Windows XP Tablet Edition: writing on your notebook

Introduced Nov. 7, 2002, Windows XP Tablet Edition notebooks feature TFT color screens that you can write, doodle, and draw on using a special stylus included with the notebook. These tablets are not touch sensitive, which means you must use the pen rather than your finger or any other handy object to write on or point at something on the screen. They work much the same way Wacom digitizer (graphics) pads work, only you get to interact directly with the screen rather than using an intermediary accessory tablet. You can also use the stylus as a mouse, pointing at items on screen, clicking buttons, highlighting text and so on. If you've never gotten along with the trackpads and eraser sticks built into notebooks, you'll probably love the stylus.

Windows XP Tablet Edition notebooks come in two variations: convertible and tablet. First generation models featured a Mobile Pentium PIII running at between 800 MHz and 1.3 GHz, 256 megs of RAM or more, built-in WiFi wireless 802.11b Ethernet, a modem, USB ports, audio ports, and a TFT color display that doubles as a digitizer, all in a relatively light weight package (somewhere in the 3 to 4 lb. range). Second generation models (2nd Gen) which came out in late 2004 use much faster Centrino processors, come with 256-512 megs of DDR RAM, have faster graphics processors and sharper, brighter displays. They are much better units!

In comparison to regular notebooks in the same price range, first generation tablet processors were slower, and the screens weren't as bright or sharp. Second generation models have processors comparable to regular subnotebooks, and the screens are brighter and sharper. The clear plastic layer on top of the display is much thinner on second generation units, which is why they look better and don't suffer as badly from the parallax effect.

Another thing that makes tablets more attractive now is applications that support digital inking. Microsoft Office 2003 and OneNote 2003 all allow you to write when entering data. So you can write in Excel cells, hand write and annotate documents in Word, circle and highlight items when giving PowerPoint presentations and more. Office 2003 also supports dictation and reading documents out loud to you, which is perfect for tablets which come with built-in mics and speakers for voice command. OneNote is a wonderful app that uses a familiar tabbed file folder metaphor. It allows you to keep several folders full of handwritten notes for each project you're working on. It's a killer app for the XP Tablet OS machines, and I wish it was bundled with all units! The Toshiba M205 does come with a full version of OneNote.

All tablets allow you to handwrite sticky notes, record short audio notes and hand write in any application using the tablet input panel even if the application isn't handwriting-aware. If you're a graphic artist, you'll love drawing directly on the screen using Corel Painter (a fantastic natural media paint program) and Photoshop. The pen technology used in tablets was developed by Wacom, the big name in digitizer tablets, and the 2nd generation XP Tablet pens work the same, offering pressure sensitivity and even having an eraser.

Swivel that Screen: the Convertible Design

While these notebooks may look like a standard notebook, the screen swivels and rotates so that you can use the notebook as if it were an 8.5" x 11" notepad. The display simply swivels so that it faces outward and then folds down on top of the keyboard side of the notebook (you will not have access to the keyboard in this position). The screen orientation automatically changes to portrait view so that you can hold it as you would a pad of paper. These units have keyboards just as a notebook does, and most have trackpads. Of course you can use the pen instead of or in conjunction with the keyboard and trackpad. These designs are the most versatile, allowing you to use the unit as a standard notebook and as a tablet.

Tablet Design: the Digital Notepad

The second camp of XP Tablets are those that really are tablets. These slab-designed units do not have attached keyboards nor do they use the standard notebook clamshell case. They look like undocked LCD displays, and typically weigh 3 to 4 pounds. You can use these as the digital replacement for an 8.5" x 11" notepad, though they obviously carry more weight and functionality than your paper pad! While second generation tablets have Centrino processors just like the convertibles, their clock speeds tend to be a bit slower than convertible XP Tablets. Typically, tablets come with stands or docking stations so that you can use the unit on your desk with a USB keyboard for a traditional computer setup when not on the go.

Handwriting and Voice Recognition

Why would you want to use it in the "pad of paper" mode? Because you'll use the stylus as your mouse and to write (or draw) on the screen. These units have handwriting recognition that works reasonably well and you can write in either print or cursive. You don't need an application that supports handwriting recognition because the OS handles this. If you want to write ink notes, you will need a pen-friendly app, such as Windows Journal, which comes with these notebooks. Don't worry about resting your hand on the screen as you write; it's been designed to allow you to do this. The display is durable and slightly tacky to the touch. The tacky feel creates resistance so that the pen doesn't slip uncontrollably across the screen.

Want to chat with your notebook? Guess what-- it supports both voice commands and dictation. How well does this work? The voice commands work well, while the first units we've seen don't do a great job with taking dictation. MS recommends that you use a high quality head-mic and give the notebook some serious training time so that it can learn your voice. Most of these notebooks come with a decent built-in mic, but if you want to do serious dictation, consider a headset mic.

Since handwriting recognition, digital ink technology, voice dictation and voice command are built into the operating system, don't expect much variation between competing brands and models. Machines with faster processors will translated handwriting into text more quickly, and will also do a better job of voice recognition. Most of the first generation machines will have similar processing power however, though the Toshiba Portege 3500 series is fastest at 1.33GHz. Also, a better built-in mic can help improve voice recognition, but you're really going to need a good quality headset mic if you want to successfully use voice dictation. Why? A good headset mic is always going to be of better quality compared to a built-in mic, and you won't have to worry as much about ambient noise.