A Tablet PC Blurs The Gap Between A PDA And A Computer

Before you dismiss Tablet PC consider this, not long ago you a laptop computer was something that required you carry a suitcase and workout with weights at the gym. I remember carrying around a laptop that was portable and it was at least 12 pounds... for the battery! OK, I exaggerate a little but it was very heavy. Then along came PDA's and things started to get a little easier. For one thing, a PDA would allow you to capture phone numbers and do some very basic computing. Add to that the pen stylus and you could almost do a days work in the field.

But now, after several false starts, the latest form of portable computing has arrived, the Tablet PC. Tablet PC’s take the best of PDA and laptop computing, add a sprinkle of pen computing, coupled with a fine flat panel monitor and you've got an ideal environment for working in the field.

You have no need to rely on cables that tie you to the office. The added benefit of a big screen together with easy to read fonts and its a joy to work with in almost any environment. I read recently that the new Tablets PC's in most cases are thinner and lighter than a traditional notebooks. So if you're tired of carrying your laptop PC with you, maybe you should take a closer look at Tablets. Although they are only a few companies in this market, all are heavyweights in the industry. They include Acer, Apple, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, Toshiba and ViewSonic - all key players.

Another nice feature is that you don't have to be a touch-typist to use a Tablet PC. You can use a pen or a stylus provided by the manufacturer. All you need do, it write the words on the glass panel and they become text as if by magic. Imagine if you cannot type how liberating it must be to be able to key input without needing a keyboard. In terms of operating systems, there are choices to be made here. Microsoft's Windows has a Tablet Edition and there are flavors from several Linux developers that will run on a Tablet PC.

So you can save money here if you choose to do so. In terms of selecting the ideal Tablet PC for yourself, you need to factor in several issues. Larger and brighter screens cost more. The longer the battery life the higher the cost. Then of course, CPU speed, hard disk capacity and memory installed all play a key role in determining the cost and usability of the Tablet PC you choose. Also, try to purchase your carry case at the same time, these are often designed to fit the exact shape of the Tablet PC you purchase. You can probably get a package deal buy buying everything at the one time. Last point, make sure you get a good warranty with your Tablet PC, you don't want to find out after using it in the field that the warranty doesn't cover you. It may be worth examining extended warranties at the time of purchase.

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tablet-pc news:

Tablet PC Pioneer Wins Turing Award (InformationWeek) Charles P. Thacker, veteran hardware developer at the Xerox Corp.'s PARC and Microsoft, picks up the prestigious $250,000 prize.

Arm Sees Over 50 New IPad-like Devices out This Year (PC World via Yahoo! News) The launch of Apple's iPad will pave the way for a slew of rival products this year, an Arm executive said Wednesday, predicting over 50 tablet PC devices will be launched globally.

Mango to offer inflight WiFi (News 24 South Africa) Budget airline Mango will be the first South African carrier to offer in-flight internet access with WiFi.

Verizon Wireless sees opportunity in Apple iPad (Mobile Burn) Verizon Wireless may be using the WiFi-only Apple iPad as a means for selling 3G data plans, according to documents leaked to Engadget.