POLL: As a student, will you purchase a TabletPC? (Assuming $$ isn't a concern) :POLL

[j@cko]

FYI: There are 2 types of TabletPC. Toshiba will release a version that can be converted to both a laptop and a tablet PC, whereas rest of the manufactures will only release the slate kinda.

If so, why?
If not, why?

I think that I will buy the Toshiba one, because it is both a notebook and a TabletPC. And TabletPC SEEMS to be doing a pretty good job at hand-writing recognization. So it would be a pretty good tool for taking down notes and stuff.
Besides, some of the text books have CD-ROM inside now (Soft-Books), so no more caring books around....

 

[Yomicron]

It depends, is it one of those pure slate tablets? or the kind that can switch between notebook and slate?

I'd get the notebook kind, but not the pure slate kind.

 

[Dragnov]

Not worth it yet. I'd wait for the next generation until whatever bugs come up and its improvements.

 

[dolph]

most of the ones i saw (from other companies, not just toshiba) at comdex were laptop tabletpcs. the handwriting recognition isn't bad. but they aren't worth the money, though they are kinda neat.

 

[cliftonite]

I think i will skip the tablet pc and get a laptop, especially with the much hyped banias processors coming out very soon.

 

[LH]

That one with 10-16 hour battery life looks interesting, but 3.9 pounds. Its heavier all the other ones, and its a pure slate. I wonder if NEC will announce the specs of their Versa Litepad. All they have said is .8" thick and something like 2.2lbs.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Yes.

Because according to the rules of the poll, money isn't a concern.

And I'm a filthy materialist prick. Yes, yes I am.

- M4H

 

[LH]

Theres a rumor the NEC Versa Litepad will use the banias, chip but at this point its just a rumor.

 

[UDT89]

then you cant play awesome PC games online with a T1 connection

 

[fr]

I'm not impressed by the ones that are available right now. I would wait for next-gen ones first.

 

[TallBill]

No.. i can type a HELLA lot faster then i can write.. enough said

 

[joohang]

I need a keyboard, although touchscreen would be neat for drawing diagrams.

 

[ROTC1983]

All they are are overglorified laptops in my opinion... I have a PDA that does the same thing

 

[Sluggo]

Originally posted by: Gr1mL0cK
Not worth it yet. I'd wait for the next generation until whatever bugs come up and its improvements.

Yep, next generation or two of them will kick butt.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

for some reason, they ain't that appealing to me...maybe more practical if used to write down notes and all...well, pocketpc 2002's hand writing recognition is pretty good..i wonder if they improved upon it..then maybe it'll great like 5 years down the road or more....

 

[vegetation]

I actually had one before, the Sonic blue Progear. Granted, it's an older device but really isn't that much of a step down from the current market. I was not impressed by what I had. Aside from being heavier than I would like, it got really hot, despite having the power-saving Crusoe processor. Screen resolution still sucks, can't compare to a laptop running 1400x1050. This machine didn't have a handwritting recognition app, but I've never been impressed by hand writing recognition on Palms and such. You can always hook up a keyboard to these tablets but why? Once you do that, you basically have transformed it into a laptop.

What I would like to see: Very lightweight machine (1 to 1.5 pounds), very high resolution screen, and have a machine that doesn't double as a hot plate! That's the day I'll buy another.

 

[gopunk]

well if money isn't a concern, why not? doesn't hurt to have one lying around

 

[GoingUp]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Yes.

Because according to the rules of the poll, money isn't a concern.

And I'm a filthy materialist prick. Yes, yes I am.

- M4H

 

[rayster]

The specs for most Tablet PCs, even the 'slates', includes a keyboard, usually wireless, WiFi, USB and 10BT connections and at least 1 PCMCIA slot. That said, if you throw price out the window, they are extremely desirable. They'll do everything a laptop would do, but they're a lot more useful when you want to sit on a bench in the park and read WSJ online, or IM someone, or connect a camera, dump some pictures over and email them. A tablet within range of a public WiFi node or with a cell modem in it is the way more practical for truly mobile computing than a regular laptop or a PDA. The form factor is easier to work with than a laptop in any position other than sitted, and due to it's greater computing power and larger screen/higher resolution you can simple do more than you can with a PDA.