[Peter]

A few weeks ago I picked up an IBM Thinkpad X41 Tablet cost me $1000. Its a 1.5Ghz Pentium 4 M, with 1.25Gb RAM, a 40Gb Hard Disk and a 12" 1024x768 Touch Screen. I get about five hours battery life on wireless too.
This thing is stunning, after using this for a few weeks I'm adamant that tablets are the future -- I can literally write pages of stuff, with a pen, just like I would a in a notebook - and then have it converted entirely to text.
Everyone I know that I've shown this tablet to has been equally impressed. I know two other people that are ordering the X41 or the X60 since using mine. Primarily because of OneNote, I'm in awe that OneNote isnt part of Vista. It makes a tablet useful.
So, my question is - whats stopping you from using a tablet? No use? Windows (Linux support for handwriting is awful, the MS support is amazing - it reads EVERYONE'S handwriting) or price? or something else?
Also any ideas as to why these things have never taken off would be interesting too...

[torsoboy]

The price is keeping me away... when I need a new laptop I might get one though.

Since they do not have a hard screen cover (or do they?) how do you protect the creen from getting scratched when it is not in use (in your backpack, etc.)?

[strictlyplaid]

I have a convertible tablet, the Sharp Actius TN10W. At first, I was really impressed with it. Now, however, I find that I do most of my reading in its standard notebook mode. While there are tools to annotate PDFs (PDF Annotator, and even a somewhat lacking pen tool in Acrobat) the keyboard-based utilities are much better. Also, input speed drops dramatically for most tasks when in tablet mode -- writing is slower than typing. Finally, the tablet (about 4 pounds) is just a little too heavy and too unwieldy to be "book-like" for me.

[peeb]

I've only ever played with other people's, and to be honest, I've never seen the point. The people I know who have them end up using them in laptop mode nearly all the time.

[vmarks]

I spent a few minutes at macworld trying the ModBook, with ink support.

I couldn't quite get the hang of it - but I also have no experience with an intuos tablet. If I had, I probably would have been able to take better advantage of the whole thing.

It's been so long since I've handwritten more than a few pages in a week, I now am much more comfortable with the keyboard.

[Mastrap]

Typing is much faster than writing, at least for me. Keyboard shortcuts are much faster than pointing with a stylus. As a result, I've never seen the point of tablets.

[Dark_Lotus]

Its much easier for me to type something rather than handwrite it. I don't really have a reason for not getting a tablet PC. I think its because I would never actually use the tablet part of it. I always picture tablet PCs being used by doctors or business men/women.

[alligator]

I'd consider one if my company would pay for it, but they won't buy anything without a "Dell" logo on it.

I'm really curious if the handwriting is all it's touted to be - it sure would be nice on the phone to be able to take notes on a computer without having to wonder if the other side is listening to me type.

[shifuimam]

I'm in love with the old style HP tablet - 12" XGA screen, and it separated completely from the keyboard. The ones that twist from a laptop into a tablet sometimes have display issues - the video cable in the twisty part wears out and breaks.

You should try to get a copy of Microsoft Office's OneNote 2003. It's an amazing application that makes it incredibly easy to organize your notes, files, etc. in one application. Just saw that you have used OneNote. Yes, it's incredible. It should be part of any Windows TabletPC release.

I'd give anything to have a tablet. Except that now that I'm out of college, I rarely have time to use any computer other than ones my company gives me.

[highstakes]

I thought about buying one, but I wanted a Mac

[Peter]

the handwriting recognition is perfect, really.
I just find it useful to click a single button in the task bar and be able to scribble down notes and such - its definatley quicker to scribble or draw something than use a keyboard. For longer periods I type

[- - e r i k - -]

...type what?

[Peter]

reports, essays, code.

[nonhuman]

I remember when the Newton was new and everyone was saying that the next thing Apple was going to do was a full notebook sized version. I couldn't wait to get my hands on one. Sadly it was apparently not meant to be.

I still think tablets are pretty cool, though I don't have one and haven't had the chance to use one yet. I do find that, for me, taking notes by hand just works better than typing them if for no reason other than that when I take notes I tend to do so in a very non-linear fashion. I've often thought that a tablet would be the ideal note taking tool for me. The only real problem is that having written it on the tablet, you then also have to read it on the tablet. I really don't enjoy reading things on computer screens, so it is nice to have things written in a paper notebook. Also with it in a paper notebook it's automatically separate from my computer so I don't have to worry about switching windows back and forth to go from my notes to my work.

Now if Apple were to release a multi-touch tablet devices with something like an ePaper screen for better reading, I might just have to jump on it. As it is, I'm currently considering applying to grad school, so maybe I'll get a tablet for that. It would certainly also be nice for any fieldwork as well as classroom note-taking (I'd be going for archaeology).

[nonhuman]

Actually, maybe I'll get a Modbook for grad school...

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by Peter 

A few weeks ago I picked up an IBM Thinkpad X41 Tablet cost me $1000. Its a 1.5Ghz Pentium 4 M, with 1.25Gb RAM, a 40Gb Hard Disk and a 12" 1024x768 Touch Screen. I get about five hours battery life on wireless too.
This thing is stunning, after using this for a few weeks I'm adamant that tablets are the future -- I can literally write pages of stuff, with a pen, just like I would a in a notebook - and then have it converted entirely to text.
Everyone I know that I've shown this tablet to has been equally impressed. I know two other people that are ordering the X41 or the X60 since using mine. Primarily because of OneNote, I'm in awe that OneNote isnt part of Vista. It makes a tablet useful.
So, my question is - whats stopping you from using a tablet? No use? Windows (Linux support for handwriting is awful, the MS support is amazing - it reads EVERYONE'S handwriting) or price? or something else?
Also any ideas as to why these things have never taken off would be interesting too...

In about 1 year you're going to REALLY hate that tilt and swivel hinge. At some point you'll only use it as a tablet becuase the stupid screen won't stand up. A buddy of mine has an older Toshiba tablet PC. Assuming, of course, your IBM has that single point swivel hinge.

[Peter]

3 year accidental warranty was included..

[mdc]

My boss has a gateway swivel tablet laptop and a motion tablet. The motion one is just a screen (external keyboard).

I can't stand the gateway one, but I don't mind the motion tablet. It's small and light. The gateway is so bulky.

As far as using the tablet everyday, I couldn't do it. I hate writing on it, much prefer typing; which brings us back to having the swivel screen which I don't like.

My boss on the other hand loves the motion tablet and does everything on it.
I'll stick to my powerbook.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Peter 

3 year accidental warranty was included..

Does it cover the normal use wear and tear?

Although I guess you could always just say you dropped it...

[strictlyplaid]

Originally Posted by olePigeon 

In about 1 year you're going to REALLY hate that tilt and swivel hinge. At some point you'll only use it as a tablet becuase the stupid screen won't stand up. A buddy of mine has an older Toshiba tablet PC. Assuming, of course, your IBM has that single point swivel hinge.

My Actius has the single-point tilt-and-swivel hinge, and it's still very stiff and strong after 2+ years of constant use. However, this thing's build quality is very good indeed. My wife's new Gateway tablet is not nearly as good. I could see the hinge becoming a problem on her model. I guess the moral of this story is that you get what you pay for with a Tablet, and that brands matter.

[strictlyplaid]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

I do find that, for me, taking notes by hand just works better than typing them if for no reason other than that when I take notes I tend to do so in a very non-linear fashion. I've often thought that a tablet would be the ideal note taking tool for me. The only real problem is that having written it on the tablet, you then also have to read it on the tablet.

Despite my earlier lack of enthusiasm, I guess I should say that note-taking is one area where the Tablet really shines, particularly in environments where using a laptop would be distracting or rude (i.e., where the clicking of the keys on a keyboard would annoy people.) I have to admit, I do use my Actius' tablet mode in these situations, and it works pretty well. Both Windows Journal and OneNote are pretty good tools for that sort of thing. I don't think I'm as optimistic as Peter about the quality of handwriting recognition, but I'll say that it's not bad.

The question is: how often do you find yourself in those sorts of situations, where taking typed notes is rude or distracting? If a lot, you'll probably like the tablet. If you're buying a tablet to mostly read e-books/pdfs/etc, my call would be to save your money.

And: I think buying the convertible (tilt-and-swivel) laptop is crucial. The tablet is not ideal for most situations, and you'll really want the traditional laptop setup for these cases. As mentioned in the posts above, make sure to buy a solid model that won't break after a few years of use. The cheaper models' hinges (e.g., Gateway) can wear out or break.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by strictlyplaid 

Despite my earlier lack of enthusiasm, I guess I should say that note-taking is one area where the Tablet really shines, particularly in environments where using a laptop would be distracting or rude (i.e., where the clicking of the keys on a keyboard would annoy people.) I have to admit, I do use my Actius' tablet mode in these situations, and it works pretty well. Both Windows Journal and OneNote are pretty good tools for that sort of thing. I don't think I'm as optimistic as Peter about the quality of handwriting recognition, but I'll say that it's not bad.

The question is: how often do you find yourself in those sorts of situations, where taking typed notes is rude or distracting? If a lot, you'll probably like the tablet. If you're buying a tablet to mostly read e-books/pdfs/etc, my call would be to save your money.

And: I think buying the convertible (tilt-and-swivel) laptop is crucial. The tablet is not ideal for most situations, and you'll really want the traditional laptop setup for these cases. As mentioned in the posts above, make sure to buy a solid model that won't break after a few years of use. The cheaper models' hinges (e.g., Gateway) can wear out or break.

I can't stand taking notes on a computer (via keyboard...), so in any note-taking situation I'd find a tablet preferable to a laptop.

I agree that the convertible ones are definitely good. Unless you happen to work in an environment where you're using specialized apps that could be designed around a touchscreen interface. That would be kinda sweet, actually.

I do still really like the look of the Modbook though. I'd love to try one out if I had the opportunity. But I don't really have thousands of dollars to blow on a toy that I might not even like.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

You'd have to pry my Motion Computing LE1600 with Mirage, Alias Sketch, Flash, Photoshop etc. out of my cold, dead hands. Tablet PCs have made the animation, comic book, and storyboard work I still do these days MUCH easier.

[torsoboy]

Originally Posted by strictlyplaid 

The question is: how often do you find yourself in those sorts of situations, where taking typed notes is rude or distracting? If a lot, you'll probably like the tablet. If you're buying a tablet to mostly read e-books/pdfs/etc, my call would be to save your money.

I think when taking types notes i rude or distracting it is probably because the room is dark and you are making it so others can't concentrate on something because of the light put off by your laptop... in that type of situation the tablet wont help. It's like a someone going through their cell phone contacts during a movie; it distracts and annoys everyone.