The next generation windows PC = Tablet PC

[rmblam]

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/

Check the video.

The power of a laptop, wireless, touch screen. I would have loved to have had one of these while in college. Now lets see how functional they really will be. Due out later this year (maybe).




(screw off if this is a repost, I did a search).

 

[lordex]

<<
The power of a laptop, wireless, touch screen. I would have loved to have had one of these while in college. Now lets see how functional they really will be. Due out later this year (maybe).
>>



I have a good feeling about it, too. I'd also like to see some sort of "Base Station" (similar to today's docking stations) that once you are back home/office you can plug your tablet PC in to leverage some more powerful components that by their nature can not be built into a tablet PC (e.g. a 19" LCD or a 5.1 speaker system).

 

[rmblam]

That would be cool too.

I wonder if the devices will have a CDROM or DVD, etc... built in. Or will they be dependent upon a standalone system like the PDA's are (likely).

I need to do some more digging. I want one already though.

The docs at any cutting edge hospital might really like these. I can imagine them electronically cat scratching their orders for us to decipher as usual. The nice thing would be that the orders would get submitted sooner and not forgotten on the chart.


[edit] I found this. R1. If a Tablet PC supports docking, surprise removal must be allowed. Removal of the tablet from the docking station without prior notification must not cause any system instability, and any devices contained in or attached to the dock must enumerate and function properly when the tablet is inserted.

It will be up to the MFR as to what type of docking and accessories will be available, but this is at least a clue that they may be developing them. [/edit]

 

[GooberPHX420]

/me puts on on order...thats friggen tight

 

[lordex]

<< I wonder if the devices will have a CDROM or DVD, etc... built in. Or will they be dependent upon a standalone system like the PDA's are (likely). >>


I would expect a built-in DVD-drive. Don't see any technical difficulties for them to do that.


<< I need to do some more digging. I want one already though. >>


So how much would you think it'll cost initially? And how much would *you* pay for one of these?

 

[rmblam]

<< I would expect a built-in DVD-drive. Don't see any technical difficulties for them to do that. >>



Me neither, not on the larger ones. If you look at the prototypes then we see not all will be large enough to accomodate an internal drive though.

I am curious as to how they will handle storage with these. Some sort of microdrive with decent (5+ GB) storage would be more attractive to me vs ROM. If the dam thing loses power I want to keep my data. A firewire port is a must too.



<< So how much would you think it'll cost initially? And how much would *you* pay for one of these? >>



I expect they might go for $500 to over $2,000. I'd go for one of the ones in between a PDA and a laptop in size for under $1,000.

Palm better get it together....

 

[lordex]

<< Me neither, not on the larger ones. If you look at the prototypes then we see not all will be large enough to accomodate an internal drive though. >>


I won't be very interested in getting one of those smaller types, cuz something like that would be just a bloated PDA which is seemingly cool but you actually can't do too much with it (at least not comfortably).



<< I am curious as to how they will handle storage with these. Some sort of microdrive with decent (5+ GB) storage would be more attractive to me vs ROM. If the dam thing loses power I want to keep my data. A firewire port is a must too. >>


I'd be content with a 5-10GB permanent storage, too, as long as they'll also come up with the "base station" I talked about.



<< Palm better get it together.... >>


Man, you can say that again!

 

[BeauJangles]

$500 looks optomistic (sp?) to me. I would guess more like $1500 - $2500

 

[Maverick]

<< $500 looks optomistic (sp?) to me. I would guess more like $1500 - $2500 >>


The faq says it will be on par with mid-range laptops so I'm thinking $1500+ is a good estimate.

 

[Mavrick007]

This looks alot like the Tablet PC that I used for work in the past. This Tablet PC had Windows CE on it and we used it to conduct surveys and other projects on the screen. You just have to touch the spots lightly and it works great. Hehe It gave new meaning to "click and drag" cause you had to touch something and drag it to where you wanted it. The coolest thing that I liked about it was that as soon as you turned it on, it was on, it didn't take any time for bootup. Mine was no more than a glorified Palm Pilot though cause it was limited in ram and storage, but it did have sound and a modem built in just like a laptop would.

 

[Joony]

I want one...

 

[RU482]

I was on the design team for This about 4 years ago

 

[rmblam]

<< $500 looks optomistic (sp?) to me. I would guess more like $1500 - $2500 >>



Yeah, I agree. But with many Win PDA's going for $400ish+ I was hoping we might see some of the smaller stripped down models for well under a grand. With quite a few MFR's in on this I think we may get some good competition and pricing eventually. I guess we'll see.



<< I won't be very interested in getting one of those smaller types, cuz something like that would be just a bloated PDA which is seemingly cool but you actually can't do too much with it (at least not comfortably). >>



I agree. Get a PDA if you want compact. I don't think I would want one as big as my laptop though; certainly not as heavy.

redly1 That is interesting. It will be interesting too see how much different the "new" ones will be and again how "functional". Obviously the technology has been out there for a while. I guess M$ and developers think the time is right to move it to mainstream use. With production and component costs today compared to then I can't think they are wrong in their timing.

 

[jthsmak]

That guy's abuse of 'form factor' in the vid made me want to kill.