HP takes a crack at tablet PCs

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://news.com.com/2100-1001-930307.html?tag=fd_top">http://news.com.com/2100-1001-930307.html?tag=fd_top</a><br /><br />The flower that is the Tablet PC is starting to bloom, but how sweet will it smell? Bad gardening analogies aside, I'm still not convinced this platform has a strong future. The slate devices will only be popular if the cost is significantly lower than a laptop of the same specs. There's a stronger future in making laptops with detachable screens - making the tablet a form-factor option of a laptop with a keyboard. What do you think?<br /><br />"Hewlett-Packard will help make Microsoft's vision for tablet-style portable computers more clear with plans for new hardware on Monday. The PC maker plans to announce that it will introduce later this year a new Compaq Evo tablet PC that incorporates a 1GHz processor from Transmeta. HP completed its merger with Compaq Computer May 3." Source: Jim Mulder

[Jimmy Dodd]

My only contact with a tablet PC is a Fujitsu running Windows 98 that my physician uses. It has an 802.11b card to connect with their network. The form factor works better than a laptop/notebook because the interface is designed around a touch screen. It's smaller (no keyboard), and seems to work rather well for them. Text input/recognition seems to be the sticking point as usual, though.

I think there will be a market for tablet PCs, but I don't think anyone should listen to the marketing hype - it always oversells anything. Hardware manufacturers are looking for new places to sell systems and the tablet PC will fit into a niche that is currently empty (or at least underpowered). How big that niche is remains to be seen. The nice thing about MS getting into all these different platforms is that development becomes much simpler for these niche products. You already have a hoard of Windows developers to draw on, as opposed to having to find folks skilled in some rare embedded system.

[jpzr]

a new Compaq Evo tablet PC

I have "Compaq Evo notebook PC" and I just wonder why they (HP? Compaq?) are using name "Evo" also for tablets? Isn't it a bit confusing?

[nosaturn]

a while back, MS was talking about mira. THAT is the really cool technology that I think Jason wants. with it, you should be able to run around your house using your puter with a wireless touchscreen monitor.
-Brian

[klinux]

Evo is the name used for the Compaq desktop line as well. Pretty basic information.