Product category:
Data acquisition Software and Communications
News Release from: Microsoft | Subject: Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 15 November 2002
Tablet PCs arrive with broad industry
support
The long-held industry vision of pen-based computing this week became a reality as Microsoft and a broad range of computer, software and chip companies announced the availability of Tablet PCs.
The long-held industry vision of pen-based computing this week became a reality as Microsoft and a broad range of computer, software and chip companies announced the availability of Tablet PCs Nick Barley, Director of Marketing at Microsoft was joined on stage by corporate customers and partners to showcase the capabilities of the Tablet PC as the evolution of today's laptop PCs
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 29 Oct 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Windows waves goodbye to 25-year-old code at last
Over 2,000 customers and a significant number of the UK's media were at The Royal Festival Hall yesterday to launch Microsoft's "latest and greatest" operating system, Windows XP
Project management software speeds defence repairs
ABRO is the first organisation in Europe to implement Microsoft's new Project 2002 project management software on a large scale.
Tablet PCs combine the full power of the Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition operating system with the ability to use a digital pen in addition to a keyboard or mouse.
The result is a computer that can be used more often, and in more places, than traditional laptop PCs.
"The launch of the Tablet PC marks a crucial stage in the evolution of business computing", said Nick Barley.
"The combination of Windows PC and functionality such as Digital Ink offers users a much more natural experience through a more versatile device.
Organisations of all types can gain real productivity benefits from the Tablet PC, whether they are offices, factories, schools, hospitals or banks, the list is endless".
Further reading
It's the scales that count
A new range of industrial counting scales suits the needs of a variety of industries where parts counting is essential for inventory control, packaging checks and component handling.
Alarming performance from weighing scales
Adam Equipment has introduced a new range of industrial weighing scales to suit the needs of a wide variety of industries from building supplies to electronics manufacturing.
Budget balances have up-market features
Adam Equipment has a novel range of high-precision analytical balances with features normally only found in more expensive models.
Paul Burgum, Microsoft's Industry Manager - Manufacturing and Engineering, believes the new technology will make the manufacturing industry work more productively at all levels of the supply chain, within and outside the enterprise: "The Tablet PC will unfetter people from the limitations that laptops and fixed PCs place on their movements and convenience.
It will enable users to do their jobs faster and more directly, whether they are on the shop floor, top floor or outside in the field or on the move".
"At last the ability to easily capture the "cigarette packet" drawing within meetings is now a reality, making life much easier to share ideas across the business.
Product managers will be able to take original ideas, develop them during the meeting and send these to colleagues electronically for review, making comments and corrections directly onto the drawing using Digital Ink and eventually turning them into useable drawings.
Ruggedised versions will be available soon that can be used in harsher manufacturing environments.
Production managers can make notes and sketches that map the manufacturing flow while supervisors will get instant access to on-line manuals and product drawings while moving around the production line.
In the research and development (R and D) area, managers will find the Tablet PC technology invaluable for mapping processes and following procedural controls, plus recording any notable events and outcomes".
Hosting the Tablet PC launch in New York, Bill Gates, Chairman and Chief Software Architect of Microsoft said: "The launch of the Tablet PC marks an exciting new era of mobile computing that is limited only by the imagination of its users".
"The Tablet PC is a great example of how computers are adapting to how people really work, whether they're taking notes in a meeting, collaborating wirelessly with colleagues or reading on screen.
We're just scratching the surface of what is possible".
"The Tablet PC concept not only represents the evolution of the mobile computing form factor, but also combines the familiarity of the Windows PC operating environment with a truly pervasive and interactive device which offers greater versatility than anything previously offered in the mobile space", said Andy Brown, Research Manager for Mobile Computing at IDC.
Underscoring the flexibility of the Tablet PC, Nick Barley was joined by representatives from key Tablet PC customers, including Nationwide Building Society, Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust and Greenwich and Kent Schools.
At the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust the Tablet PC has increased the productivity of both clinicians and administrative staff by enabling them to access and share information regardless of their location.Teachersin the Cornwallis School, Kent and the Millennium Primary School, Greenwich use the Tablet PC as a highly versatile classroom education tool; and at the Nationwide Building Society the Tablet PC is being used to redefine excellence in customer service.
Those at the launch event were able to view shipping hardware designs from Acer, HP Compaq, Fujitsu-Siemens Computers, Toshiba and RM.
Tablet PCs are available in two primary designs: one features an attached keyboard and can be configured in the traditional laptop "clamshell" mode, and the other uses a variety of detachable keyboard designs in a so-called "slate" form factor.
All Tablet PCs are designed to be a user's primary business PC, recognising input from a keyboard, mouse or pen.
Tablet PCs are powered by chips optimised for low power consumption and longer life from Intel Corp, Transmeta Corp and Via Technologies.
Tablet PCs are available at a variety of retailers throughout the UK.
Final retail prices are being announced by each manufacturer.
Microsoft demonstrated several new software applications for the Tablet PC, showcasing the power of the platform.
Tablet PCs ship with extensions to Microsoft's Office XP suite that bring the power of digital ink to key Office XP applications such as the Outlook messaging and collaboration client, Microsoft Word, Excel, and the PowerPoint presentation graphics program.
With a Tablet PC running Office XP, users will be able to incorporate the comfort of handwriting into everyday tasks such as creating e-mail, annotating word documents and marking up PowerPoint presentations.
For on-screen reading applications, Microsoft announced the availability of Microsoft Reader for Tablet PC, the latest version of Microsoft's e-reading application, optimised to take advantage of the Tablet PC.
Purchasers of Tablet PCs from select manufacturers will be able to take advantage of a special promotional offer that enables new Tablet PC owners to download an engaging selection of free e-books aimed at business professionals.
A link to the promotional site will be preinstalled on Tablet PCs from participating OEMs.
In addition, Microsoft announced that several prominent newspaper and magazine publishers, including, Forbes, The New Yorker and the Financial Times are working with Microsoft's Advanced Reading Technologies group to make their publications available to Tablet PC users.
"The Tablet PC really has prompted us to think about new ways of working with technologies and software - and we are committed to making the most of these developments even at the very beginning of their lives.
As the publisher of one of the leading business dailies in the UK and Europe, we have to anticipate and deliver to our readers' preferences as they evolve.
The Tablet PC is a device that adds a whole range of new ways for our readers to use technology; our aim is to make sure that the FT is available to them in the best format possible as they adopt these new habits", said Olivier van Calster, Commercial Director at The Financial Times.
Microsoft demonstrated new third-party applications from several companies developed for the UK market, including Compass Software (retail), Corel Corp (graphics and business productivity), Accenture (field operations productivity solution), Gael (Mind Mapping and creativity solution) and iSOFT Group (healthcare).
The following companies have developed applications for the Tablet PC: Adobe Systems, network publishing solutions; Alias Wavefront, drawing; Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, mobile clinical automation software for physicians; Autodesk, design solutions; Corel Corp, graphics and business productivity applications; ESRI, mapping; FranklinCovey, personal and collaborative planning and scheduling; Groove Networks, collaboration solutions; Iteration Software, real-time event-driven reporting; Keylogix International, document automation; Microsoft Office XP, business productivity suite; Microsoft Reader for Tablet PC, e-reading; Microsoft Visio, business drawing and diagramming solution; SAP, business processes; Siebel Systems, e-business applications software; Stentor, medical imaging; WebEx Communications, web-based whiteboard/conferencing; and Zinio Systems, digital magazine technology and services.
• Microsoft: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Engineeringtalk email newsletter
• Engineeringtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
