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Tablet PC

A Tablet PC is a notebook or slate-shaped mobile computer, first introduced by Pen Computing in the early 90s with their PenGo Tablet Computer and popularized by Microsoft. Its touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse.

The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer. Tablet PCs are often used where normal notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

Contents

Forms

Slates

Slates, which resemble writing slates, are tablet PCs without a dedicated keyboard. Keyboards can usually be attached via a wireless or USB connection.

These tablet PCs typically incorporate small (8.4-14.1 inches/21–36 cm) LCD screens and have been popular for quite some time in vertical markets such as health care, education, and field work.

Slate models are often designed with a focus on pure mobility, that is, the less to carry, the better.

Rugged tablet PC models are usually in the slate form factor; without a keyboard, there are fewer moving parts to break.

Thin-client slates

Thin-client slates consist of a touchscreen and an integrated wireless connection device. These units by design have limited processing power which is chiefly involved with Input/Output data processing such as video display, network communications, audio encoding/decoding, and input capture (touchscreen input, bar code reading, magnetic stripe reading (credit card swipe). The unit transmits data via a secured wireless connection to a remote server for processing.

Thin-client slates have the design advantages of a very lightweight form factor, more secure data (no data storage on the slate computer), long battery life (no processor to power). The Panasonic Toughbook 08 is representative of the application of thin-client computing to tablet PCs.

Convertibles

Convertible notebooks have a base body with an attached keyboard. They more closely resemble modern notebooks/laptops, and are usually heavier and larger than slates.

Typically, the base of a convertible attaches to the display at a single joint called a swivel hinge or rotating hinge. The joint allows the screen to rotate around 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface. This design, although the most common, creates a physical point of weakness on the notebook.

Some manufacturers, however, have attempted to overcome these weak points. The Panasonic Toughbook 19, for example, is advertised as a more durable convertible notebook. One model by Acer has a sliding design in which the screen slides up from the slate-like position and locks into place to provide the laptop mode.

Convertibles are by far the most popular form factor of tablet PCs, because for people who are unsure about the practicality of using the pen as the primary method of input, the convertibles still offer the keyboard and pointing device of traditional notebooks as a backup plan.

Hybrids

Hybrids, coined by users of the HP/Compaq TC1000 and TC1100 series (depicted to the right), share the features of the slate and convertible by using a detachable keyboard which operates in a similar fashion to a convertible when attached.

This is not to be confused with slate models that have a detachable keyboard—detachable keyboards for pure slate models do not rotate around to allow the tablet to rest on it like a convertible.

Despite a loyal following of users, the hybrid form factor has not received any recent updates after the TC1100 was discontinued.

History

  • Late 1960s
  • 1989
    • The first commercially available tablet-type computer was the GRiDPad from GRiD Systems, released in September. Its operating system was based on MS-DOS.
  • 1991
    • The Momenta Pentop was released.
    • GO Corp announced a dedicated operating system, called PenPoint OS.
    • NCR released model 3125 pen computer running MS-DOS, Penpoint or Pen Windows.[1]
    • The Apple Newton entered development; although it ultimately became a PDA, its original concept (which called for a larger screen and greater sketching capabilities) resembled that of a tablet PC.
  • 1992
    • GO Corp shipped PenPoint and IBM announced IBM 2125 pen computer (the first IBM model named "ThinkPad") in April.[2].
  • 1993
    • The first commercialized tablet computer systems available to the consumer market were the IBM ThinkPad 750P and 360P introduced in 1993[3]
    • AT&T introduced the EO Personal Communicator combining PenPoint with wireless communications.
  • 1999
    • The "QBE" Tablet PC created by Aqcess Technologies wins Comdex Best of Show.
  • 2000
    • The "QBE Vivo" Tablet PC created by Aqcess Technologies ties for Comdex Best of Show.
  • 2002
  • 2002-Present
    • Recent advances in computer technology and lowering of manufacturing costs allowed for tablet PCs to become more affordable and widespread.
  • Present
    • Windows Vista is released to the public. Many of the different editions include the same Tablet PC support found in Windows XP Tablet PC edition.

System software

Microsoft

The operating system on which most tablet PCs run is Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Tablet PC Edition is a superset of Windows XP Professional, the difference being tablet functionality, including alternate text input (Tablet PC Input Panel) and basic drivers for support of tablet PC specific hardware. Requirements to install Tablet PC Edition include a tablet digitizer or touchscreen device, and hardware control buttons including a Ctrl-Alt-Delete shortcut button, scrolling buttons, and at least one user-configurable application button.

Service Pack 2 for Windows XP includes Tablet PC Edition 2005 and is a free upgrade. This version brought improved handwriting recognition and improved the Input Panel, allowing it to be used in almost every application. The Input Panel was also revised to extend speech recognition services (input and correction) to other applications.

With Windows Vista, the Tablet PC functionality no longer requires a separate edition. Tablet PC support is built into all editions of Windows Vista with the exception of Home Basic. This extends the handwriting recognition, ink collection, and additional input methods to any computer running Vista even if the input device is an external digitizer, a touch screen, or even a regular mouse.

Windows applications

There are quite a lot of operating systems in use on devices marketed as tablets. Note that most tablet PC software is targeted particularly for the Microsoft Tablet PC API, and will not run on devices without Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Care should be taken when researching a tablet system or any device or software that claims to be designed for tablet PCs, as the phrase does not guarantee compatibility.

Applications developed for the tablet PC cater to the form factor and functionality available on the platform. Many forms of applications incorporate a pen-friendly user interface and/or the ability to handwrite directly in the document or interface.

A brief description of the applications included follows:

Experience Pack

  • Ink Desktop: an Active Desktop control designed to run in the background and allow the user to write directly on the desktop.
  • Snipping Tool: a screen capture application which allows the tablet pen to be used to select a portion of the screen and then annotate it and save as a file or send in an email.
  • Ink Art: a painting application developed by Ambient Design originally as ArtRage, licensed to Microsoft for release to Tablet PC users.
  • Ink Crossword: a crossword application developed to mirror the experience of a paper crossword puzzle on a tablet PC.
  • Media Transfer: a synchronization utility designed to download music, pictures, and videos off of computers in the same network.

Education Pack

  • Ink Flash Cards: an application designed to assist memorization by using a flash card approach, enabling the user to handwrite their own flash cards and display them back in a slideshow.
  • Equation Writer: a recognition tool specializing in converting handwritten mathematical equations to a computer-generated image for pasting into other documents.
  • GoBinder Lite: an organization and note-taking application developed by Agilix Labs.
  • Hexic Deluxe: a game with a tablet PC specific gesture enabled for easier use with the tablet

GNU/Linux

Running Linux on tablet PCs is as practical as on conventional notebooks. More recently, tablet PCs may also be configured with Linux pre-installed.

One early implementation of a Linux tablet was the ProGear by FrontPath. The ProGear used a Transmeta chip and a resistive digitizer. The ProGear initially came with a version of Slackware Linux, but could later be bought with Windows 98. Because these computers are general purpose IBM PC compatible machines, they can run many different operating systems.

Xorg now supports screen rotation and tablet input through Wacom drivers, and handwriting recognition software from both the Qt-based Qtopia and GTK+-based Internet Tablet OS provide promising free and open source systems for future development.

Another handwriting recognition software for GNU/Linux is CellWriter; a note-taking application for GNU/Linux and FreeBSD[5] is Xournal

However, little mature desktop-oriented software of the sort has arisen, leading many users to rely on on-screen keyboards and alternative text input methods like Dasher.

TabletKiosk currently offers a hybrid digitizer / touch device running SUSE Linux. It is the first device with this feature to support Linux.

Apple

The aftermarketer Axiotron has introduced aftermarket, heavily modified Apple MacBooks called Modbooks, a Mac OS X-based tablet computer. It uses Apple's Inkwell for handwriting and gesture recognition and bundles additional digitization software from Wacom.

While Apple Inc. doesn't sanction running their operating system Mac OS X on non-Apple hardware, there are a large number of computer enthusiasts who are running hacked copies of Mac OS X on various x86 architecture PC models, among them Tablet PC computers. To get Mac OS X to talk to the digitizer on Tablet PC systems they use a free open source driver originally written to support serial tablets for which Wacom no longer supplies Mac drivers. The web site http://forums.insanelymac.com/ provides a forum for many of these "Hackintosh" enthusiasts to share information.


Tablets vs. traditional notebooks

The advantages and disadvantages of tablet PCs are highly subjective measures. What appeals to one user may be exactly what disappoints another. The following are commonly cited opinions of the tablet PC platform:

Advantages

  • More natural form of input — sketching and handwriting are a much more familiar form of input than a keyboard and mouse, especially for people who are new to computers.
  • Gesture recognition — gestures (moving the stylus in special patterns over the screen) are powerful ways to increase efficiency. Many applications, or the operating system itself, can be programmed to respond in different ways to certain gestures created by the pen.
  • Note-taking — taking handwritten notes and drawing diagrams at a class or conference increases productivity and retention of information. The notes can also be searched automatically if handwriting recognition is implemented.
  • Accessibility — those who are physically unable to type can utilize the additional features of a tablet PC to be able to interact with the electronic world.
  • Digital art — tablets are often necessary for professional digital artist work. For many, mouse movement is too jerky to be used as a precision tool.
  • Portability — slate tablets and hybrids without keyboards are very slim and light compared to typical laptops and can easily be tucked under the arm like a book.
  • Horizontal orientation — most tablet PCs do not interrupt line of sight since they lie flat on the table or in one's arms. This allows for better interaction in business meetings and conferences and also makes it easy for digital artists who wish to draw on a horizontal medium.

Disadvantages

  • Higher cost — convertible tablet PCs can cost significantly more than their non-tablet counterparts although this premium has been predicted to fall.[6]
  • Screen size — the size of tablet PC screens peaks at around 14.1 inches athough some models make up for this with higher resolution (pixel density per unit area).
  • Input speed — handwriting can be significantly slower than peak typing speeds which can be as high as 50-150 WPM.
  • Screen damage risk - Tablet PC's are handled more than conventional laptops yet built on the same frames and since their screens also serve as input devices (like PDAs) they run a higher risk of screen damage.
  • No built in optical drive (in many Tablet PCs) — in order to reduce weight and thickness.

Designing around disadvantages

Manufacturers can design additional durability into the displays of tablets to effectively reduce screen damage risk, hinge failure, and screen size limitations. As an example, Panasonic Computer Solutions Company designed the Toughbook 19 specifically to overcome the screen damage issue potential. The use of scissor shock absorbers mounted to the screen, flexible connectors for data cables, molded magnesium alloy screen casing, durable and replaceable screen overlayments, and purpose built convertible hinges impact reliability. However, handheld models of computer such as the OQO Model 2 have a retractable keyboard that slides out sideways as a measure against having weak hinges and that the clamps for the sideway retracting keyboard are stronger if you put it into proportion to the robustness.

Popular models

Major tablet PC Manufacturers include Acer, Asus, Bosanova,Fujitsu, Gateway, Inc., Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lenovo Group, LG Electronics, NEC, Panasonic and Toshiba.

Popular models include:

Slate

Convertible

  • Acer TravelMate C100/C300/C310
  • Asus R1F
  • Asus R1E
  • Averatec C3500 Series
  • Dialogue Flybook V5
  • Dell Latitude XT
  • Fujitsu LifeBook P1610(Slim, Ultra-portable, Small)/T4020, /T4210, /T4220 /T2010 (Latest)
  • Gateway C-140X (aka S-7235/E-295C)
  • Gateway C-120X (aka S-7125C/E-155C)
  • HP Compaq TC4200/TC4400
  • HP Compaq 2710p
  • HP Pavilion tx1000 Entertainment PC
  • HP Pavilion tx2000
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X41 Tablet
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X60 Tablet (known popularly as "X60t")
  • Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet
  • LG XNote C1
  • LG LT-20-47CE
  • Panasonic Toughbook 19
  • Toshiba Portégé 3500/3505
  • Toshiba Portégé M200
  • Toshiba Portégé M400/405/700
  • Toshiba Portégé R400/405
  • Toshiba Satellite R10/R15/R20/R25
  • Toshiba Tecra M4/M7

Hybrid

See also (programs)

Electronics Portal

References

  1. ^ NCR announces pen-based computer press release, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NEW/is_1991_June_24/ai_10957018>. Retrieved on 20 April 2007 
  2. ^ Penpoint OS shipping press release, <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NEW/is_1992_April_17/ai_12165379>. Retrieved on 20 April 2007 
  3. ^ Lenovo - The history of ThinkPad
  4. ^ Windows XP Tablet PC Home Page
  5. ^ Xournal patch for FreeBSD
  6. ^ Convertibles: The new laptop bling? - CNET News.com

External links

Information

Tablet PCs in education

Tablet PCs in construction

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