as we discuss
this exciting new model.

Other newly discussed products in the Vendors forums are
the Electrovaya Scribbler SC2100 and the new NEC Tablet PC.

Educators will also notice discussions regarding GoBinder 2005.

Photo's of NEC's upcoming Tablet PC that microsoft's Will Poole showed off the upcoming NEC Tablet PC during last weeks Financial Analyst Meeting.

the new Nec Tablet PC weighs less than 2 pounds and is only 11 millimeters thick. more photos can be found on Whatisnew.com

Tough Tablet Lacks Punch
PC World

The new Itronix GoBook Tablet PC is aimed at rough-and-tumble users who spend more time working outdoors than they do behind a desk. The rugged device has some useful and unique features, but its sluggish performance means that it's not for everyone.

My shipping version of this light, compact device (3.7 pounds, 10.6 by 7.2 by 1.7 inches) came with a strap to let me grip it securely in one hand while I used the tethered stylus to enter data on the 8.4-inch display.

Itronix, though, wasn't attempting to create a high-performance tablet, and you'll still find plenty to like here, including the weatherproof design, the sturdy magnesium-wrapped chassis, and the array of connectivity options.

If you work outdoors, or you just tend to be rough on your equipment, the Itronix GoBook Tablet PC may be a good fit. If you value performance, however, then this somewhat pricey unit is not for you.

IDA And Microsoft Add Spark To Education In Singapore Through Innovative IT Adoption In The Classroom
PhysOrg.com

The school is taking part in a pilot programme under the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA)- Microsoft BackPack.NET initiative (BackPack.NET), which seeks to transform the way Singapore's students learn in school.

This morning, Acting Minister for Education, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam toured the school to witness students using their tablet PCs both inside and outside the classroom

Apricorn Introduces EZ Upgrade 1.8T Hard Drive Upgrade Kit; In Three Simple Steps Users Can Seamlessly Upgrade Any 1.8-inch Hard Drive
Business Wire

Apricorn, a leader in personal storage products, today released the EZ Upgrade 1.8T Hard Drive Upgrade Kit. EZ Upgrade 1.8T is the first hard drive upgrade kit designed specifically for 1.8" hard drives found in many of the latest portable notebooks and tablet PC's. In three simple steps users can seamlessly transfer all the data from the old hard drive to a new hard drive and transform the old hard drive into a portable Hi-Speed USB 2.0 backup and/or storage solution.

The EZ 1.8T Upgrade process begins by sliding the new hard drive into the EZ Upgrade 1.8T enclosure and connecting to the device's USB port. Next, the machine is booted from the EZ Gig II Hard Drive Upgrade & Backup Software, which begins the drive-cloning process. Finally, remove the old drive and install the new hard drive into the device.

"EZ Upgrade 1.8T Hard Drive Upgrade Kit is Apricorn's latest innovation in our family of award winning hard drive upgrade kits," said Mike McCandless, Apricorn VP of Sales & Marketing. "Users now have an easy to use solution to upgrade notebooks and tablet PC's based on 1.8" hard drives to the new, high capacity hard drives available today."

New Language Support pack for InPad
microth.com

A new Language Support pack for InPad input method is released. It includes stroke sets for handwriting recognition for all major European Languages based on Latin, Cyrillic and Greek alphabets. It also includes Thai strokeset. Totally more then 30 languages are supported now. Support for other world languages is under development. You can use and customize these strokesets with versions of InPad for PocketPC and TabletPC. Thanks a lot to users of InPad for their input and advices.

Motion Computing rolls out ViewAnywhere display for its M1400 Tablet PCs
eChannelLine

Available now as a selling option for resellers is the new View Anywhere display, which is tailored for users to receive the same indoor-viewable screen experience when using the device outdoors in various lighting conditions. The M1400 is a 12.1-inch slate Tablet PC released in April, boasting a new screen technology that provides an almost unlimited viewing angle of 160 to 170 degrees. "The M1400 has been a huge success and has been more successful then we could imagine," said Bruce McFarland, director of channel management at Motion Computing. The devices are being steered towards four key verticals, which include healthcare, government, education and fieldforce automation.

"The View Anywhere technology opens up new markets to resellers," McFarland said. "We have a lot of people doing insurance adjusting work out there and real estate applications with the tablet."

The View Anywhere technology, developed in conjunction with White Electronic Designs Corp. provides a 10-to-1 reduction in reflection and a 15 per cent improvement in light pass-through efficiency. The result is low power consumption and efficient heat dissipation. The new display option also offers three settings that users can configure for managing battery life consumption. Users can chose to operate a constant screen brightness that will have a bigger impact on the battery. Battery life can be conserved by leveraging the ambient light sensor for power management, or by setting the display to its lowest setting to reserve the most battery life. "We are also getting a 225 per cent increase in the contrast that is viewable outdoors as well," he added.

The Motion View Anywhere display is a US $299 option on the Motion M1400 Tablet PC.

Here's a top 10 list of tools for mobile workers
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Tablet PCs: These portable computers - which offer screens you can write on like a legal pad - have found a home in professions where it's more socially acceptable to scribble notes when talking to customers than to type.

Insurance companies give them to claims adjusters for use in the field, and consultants take them to client meetings or the factory floor.

Tablet PCs becoming note-takers' choice at campuses nationwide
Kentucky.com

Southeastern Minnesota's Winona State this summer is handing out more than 4,000 Gateway tablet PCs to freshmen and juniors in what is believed to be the most extensive such higher-education deployment. The portables, which are to gradually displace non-tablet laptops the students have been required to lease, begin formal use in the fall term.

Tablet PCs from the likes of Fujitsu, Gateway and Toshiba comprise only a tiny fraction of U.S. laptop sales. But on campuses around the country, the newfangled tablets may be on the verge of shaking up classroom instruction.

Many who have tried tablet PCs say they have the potential to revolutionize campus computing even in their current, somewhat crude form because of portable-computing features that, the users claim, lend themselves particularly well to higher education.

Tablet users at Winona State, for instance, aren't giving up standard laptop perks such as keyboards and built-in CD-recording drives but are gaining new capabilities.

The students now have the option of scribbling notes longhand on their touch screens and converting the jottings into typed text thanks to the tablets' handwriting-recognition features. Students also can record lectures and synchronize the audio with handwritten or typed notes for subsequent cram sessions.

Tablets introduce the concept of electronic notebooks, which work much like physical notebooks but allow users to collect digital pictures, audio, movies and animations along with text. Students can create a notebook for each class or assignment.

Tablets also eliminate keyboard clatter, which drives some students and professors batty, along with a dreaded "wall effect" that isolates laptop users behind their screens. The Gateway tablets in use at Winona State and Mayville State convert from laptops to slates when their screens are swiveled 180 degrees and folded down onto the keyboards.

Review | Alias Sketchbook Pro
fps, Canada

So, what's the big deal with Sketchbook? Simplicity, baby. This is a sketching application, built from the ground up to be fast and easy with an interface that doesn't come between you and the drawing. When used with a Wacom tablet on a conventional Mac or PC, it makes a great drawing application, but when used with something like the Wacom Cintiq tablet (the tablet that's also a screen) or with a Tablet PC (a Windows notebook whose screen is also a tablet), something magical happens. The planets line up, the choir issues forth a resounding chord, clouds flee and water parts.

August 3, 2004 

Tablet PC Expert Zone web chat  tomorrow at 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time

Tablet PC
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition paves the way for the most versatile computing experience ever. The mobility of Tablet PC is combined with ink and speech tools to let you take your PC too many more places and use it in many new ways. Join Microsoft experts as we engage in a fun and interactive online chat about Tablet PCs.

The .NET Rocks! Tablet PC Listener Giveaway
franklins.net

Microsoft and Franklins.Net are trying to learn more about the developers who listen to .NET Rocks! So, we've been authorized by Microsoft to hold a contest where the winner gets a fully decked out Toshiba M200 Tablet PC

Contest Ends August 26th, 2004!

SMART Technologies’ Sympodium ID250 Interactive Pen Display
Digital Animators

Clearly, SMART Technologies sees a threat from the parade of Tablet PCs coming to market. Most Tablet PCs allow annotation, handwriting recognition and pen-based interactivity as well as the ability to output to a projector. The new pricing for the ID250 puts it in the same budget range as a high-end Tablet PC.

Motion Computing, Active Ink Software Partner to Reduce Paper Forms, Data Entry With Tablet PC; E-Forms Software Developer Becomes a Motion Gold ISV Partner
Business Wire

In an effort to rid nurses, home inspectors, real estate agents and many other mobile professionals of inefficient paper forms and data entry drudgery, Motion Computing has chosen tablet PC software developer Active Ink as a Gold Member in its independent software vendor (ISV) partnership program.

Motion's ISV partnership program is designed to accelerate the development and deployment of compelling tablet PC applications -- such as Active Ink's e-forms software -- that take advantage of the Motion tablet PC hardware platform and the Microsoft(R) Windows(R) XP Tablet PC Edition operating system. As a Gold Member, Active Ink now has access to a broad range of development, technical, sales and marketing support from Motion.

"Motion recognizes how integral software companies are to the tablet PC's continued success and looks for partners with outstanding tablet PC applications to fulfill customer's needs," said David Altounian, Motion's chief product officer. "We are proud to partner with Active Ink, which not only has an important tablet PC product but also targets the same vertical markets as Motion does, such as healthcare and field sales and service."

"Motion gets the tablet PC market and, with our shared focus on the tablet PC, it was a natural fit for us to become partners," said Steve Hoffman, Active Ink's vice president of sales and marketing. "Motion recognizes the power of our product, and we appreciate the ability to provide our customers with a highly mobile, innovative and robust tablet platform."

Created specifically for the tablet PC, Active Ink's e-forms software digitizes paper forms so data can be entered on an electronic form using a tablet PC. The company's e-form solutions reduce costs by eliminating paper forms and duplication of data entry.

For several months, Right at Home Inc., Las Vegas, has been saving time and money by replacing its pencil and paper system of performing new home construction inspections with Active Ink's customized checklist and Motion's lightweight, clipboard-sized tablet PC.

"We have found that the use of Motion tablet PCs and Active Ink form filler software has increased the productivity of our new residential construction inspectors in the field by 300 percent," said Russell Callihan, vice president of Right at Home. "By automating the data collection and computation process, the technologies have eliminated the arduous and expensive data entry process that was required by the traditional pencil and paper method. We use the resulting profits to hire more experienced inspectors instead of more administrative assistants."

McNary ‘Sludge Test’ to get high-tech boost
Salem Statesman Journal

McNary High School freshmen science students doing their “Sludge Test” in the fall will find the project more high-tech than in past years.

A $35,000 grant from HP, a computer and technology company, will allow them to use multimedia projectors, a tablet PC, a digital camera and an all-in-one copier, printer, fax and scanner to share their experiment data.

Four science teachers and the school librarian worked together to apply for the grant, which also provides them with tech support for using the new equipment. Each of them will receive a projector and tablet PC, and the other equipment will be shared.

HP awarded money to 197 schools across the country, and grant winners whose projects are successful can apply for additional money in 2005.

Using the new equipment will allow students to more easily share their data among their peers and between multiple classes, Gehley said. The tablet PC allows the teachers to write directly on its screen, similar to a Palm Pilot, and have the results displayed on the wall of the room.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Teens Help Seniors Go Online
Washington Post, DC 

Huth became the girls' mentor, and donated an Acer Tablet PC laptop, along with a webcam and a wireless hub, to the Hebrew Home. Rachel and Allison, both 15-year-old sophomores, started working with the residents in mid-June.

"I believe technology can be an enormous help in reducing isolation and depression among the elderly, in honoring and recording their experiences," says Huth.

But what's most necessary, says Huth, is connecting older Americans with friends, loved ones and young people over the Internet. He is vice president of the Barcklow Foundation, which focuses on improving the quality of life for the nation's senior citizens. The initial reaction to the technology at the Hebrew Home was underwhelming

But the girls persisted. The Tablet PC laptop could translate handwriting into text and voice into text, record and send video e-mail and allow users to teleconference with friends and family. As the girls held the residents' hands, figuratively and literally, they began to catch on.

Morse, 77, told the girls he couldn't use a computer because he couldn't type. That doesn't matter, the girls told him. Just scribble something out on the tablet, the computer will translate your handwriting into text, your doodles into pen-and-ink sketches, they advised. So he started doing caricatures. Now, his fans tell him he's got a style and a flair worthy of the New Yorker magazine.

When grandchildren need tutoring in arithmetic, he wants to see grandparents use Tablet PCs "to show the child what an isosceles triangle looks like." Grandparents and grandchildren can also hook up webcams and play checkers or other games together.

Microsoft Research Targets Trustworthy Computing
eWeek 

Microsoft Research is ponying up $1 million in the form of a request for proposal (RFP) for the development of academic curricula focusing on Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing security initiatives.

Microsoft Research (MSR) also is issuing an RFP for the development of Tablet PC-related curricula. And it is launching what it's calling the "Phoenix Academic Program," via which it will provide researchers with early access to its "Phoenix" compiler that is being used to build its Longhorn Windows operating system, among other products.

Windows XP's Big Fix
PC World

With Service Pack 2, Windows gets an array of much-needed patches, tweaks, and tools, all rolled into one free download. Here's what's in it for you.

It's an unsafe world out there for Windows-based computers. Microsoft wants to address the problem with its new megapatch, Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. Does it succeed? Not entirely. But the big fix does so much to close security holes and to make protecting your PC simpler that it's still an essential upgrade.

But it's not just a big security fix; SP2 makes Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks easier to navigate, adds new features to Tablet and Media Center PCs, and updates XP's multimedia components. It all comes in a 220MB package that (at press time, when we saw only the Release Candidate 2 beta version) installs in under an hour over broadband.

Users of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition who install SP2 will find their system updated to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. Included is a new context-sensitive Tablet Input Panel, which is what Microsoft calls the dialog box that appears whenever you use a stylus to insert text in a document. In earlier versions, the TIP always had a fixed location at the bottom of the screen; now it appears directly below wherever you want to insert some text. The new TIP also adds real-time handwriting recognition, so you can correct the text before it's transmitted to the underlying application.

Doubling Tablet PC sales on $100,000
whatisnew.com

It's easy to say that Microsoft could spend more money positioning and promoting Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Tablet PCs. “More, more, more give us more,” we shout. Give us TV advertising, billboards, retail space, online mindshare, low priced product, performance product, more evangelists, and on and on.

Manufacturers should always listen, right? How much should Microsoft Tablet PC team, OEMs, and software vendors respond to outside pressures? They have their marketing plan and we say "quick do this too". Our suggestion may help and it also may hurt, especially if we give vague suggestions or suggestions that are off target.

Here is a theoretical scenario. It is pure fantasy. What would you do if you were given $100,000 for one year to promote Tablet PCs with the goal of doubling sales within 12 months?

August 4, 2004 

XM Satellite Radio Signs Up Starbucks
Wireless NewsFactor



Starbucks' Santa Monica, California, Hear Music Coffeehouse includes 70 HP Tablet PC-based listening stations in the store, where customers can burn their own disks, taking tracks from a library of 10,000 CDs. The cafe also provides Wi-Fi Internet access.

Tablet PC Expert Zone web chat  Today at 10:00 A.M. Pacific Time

Tablet PC
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition paves the way for the most versatile computing experience ever. The mobility of Tablet PC is combined with ink and speech tools to let you take your PC too many more places and use it in many new ways. Join Microsoft experts as we engage in a fun and interactive online chat about Tablet PCs.

Find a 'notebook' that rocks
microsoft.com

Take a look at this interactive demo to see Tablet PCs that really make the grade.

Watch Windows XP Tablet PC Edition in action and see for yourself why it's one of the most powerful tools for being as productive as possible away from your desk.

Using RFID to Drive Up Business
RFID Journal 

Car repair company All Night Auto is preparing a pilot that will see its customers using RFID loyalty cards as a way to help the company improve efficiency and customer service.

During the trial, All Night Auto will issue RFID loyalty cards trial to 10,000 of its customers. Currently, when a customer drives up to an All Night Auto shop, a worker brings a tablet PC to the car to record new customer details and to diagnose what work needs to be carried out. Once that information is entered into the tablet PC, the results are entered into the company’s IT system by means of Wi-Fi-enabled wireless LAN. During the trial, however, each tablet PCs will be equipped with an RFID reader in the form of a PC card. When a customer waves a loyalty card in front of the reader, the tablet PC uses the Wi-Fi connection to transmit the customer’s card number to the company’s IT system and retrieve the customer’s vehicle information and repair history.

August 5, 2004 

Win a PC Tablet
pcplus


Win a fantastic HP/Compaq Tablet PC from Microsoft with Pentium M power for the ultimate video experience.

Microsoft has teamed up with PC Plus to offer you the chance to win a brand new Compaq TC1000 Tablet PC worth £1,499. The Tablet PC combines all the power and functionality you would expect from a notebook PC with the versatility that enables you to type, handwrite, scribble or sketch your notes and ideas – whenever and wherever you need to.   The competition is open to UK residents

Disney Magic Comes to the Desktop With New Disney Dream Desk PC
PR Newswire

Children represent the fastest growing segment of personal computer users, and now they can have a great time learning, exploring, and stretching their imagination with the first Disney personal computer created especially for them.

"We've traveled a long way since that first Mickey writing tablet hit the market in 1929" said Iger. "At the core of Disney is our mission to entertain and enlighten audiences through products that spark the imagination. With the launch of the Disney Dream Desk, a computer designed with kids in mind, we've developed a tool box for children to unleash their imaginations and expand their minds."

  

Part two in our exclusive Children & Technology  series is coming soon. 

Tablet PC 2's Software page includes links to children's software programs Fun Paint, VT Coloring Book, MathPractice and FractionPractice developed for the Tablet PC

August 6, 2004 

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Arrives
PC World

Windows XP Service Pack 2--Microsoft's response to many of the security woes that have plagued the company's flagship operating system, Web browser, and e-mail client--is completed and will become available for download next week, the company says

the highly anticipated upgrade is not yet available to end users. Microsoft is announcing only its release to manufacturing, and expects it to be posted on the vendor's Windows download site by early next week. What's more, the company is urging individual users to avoid downloading it, because anticipated traffic jams are likely to produce timeouts or other problems. Rather, users should wait for the update to come to them.

SP2 also includes upgrades that aren't security-related, such as improved support for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless networks, new features for Tablet and Media Center PCs, and updates for XP's multimedia components.

Review:Gateway M275XL Tablet PC
pdabuyersguide

The key words to keep in mind when thinking of the Gateway M275XL convertible tablet are "think big". While other Windows XP Tablets flirt with subnotebook status, the Gateway comes in at 12.6" x 10.8" x 1.1" and weighs 5.7 pounds. This means it has a roomy 14.1" display that's easy on the eyes and an internal optical drive. It also means this is not a model that you'll carry around in tablet mode for an hour on your arm without struggling with its weight and girth. Thus the M275 is a great tablet for those who want a notebook computer first and tablet features second.

Microsoft Makes Lemonade: The Future Looks Bright, Software Giant Says
Windows & Net Magazine

Gates also highlighted the next version of Microsoft's OS for Tablet PCs, Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which will be enabled on these devices when you install XP Service Pack 2 (SP2). As Gates noted, prices on Tablet PCs have gone down as performance has increased, but the most exciting news, perhaps, is the new functionality in XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which includes a much-improved Text Input Panel (TIP) with in-place editing of handwritten text entries.

Lycoris and Hanzen Corporation Announce Agreement to Bring Lycoris Software to Asian Markets
Linux PR

Hanzen Corporation is also exploring OEM distribution arrangements for Desktop/LX Tablet Edition, the only alternative to Windows® XP Tablet Edition currently available. "During our first month distributing Lycoris Desktop/LX we were able to enter into relationships with a full 50% of the world's Tablet PC OEM manufacturers."

• Desktop/LX Tablet Edition - the world's first alternative to Microsoft Windows® XP Tablet Edition. Lycoris has developed a keyboard-free user interface, gesture-based handwriting recognition, touch screen driver integration, screen rotating support, advanced power management features and USB CD-ROM installation enhancements. Desktop/LX Tablet Edition is tailored specifically for OEMs in the tablet PC space.

Lycoris and MoBitS Announce Agreement to Pre-Install Desktop/LX Tablet Edition on MoBitS Tablet Computers
Linux PR

Lycoris, the leading provider of desktop Linux solutions for the consumer market, today announced that MoBitS Electronics, Inc., an innovative designer and manufacturer of mobile computing solutions based in Taiwan, has selected Desktop/LX Tablet Edition as an alternative to Windows® XP for its entire range of Tablet computers.

The Tablet PC platform has been held back by the lack of an alternative to Windows® XP Tablet Edition," said Joseph Cheek, CEO and Founder of Lycoris. "MoBitS' decision to offer Desktop/LX Tablet Edition pre-installed on its Tablet PCs will lower the cost barriers put up by Microsoft, and help bring the benefits of Tablet computing to thousands of consumers and business users world wide."

Desktop/LX Tablet Edition is the world's first alternative to Microsoft Windows® XP Tablet Edition, and establishes Lycoris as a Linux technology leader in a space previously only inhabited by Microsoft

August 7, 2004 

*Reminder Tablet PC Think In Ink Contest *

Does Your App Think In Ink Contest Ends August 31

Think mobile. Win big. If you are an independent solutions vendor (ISV), you’ve spent most of your professional life waiting for an opportunity like this—and now it’s here. The question is: Are you up for the challenge? Microsoft, HP and PC Magazine invite you to put your genius to the test to create the next killer Application for the most mobile PC ever, the Tablet PC.

Create the best mobile Application, and you could win US $100,000! Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, there are additional cash Prizes totaling US$65,000 still on the table.

Averatec C3500 Review by a Complete* n00b
Tabletquestions.com

I have the 'Costco version,' don't know if there are different specs from other sources. Bear in mind this is my first tab, I have been waiting forever for one powerful enough for sumertime MMORPG's out by the swimming pool and to use for 3D games on the road...

August 8, 2004 

Everyone needed a day of rest.  Ours is Sunday but here are some Tablet PC links for your enjoyment.

that require reliable operation and durability in harsh or challenging environments. The Xplore Tablet PC leverages the "grab-n-go" feature of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, which permits instant removal from the docking station allowing the tablet to be used in a mobile situation. Due to the high level of durability the user does not need to worry about damaging the Xplore Tablet PC when using it beyond the climate controlled office environment. Xplore's iX104 Dual Mode Tablet PC systems provide both finger touch and active stylus input thereby maximizing user interface options and application input efficiencies. as the digital backbone of Tinker’s lifecycle management process – running on wireless Tablet PCs based on Intel Centrino™ mobile technology.hest coolness quotient--a value Microsoft sometimes severely lacks--involved a spring. A Tablet PC user drew a spring holding a weight suspended from a ceiling, wrote a few equations, then, with the flick of an E-pen, set the freehand sketch bouncing in a manner dictated by the equations.

Microsoft needs more applications that take advantage of the power of the pen--especially as it prepares to release Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 this month, essentially version two of its pen-computing operating system.

August 9, 2004 

Xplore receives orders for 400 iX104 Tablet PC's from its from its distributor in Finland
PR Newswire

Xplore Technologies(R) (TSX: XPL) a leading international developer, producer and distributor of rugged mobile computer systems, has received orders for 400 ruggedized iX104 Renegade(TM) Dual mode Tablet PC systems from its recently authorized distributor in Finland, Axel Group Logistic Systems Oy. Axel has been awarded contracts and begun delivery of Xplore's iX104 Tablet PC's and active X-dock vehicle docking stations to major logistics companies in Finland. These deployments are expected to be completed over a nine month period.

The selected Xplore iX104 Renegade Dual Mode Tablet PC is a rugged mobile computing solution designed, manufactured and tested to mobile applications that require reliable operation and durability in harsh or challenging environments. The Xplore Tablet PC leverages the "grab-n-go" feature of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, which permits instant removal from the docking station allowing the tablet to be used in a mobile situation. Due to the high level of durability the user does not need to worry about damaging the Xplore Tablet PC when using it beyond the climate controlled office environment. Xplore's iX104 Dual Mode Tablet PC systems provide both finger touch and active stylus input thereby maximizing user interface options and application input efficiencies.

UGS Teamcenter Speeds Repairs for Defense Industry
Ten Links

“This first phase of a wireless tablet PC-based mobility solution project for maintenance mechanics comprises software based on UGS’ industry-leading Teamcenter PLM portfolio – which already serves as the digital backbone of Tinker’s lifecycle management process – running on wireless Tablet PCs based on Intel Centrino™ mobile technology.

LapWorks Expands Laptop Desk Family with New UltraLite; Portable Desk for PC, Mac Notebooks is Thinner, Lighter than Counterpart; Dual Purpose for Lap or Desk Use
Business Wire

In response to our road warrior customers' desire for a thinner, lighter Laptop Desk, we engineered the UltraLite for travelers using the less weighty, 5-pound-and-under Ultra Portables and Thin and Light notebooks, Tablet PCs and PDAs with external keyboards,"

While adding several new improvements, the UltraLite retains the key design features of the award-winning, dual-purpose LTD v2.0 that take the hassles and hazards out of using laptops on a desk or while mobile.

Motion Computing Names Industry Veteran Peter Hunt to Lead Value -Add Peripherals and Software Group
Business Wire

Motion Computing(R) today announced the appointment of Peter D. Hunt as vice president of its value-add peripherals and software organization.

"Motion Computing has a unique combination of innovative products, a sharp focus on customer needs and a superior business model that includes value-add products as a key differentiator," said Hunt. "I'm looking forward to the challenge of building strong revenue streams beyond our leading tablet products."

After delays, Windows security update ready to go
ZDNet.com.au

Microsoft said the release of SP2 also brings with it major improvements to two specialised versions of Windows XP: the Tablet PC and Media Center editions. The new tablet operating system, for example, includes improved handwriting recognition and other enhancements, according to the software giant. The automatic update feature will sort out who needs what.

"If you are running Tablet PC, you get the Tablet PC update," said product manager Matt Pilla. "If you are running Media Center, you get Media Center."

mTuitive Software and Mentat Systems announce partnership
prweb.com

mTuitive, Inc. is the developer of the first mobile knowledge delivery and structured data capture application optimized for use on the Tablet PC. mTuitive partners with leading subject matter experts in the field of clinical medicine who provide protocols for standards of care, best practices and expert guidance

Under the terms of the partnership, Mentat will license the mTuitive development suite to computerize and automate compliance with emergence service protocols for triage and assessment of patients by both paramedics and EMTs in the field and hospital staff in the emergency department. “The computer is becoming as much a part of the practice of medicine as the stethoscope due to the simple fact that it has a bigger and more reliable memory,”

Power Of The Pen
Information Week

the moment with the highest coolness quotient--a value Microsoft sometimes severely lacks--involved a spring. A Tablet PC user drew a spring holding a weight suspended from a ceiling, wrote a few equations, then, with the flick of an E-pen, set the freehand sketch bouncing in a manner dictated by the equations.

Microsoft needs more applications that take advantage of the power of the pen--especially as it prepares to release Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 this month, essentially version two of its pen-computing operating system.

August 10, 2004 

Tablet PC Edition 2005 Tutorials for Microsoft® Windows® XP SP2
Microsoft.com

With Tablet PC Edition 2005 Tutorials for Microsoft Windows XP SP2 you can take an interactive tour of Tablet PC and its accessories. You can view animations and participate in guided tablet activities as you learn.

The Tablet PC Edition 2005 Tutorials will only install on computers running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

Preparing for and Installing Windows XP Service Pack 2
whatisnew.com

The release of Windows XP Service Pack 2 also launches the new operating system for Tablet PCs, called Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. You've been reading about it since last October as "Lonestar" or "Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004". Lonestar was the project code name and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was a proposed name for what has finally been released as Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is a free upgrade to people who are using Tablet PCs with Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. You will receive this free update via Microsoft Automatic Updates. If you have Automatic Updates disabled, then you will be able to download it via Windows Updates within the next several days. There are several references in ezines and blogs to the Windows Update download being released on August 16th, though this remains unconfirmed

.

Wireless network rivals expand distribution, marketing
FCW.com

PacketHop provides client software that can be loaded onto any standard IP radio-equipped device, whether it's a laptop computer, a personal digital assistant or a Tablet PC. The devices are able to communicate with one another using several applications, such as multicast video, mapping, messaging and whiteboarding.

CMS Products Ships 100GB ABSplus Ultra Portable Backup and Restore System; Highest Available 2 1/2-inch Drive Capacity and Enhanced Software Make for Monster Backup and Restore Capability
Business Wire

the leader in backup and hard drive upgrade solutions for notebook and desktop computers, today is shipping the next generation of the ABSplus ultra portable backup and restore product line. The ABSplus features a two-and-a-half inch removable hard drive with 100 Gigabytes (GB) of storage capacity and a three-year warranty. List price for the 100GB ABSplus is $419.

The ABSplus product line is the industry's first comprehensive all-in-one software and hardware solution providing users with complete backup, restore and disaster recovery capabilities and a bootable hard drive. It is an extremely easy-to-use, plug-and-play device powered by CMS Products' robust BounceBack(TM) Professional software. The BounceBack software creates a complete, fully bootable backup of a notebook, desktop or Tablet PC's entire hard drive once the ABSplus is connected.

Staged Rollout of XP Service Pack 2 Continues
WinInformant.com

If you absolutely can't wait--and if you can handle the download I recommend that you don't wait--you can grab the full network installation from the Microsoft Web site. The download will update XP Home Edition, XP Media Center Edition, XP Professional Edition, and XP Tablet PC Edition. To download Windows XP Service Pack 2 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers, visit the Microsoft Download Center.

August 11, 2004

Smile, you're on webcam
VNUNet.com

I think I've found a way of forcing people like me to upgrade their disks. It's called OneNote and is designed for Tablet PCs. It works well with Tablets because it uses digital ink, but it works just as well on a notebook.

VESA unveils Plug & Play standard for PC displays
EE Times Online

The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) has introduced a new standard designed to support ease of use and true Plug & Play capability for display and graphics subsystems in the personal computer.

The standard assumes that the computer's graphics subsystem has been installed, enumerated and configured by the computer and covers operations that take place in the monitor, video interface and from any sources of computer-generated images. These include graphics cards, chips or systems on a motherboard, tablet PCs, PDA, workstation computer or a notebook PC's external monitor video ports.

Electrovaya Announces Third Quarter Fiscal 2004 Financial Results
Business Wire

Third Quarter

For the three months ending June 30, 2004, revenue increased by 100.4% to $1.6 million from $0.8 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2003. The year over year increase in revenue primarily resulted from increased Scribbler Tablet PC sales, as well as revenues from NASA.

Tablet PCs gain ground
The Register

Some 35,000 Tablet PCs shipped in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) during Q2 2004, market watcher Canalys has reported.

Sound a lot? Well, it's certainly 25 per cent more than were shipped in Q2 2003, though 12 per cent fewer than Q1 2004's total. But despite that year-on-year growth - higher than that experienced in the notebook market - the Tablet remains a niche product.

Can Tablets ever move into the mainstream? According to Canalys' survey of EMEA resellers, what they want to see are lower prices, to bring them more in line with notebooks, and more Tablet-friendly apps, particularly vertical ones. And in EMEA specifically, the format needs broader language recognition support.

"There is clear demand for increased workforce mobility," said Mike Welch, Canalys VP. "But the tablet PC is not riding that wave nearly as well as it should, particularly outside the US."

What does appear to be attracting buyers to the Tablet format is the convertible design. Tablets that sport rotating screens that allow them to be used like standard notebooks as well as slates. Convertible shipments were up 93 per cent year on year and now account for 80 per cent of shipping Tablets, Canalys said. Slate shipments were down 45 per cent year on year.

Schoolwork 2.0: Making learning more interesting
The Straits Times

Referring to an earlier report about a new programme in Crescent Girls' School in which all 355 Secondary 1 students there traded in pens, textbooks and paper for spiffy new Tablet PCs, the writer questioned if this was a case of using technology for technology's sake.

Quite apart from the cost - each Tablet PC comes with a price tag of about $3,000 - the writer questioned whether learning via computers will make any kind of difference.

There are other examples, of course, but for now, let's get back to Crescent Girls' and their Tablet PCs.

The letter-writer asked several questions: What's wrong with regular protractors, as opposed to digital ones, and why couldn't the students pay a modest sum to get an expert to give a lesson on grafting a hybrid orchid in person rather than do this through a real-time Web conference?

The answers, I guess, would be 'nothing' and 'they could have'.

But that's missing the point.

It's the same reason, I guess, calculators are now allowed in class for maths exams: They provide a more efficient way of doing things.

That, after all, is the main aim of employing technology. To make things more efficient and to increase productivity.

August 12, 2004



Electrovaya Launches Next Generation Scribbler SC 2100
Business Wire

Electrovaya Inc.(TSX:EFL) today announced the launch of their most advanced mobile laptop/tablet PC to date, the all-new Scribbler(TM) SC2100 Tablet PC.

Combining their award winning, patented Lithium Ion SuperPolymer(R) battery with the power provided by Intel(R) Centrino technology, the SC2100 is expected to be the leader of next-generation computing capabilities.

With up to 9 hours of runtime, the new SC 2100 is powered by the 75 Wh battery, has an ultra-thin 12.1" display, built-in 802.11g wireless capabilities, and lightweight 3.5lb design. The unit's maximum 80 GB Hard Drive and 1280 MB memory combine to make the Scribbler SC 2100 the ideal high-performance mobile computing device. The SC2100 Tablet PC already builds upon the strengths of its previous series while maximizing its performance, portability, and versatility. The wireless enabled system comes complete with a faster 1.3 Ghz CPU speed, an automatic light sensor, and fingerprint recognition features for added security.

"Electrovaya's patented battery technology is unmatched, and allows the Scribbler SC2100 to run up to twice as long as the competition," said Sankar Das Gupta, President and CEO of Electrovaya. "You simply do not get that kind of long-lasting performance from any other mobile device. The same reliable battery technology is trusted by NASA to power the life support systems of the astronauts during their space-walks."

Its ability to quickly and easily convert into either a tablet or laptop computer using its detachable keyboard and touch-pad allows the user to experience the benefits of having both a Tablet PC and a notebook computer, thereby being more attractive to the traditional notebook market.

Bargain hardware buys of the day
The Inquirer

Thoroughly over-hyped, TabletPC have been no-goers mainly because of their prices. A Tablet PC from Acer is available in France for €1759 , less than £1000+VAT. The Travelmate C111 embeds a Intel Pentium M 1GHz with 512Kb L2 cache and is based on the Centrino Platform. It has 512MB memory, a 40GB hard disk, a DVD/CDRW combo, windows XP Pro and an USB floppy disk Drive. The screen is a smallish 10.4" TFT one capable of displaying 1024x768 pixels. You also have two USB ports, blue-tooth compatibility, PCMCIA, LAN and a modem. The Li-Ion battery gives you up to 4 hours autonomy. Soundwise, it has two speakers and one microphone. Its 1.4Kg weight might be heavy for some to carry while the fact that it is covers slightly less than one A4 but has a depth of one inch might deter even more. Also note that the C111 TCI as it is called is in fact a notebook cum tablet PC as its screen rotate to become a laptop or a notebook. So that you also get a keyboard as well as the wireless stylus. The system is delivered with Windows XP Tablet Edition.

Emergency responders, insurers deploy troops
St. Petersburg Times

Two months ago, insurance regulators in Florida's Department of Financial Services held an internal drill for a fake hurricane.

Turns out a variation of that extraordinary scenario is threatening now.

For the first time disaster planners can remember, a tropical storm and a hurricane are expected to make landfall in different parts of Florida within a day of each other.

Once the storms have passed, insurance adjusters will head to the most devastated areas first, working out of temporary office space, mobile offices in high-visibility locations and their cars. Kevin Craiglow, a spokesman for Nationwide, rode with an adjuster after Hurricane Isabel tore through Virginia in September.

They're out there pretty much seven days a week, 12 hours a day," he said. "They can use their wireless tablet PC to map out where the customers are, as well as process claims. Many of them have a built-in printer, so they produce checks on the spot."

Dell hires HP's top notebook executive
InfoWorld

Alex Gruzen has left Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP) to share responsibility for Dell Inc.'s client product group with John Medica, a Dell spokesman confirmed Wednesday.

As senior vice president and general manager at HP, Gruzen ran the company's notebook, Tablet PC, and PDA (personal digital assistant) division prior to leaving. When he joins Dell later this month, he will share joint responsibility with Medica for product development, marketing, and procurement within Dell's client product business.