July 2004

The Tablet PC Nonrevolution

Continued from page 1

By Simson Garfinkel

Tablet computing isn't exactly a fraud, but it's not the revolution that PC makers would like it to be. I find it a lot easier to read text on the flat tablet than on a clamshell laptop. And for applications like taking inventory or filling out surveys, the tablet format is clearly superior. My daughter sure likes curling up with the tablet on our couch while she surfs those kids' websites. And PC makers love the way that turning a laptop into a tablet lets them add $500 or more to its price.

But Microsoft is selling the tablet short by trying to make it operate within the traditional Windows framework. The menu bars, pop-up controls, and scroll bars of Windows have evolved over the past 20 years for a computer that's driven with a keyboard and mouse-not a pen. It's downright awkward to try to fill a text field by tapping it and then writing in the recognition area.

One of the reasons that the original Palm Pilot was so successful is that its developers weren't afraid to experiment with new and frequently simpler interaction paradigms. Palm developed on-screen widgets that were easy to use on a small display amidst a lot of visual distractions. It came up with a fast way to switch between applications and an integrated database that freed users from thinking about files and folders. Yes, you can configure the Tablet PC version of Windows XP to let you enter text anywhere, but Microsoft Word still thinks that you are using a keyboard and a mouse. Word doesn't know about gestures like proofreader's marks-things that are easy to write with a pen but nearly impossible to input with a mouse.

One good thing about tablets is that they're pushing PC laptops in the right direction. The tc1100 unit that I tested weighs just 1.8 kilograms (four pounds), yet it is loaded with input/output options including two USB ports, Ethernet, Wi-Fi wireless networking, and a dial on the side for fast scrolling. As these machines become more prevalent, I'm hoping that the software catches up.

Because it sure is comfortable to lie back on my couch while surfing those websites: the tablet is lighter, easier to hold, and easier to read, and the clamshell doesn't get in my way.