Tablet PC

A

apinaud

Registered
I am in that moment that I need to change my laptop... I am a geek and that process is every 18 months.

I got a new job! and my job is going to require a PC, that maybe means the end of my story with Apple, because I will probably get the a laptop that let me do work and pleasure, therefore the software of my new company is not going to run in a mac, I will get my first PC.

I have been reading here and there and I am almost convince to get a Tablet PC as my main computer, I really appreciate if I can get personal recommendations, I have read in tabletpcbuzz, and many blogs about it, but I am not sure I can use the Tablet as my only machine.

I am thinking in replace also my palm, and instead of have 2 devices have only my tablet.

At this moment I have my system with Mail(apple) Palm Desktop (Virtual PC) and LifeBalance.

It is a bad idea to replace all my computers with a tablet pc?

My main concern is that probably I will not have phones handy because many times if the Tablet is bulky is going to stay home, but I can also keep my old palm and use it only as a support tool, and make my Tablet to overwrite always the palm.

I am planning in get my tablet soon, therefore I will really appreciate feedback in order to make sure is going to work as my main machine or instead get a regular Laptop.

I will be running online training software for the clients, office, the software of the new company for my training purpuses....

Thanks a lot in advance!
 
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mochant

Guest
Go for it!

apinaud:

This is exactly the path I am taking and so far it has worked out very well for me. The Tablet is an incredible environment and opens many new possibilities for productivity. Look at Michael Hyatt's blog, Working Smart and at my blogs - we've both been converted :lol:

I find I rarely use my PDA (long-time Palm user now using a PocketPC) except as you describe - as a mobile reference. Almost everything is entered and managed on the Tablet.

You should have no trouble running Palm Desktop on your Tablet and the folks at LifeBalance should be able to convert your current Mac license to a PC license at little or no charge (different companies have different policies on this).

As far as Mail is concerned, there are a number of options on the PC ranging from the built-in Outlook Express to Mozilla Thunderbird (a much better, more secure, and free choice) or PocoMail, an inexpensive and full featured shareware option.

I think you're going to be amazed and delighted at how flexible the Tablet form factor is. I'll look forward to reading your posts as you make the migration.
 
H

helenjc

Guest
Re: Go for it!

Marc: I'm getting close to trying out the tablet pc as my laptop is nearing it's use by date. May I ask what model tablet you are working with? There are many different models with various features - did you go for a larger screen with cd/dvd or the smaller machine because of the desirable portability.

I'm playing with MindManager/ResultManager at the moment and can't bear the thought of either 'working' with the maps on a micro screen (pda) or alternatively lugging around my very heavy dell inspiron.....

In this part of the world it's unbelievable to think that I've only found ONE other person using the tablet..... where are all the early adopters??

thanks.....
 
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mochant

Guest
My Tablet choice

I chose the Toshiba Portege M205 Tablet PC which has subsequently won just about every award imaginable. I'm convinced it's the best choice (for me anyway). Here are the basic specs and why I think they're important:

- Convertible: The M205 is a convertible unit so I always have a keyboard available. I know a lot of folks use slate-style models with external keyboards but that doesn't work for me.

- Hi-res display: The M205 has an amazing 1400 x 1050 resolution on its 12.1" LCD display with a dedicated NVIDIA video card. Most Tablet PCs use shared RAM for graphics which is a lot slower. It does take a bit of getting used to but this is the sharpest laptop display I've ever used. It also has a slightly textured finish whihc makes writing on the screen feel more paper-like.

- Lightweight: The M205 comes with an external, bootable USB 2.0 CR-RW/DVD drive which keeps the weight down. This external drive has its own battery pack (which can run for a couple of hours - long enough for a shorter movie - Lord of the Rings won't play through). So the unit is under 5 lbs.

- Excellent battery life: Due to the Centrino chip set and Toshiba's very configurable Power Saver utility, I can get 4.5-5 hours on a single charge if I'm vigilant and use the tweaked settings I've developed.

- Great performance: I run a number of pretty demanding programs (Photoshop, FireWorks, Dreamweaver) and the M205 has always been up to the task (I have the stock 512 MB of RAM - if you can swing 1 GB at purchase time go for it).

We now have two of these units at my company and a third on order. I think you'll be pleased with it. You might want to check out TabletPCBuzz.com and read some of the forum threads on Toshiba and other brands first. It's a very active online community just like this board.

HTH,
Marc
 
sholden

sholden

Registered
Re: Tablet PC

apinaud said:
I have been reading here and there and I am almost convince to get a Tablet PC as my main computer!
Click to expand...

I am using a HP TC1100 as my primary system (upgraded from a traditional HP N620c).

The geek in me loves it. As a power knowledge worker I feel like I am more productive with the tabletpc then I was with my traditional laptop.

I still use my iPAQ though because carrying round the table everywhere was just not practical (I picked the TC1100 because I thought it might be possible to do that - as a former Newton user I thought I could carry big - but this is bigger).

Also ... I don't know how yet to recommend bying a slate vice swing around keyboard tablet pc. You really should do some thinking and asking questions this question. I bought extra docking stations and keyboards so I'd only have to carry the tablet from home to/from work. Not everyone can afford to do that.

Steve
 
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helenjc

Guest
Marc: many thanks for your thoughts on the Toshiba (my research pointed this one out as the preferred choice as well!!) and thanks for your references which have been very helpful.

kind regards

Helen
 
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mochant

Guest
You're quite welcome

Helen:

My pleasure. Please keep us informed about your Tablet PC adventure.

Regards,
Marc
 
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helenjc

Guest
Ordered & coming Tuesday. I won't be able to sleep!!!

cheers
Helen
 
A

apinaud

Registered
Let me ask my last Question...

I got from Work a Dell Inspiron 5152, a nice machine, new. This in some way discourage me to get the tablet, because is a new machine, for free, in the other way is going to be around $3000...

Comparing a new laptop, did you guys think the Tablet is worth that much...

I am waiting for your answers, if the answers are what I think are going to be, then I will get it by september 6 or so...

thanks
 
M

mochant

Guest
Save you rmoney... for now

apinaud:

If they want to provide you with a free, fully configured laptop I say you should save your moeny for now and concentrate on getting into your new job. Once you have yourself established and understand the "how" and "what" of your new work, you'll be in a better position to decide if a Tablet PC will really enhance your abilityt o get things done.

Helen: congrats! Try to get a least a nap in sometime over the weekend :wink:
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Love the idea of the tablet...

...But when will they come out with a tablet PC as light as many of the smaller notebooks now available, and one with a DVD player? I want it all!
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Having it all!

Jake
The problem is that the 'all' you are after is unfortunately not made of paper and therefore has physical weight and mass that adds to the package. I am the proud owner of the Toshiba m205 tablet and I am very happy with it. I see that it will suffice replacing my dell inspiron 8000 which now comparatively weighs a tonne. It's light, fast, good looking and does everything I need. Perhaps further down the track I will add a desktop display/keyboard for when I'm spending long hours at the desk. I've found that I carry my tablet everywhere with me and will pull it out as I did my palm tungsten and catch up on processing my inbox, na's etc whenever I get the chance. I can live with the external cd/dvd drive - so far that has not bothered me - the only thing I wish Toshiba had put a fraction more money/effort into was the 'sound'. The speaker gives out a very 'cheap' tone which is a little disappointing. Can't have everything I guess but I'm getting close to it with this machine I think!

Best,
Helen
 
H

helenjc

Guest
TabletPC

sorry, forgot to login!!

Jake
The problem is that the 'all' you are after is unfortunately not made of paper and therefore has physical weight and mass that adds to the package. I am the proud owner of the Toshiba m205 tabletpc and I am very happy with it. I see that it will suffice replacing my dell inspiron 8000 which now comparatively weighs a tonne. It's light, fast, good looking and does everything I need. Perhaps further down the track I will add a desktop display/keyboard for when I'm spending long hours at the desk. I've found that I carry my tablet everywhere with me and will pull it out as I did my palm tungsten and catch up on processing my inbox, na's etc whenever I get the chance. I can live with the external cd/dvd drive - so far that has not bothered me - the only thing I wish Toshiba had put a fraction more money/effort into was the 'sound'. The speaker gives out a very 'cheap' tone which is a little disappointing. Can't have everything I guess but I'm getting close to it with this machine I think!

Best,
Helen
 
P

Paul@Pittsburgh

Registered
Helen / Mark

One of the nice things I find about PDA's is their instant power on and off feature. While pulling out your tablets for quick reference is great - how long do you find you have to wait before it powers up? If you leave it on all the time, how long does the battery last? Do you find that the bulk and powering on time for the tablet sometimes leads you to leave the tablet off and make a mental note, rather than just switch your pda on and make the note?

Thanks

Paul
 
M

mochant

Guest
Standby & Hibernate

Paul:

My Tablet is almost always in Standby mode. It's set to Hibernate after an hour if on battery power. It wakes up in seconds... not as instant as a PDA but plenty fast enough. With pretty aggressive power save settings (Toshiba's utility is great and overrides the standard Winoows tool), I'm regularly getting 5 hours of usage from the standard battery.

A Tablet PC is not a PDA, but I'm just about ready to drop the PDA from my toolkit and use Moleskin journal, my Tablet PC, and some printouts from Outlook for my GTD management. I'm really starting to dislike the hassles of using a PDA and getting less and less value from it as the Tablet becomes, as Helen says, something I have with me almost all the time.
 
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helenjc

Guest
Ecstatic about the tablet!

Paul
I couldn't be happier! It is one in the morning and I have been catching up on emails plus updating my biog via the wireless connection while I am in bed ~ all done in my own handwriting. I will still keep my palm updated for sure so that I can travel light if absolutely necessary. The palm will be a reference tool but for capture purposes (and processing) I will be dying to get to the point mere I no longer own an A4 legal pad because it's all inside here! Battery life has been terrific ~ hope it lasts.
cheers Helen
 
K

kvyoung

Guest
Tablet's are great!

I've been using an HP TC1100 as my primary computer for the last 8 months and love it. The form factor of the HP allows me to just carry the slate and pop it in to a dock when I'm working at me desk. The processor, a 1 ghz Pentuim M has plenty of throughput and all applications seem to work fine.

The slate fits nicely in an executive portfolio and the base unit provides about 4 hours of battery life. For those times when I need an extended battery I have an Electrovaya Power Pad which will give me a whole days worth of power. I like how the tablet can be undocked without turning it off allowing you to just grab it and go to a meeting when necessary.

When I'm travelling I always carry my keyboard with me but since it attaches or detaches in seconds it is very easy to switch between different tablet modes. The HP swivels similar to a convertable but also gives you all the benefits of a slate pc. While the screen is small, this is part of the smaller overall foot print and I'm willing to sacrifice screen real estate if it means I'll take that tablet with me pretty much every where I go.

I use an Aircard with the tablet giving me Internet access from pretty much anywhere. The tablet combined with Electrovaya and Aircard are a road warriors dream. Once you've used digital ink there is no going back from a note taking perspective. Hand write your notes and have them fully searchable.

The tablet is like a laptop on steroids. The only problem is that once you've had one you'll never live without another. My PDA is gathering dust as the tablet has become my primary tool. HP has a Quicklook Utility that gives your tablet limited instant on capabilities similar to a PDA.
 
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