A Pen That Works on Paper and Your Laptop?
Hantech Siso Tablo Turns Your Laptop Into a Tablet PC
Tablo's Price Is Tempting, But the Device Needs Work
Also, even after calibrating the Tablo, the stylus wasn't as precise as that on a tablet PC. The stylus can feel unnerving against the screen. And, finally, since notebooks that aren't designed for a touch screen generally can't operate with their screen flat against a surface, a Tablo-equipped PC isn't as convenient for extended note-taking as a tablet PC.
A new generation of touch-screen notebooks will be made possible by the arrival of Windows 7. These will include support for touch technology that uses your fingers rather than a stylus (like an iPhone), and will support new enhancements that take advantage of touch.
While these will be more expensive than a cheap PC with Tablo, they will be able to do some slick things. Some will allow you to use both hands for natural manipulation of information -- for instance, expanding or shrinking a digital photo. If you must have pen input today, spend the extra money for a tablet PC. While the Tablo's price is tempting, sometimes a great touch interface is simply out of reach.
Ross Rubin (@rossrubin on Twitter) is director of industry analysis at The NPD Group (@npdtech on Twitter). He blogs at The NPD Group Blog as well as his own blog, Out of the Box.
- 1 |
- 2
