|
A Tablet PC is basically a laptop computer minus the keyboard, as you can see in Figure 1. The Tablet PC is one large monitor on which you write directly by using a special pen, or stylus. The stylus controls the graphical gizmos that appear on the screen, and the Tablet PC's software translates your chicken scratches into readable text.
Tablet PC is a neat style of portable computer that Microsoft has invested big bucks in helping to develop. It's lightweight, sleek, and offers an interesting variety of ways to input information that Microsoft hopes may appeal to you.
Now, not everyone can come from royalty — and frankly, Tablet PC has a less-than-impressive family tree. In fact, Tablet PC comes from a long line of less-than-successful ancestors, including Apple's Newton, Go Corporation's Eo, and Sony Vaio's Pen Tablet. These tools were all early entries in the world of pen computing, technology that lets you write your input with a pen-like device instead of typing (as you do on most other computers).
The Tablet PC, which many people thought would be a quick flash in the pan of the computer industry, seems to have more staying power than any other new computer type introduced in the past 20 years.
Tablet PC adds voice-recognition capability to the pen technology. Twenty-odd manufacturers have brought out their versions in various portable, easy-to-hold designs that weigh around 3 pounds. But what really sets Tablet PC apart from its ancestors — and gives it a crack at finally making pen technology work — is its operating system. Microsoft Windows XP for Tablet PC — a full version of Windows on which you can run any program written for Windows — powers Tablet PCs.
Various businesses have used tablet-style PCs for several years now. You may have seen them in action — perhaps being carried around a store by a clerk to update the inventory of canned peas in grocery stores — or you may have actually used one yourself when signing your signature electronically after you received a package from an overnight shipping company.
 | A tablet-style PC has two main features that make it appealing to many kinds of people: |
- You can write your input. The handy stylus means you don't have to sit down and type in your input — you can simply jot it down and be on your way.
- The PC is portable. If you're on the go but want to use your computer while going, the Tablet PC is perfect for you.
Because of these features, the Tablet PC works well for people who run from meeting to meeting, make the rounds in the plant, or spend most of the workday "in the field" in various industries.
Tablet PCs have an option that lets you plug in an external keyboard, if you want.
Some Tablet PCs are merely laptops where you can bend the flip-top screen all the way around and hold the unit like a clipboard.
Figure 1: A Tablet PC.
| 
