Take one tablet.

Q I read a recent article in BLACK ENTERPRISE on Tablet PCs (1) A tablet computer environment from Microsoft that is based on an enhanced version of Windows XP. Designed to function more like a portable writing tablet than previous tablet-based computers, it includes handwriting recognition as well as the ability to retain handwritten words and would like some more information about this new technology. What are they and Are they ideal for traveling?

--D. Tisma Guttenberg, N.J.

Tablet PCs function much the way laptops or portable computers do, with one exception: they also allow you to take notes for, say, meetings as you would on a writing tablet A writing tablet provides a firm surface to write upon.

For modern uses, whether notepads or bound, see notebook.
For writing tablets in Antiquity, see wax tablet.You can sign your name or write a story

. So if you prefer to write rather than type, you can do so using the Tablet PC's pen-based system and handwriting recognition Handwriting recognition is the ability of a computer to receive intelligible handwritten input. The image of the written text may be sensed "off line" from a piece of paper by optical scanning (optical character recognition). feature (which is similar to that found in handheld PCs such as the Compaq iPaq, for example). You can import the information to Word documents and Outlook as well.

Tablet PCs also come ready for wireless computing, so you can take your tablet to your local Starbucks (or any designated hot spot) and connect to the Internet. I wouldn't necessarily call Tablet PCs "super thin" or"super light" notebooks, because although they are light and thin, you do give up some of the features found in your portable PC. The Fujitsu Stylistic, for example, features a fast Pentium III-M (for mobile) processor and weighs a tad over 3 lbs. This makes it ideal for traveling. But you must forgo built-in drives (CD, DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc.

DVD
in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc

Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. , floppy, etc.), which would, of course, add to the weight of the tablet. The Toshiba Portege, however, features DVD-ROM DVD-ROM: see digital versatile disc.

A read-only DVD disc used to permanently store data files. DVD-ROM discs are widely used to distribute large software applications that exceed the capacity of a CD-ROM disc. and 24x/8xCD/DVD, which pushes its weight to just over 4 lbs. Overall, tablet PCs are good devices for traveling, provided you don't need to access additional drives.

Mail your technology questions to Cyberwise, BLACK ENTERPRISE, 130 Fifth Ave., New York New York, state, United States
New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10011, or send an e-mail to donaldsons@blackenterprise.com.

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Title Annotation:	Cyberwise
Author:	Donaldson, Sonya A.
Publication:	Black Enterprise
Date:	Nov 1, 2003
Words:	283
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