Of course most of the function of an eNotePad will be obviated by a bluetooth pen that writes on regular paper and transmits your written notes directly to computer or PDA or stores them for later transmission. Such devices already exist and should come to market in the next year and a half.
There will probably be padless pens before tablets ever achieve wide popularity.
It's either going to be a Mac (fully), or a peripheral (digital hub peripheral).</strong><hr></blockquote>
I beg to disagree. I understand your argument, but I think you shouldn't forget products like the PB Duo. Ask anyone from Japan, they simply LOVE those machines. This, I think, demonstrates that a product is not faulty per se, it becomes a flop when it's targeted to the wrong market. I'm sure, a mix-all-up do-it-all product has very good chances to become a second (well, third, if you consider the NeXT's) Cube, but a well engineered well-targeted and integrated "computer" (set-top box, sub-notebook, whatever...) is not on its owm a synonym for "flop".
[quote]<strong>The only two things I can see Apple combining are (a) PDAs and mobile phones, and (b) media storage and media presentation/playing devices (and they're already half there with the iPod which stores/plays MP3s and also functions as a FireWire hard drive).</strong><hr></blockquote>
Cell phones and PDAs will never merge: cell phones will simply become so clever to make PDAs 99% useless. This is already happening here in the EU. Who needs a PDA when you have a recent mid-to-hi-level Nokia (anything above the 7110), or a good Ericsson like the T68, or when you're planning to buy a SonyEricsson P800 for Xmas?
Nope, sorry, but unless PDA companies (my hopes are on Be/Palm) start to really innovate once again, and show us something really compelling I can't see how are they going to sell anything--at least on this side of the pond...
The second part of your argument, OTOH, might very well be true; but what I said above for PDA makers is true for Apple too: innovation, new fatures, revolutionary devices and applications are the keywords for success in this field.
Well, if it's possible for a human to recognize your natural handwriting, it should be possible for a computer.
]</strong><hr></blockquote>
If it is possible for a human to pee, it should be possible for a computer to pee as well?
Unlike most (if not all) of you here, I have actually used one of these devices last month and I will try my best to answer or clear up some questions.
As with any first-gen work (like OS X 10.0) the tabelt PC does have some issues which I will get into. (Actually, I (a "switcher") did not start using a Mac iuntil 10.1 so that may not be the best analogy. Oh well.)
1) Handwriting is not meant to replace the traditional data entry methods so that defeats the lame "who wants to write all your e-mails by hand" argument. It complements them, i.e. correct a document by circling/highlighting/drawing an alternative chart. Quickly jot down a number or map or a sales figure without losing it. It is also a much more accurate and faster navigational device than a mouse. I do not have to convince anyone that it is it is much more convenient and comfortable to surf on a tablet than on a laptop (especially lying on a couch). This is also much easier to use this for on-site work (construction, client, hospital etc) especially if there are forms.
2) Short battry life. I can confirm that this is a problem that will not be solved in most first-gen tablets. The battery life of the Acer is about 2-3 hours. They (MS) are well-aware of this and was up front about it. However, do realize that this is a problem more controlled by the hardware vendors rather than MS (for example, Compaq can easily make the device run longer but weighing heavier). This is also not a device that is meant nor claimed to run for days w/o charging.
3) Screen. The Acer model I tried has a brilliant screen (did not try outdoor though). The screen is very glassy and easy to writ on. It is brighter and shaper than the 12.1" 700mhz iBook which I have.
4) Weight. Lighter than the above iBook. Think of it as a subnotebook.
4) "No KB and "wireless" video." Well - this really is like terminal service (e.g. remote desktop) with touch screen. However, this is different product/technolgy than tablet (Mira) and warrants its own discussion. I have not used this and thus will not comment too much on it but do think it is a interesting idea.
5) "Devices that attaches to a real notepad and transfers the result onto your device." Again this is a distinctly different technology. It is already out for Palm and PocketPC for months (see Seiko). The big difference is that the handwriting is handled as a data type/object that can be manipulated by a variety of application.
6) Handwriting recognition. It is very good IMO. Its engine allows you to write in various orientation and in cursive (in fact it recognizes cursive much better than block - prob pattern recognition). MS has had a chance to really try and test this in Windows CE i.e. Pocket PC for the last 1-2 years. It ain't perfect but works well.
7) "Comparing <x technology> to a piece of paper." This is so old and began the second day a PDA was introduced. Lame.
8) "MS is pushing this on general population." Given a choice, MS will try to push anything and everything on the general population and so will most companies. However, this is clearly aimed at the enterprise segment.
That's all I can think for now. I will try to answer more questions or comments if there are more.
Comments
There will probably be padless pens before tablets ever achieve wide popularity.
<strong>You guys just don't get it.
It's either going to be a Mac (fully), or a peripheral (digital hub peripheral).</strong><hr></blockquote>
I beg to disagree. I understand your argument, but I think you shouldn't forget products like the PB Duo. Ask anyone from Japan, they simply LOVE those machines. This, I think, demonstrates that a product is not faulty per se, it becomes a flop when it's targeted to the wrong market. I'm sure, a mix-all-up do-it-all product has very good chances to become a second (well, third, if you consider the NeXT's) Cube, but a well engineered well-targeted and integrated "computer" (set-top box, sub-notebook, whatever...) is not on its owm a synonym for "flop".
[quote]<strong>The only two things I can see Apple combining are (a) PDAs and mobile phones, and (b) media storage and media presentation/playing devices (and they're already half there with the iPod which stores/plays MP3s and also functions as a FireWire hard drive).</strong><hr></blockquote>
Cell phones and PDAs will never merge: cell phones will simply become so clever to make PDAs 99% useless. This is already happening here in the EU. Who needs a PDA when you have a recent mid-to-hi-level Nokia (anything above the 7110), or a good Ericsson like the T68, or when you're planning to buy a SonyEricsson P800 for Xmas?
Nope, sorry, but unless PDA companies (my hopes are on Be/Palm) start to really innovate once again, and show us something really compelling I can't see how are they going to sell anything--at least on this side of the pond...
The second part of your argument, OTOH, might very well be true; but what I said above for PDA makers is true for Apple too: innovation, new fatures, revolutionary devices and applications are the keywords for success in this field.
ZoSo
<strong>
Well, if it's possible for a human to recognize your natural handwriting, it should be possible for a computer.
]</strong><hr></blockquote>
If it is possible for a human to pee, it should be possible for a computer to pee as well?
Unlike most (if not all) of you here, I have actually used one of these devices last month and I will try my best to answer or clear up some questions.
As with any first-gen work (like OS X 10.0) the tabelt PC does have some issues which I will get into. (Actually, I (a "switcher") did not start using a Mac iuntil 10.1 so that may not be the best analogy. Oh well.)
1) Handwriting is not meant to replace the traditional data entry methods so that defeats the lame "who wants to write all your e-mails by hand" argument. It complements them, i.e. correct a document by circling/highlighting/drawing an alternative chart. Quickly jot down a number or map or a sales figure without losing it. It is also a much more accurate and faster navigational device than a mouse. I do not have to convince anyone that it is it is much more convenient and comfortable to surf on a tablet than on a laptop (especially lying on a couch). This is also much easier to use this for on-site work (construction, client, hospital etc) especially if there are forms.
2) Short battry life. I can confirm that this is a problem that will not be solved in most first-gen tablets. The battery life of the Acer is about 2-3 hours. They (MS) are well-aware of this and was up front about it. However, do realize that this is a problem more controlled by the hardware vendors rather than MS (for example, Compaq can easily make the device run longer but weighing heavier). This is also not a device that is meant nor claimed to run for days w/o charging.
3) Screen. The Acer model I tried has a brilliant screen (did not try outdoor though). The screen is very glassy and easy to writ on. It is brighter and shaper than the 12.1" 700mhz iBook which I have.
4) Weight. Lighter than the above iBook. Think of it as a subnotebook.
4) "No KB and "wireless" video." Well - this really is like terminal service (e.g. remote desktop) with touch screen. However, this is different product/technolgy than tablet (Mira) and warrants its own discussion. I have not used this and thus will not comment too much on it but do think it is a interesting idea.
5) "Devices that attaches to a real notepad and transfers the result onto your device." Again this is a distinctly different technology. It is already out for Palm and PocketPC for months (see Seiko). The big difference is that the handwriting is handled as a data type/object that can be manipulated by a variety of application.
6) Handwriting recognition. It is very good IMO. Its engine allows you to write in various orientation and in cursive (in fact it recognizes cursive much better than block - prob pattern recognition). MS has had a chance to really try and test this in Windows CE i.e. Pocket PC for the last 1-2 years. It ain't perfect but works well.
7) "Comparing <x technology> to a piece of paper." This is so old and began the second day a PDA was introduced. Lame.
8) "MS is pushing this on general population." Given a choice, MS will try to push anything and everything on the general population and so will most companies. However, this is clearly aimed at the enterprise segment.
That's all I can think for now. I will try to answer more questions or comments if there are more.