Mitch Allen has been so underwhelmed with a Tablet PC he’s evaluating for work that it convinced him to dig out his shelved Palm III.
Part of the issue is that he’s having problems installing a driver for a USB microphone and if I undestand correctly Windows Update. I have no idea what the problem is, but I can imagine it’s frustrating.
It sounds like he has a slate Tablet with an external CD. And yes, with an external keyboard, CD and cover you can wind up with several parts. A convertible Tablet would probably be a much better match for him because he’d have an all-in-one package.
And in terms of price, Mitch may want to check out the Averatec C3500 Tablet PC–which is available at Cosco and other big retailers at under $1300. Not bad when you consider it’s a full convertible Tablet PC, plus DVD/CR-RW, and more.
Yes, you can spend more on a Tablet, just like you can with any computer. Prices vary by brand and features.
In terms of a Tablet vs a PDA, however, I think he’s onto something. I too have owned several PDAs. In fact, I have three of them right now. Two are in a drawer and the third is in its original box. The syncing, separate set of apps, and charging issues just seem to get in my way too much for me to continue to use the PDAs. Since I’ve gotten my first Tablet PC, however, I’ve been using it daily. I can’t say the same for the PDAs.
Now a couple of my friends are big Palm users. One uses his palm as a key chain holder and consequently carries it everywhere with him. He religiously enters phone numbers on it and jots down notes wherever he is. The other Palm user is a Grafiti fanatic. He’s unbelievably fast at scratching out words. And since he’s so fast at it sees no reason to use anything else.
Both are perfect candidates for Tablet ownership. One has an ultralight notebook and the other is looking to purchase one. So why not get a Tablet instead? Battery life has been one of their concerns, but there isn’t much that meets their expectations anyway. The one catch has been the size. They’d really like a Palm sized Tablet, if there was one. They want something they can clandestinely carry I think. Something they can put in their pocket. Another issue is that they are adamantly anti-Microsoft. Eventhougth they both use Windows daily they are suspicious of anything Microsoft. So it takes time to earn their trust.
Come to think of it, maybe I need to hook them up with OneNote. Hmm. The right software can make a big difference.
Have them check out the Sony U70 article about my daily use of this 5″ Tablet. It’s amazing the utility a PDA sized Tablet provides and it sounds like it could be a good solution for your friend.
http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2004/08/a_typical_day_w.html
I have used a Palm device for over 5 years. Being in In-home sales I find that the portability of the Palm is still superior to that of a Tablet PC. I am using my Acer C110 for almost all of my computer needs and synch the Palm to Outlook in the Tablet.
In my mind they compliment eachother.
Dave, I agree, it seems like the PDA and Tablet can make great companions. That’s why I keep my Pocket PCs around–just in case. The instant on feature in a Pocket PC is to die for.
jk, Will do. Great article by the way.
It’s nice to see my blog post referenced. 😉
In terms of PDA vs. Tablet: it’s a usability issue. I use the PDA as a notebook. Which means I need to switch it on, jot something down and then switch it off. You just can’t do something like that with Windows. By the time the thing boots up, you’d forget why you turned it on. I agree, they compliment each other.
My old notebook is maxing out. I may check out one of those All-In-One units when it’s time for a new laptop.
Mitch Allen ( http://www.mitchallen.com )