Tablet PC

Tablet PCs in Liberty City

Frank — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:20:00 GMT

Recently, while I was in an internet cafe in Liberty City browsing the in-game internet, I came across this site.

At first, I enjoyed seeing a website about for Tablet PC enthusiasts.

That is, until I read the text.

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,GTA IV,Pen Computing

That Says It All

Frank — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:32:00 GMT

Vikram Madan draws another cartoon that pretty much sums it all up.

Technorati Tags: Humor,Tablet PC,UMPC,Battery Life,Wizard of Oz

MVP Renewed!

Frank — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:00:00 GMT

I received the email today: Microsoft has re-awarded me Tablet PC MVP for another year.

W00t!

Thanks, Microsoft!

I'd also like to extend congratulations to new and re-newed MVPs the world over, including Andy Leonard.

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,MVP,Microsoft

A Tablet Future

Frank — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:43:00 GMT

Industrial designers recently took a stab at predicting what the laptop of 2015 would look like.

Note the "tablet-esque" features of the devices, especially this dual display model with detachable monitor.

Here's another model that replaces the mechanical keyboard with a touch screen display.

Pen and Touch computing are here today.

Dual screen devices are here today, too, and quite common place, if you consider the Nintendo DS a device (and not just a toy).

When these kids grow up, they'll expect dual touch screens on their devices, just like kids who grew up with the Gameboy expect mobility today.

Something to think about.

[found via Slashdot]

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,Laptop 2015,Future,Concept Laptops

Layoffs at Motion Computing

Frank — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:27:00 GMT

Motion Computing, a leading hardware vendor in the Tablet space, is laying off 15 - 20% of its employees.

Here are some details (emphasis added):

The reduction in work force is 15 - 20%, comprising of about 40 employees.
The cuts are coming from three different areas in the company: 1) Reduction of inside sales to utilizing 100% of channel partners, 2) removal of a duplication of effort between Motion and their manufacturing partners (Compal and Pegatron) , 3) admin and marketing. The biggest cuts are coming from #1 and #2 above.
This is the third series of layoffs in the last 12 months, the most recent coming in December. The first layoff, in April of last year, was due to the cancellation of a development project.
Motion is still experiencing 30% growth year to year, but were projecting more. They are not hitting previously set milestones which were used to justify personnel hires, so they are having to bring expenses in line with current revenue.
Milestones were originally set without fully comprehending the extremely long adoption cycle in the healthcare field, in which they are marketing the C5 Tablet PC. It is taking much longer than originally thought to move from trial to implementation (ie, closing the sales loop). They feel very good about the F5 and the Field Force vertical, which should bring the points in the adoption cycle much closer together.
The current sales pipeline looks very healthy and they are still encouraged about the healthcare vertical space.

Tablet haters and sceptics will cite this as bad news for the Tablet PC platform, but it looks like their business is healthy.

They're just not hitting the sales targets they expected, which is more indicative of the economy in general.

[found via Gotta Be Mobile via Warner's Twitter feed]

Technorati Tags: Motion Computing,Layoff,AIS,Round Rock,Texas,Austin

Mobile Demand xTablet T8700 First Look

Frank — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:56:00 GMT

Fellow Tablet PC MVP Linda Epstein has just completed a preliminary review of the Mobile Demand xTablet T8700 Rugged Tablet PC.

From the post:

For those of you who need or a rugged Tablet PC Mobile Demands new xTablet 8700 is a an amazing piece of equipment with enough accessories and options to meet the needs of anyone who uses it.
[..]

TFT Digitizer & Passive Touch Screen with the xView Sunlight Readable option is a dream come true for those who need or want to be able to use there Table PC outside in full sunlight.
For those who are in need of a rugged Tablet PC the Mobile Demand xTablet T8700 is the answer to your prayers. Rugged, Sturdy and easy to hold and with enough accessory options to suit everyone's needs this Tablet PC will be very hard to beat.

I'll be looking forward to the full review and maybe getting one of these. :)

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,Ruggedized Tablet PC,Mobile Demand,xTablet,T8700

Ink Analysis on 64 Bit Machines

Frank — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 01:15:00 GMT

Fellow Tablet PC MVP Craig Pringle points out a "gotcha" for developers working with the Ink Analysis API on 64 bit machines.

From the blog post

If you want to make use of the Ink Analysis API and you are developing on a 64-bit machine then make sure you set the target CPU to x86. The Ink Analysis assemblies only support 32-bit at this time.
If you forget to do this then when you build or debug the project on an 64-bit machine then you will get an error like this:

System.BadImageFormatException was unhandled
Message=" is not a valid Win32 application. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800700C1)"
Source="IACore"

Fortunately, fixing this is easy: just set the target CPU on the project properties to x86.

That should tide us over until the Ink Analysis API is ported over to 64 bit.

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,Ink Analysis,64Bit,Craig Pringle

Bill Gates at the Office Developer Conference

Frank — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:37:00 GMT

In this Channel9 interview backstage at the Office Developer Conference, Bill Gates talks about Office as a development platform and his ideas on what the future of Office office holds.

Interesting to note is how he mentions keeps mentioning Tablet-related tech: including OneNote, Touch, Natural Input and Surface.

Technorati Tags: VSTO,ODC208,Office,Bill Gates,OneNote,Tablet PC

Post MacWorld Blues

Frank — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:41:00 GMT

Last week, the world was all abuzz about the MacWorld convention and what would be revealed.

A Mac Tablet? A better iPhone?

Apple's veil of secrecy allowed for only rumors and small tidbits of information through to the outside world.

We let our imaginations run wild; wilder than the imaginations inside of Apple.

Tablet PC enthusiasts drooled over the possibility of MacTablet, which no doubt would have raised the profile of Tablet PCs.

Some cool, new, paradigm-changing device, perhaps?

Nope, just a new laptop: the MacBook Air. Sure, it's small, light and really thin, but it's evolution, not revolution.

I think we all expected more from Apple.

Technorati Tags: Tablet PC,Mobile Computing,MacBook Air,MacWorld,Letdown

MacWorld Prediction: Apple Tablet?

Frank — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:57:00 GMT

They've even put together a video demonstrating what the Mac Tablet might look like.

I want one. :)

[found via GottaBeMobile]

Technorati tags: Tablet PC, MacTablet, Rumor, CES, MacWorld, Apple