Investments

Every now and someone asks, “I just got my new Tablet PC, and there is a lot of software pre-loaded that I don’t need. How do I remove it?” The concerns: There are over 70 running processes. My desktop machine doesn’t have that many. What can I remove? I need a clean copy of Windows XP Tablet PC edition so I can start fresh without all the stuff that the manufacturer loaded on my machine. I paid for ___ megabytes of memory and ___ are being consumed by these mysterious processes Ideas<EVERY better? There are those who want to dominate the … Continue reading I Just Got My New Tablet PC

I’m sending a student to College/University in the fall… Q: Should I spend the extra money it takes to get a Tablet PC instead of a more traditional Notebook PC? Q: Why?From yesterday: The short answer – It’s a competitive world The longer answer: Let’s look more closely at the kind of competitive edge the Tablet PC can offer a student. Things you can only do with a Tablet PCOkay, we’re talking about Ink; the ability to write on the screen. This gives you the ability to make notes in the same way you can on paper. The picture at the top of … Continue reading Sending a Student to College or University this Fall? Part II

Are you sending a student to College or University in the fall? Then you probably have lots of question, but let’s ask a couple more. Q: Should I spend the extra money it takes to get a Tablet PC instead of a more traditional Notebook PC? A:  Yes. Q: Why?A: If you are waiting for a long answer, I’m putting in this preamble so you’ll feel better. The short answer: It is a competitive world! Seriously, if you are sending someone through school, this is an easy decision. If there is even a chance that you can increase your student’s … Continue reading Sending a Student to College or University this Fall?

Continuing those notes to self, if I could post a letter back in time, this time I’m trying to prepare myself for some of the harder-to- quantify aspects of Tablet PC ownership. Let’s talk about investments. Unlearning Give yourself some time to unlearn things that have been second nature. Part of this is realizing that not everything you input into the machine has to be manipulated. So much of the value I attributed to the computer was being able to anticipate changes (edits, re-writes, assumptions) that I had a whole mindset of write-once, edit forever. Ink on paper is some … Continue reading If I Knew Then, What I Know Now – Part II – Investments

Here’s a collection of thoughts I would put in a letter and send to myself in a time machine. The date: A couple of weeks before I purchased my first Tablet PC. Ink is Ink and Text is Text and you don’t have to convert Ink to TextAt first I wanted to use the pen to replace keyboard input. As it turns out, when the novelty wore off, I stopped trying to use the pen for large blocks of input, especially when it would have to be edited, shared, or converted to other formats. I have since learned the jargon … Continue reading If I Knew Then, What I Know Now

One frequent comment you hear about Tablet PCs is that they will not enter the mainstream until the price comes down. I thought it would be worthwhile to explore the question, “Are Tablet PC’s too expensive?” Today let’s ponder … Compared to What? I was cruising through the latest flyer from Dell, and as I have occasion to do, wandering through some big box retailers. It is pretty clear that pound- for-pound, in the under 5 pound range, Tablet PCs cost more money than similarly configured ultra-light machines. Not a whole lot more, but 15-25% seems common. When you get … Continue reading Are Tablet PCs Too Expensive? Compared to What?

What is a Tablet PC? Microsoft defined “Tablet PC” years ago, and I’ll spare you the technical details. I think the defining characteristics of a Tablet PC are shaped by what you as an individual do with it. It is a surprisingly personal device. It tends to defy conventional definition because it is so easily confused with other technologies from which it seems to have been derived. Let’s get rid of some of the truths that get in the way of the definition. The Tablet PC is: A portable personal computer that: Runs Windows XP Pro with Tablet PC “extensions” … Continue reading What IS a Tablet PC?