Laptop Tablets A.K.A Tablet PC

In todays bussiness world laptop tablets have become more and more popluar. Laptop tablets have become light, easy to use, and a must have for any on the go business man or woman.

A tablet PC is a notebook- or slate-shaped mobile computer. Its touch screen or digitizing tablet technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse. The computer can be linked to a network using a wireless link.

The form factor offers a more mobile way to interact with a computer. Tablet PCs are often used where normal notebooks are impractical or unwieldy, or do not provide the needed functionality.

Advantages

• Cheaper application management - where no applications are held on the device. This assumes that the Tablet PC has no memory or removable memory.

• More natural form of input — sketching and handwriting are a much more familiar form of input than a keyboard and mouse, especially for people who are new to computers.

• Gesture recognition — gestures (moving the stylus in special patterns over the screen) are powerful ways to increase efficiency. Many applications, or the operating system itself, can be programmed to respond in different ways to certain gestures created by the pen.

• Note-taking — taking handwritten notes and drawing diagrams at a class or conference increases productivity and retention of information. The notes can also be searched automatically if handwriting recognition is implemented.

• Accessibility — those who are physically unable to type can utilize the additional features of a tablet PC to be able to interact with the electronic world.

• Digital art — tablets are often necessary for professional digital artist work. For many, mouse movement is too jerky to be used as a precision tool.

• Portability — slate tablets and hybrids without keyboards are very slim and light compared to typical laptops and can easily be tucked under the arm like a book.

• Horizontal orientation — most tablet PCs do not interrupt line of sight since they lie flat on the table or in one's arms. This allows for better interaction in business meetings and conferences and also makes it easy for digital artists who wish to draw on a horizontal medium.

• Provides a platform where many can share the same document or form(- approve on it as it is be passed around) as opposed to tracing approval by one, emailing this approval with the form to the next as in workflow. If you find an interesting article, you no longer email the link - but take the Tablet PC to those interested and show it.

Disadvantages

• Higher cost — convertible tablet PCs cost roughly $300 more than their non-tablet counterparts as of 2005. This premium is expected to fall to as low as $75 by 2007. However, some models are intentionally priced at the same point or lower than equivalent notebooks without tablet functionality.

• Screen size — the size of tablet PC screens currently peaks at 14.1 inches. However, some models make up for this with very high resolution (a higher pixel density per unit area).

• Digitizer issues — some tablet digitizers cannot keep up if the user writes or draws too quickly, reducing the fluidity of the lines the computer captures. In addition, the signal from the pen may become distorted near the edges of the screen.

• Input speed — maximum handwriting speed can be significantly slower than maximum typing speed, which can be as high as 50-150 WPM.

• Screen damage risk - Because Tablet PC's are handled more than conventional laptops yet built on the frames of conventional notebooks, and because their screens also serve as input devices, many Tablet PC's run a higher risk of screen damage. PDAs carry some of the same risk.

• No built in optical drive (most Tablet PCs) — due to need for low mass

• Less power than conventional laptops - there are no desktop-replacement Tablets available, though this is not usually necessary given that Tablet PCs are usually carried around and mobility is therefore very important.