- Bernie

Let me begin by telling you my background, why I chose to purchase a tablet PC, and what affected my purchasing decisions.

I've had a PC at home since 1981 when I first had an Atari 800 (anyone still remember that?).  I've always had a love for technology and gadgets, and I've been an early adopter at the expense of my wallet.  My first "handheld" would not even fit into my shirt pocket (but it did have a small thermal printer in it's cradle!).  When the first Windows CE devices came out, I had to rush out and get one to replace my Psion. Unfortunately the first CE device ended up in a cupboard within six months.  I've had no less that five Pocket PCs (PPCs) over the last two and a half years (a Hewlett-Packard Jornada, three Compaq Ipaqs, and a Toshiba E740).

From a professional perspective, I've been doing Big 5 (4?) consulting for over 12 years and have been involved in cross-platform mobility solutions. So tablets aren't new to me, but tablet PCs are.

Why buy a tablet PC
I'm always looking for ways to increase my productivity and expand the way that I use computers. I read about tablet PCs several months ago and eagerly awaited their arrival. When I first saw the tablet PC prototypes in June, I was very impressed. I've always found that the form factors (the screen size) of PPCs too small for serious applications and have always looked forward to having the interface of a PPC with the screen size of a small notebook. My main reason for wanting a tablet PCs was to finally get rid of paper--specifically my note books. I have a ton of them but never seem to find the right one when I need it!   I tried using PPCs for taking notes in meetings, but it simply wasn't practical; I had to revert to paper.

So the decision was made, and I started researching the tablet PC market.

How to select a tablet PC
In my opinion, there are three form factors to tablet PCs; the one you need depends on what your uses are.  The following table  summarizes my findings and is really a mini-guide to tablet PCs. 

Convertibles	Hybrid	Slate Tablets
Laptops that "convert" into tablets. I would say this is what the majority of people would want.	Slates that plug into keyboards. Interesting for those who are desk based but occasionally need a tablet for meetings.	Slates (or screen only) that don't have keyboards built in. There are some innovative solutions around docking stations, USB keyboards, etc.
Acer; Toshiba	Hewlett/Packard-Compaq	Viewsonic; Fujitsu
Advantages When you tire of tapping or writing, you can type! Everything is in one compact package; you can type with the PC on your lap or on a plane It's like having a fully functional laptop with full  tablet PC functionality	Advantages When you tire of tapping or writing, you can type but not on your lap Cool looking! Small and light (without the keyboard) A compromise for those that want a slate but want the security of a keyboard	Advantages Perfect form factor for vertical apps where the use of a keyboard is not an issue. (Chances are that you're probably using early versions of these already.) Cool looking! Small and light
Disadvantages  Not as cool as some of the accessories/tablets in the hybrid and slate space.	Disadvantages Can't type on your lap (did I mention that already?) Not pressure-sensitive!	Disadvantages  Can't type on your lap More stuff to carry around if the primary use isn't as a slate

For more detail and a comparison guide visit www.tabletpc.com.

Which tablet PC?
Being a keyboard addict ever since I learned how to type to cover up my messy writing, I mainly looked into the convertibles and the hybrids. The hybrids had a great price entry point, and the docking unit is great if you are fixed in one location (one office or client site). However, I like to use laptops on my lap when typing (for example, when watching TV). After checking out the HPaq, I decided against it mainly for this reason.

So the choice was between the Acer and the Toshiba. About five years ago, I decided to go down the smaller is better approach to laptop computing because of all the travel I do and the fact that my back was suffering as a consequence. Therefore, for me, the Acer was the obvious choice. Had I needed more power or a bigger screen, the Toshiba would have been the one!

First impressions
When I received my Acer, I was very impressed. So much so that my wife told me that you couldn't wipe the smirk of my face! The laptop had a good solid feel to its 3.1 pounds (even though it's a bit plasticy). It feels well designed and built. In addition to the standard features that you'll read about, it had a couple I wasn't expecting such as two pens, two batteries (I opted for the more expensive unit with built-in wireless communication), a Smart Card and its reader(!), and a little leather pouch to carry around the laptop. (With the Acer logo covered, people can't tell it's a laptop. ) I was a bit disappointed that it didn't have a TV output or built-in Bluetooth (to use with my mobile phone), but it does have FireWire. It even came with an external USB CD-ROM reader (but then again it needed separate power cables--more stuff to lug around).

I switched it on and converted it into tablet mode immediately. If you are used to PPCs, there is no learning curve. It took a few minutes to figure out how to turn on the wireless to talk to my home PC, but, after referring to the quick guide, I was connected within minutes. After playing around with the tablet apps (see "Software-- What's the verdict"), I switched to portable mode and started installing my favorite apps and reconfiguring the machine. The keyboard, although a bit small, is very responsive, and I had no issues adjusting from full-size keyboards.  Personally, I prefer the little "nipples" to the touchpad, but you can't have everything.

The screen is very usable, but is slightly reflective.  I think Acer could have integrated a slightly larger screen, but perhaps this was a technological challenge.  Battery life is also pretty good but not revolutionary.  Having two batteries is great!

Software for tablet PCs--what's the verdict?
It must be said.  Microsoft did a great job of integrating the tablet interface into Windows XP.  Having used XP for over a year now, this was great news for me!  The Journal, with its inking, is quite impressive at first.  Basically, Journal lets you use your tablet as a notepad. On the downside, it's probably not as flexible as power users would want it to be- in terms of functionality it's the equivalent of notepad as opposed to word. I've found the application overall to be useful but a bit buggy. For example, if you insert text and annotate it (such as highlight), then zoom in and out, the formatting gets messed up. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the replacement office app OneNote.  One (expensive) option is to use Franklin-Covey's Tablet Planner- the note taking options are quite impressive.

You must install the Office XP integration pack to use tablet functions into Office XP. This suite lets you integrate Ink relatively into most Office apps. From a handwritten note, you can very easily schedule meetings, set up tasks, and email your notes. This gives you a great preview of the potential of the technology, but integration today isn't perfect. The good news is that you can send people (with a rich email client) personalized messages that aren't that large. I can finally send my three-year old son a doodle that he can understand as opposed to a written email! In fact, he was able to figure out how to use the Journal app to doodle just by watching me use it once! I just worry about him destroying the screen. Overall- this is an area that needs improvement. It would be great if we could insert diagrams or writing on to this web page in FrontPage.

I recommend that you try out the Office XP pack for the tablet PC demo to get an idea of software integration. You'll find the demo at: http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/2002/images/otabletpcdemo.aspx

The handwriting recognition is pretty good (not perfect and it doesn't learn). You can even search your handwritten notes! I personally don't use this feature because of the way I use my tablet.  Any notes that I take that I choose to share, I send in Journal format (now that there is a free reader for those that don't have a Tablet PC) and everything else I type.  This may shock a few people but it's really no different to photocopying your notes after a meeting.  Until the software is 99% I won't convert.

One of the things that bugs me coming from the PPC world is the on-screen keyboard. It doesn't guess what you are trying to type, unlike the many applications that offer auto complete. And the shortcuts for PPCs don't work either. For example, to get a capital A on the tablet, you have to tap Shift then A. By comparison, on the PPC you can get the same result with one movement if you tap the A and drag the stylus upwards. Microsoft--this would be a great improvement.

Conclusions
My overall verdict is that this is great v 1.0 release from both from Acer and Microsoft but the software needs to be improved before tablets become more widespread. It lets you be productive today, with apps like the Journal, and it gives you a hint of things to come. New software needs to be made available and integration needs to be improved- there's no point having a pen based interface and being limited by programs requiring text entry.  Wouldn't you expect to send handwritten instant messages on your new tablet?

If you are buying a Tablet PC to exclusively use it as a slate- wait otherwise you'll be disappointed by the lack of software- unless you have a specific application you want to use.  If you are considering a tablet because you need a new laptop- paying $200 dollars for the additional functionality of a convertible is a bargain!  A Pen based user interface is so much easier than a mouse!  I use my pen even when I'm typing!

From a business perspective, there are specific applications of the tablet PC, like for claims handlers, law enforcement, and healthcare- but in all honesty- I think these markets would have been the early adopters of the earlier generation of tablets.  Tablet PC will standardize this market.

Personally, in the 2 months of use, I use the PC in laptop mode 85% of the time and in slate (for note taking or reading magazines) or hybrid mode (for watching videos) about 15% of the time.  Things I use the tablet mode for are for note taking and content viewing/browsing (such as my PC Magazine e-subscription) as well as in locations where a keyboard is not practical--like Starbucks! I'll continue to use the keyboard for anything requiring text entry.

I'm not sure why you can't get the Tablet PC edition for a desktop with a Wacom digitizer.

Here are the overall strengths/weaknesses that I see with this Acer model:

Good build quality (except maybe the hinges)
Good screen/size ratio. Small but usable
Best of both worlds in one compact package
Surprising extras like extra batteries, smart card reader
Software isn't 100% there yet
Heats up (especially in tablet mode)
Low(ish) hardware specs; only 256 MB of RAM, mono audio (speaker), No legacy ports

Predictions:
Shorthand will make a comeback: Confidence 60%
Tablet PCs will facilitate e-books and published magazines: Confidence 80%
In five years, tablet PCs will represent 60% of new laptops sold: Confidence 70%
The difference between tablet PCs and pocket PCs will blur: Confidence 100%

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Please note that all the opinions expressed here are my own and reflect my personal point of view.

 

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