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TabletPCBuzz Newsletter - February 29th, 2004

(February 29th, 2004)

Size Matters
By Spencer Goad, Executive Editor

One of the big advantages of Tablet PCs is their mobility factor. With the original devices ranging in size from 10 inch to 12 inch screens, all Tablet PCs were smaller than most laptops. Some newer units now go up to 14 inch screens, although most are still 12 inch or less. Personally, I think the smaller the better.

I would really like to see a device such as the OQO (http://www.oqo.com) running Windows XP Tablet PC edition. For me, this would be a killer device. Sure, the screen is small, but still easily readable at 800x600. Of course I do have to admit I have 20/20 vision with contacts or glasses, and I always surprise people about how far away I can read things. So for me, small text is not a problem.

The smaller you get though, the harder a device is to use on its own as your only PC. For a small device like the OQO, I think a dock with an external screen is essential. But, if a setup such as this was available, it is quite easy to "grab-n-go" with your device, and have all your up-to-date information at your fingertips. Sure you can do this with a PDA, but with something like the OQO you not only have that, you have a full powered computer in your hands.

Like everything with Tablet PCs, I'm sure this is a personal preference thing. Some people will want lots of horsepower, and a larger 14 inch screen for development or gaming. Others will want a 10 or 12 inch model for just basic everyday business use (Office apps, e-mail, etc…). While others like me would just as soon shrink it into as small a package as possible, to maximize mobility. One thing is for sure though… size does matter!


With Spencer Goad, Executive Editor

Well, I tried the ink thing for a while... and while I love the idea, my handwriting is just way to rough to show to you every week. :-) So I'm going to try text here again for a while, and see how it goes...

Not a huge amount going on this week in the world of Tablet PCs. Probably the biggest event of the week was the release of a new beta build of Windows XP Service Pack 2. The new build brings the Tablet PC 2004 (Lonestar) update into Service Pack 2 for the first time. So far quite a few forum members have installed it without difficulty, and have been posting about it in the software forum. If you are interested in Lonestar, you might like to check those threads out.

As an off-topic fact, today is Sunday, February 29th... the 5th Sunday in February and leap year day! The next time there will be 5 Sundays in February will be 28 years from now, in the year 2032. By then I should be running this site from the moon colony, and sending out weekly newsletters to Mars. :-) Hey... I can dream can't I?

Have a good week!


(spg@tabletpcbuzz.com)


With Dennis Rice, Contributing Editor

Wireless TV on a Tablet PC – WAY up on the cool factor scale!

Every day someone seems to discover something “cool” you can do on a Tablet PC. Two weeks ago I ran across this thread by Buzz forum member James McCall asking a question:

“Are there any cables with built in converters/video cards that would enable the TC1100 to be used as a TV?”

Hmmm, interesting thought. Well, people have been watching TV for a long time on PC’s, so the ability to do so on a Tablet is not that innovative. Of course doing it wirelessly would be cool though! Forum member Wirespy enchanced that thought in the thread with this post:

“I FOUND THE KOOLEST APP FOR TV on these tablets! I can walk around my house and wirelessly watch full screen TV on my TC1000 tablet (any channel, any program) and here's how - I have a TV Tuner in my home PC and a Wireless Access point that I connect my tablet to my home network. I saw this product annouched at the CES last month and WOW! Goto http://www.snapstream.com and follow the links to create an account and download BEYONDTV (formerly known as WinPVR). The account sets up your Program Guide preferences (which will download automatically) - load this 20 day demo on your PC that has a TV Tuner (supports even a $40 ATI TV Wonder VE) and check it out. By default, the software creates a video streaming web service which will allow you to be able to watch TV on any other PC (i.e. your Tablet) on your network by pointing to http://pcwithtunerpcaddress:8129 and it allows you to watch Live TV or Previously recorded shows. The show opens in the browser by default, but doubleclicking it makes it go full screen and pretty good resolution too! This software is great too, it's like having a featured TIVO on your network - PVR, commerial skipping, time shifting, rich recording features and the ability to compression to PDA size files...crazy!"

Now I don’t know about you, but that reaches at least a 9.5 on the TabPCMan cool scale! So, being the gadget geek that I am, I had to give it a shot. Sure enough, I downloaded the app, put a TV Tuner card in one of my desktop PC’s, and went out on the front porch to watch TV. Then I went in the kitchen (my turn to do dishes that night), and so on, and so on!

Now I know you could do this on a notebook PC as well, but it is so much cooler on a Tablet. Now I can watch TV in the – ahem, “Reading Room”! :-)

Nice find Wirespy!

Next week – Crossword Puzzle Powertoy info / update!


Q: For you, what is the most valuable Tablet PC accessory?
A:
CD-ROM/DVD Drive:
35%
Extra/Additional Pen:
10%
Screen Protector:
9%
Tablet PC Case: 27%
USB/Attachable Keyboard: 11%
Other: 8%
Total Votes: 549
USA Today: Gates tells students that "software is where the action is"
Posted by Spencer On Feb 252004

Microsoft chief software guy (that is the official title ;-) ), Bill Gates, is making a tour of several university campuses talking to computer science and engineering majors. His first stop was the University of Illinois where he told the students -

"Software is where the action is," Gates told several hundred students. "The hardware people are doing their job, they are going to give us the opportunity. But will it be useable? Will it be secure? ... That is certainly something that the software industry needs to deliver on." Gates' visit with computer science and computer engineering students here was the first stop on a five-campus tour."

Of course he had to work some recruting in... but not specifically for Microsoft. More for the software industry as a whole -

"Gates issued a recruiting call for his industry. He said enrollment in computer science has been down in recent years and there aren't as many women and minorities in the field as there should be. "My view is that the next 10-15 years, computer science really will be magical," he said. "The impact is really hard to exaggerate."

He also makes a prediction for the mobile computing area -

"Research also is making it easier for computers to respond to handwriting and speech, rather than entries typed on a keyboard, he said. "We'll be taking it for granted that every portable PC is a tablet-type PC in the next two to four years," Gates said."

Personally, I'm not sure it will happen quite that quick, but I feel certain it will happen. And by doing a little connecting of the dots, I can really see that there is tremendous potential in software designed for Tablet PC devices. If I were to pick an area of computing that will grow the most over the next 5 years, I would have to say it would be this area. Right now there isn't a whole lot happening, but I expect we will start to see some amazing stuff coming out for Tablet PCs over the next year or so.

Read More | Discuss This (5 Comments)
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  • ZDNet: Get ready for a bigger dose of tablet PCs - Feb 26 2004
  • PC World: Latest crop offers notably better performance and battery life - Feb 26 2004
  • USA Today: Gates tells students that "software is where the action is" - Feb 25 2004
  • WhiningDog.net: Toshiba Portege M205 review - Feb 25 2004
  • Newsweek: Will the Tablet PC Succeed? - Feb 24 2004
  • PRNewswire: Software to Ease Tablet PC Text Entry Released by Exideas - Feb 24 2004
  • vnunet: Whitbread staff train with tablets - Feb 24 2004
  • Canada.com: Microsoft's hard look at the future - Feb 24 2004

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