Windows Journal

Windows Journal is a legacy application released in 2002 when the first version of XP for Tablet PC was released. Since them it has been present in all the newest Windows releases. So why I'm mentioning now? Well, because no everybody knows that it supports ink (handwriting).

A simple and easy to use little application forgotten on time.

Microsoft's Surface

Microsoft has announced today Surface, a complete new hardware designed and made by this company.



There are going to be two versions, one Windows RT and one with Windows 8 Pro.




Those wanting to have Ink in the RT version are going to be disappointed, the good news is that the Pro version still have this feature and all the others that makes this version a full TabletPC.

Both version have a cover that includes a touch keyboard on it. A revolutionary concept never seen before. The whole design is new and includes a stand as part of the body.





The price and availability still unknown but we expect to find more information in the next few weeks at http://microsoft.com/surface

The Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 Slate

Linda Epstein has recently reviewed the The Fujitsu Stylistic Q550 Slate, a TabletPc so easy to use tha a squirrel can use it.

This TabletPc is using Windows 7 in an Atom processor, this means that it's giving up performance against battery life, in this case, 8 hours. Another point is the HDD of only 64Gb (32Gb the cheapest one). Today a HDD of that side is practically nothing. The price is not bad. The 32Gb version is $729 and the 64Gb is $849. This machine has a dual digitizer, so it's touch capable and it uses too a digital pen. The best of the both worlds. The ink experience is really good on it according to Linda.

Dell Latitude ST Windows 7 Tablet

The Dell Latitude ST is a TabletPc running a full version of Windows 7 with an Intel Atom processor.

Still there is not any other info about this device beside what is in this video.

OCOSMO OCS9

OCOSMO OCS9 is a new TabletPc that's about to be released by Dynamism. This machine will come with Windows 7 installed and there is where all the problems start. Despite the really short booting time, check the video at Dynamism, having Windows 7 in this machine is wrong! The machine comes with a 16Gb or a 32Gb SSD. This means that there won't be almost any space left in the 16Gb one after installing Office 2010 on top of whatever version of W7 comes in that machine. That will push many users to go with the 32Gb one. The 32Gb one will run into the same problem in few months. Whoever has used an 16Gb iPad will tell you that all it takes is few 3D or simulations games to run out of storage space. In Windows World everything uses more space. I have a TabletPC with 60 Gb HDD and I had a lot of problems last week trying to free 9Gb to backup my iPad before the iOS 5 upgrade.


Even when the idea is that a TabletPc should be used as a complementary machine and never as your main one, the fact is that that does not apply to an immense number of users. Today a machine running Windows and having a storage capacity of less than 100Gb is almost useless for huge percentage of users. Definitely, it's not recommended for college students.


Another problem is the Atom processor used in this machine. Just check the video include at Dynamism and you will notice that the Launching interface included in the OSC9 does run smooth. You may say that the games are but games sometime are tricky because you are running them at a lower resolution. The fact is that the OSC9 have issues running a graphic interface in the native resolution. Is this important? No, unless you want to mimic a Tablet or you are a gamer. But definitely is something to be consider.


Now, keep in mind that I have not seen or tested the machine. I checked the specifications and watched a demo video. I would wait for a real owner review before scratching it from your Christmas list. The external design to this machine is really appealing.

Avox AT11

Despite the popularity of Tablets there is some movement in the TabletPc market. This summer Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO announced that there were few TabletPcs coming this fall. I don't know if the Avox AT11 is one them but the fact is that Ruvo is showing it as coming soon in it's site.




The specification in this machine does not show anything out of the ordinary. The battery life is showing from 4 to 5 hours a little more than the average in other devices. Of course, if I'm calling it TabletPC is because it uses Windows 7.

Tega v2 coming soon

Our friend Hugo Ortega is preparing the conditions for the release in September of the Tega v2, a very sexy Tablet PC that according to Hugo is ready to compete against the iPad. Well, I do not know if it's ready or not, at least is loaded with a capacitive display and a lot of other features unavailable in the iPad. Still know the price and I could not find any indication of what's going to be the battery life of this machine. A very important point this one for the competition against Apple's machine. I hope that if Hugo reads this post he answers us this question.

RUVO releasing a new Tablet Pc

Recently I received a press release from Ruvo about a new Tablet PC, the Avox AT11. According to Ruvo this is a device ready to compete against the iPad.

Loren Heiny has died

Loren Heiny is not longer with us but his presence will be felt any where a Tablet PC is turned on. Thanks Loren for introducing me to these wonderful machines.

Loren Heiny passed away on Sunday, July 25, 2010. We are gathering to celebrate his life and all the joys he brought to our lives. Please join our family on Saturday, July 31 at 2pm. We will be at our sister’s home for a picinic, which Loren loved.

Incremental Blogger —

ritePen 4.0 released

ritePen is one of the best ink recognition software available for Tablet PCs.  The beigest difference between this software and other of its kindis the fact that ritePen uses the whole screen as board. Check this video and you will see what I'm saying.

YouTube
- ritePen 4.0 'Touch'

ritePen’s core functionality is that of handwriting recognition, customizable with your own lexicons and special punctuation. Write anywhere on the screen and your words are turned into text in the text-entry field of whatever app you have open. Need to enter text in a web site? Just start writing. Built on top of that are ink macros that are shortcuts triggered by writing a word then circling it. Have a standard chunk of text you need to enter? Scribble and circle one word to make it appear. Want to launch a URL or app with one word? You can do that too. In addition to all that, ritePen is a screen grabbing machine that lets you select any section of the screen, annotate and highlight with ink and shapes, and save them to clipboard or Evernote.

Via: GottaBeMobile

Father's Day Gift Guide

As usual every year, TabletPc2.com has published its Gift List for the Father's Day. I hope that my daughter reads this because I liked a lot the Toshiba Camileo S20 HD camera.

The Tablet PC Gift Dads and Grads Gift Guide includes something for everyone.  A variety of technology gifts & accessories for the Dad or Graduate in your life and you just may spot an item or two for yourself as well.

Tablet Pc 2010 Dads and Grads Gift Guide

Microsoft believes in Tablet

The life of Tablet PCs and UMPCs have not been easy. Like any idea ahead of time we have seen many problems coming from implementations that still do not have a full hardware support. Like the UMPC resolutions at 800x480. Yes, everybody knew that that was not enough but to have a good price they had to compromise this and use a display that was designed for a completely different activity. To have a display with more resolution for that new category of devices (UMPC) would have taken time and would have cost a lot more. And the whole idea behind was to have a device with a price lower than 500 dollars.  But anyway… The reason that I’m bringing this is because while some pages spend time looking at the errors we have Bill Gate saying:

"Microsoft has a lot of different tablet projects that we're pursuing. We think that work with the pen that Microsoft pioneered will become a mainstream for students. It can give you a device that you can not only read, but also create documents at the same time."

A really good news for people like me that still believe in the concept TabletPC/UMPC. Keep going Bill, that I’m with you.

iPad clone using W7

It's not clear what's the battery live in this clone but it got my attention. The Atom N450 at 1.66 GHz is plenty enough to run W7 at a performance that will satisfy 99.9% of the users.

Processor: Intel Atom N450 @ 1.66GHz
OS: Windows 7
Display: 10.1-Inch LED backlit touch screen with multi touch support
RAM: 2GB
HDD: 250GB
Camera: 1.3 megapixels camera

Costliest iPad clone ever

Dan Povenmire and his Tablet PC

Dan Povenmire is the Executive Producer of Phineas and Ferb, from Disney Channel. But this is not the reason why I'm writing about him  but the report from John Hill about Dan using a Motion Tablet PC to create the Storyboards of this show.

The lightweight design of the Motion Tablet enables him to carry it wherever he goes. During a recent flight to Taiwan he composed 250 pages of storyboards, something he couldn’t have done before on paper due to the weight and bulk. Also, the tablet PCs portability and easy input with a stylus make drawing and creating in tight spaces easy. “It’s the perfect size for drawing storyboards and animating,” says Povenmire, describing the size and ergonomics of his Motion Tablet.

EviGroup Paddle 10” TabletPC

It's like Tablet PCs are getting a second chance. A new one is coming soon, the Evigroup Paddle 10" TabletPC according to news published at UMPCPortal.

The design looks good but I believe that Slates should have few hot keys around the screen to make their use easier.

Hannon Touchpad BC10C

An excellent choice for students. Easy to carry and a perfect size and design. Check the video review from jkk.

YouTube
- Hanvon TouchPad BC10C tablet review

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605

Here is an example of how some  makers call their accessories using the names of the best sellers trying to increase their own sales. Logitech Notebook Kit MK605. Check the picture of it.

It’s a Mouse/Keyboard/Stand kit. Now, is not a Netbook a device with a keyboard and mouse integrated? Is not a Netbook a device that when it’s opened the display stays standing up like the stand in the picture? So… This kit is not for netbooks guys! This is a perfect kit for Tablet PC owners, for UMPC owners and for MID Owners. All of them devices that most of the time come without a keyboard! So name it properly!

Logitech has an entire family of laptop accessories designed to enhance your experience, comfort, and productivity no matter what you’re doing or where you’re doing it and today, we’re adding the Logitech Notebook Kit MK605. Combining a pivoting riser with a wireless mouse and keyboard, the Notebook Kit MK605 is our first all-in-one solution to feature our recently announced Unifying technology, providing a convenient and flexible way to make your laptop experience more enjoyable.

Logitech Introduces Notebook Kit MK605 | BLogitech

Tete a tete with Linda A. Epstein

Linda and her page TabletPc2.com are without any doubt in my mind a mandatory stop for anybody researching about the term TabletPC. Her last article is a compendium of all the information found at her page and I'm recommending everybody reading this brief note to click in this link and read it.

Motion F5 and C5 – the best outdoor display

According to Tablet PC Blog, the Motion F5 and C5 Tablets have the best outdoor display in the market and to prove this they have posted few pictures at their site. 

Those who never has seen an outdoor display won’t understand what we are talking about. This is something that you have to see it to believe it. The difference between an outdoor display and a regular display is like day and night. So, if you are an outdoor enthusiast or if feeding your family depends on using a mobile pc outdoor, I would recommend you to find a device with an outdoor display. 

Via:  Tablet PC Blog

Archos 9 soon in USA

We may see the Archos 9 TabletPC in this Christmas list of many of us. According to a Press Release,  it will be sold in USA this fall.

The ARCHOS 9 features the new Z515 Intel® processor, Microsoft Windows 7® Operating system and an integrated multimedia platform that uses WiFi 802.11b/g connection and Bluetooth 2.1 for extremely fast computing anywhere, anytime.

This small Tablet PC has one of the most appealing designs that I have seen later.