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techforyou.com: Mobile Technology for Busy People |
by Bill Mann
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techforyou.com |
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Should Your Next PC be a Tablet PC?by Bill Mann The Tablet PCs are finally here. We've been hearing about them for
years--small, light (some weigh less than 3 pounds) computers that you can
write on as if they were a pad of paper or a personal digital assistant.
These tiny powerhouses run a version of Windows XP, so you can use them
like high-end notebook computers and run all your favorite applications.
But you can also use them like virtually endless digital notebooks or
sketchbooks, entering information with a special pen in environments where
a desktop or notebook computer just won't cut it. You can even talk to
them. Since their launch in November 2002, Tablet PC sales have exceeded even
the most optimistic predictions. Clearly the portability, usability, and
sheer coolness of Tablet PCs are striking a chord with users. They've been
particularly well received by doctors, lawyers, real estate professionals
and artists. The question is, "Should your next PC be a Tablet PC?" The
answer to that question depends on how you work. Do you spend a lot of time taking notes in meetings? These days, most
people frown on anyone using a laptop computer during a meeting, and many
organizations have outright banned them from meeting rooms. But taking
notes on a Tablet PC is like taking notes with pencil and paper. There's
no annoying click, click, click of a keyboard, and no screen standing
upright between its user and everyone else. Using a Tablet PC in meetings
causes no such disruptions (once everyone stops gawking at it). Do you take lots of handwritten notes, only to find that you have
problems locating the right piece of information when you need it? With a
Tablet PC, you don't have to worry about losing your notes, as they're all
safe and sound in the computer. Even better, while you write the Tablet PC
recognizes your handwriting and creates an index of key words in your
notes. This allows the computer to search your handwritten notes for you.
While handwriting recognition on the Tablet PC is by no means perfect, it
does work reasonably well and greatly improves your chances of finding the
information you need. Do you need to use your computer in places where it's not practical to
sit down and type? You can use a Tablet PC just like you would a pencil
and paper, holding the computer in one hand while writing on the screen
with the pen. It's a natural and practical way to work that lets you work
on the move and beats the heck out of trying to type while balancing your
computer in your lap. If you're an information worker that doesn't spend the day sitting in one place, or a "corridor warrior" who spends your time going from meeting to meeting, perhaps your next PC should be a Tablet PC. NewsMy ArticlesSome articles by Bill Mann: Strategy With a Twist (PC Upgrade, May
2003) Wires? Who Needs Wires? (Computer Bits, Mar 2003) The Smart Medical Home (Computer Bits, Jan 2003) How To Use Factoids to Enhance Handwriting Recognition in Non-Tablet PC Applications (ZIP file) (Tablet PC
Developer, Dec 2002) Create Handwritten Email with riteMail (PalmPower, Nov 2002) An Office in the Palm of Your Hand (Computer Bits, Nov 2002) Nokia 9290 Communicator (TECH Edge, Oct 2002) Handango Office Suite Platinum Edition: an office in your pocket (PalmPower Enterprise Edition, Jun 2002) Visualize and Organize Your Thoughts with MindManager Mobile (PalmPower Enterprise Edition, May 2002) My BooksRecent mobile technology books by Bill Mann: How to Do Everything with Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 (McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media, 2003) How to Do Everything with Your Tablet PC (McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media, 2003) Wireless Devices End to End (John Wiley & Sons, 2002) I Want My MP3!: How to Download, Rip, & Play Digital Music (Osborne McGraw-Hill, 1999) |
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