| A tablet PC is a light weight slate shaped | | | | screen and the stylus. If a slate is attached with a |
| hand-held computer or a slim note book PC. The | | | | keyboard it is called a convertible. Typically the |
| idea is to replace the traditional pen and notebook | | | | keyboard is attached with a single joint and it |
| with a tablet PC and stylus or digital pen. | | | | folds/opens onto the screen. The Hybrid has a |
| Historically the tablet was used by the Egyptians | | | | detachable keyboard so that it can be used both |
| to write on clay tablets with a writing stick. In the | | | | as a slate or a convertible.Tablet PCs come with |
| present day the clay tablet has been replaced | | | | resident softwares like handwriting recognition |
| with a screen and the writing stick with a stylus. | | | | software, speech recognition software, shorthand |
| The tablet PC may be considered the pen and | | | | entry software, virtual keyboard etc,.There are |
| notebook of the future. They typically weigh | | | | various advantages like portability, users who are |
| around 2-3 pounds and their main feature is | | | | not comfortable with keyboards find stylus more |
| portability. The idea of a tablet PC was floated by | | | | friendly, they do not interrupt line of sight as they |
| Alan Kay of Xerox but was a commercial failure | | | | are kept on the table and are helpful in meetings |
| until now, when the prices have fallen down and it | | | | and are handheld so can be used in giving |
| is expected that the prices will fall in future. The | | | | presentation while standing up. The disadvantages |
| first widely sold Tablet PC was Newton of Apple | | | | of Tablet PCs have been cost till now but since |
| Computers.The hardware consists of a slim touch | | | | the prices have fallen and are falling, hence is not |
| screen, stylus, optional wireless keyboard and | | | | a constraint anymore.Various companies like Acer, |
| mouse. In this type of computers the data input | | | | Lenovo, Toshiba Fujitsu, HP, Gateway, Compaq, |
| is not through the traditional mouse and keyboard | | | | Motion, NEC etc are manufacturing Tablet PCs.Are |
| but through a stylus or a virtual keyboard on the | | | | they future proof? Till recent years the Tablet PC |
| screen. It also has the facility of data input | | | | was a commercial failure but with the advances in |
| through wireless keyboard and mouse. The stylus | | | | battery technology, handwriting recognition |
| is used to write directly/tap on the screen or | | | | software, wireless internet access, larger |
| fingers are used to input data through the touch | | | | memory, better screen resolution they are being |
| screen. There is a magnetic field over the screen | | | | accepted as commercially viable option. Many |
| which interacts with the stylus electronics, hence | | | | popular science fiction movies portray the use of |
| the user can rest his hands on the screen without | | | | Tablet PCs. Tablet PCs are bound to replace the |
| distorting the image and only stylus movement | | | | notebook & pen and future books, magazines, |
| affects the screen. They come in various sizes | | | | newspapers.Tyson J Stevenson writes on a wide |
| like 8.5 inch, 10 inch and 14 inch.There are | | | | variety of technolgy related subjects, always with |
| different types of tablet PCs like slates, | | | | valuable news & reviews. Expect to see his name |
| convertibles and hybrids. Slates consist of just the | | | | often. |