PDA or Notepad?

[mynetdude]

My new toy:


HP TX1410

The best of both worlds...

are tablet PCs fast? I heard they are slow... and EXPENSIVE.

I don't use my laptop enough, and my PDA is still rather small.. I'd like to do away with my laptop and PDA and get a TPC to get more usability out of it.  I only use my laptop when I am not at home or doing something to support CAP otherwise.

I'm still trying to figure out my email/contact/notes/calendar issues with syncing... so if I went with a tablet PC I could at least install outlook 2007 and forget about syncing I'd have IMAP and everything I needed... heck I wouldn't need outlook then either because I could just use the web interface.

I'd still use Office though... perfectly fine.

[Eclipse]

Dollar for dollar they are more expensive than a similar machine without the tablet, but they are not prohibitive.

I did a fair amount of shopping and this was about the same price as other ones I was looking at in the range.  The IBM and Dell tablet systems, as well as the MODbook >are< more expensive.  This was about $1000 before tax. (Was on sale last week).

I don't normally buy consumer machines for work (this is branded as an "entertainment system" - yeah, whatever), but the feature list was too high to pass up for the price.  I was very close to ordering a Latitude for 1/3 more when I heard this thing's Siren song in the store. ("Get it now", did not hurt the sale, either.)

Dual-core AMD 2.2Ghz, 2Gb RAM, 250 GB HD, Lightscribe DVD burner, Bluetooth, 802.11n, and then all the features of the tablet.

I've only had it about a week, but am getting real used to the tablet idea, especially on the train - anything where you are mostly reading and pointing is perfect, and the performance is very good.

The screen is smaller than I would want on a "regular" notebook, but that's the point of the tablet - smaller.  It's size allows for reading an 81/2x11" document in portrait basically real-sized. 

I'm still working on training the handwriting recognition, but the more I use it, the better it gets.

I've also looking forward to drawing on it (its pressure, not Wacom, oh well).

On the downside, I'm not a real fan of the shiny screen, but a getting used to it (its real bright as the trade-off).  And Vista takes some getting used to, although I've stripped it down and out enough that there are no performances lags, thankfully at least its Home Premium, so most few features are missing.

It also gets really cool looks on the train and in meetings.

[mynetdude]

I'm looking to buy a WACOM similar device, but then again touch screen/pen screen isn't the same as WACOM tablets.

thats a pretty good system for $1,000 its got more than what my laptop has and that is plenty fast really. Yeah I'm not all too estatic about the shiny reflective screens... I find it that is the most stupidest annoying thing the computer industry has come up with as if they have no brains.  C'mon don't they know that when you are using a laptop you are subject to non standard/typical conditions such as sunlight, travel, etc? At home I have minimal light interference due to glare issues I have when traveling with a laptop that isn't an option for me... so a shiny screen is a big turn off to me and it pisses me off.

[JoeTomasone]

I use a laptop or (if nothing else) paper to capture classroom notes, a small pad or my iPhone to capture field notes.   The iPhone is always with me, so it's easy to rely on it.

[mynetdude]

I use a laptop or (if nothing else) paper to capture classroom notes, a small pad or my iPhone to capture field notes.   The iPhone is always with me, so it's easy to rely on it.

then you probably might benefit from a tablet PC or that nifty little note pen receiver technology I linked in one of my posts at newegg for $80+S&H. 

I'm looking at a few Tablet PCs... I can get some for less than $1k but to even get one with bluetooth I gotta stay within $950+ the last time I looked at getting one was almost 3 years ago they have gotten amazingly faster.

[JoeTomasone]

Nah - my handwriting is atrocious and my typing is both accurate and fast.   

[JesusFreak]

I prefer writing. I have a pretty good memory, but with all these things going around its hard to remember. As they say,"The pen is mightier than the sword."

[rross8085]

I use an ACECAD writing tablet that allows me to write on paper which then records the notes. they cna then be uploaded to my computer and either saved in written form or converted to a word document. The conversion software works ok, I have more issues with my handwriting. It converts printing, cursive, and even drawings to an electronic format.

[Short Field]

I prefer writing. I have a pretty good memory, but with all these things going around its hard to remember. As they say,"The pen is mightier than the sword."

As a staff officer, I was taught it is better to trust your longhand than your long memory.   

A 3x5 notepad in your pocket is a necessity during a base operations.  It lets you record key numbers like coordinates and phone numbers on the fly.  It also works well as you can write out the instructions you want the MRO to send to the aircrew and just leave it with them.  MUCH safer than just telling them what you want them to send and then walking off.