• TouchKit Run for C++ devs for creating touchscreen apps: $1580 = frameless 70cm x 50cm multi-touch screen + calibrated infrared camera + SW pack
• Touchscreen ordering at restaurants (TheAge.com)
• On mini-notebooks or Netbooks: "Right now, the prices range from $300 to $800," says Via's Brown. "In the next year, $200 to $700 will be the range."
• Students at Klein School District in Texas get Tablet PCs, starting with Klein Oak High School
• Congratulations to rugged Tablet PC manufacturer, Mobile Demand for making Inc 500 list!
• Albatron Tee PC is a Windows CE 6 device with 400MHz ARM926, 7" display, 128MB, 128MB storage, WiFi, Bluetooth, & camera options
• First look at Fujitsu Lifebook T5010 Tablet PC
• Gigabyte Netbook Tablet PC: 8.9" display, swivel hinge, Intel Atom, 1GB DDR2, WiFi, Bluetooth, 1.3M camera = $799

Einstein Technologies is now offering TEO 3.0 for free download. TEO is an add-in for Microsoft Outlook 2003 or 2007 that turns Outlook into a fully pen-enabled app. You can use it on your Tablet PC or UMPC running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP2 or Windows Vista.

Thanks for the update, Josh.

Update: The TEO listing on TabletPCPost.com has been updated to reflect the change from 15-day trial to Free.

Last week Panasonic released its new UMPC, Panasonic Toughbook CF-U1, in Canada. Rugged, of course. (Available in the US since June.) In the photo the Panasonic rep is pouring water on the PC to show it continue working in harsh environments. This announcement is a good reminder how Tablet PC form factors have continued to diversify. Think about how many different types of Tablet PCs are available today.

Tablet taxonomy may have changed over the years, but fundamentally two familiar categories are the pillars: 1) Slate and 2) Convertible.

Slate form factors have all the PC components centralized behind the display. Several companies offer slates: Motion, TabletKiosk, Electrovaya, HTC, OQO, Samsung, Fujitsu, Avantech, DRS, General Dynamics, Everex, Getac, MobileDemand, Panasonic, Roper Mobile, and others. The simple design where the display is always exposed makes it easy to use in medical environments, manufacturing, military, and other mobile work place environments.

Convertibles are traditional clamshell notebooks with a swivel or sliding hinge. All of the major OEMs offer convertible Tablet PCs, including Dell, HP, Lenovo, Toshiba, MPC, Fujitsu, and ASUS. The attached keyboard and choice to use a pen when needed appeals to general business users, students, and a growing number of consumers.

There have been attempts to segment the categories by type of digitizer too, with EM and resistive. But then along came dual EM + resistive digitizers and today dual EM + capacitive are available. Too complicated.

Screen size was another marketing distinction. Tablet PCs with 8.9" display and larger and UMPCs with 7" and lower. Then came MID, still a PC, but even smaller display than UMPCs. Of course, individual companies started calling things whatever they needed to so they could appeal to their specific customer base.

There are rugged, semi-rugged, commercial, and even consumer Tablet PCs. Some are called UMPCs, others MIDs, and I'm sure we'll see some Netbooks with digitizers eventually.

At the core, if these units have digitizers, then they are Tablet PCs. But Tablet PC may not apply as this category of multi-functions, multi-features, multi-shapes continues. What do you think the next generation will be called?

This is a nice problem for the software to have -- many different types of form factors on which it can be used and used in many different ways. I'm glad there are creative people helping to move these various form factors forward. I look forward to seeing what's next.

On Friendfeed, Robert Scoble and Layne exchanged comments about A list bloggers and Robert replied, "You're on the 'T list' for 'Tablet PC freaks.' I'm on that list too." How true! lol I am also. You're welcome to join this list also! I'd love to see the search results for "Tablet PC" grow even faster on Friendfeed, Twitter, blogs, or your social media of choice.

Being labeled as a "Tablet Freak" has been a theme this week. OK, so it's a fairly common theme in my life. :) For example, the other day I shook hands with someone to whom I was being introduced and the person got a fuzzy look on her face. One of those, "Are you...? No... I think I know who you are," comments and then that sudden recognition of, "Oh yeah, I know you," with the eventual, you talk [way too much] about Tablet technology smile.

Do all roads in my life lead to Tablet PCs? I admit that even the other week when I was out in fields with a friend and niece putting Audubon Society number bands on kestrel chicks that I was thinking about how an ultra-thin slate (1/4" thick, all day battery life, stylus, and OneNote) would have been great to use as a field notebook. Let's settle on that I'm passionate about natural interaction and always looking for opportunities to advance it. Agreed? :)

So, yes, even if efforts like the TechCrunch Web Tablet need help, I'm willing to help. I love seeing the enthusiasm exuded by people as they learn about this concept, with a good dose of skepticism and reality. In particular, I enjoy seeing the expansion and evolution of concepts that originated from past Tablet PCs, such as with UMPCs and Netbooks, or the tremendous growth in slate form factor devices.

I'm far from alone in being a "Tablet Freak." If you want to know something about the current state of Tablet PCs, there are certain people to go to first. The "A List" of Tablet PC community experts, of sorts. From Chris Hassler helping people in the Microsoft.public.windows.tabletpc discussion group to Chris Wilkerson focusing on uses in the healthcare vertical MedicalTabletPC.com there are people who spend hours helping others solve technical issues, consult on product development, inform before purchase, test and review, and fully understand ongoing development efforts.

Here's a short list of these phenomenal people:

• Billy Hollis
• Chris De Herrera
• Chris Hassler
• Craig Pringle
• Frank Garcia
• Frank La Vigne
• Fritz Switzer
• Gail Levy
• Hugo Ortega
• James Kendrick
• Josh Einstein
• John Hill
• Julie Lerman
• Kevin Tofel
• Linda A. Epstein
• Laura Small
• Layne Heiny
• Loren Heiny
• Matt Faulkner
• Neil Roodyn
• Rob Bushway
• Robert Heiny
• Rob Reed
• Sierra Modro
• Stan Leszynski
• Stephane Torres
• Steven Hughes
• Steve "Chippy" Paine
• Steve Seto
• Terri Stratton
• Tracy Hooten
• Warner Crocker
• WNewquay

This list can go on and on with community members, let alone the many people at Microsoft, OEMs, IHVs, and ISVs who are beyond passionate about natural input and dedicate time to the community. Thank you for all your help. It's an absolute pleasure interacting with people who are so interested in seeing technology move forward.

"Tablet Freaks" -- or Tableteers -- is not an exclusive list and you're always welcome to join in this conversation too. ;)

Are you registered for CES 2009?

CES may be in January, but registration has been open for quite some time. We have some event planning to do in preparation for the annual Tablet PC & UMPC (or Netbook?) gathering, don't we?

Take a peek over at the press events page and you'll see a picture of Sarah, Kim, me, and Elizabeth (left to right) getting the tour of the R2D2 projector. This picture was taken at CES 2007. The girls had quite a few photographers following them around and it's good to see this one survived too. Two AP photos made the rounds previously.

 

Thanks, Sierra, for pointing this out when the page first launched.

 

Electronic text books are compelling because you can search and copy / paste the text, as well as the bonus that it doesn't weigh as much as the paper counterpart. But we all understand that publishers are still experimenting with the best approaches to eBooks in literature, let alone text books.

Students are leaping ahead of publishing companies. According to the New York Times, high cost of text books is a prime motivator for students exchanging electronic copies. Will publishers turn to strict DRM to stop this from harming profits?

Sales of SUVs of the PC world - stationary PCs - are being beaten out by the more energy efficient mobile PCs. Of course, this shift to the rise of mobile PCs has been happening for a while. What is different is the relevance to U.S. college students of a PC being energy efficient, contributing as little to environmental impact as possible from production to degradation, and hopefully from companies that participate in fair trade (or at least those working toward it).

Over the next several weeks entering college students will be introduced to the values of their new communities and enter into an action oriented environment around sustainability.  From contests between dorms to other campuses, many students will stop using trays in the cafeteria on certain days (or at all), counting the minutes they're in the shower to stay under 10 or 6 min, using the common dorm fridge instead of bringing mini-fridges, buying veggies locally (organic) or growing their own, composting, and yes, even counting the energy consumption on their PCs all to contribute to building a more sustainable environment.

Awareness and action by academics has increased from simple "reduce, reuse, recycle" plastic mugs for soda and coffee to signing pledges, like at Duke University and actively helping the campus install solar panels, like at Dickinson College. Tomorrow's New York Times has a great article detailing the movement on campuses across the U.S. and a new rating by Princeton Review.

Students and faculty working together to build more sustainable systems is serious business and not to be scoffed at as an idealistic dream. In order to maintain relevance to these leaders of sustainability and our future political and business leaders, PC and device manufacturers will need to be honest in their approach to the effort. Marketing gimmics won't fly, as this new effort is beyond, "we'll recycle your old PC," euphemism for they'll take it back and either resell it as refurbished or pay the dump fee.

Currently, students are making their PC decisions at a very practical level. I recently had the opportunity to visit well over a dozen colleges and prep schools and repeatedly heard students' comments supporting use of mobile PCs in context of energy, rather than convenience of using around campus. Here is a photo of a poster that I noticed in one hallway, which demonstrates the energy cost differences between average stationary PCs and mobile PCs:

Mobile PCs are a wonderful tool to aid in creating a more sustainable environment. Every school I visited mentioned that the students can now print on two sides of paper from network printers. Students commented on how much this has helped them reduce use of paper and network printer access means they don't have to bring their own printer. Paper is fundamental to many academic processes, even today, and it's good to see that this basic is not overlooked.

Of course, there can be even further efforts with PCs helping schools to be less dependent on paper.

There are also software features like being able to handwrite formulas, equations, and notes directly into Tablet PCs. This can be helpful for lab research, as well as individual course notes.

At an institution level there are Learning Management Systems that can help reduce the need to even print an assignment out. With an efficient LMS in place, students can post work electronically and faculty can access it. I noticed that schools use these at varying levels. Based on anecdotes only, this appeared to be based on training more than on the status of the technology available to the students.

Operationally, institutions can also standardize on hardware to help reuse pieces of PCs that are undergoing maintenance. Reuse a battery from a mobile PC that has a broken keyboard, for example. This is easier to do if the majority of equipment is the same.

I'll go into more detail around these in Part II. Also, we can go over needed improvements for tomorrow, such as battery duration, more eco-friendly plastics, and more energy efficient chipsets and processors.

After Loren's recent medical news that he needed to go back to chemotherapy, Loren declared that he wants to go to Disneyland this weekend. So, I'm going to call the park tonight to find out about hotel reservation for Loren & friends, Layne, the girls, and myself. Linda Epstein from TabletPC2.com is up for it too. Want to join us? If you'd like to meet up with us while we're in southern Calfornia, let me know at ljheiny at hotmail dot com.

Here is an updated list of case studies about mobile PCs with Tablet or Touch technology used in education.

Blackboard & Tegrity

Colorado Technical University - Sioux Falls

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta)

Tablet PCs in schools: Case Study Report

• St Mary's RC Primary School
• Green Lane Infant School
• St Peter's CE (C) Primary School
• St Willibrord's Primary School
• Engayne Primary School
• St Francis RC Primary School
• Wylde Green Primary School
• Queensbury School
• Invicta Grammar School
• Cornwallis Technology College
• The Coleshill School
• Wilmslow High School

Tablet PCs in schools: A review of literature and selected projects

DyKnow

Auburn City Schools – Auburn, AL

Bishop Hartley High School – Columbus, OH

King’s Ridge Christian School – Atlanta, GA

North Daviess Elementary School – Elnora, IN

Park Tudor School – Indianapolis, IN

St Ursula Academy – Cincinnati, OH

DePauw University – Green Castle, IN

Joliet Junior College – Joliet, IL

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology – Terre Haute, IN

University of Richmond – Richmond, VA

 

Fujitsu

DePaul Catholic High School & update – Wayne, NJ

Virginia Tech College of Engineering – Blacksburg, VA

 

MPC Corporation (previously Gateway)

Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School (KOAM) – Joplin, MO

U.S. Airforce Academy – Colorado Springs, CO

Winona State University - Winona, Minnesota

 

HP

Brookfield High School – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Canutillo Middle School - Canutillo, TX

Culver Elementary School – Culver, OR

Denver School of Science and Technology – Denver, CO

Dunbar Primary School – Lufkin, TX

Grand Manan Community School – New Brunswick, Canada

International School of Brussels – Brussels, Belgium

J.A. Hughes Elementary School – Red Lake Falls, MN

Monte Cassino School – Tulsa, OK

Trinity School – Atlanta, GA

 

Grove City College – Grove City, PA

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College – Green Bay, WI

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology – Terre Haute, IN

Universidad Technologica Nacional- Argentina

 

Lanway Corporate Business Systems

The Islay High School - Scottland

 

Microsoft

Arino-Alloza Rural School – Aragon, Spain

Bishop Hartley High School – Columbus, OH

Brookfield Zoo - Chicago, IL

Cincinnati Country Day School – Cincinnati, OH

Cornwallis School – Maidstone, Kent, UK

Crescent Girls’ School – Singapore

Frankston High School – Melbourne, Australia

Hoover City Schools – AL

Jefferson County Public Schools – Louisville, KY

Mulgrave School – West Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Northern Lights Public School – Aurora, Ontario, Canada

Ritsumeikan Primary School – Kyoto City, Japan

Torrey Pines High School – San Diego, CA

York Region District School Board – York Region, Ontario, Canada

 

Kansas State University – Manhattan, KS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 4/2/2003 and 1/29/2005 - Cambridge, MA

Northeastern University College of Business Administration -

Politecnico Innovazione – Italy

Purdue University - IN

Republic Polytechnic of Singapore – Singapore

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

University of Iowa – Iowa City, IA

University of Toronto Medical School – Toronto, Canada

University of Vermont School of Business Administration – Burlington, VT

Winona State University - Winona, Minnesota

 

Motion Computing

Celebration High School - Austin, TX

 

National University of Ireland

Using Tablet PC for Electronic Mark-up of Assessments

 

RM

Cornwallis School - Kent, UK

Invicta Girls Grammar School - Kent, UK

St. Bartholomew’s School – Newbury, UK

 

Samsung

The Deans Primary School – Swinton, Salford, UK

 

TechLearning

Case Study: Learning with Tablet PCs, Bishop Hartley

 

Toshiba

Brophy College Prep - Phoenix, AZ - Video: 300K 110K

Greendale High School - Wisconsin

 

Purdue University – IN

The other day someone made a quick remark that a really good Tablet PC would be all display, thin and light. Is this person an idealist or someone who has really only noticed the selection of notebook PCs that are equipped with integrated digitizer and pen? As it turns out, it was the latter.

Convertibles certainly have been easier for people to use for a broad set of tasks. After all, with a convertible Tablet PC you have all the features of a regular notebook and gain usability.

However, slate form factors are growing in numbers too - from mobile phones to full PCs.  Perhaps they just blend into our lives better today than they did a decade ago, so slip under the radar. The display is certainly the dominant feature of slates and unless ruggedized unit, slates are ultra slim.

As you know, software supporting extremely well defined uses for these visually dominant machines is critical. What are your favorite state features? How do you hope to see them evolve?