Bill points us to this story about IBM notebooks fitted with digital writing/doodling pads. It's designed to capture images rather than OCR text, but I could still see it being a useful tool in a few different situations. Doesn't seem to be any info about this on IBM's site, though.
This has (almost) been done before...
by
Orbix
·
· Score: 3
I don't know if too many of you have heard of them, but a moderate number of tablet (pen-based) notebooks have been available for nearly a decade. While they didn't use the pad/digitizer tablet method that IBM is presenting, they were a very usable solution in a large number of circumstances.
In 1992/1993, IBM produced the Thinkpad 730T, an industrial strength tablet notebook designed mainly for applications in real estate (easy access to databases and listing information), medical (convenient access to patient records and other such data), and other purposes. This thing is still impressive today, and was even more amazing back when it was released.
The machine was incredibly well designed, employing a fairly small footprint, pcmcia hard disks (so that your work doesn't require you to use a specific notebook. If your workplace owns a number of 730Ts, just pop your personal hard disk into any of the notebooks and you're set to go), rubberized magnesium-alloy casing (extremely strong, light, and water-resistant), and an extremely cool dual-battery system. Rather than having one massive battery, the 730T used two smaller batteries, set up so that batteries can be hot-swapped by simply replacing one battery, then the other, leading to effectively unlimited uptime without plugging in or shutting down. The average battery life runs into the 3-5 hour range.
The digitizer tablet was integrated with the display, allowing a true point-and-click environment (to use marketing jargon), and wasn't too shabby, especially since the display was a backlit 9.5" greyscale lcd.
The reason I mention this macine at such length is this: Tablet machines have been done before. Even by the same manufacturer. The only thing that has been lacking has been OS support. PenPoint was apparently good, but had limited application support. Windows for Pen Computing is long outdated, and Pen Services has pathetic handwriting recognition, and it doesn't work with Windows 98 (I don't think). IBM seems to be acting as though this machine is a major innovation, even though this isn't a new thing. Even Microsoft is acting like their new version of Windows for use with tablet machines is a big deal. They've already done os work for pen-based systems.
I wish these people wouldn't act like everything they do is so incredibly innovative.
-Orbix
Note: Compaq also made a tablet machine, being the Concerto. The Concerto wasn't ruggedized or anything, but it did have a removable keyboard, making it one of the most versatile machines made, and that it surpasses this new IBM machine by miles.
I usually find that it's much easier to take notes on paper, so that if I screw up I can easily erase it or move on.
With this you wouldn't have the ability to scroll as you take notes, and unless it interprets your handwriting into text, what good would it be?
Or is all digital always better to some of you?
--
I am the root bridge.
Cool for forms and checklists
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 3
This is great for forms and checklists. A form can be printed that lies over the pad. As it's filled in, the fields are put in the appropriate database. When the task is done, both a traditional paper document and a database exist. The paper can easily be inspected and approved then filed for as long as needed by other inspectors. The electronic copy can be researched easily by those who need to know what happened.
I've been waiting for something like this. Nice work, IBM!
This seems like a great idea, usable as a computer in those situations where a full computer just doesn't "feel" right. When I'm taking notes, jotting down a poem, etc, I usually hate to type, rather, I like to scrawl my scribblings on a pad of paper. Don't ask me why, it just feels better to get those emotions down on ground up trees. However, since one can't send a sheet of paper to someone across the country nearly as fast as you can send an email, so I end up having to type it out anyways. This seems like it'll get rid of most of the redundancy of having to put down an idea twice just to get people to be able to read it.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't know if too many of you have heard of them, but a moderate number of tablet (pen-based) notebooks have been available for nearly a decade. While they didn't use the pad/digitizer tablet method that IBM is presenting, they were a very usable solution in a large number of circumstances.
In 1992/1993, IBM produced the Thinkpad 730T, an industrial strength tablet notebook designed mainly for applications in real estate (easy access to databases and listing information), medical (convenient access to patient records and other such data), and other purposes. This thing is still impressive today, and was even more amazing back when it was released.
The machine was incredibly well designed, employing a fairly small footprint, pcmcia hard disks (so that your work doesn't require you to use a specific notebook. If your workplace owns a number of 730Ts, just pop your personal hard disk into any of the notebooks and you're set to go), rubberized magnesium-alloy casing (extremely strong, light, and water-resistant), and an extremely cool dual-battery system. Rather than having one massive battery, the 730T used two smaller batteries, set up so that batteries can be hot-swapped by simply replacing one battery, then the other, leading to effectively unlimited uptime without plugging in or shutting down. The average battery life runs into the 3-5 hour range.
The digitizer tablet was integrated with the display, allowing a true point-and-click environment (to use marketing jargon), and wasn't too shabby, especially since the display was a backlit 9.5" greyscale lcd.
The reason I mention this macine at such length is this: Tablet machines have been done before. Even by the same manufacturer. The only thing that has been lacking has been OS support. PenPoint was apparently good, but had limited application support. Windows for Pen Computing is long outdated, and Pen Services has pathetic handwriting recognition, and it doesn't work with Windows 98 (I don't think). IBM seems to be acting as though this machine is a major innovation, even though this isn't a new thing. Even Microsoft is acting like their new version of Windows for use with tablet machines is a big deal. They've already done os work for pen-based systems.
I wish these people wouldn't act like everything they do is so incredibly innovative.
-Orbix
Note: Compaq also made a tablet machine, being the Concerto. The Concerto wasn't ruggedized or anything, but it did have a removable keyboard, making it one of the most versatile machines made, and that it surpasses this new IBM machine by miles.
How does this relate to this story I wonder?
Would this really be that helpful?
I usually find that it's much easier to take notes on paper, so that if I screw up I can easily erase it or move on.
With this you wouldn't have the ability to scroll as you take notes, and unless it interprets your handwriting into text, what good would it be?
Or is all digital always better to some of you?
I am the root bridge.
This is great for forms and checklists. A form can be printed that lies over the pad. As it's filled in, the fields are put in the appropriate database. When the task is done, both a traditional paper document and a database exist. The paper can easily be inspected and approved then filed for as long as needed by other inspectors. The electronic copy can be researched easily by those who need to know what happened.
I've been waiting for something like this. Nice work, IBM!
This seems like a great idea, usable as a computer in those situations where a full computer just doesn't "feel" right. When I'm taking notes, jotting down a poem, etc, I usually hate to type, rather, I like to scrawl my scribblings on a pad of paper. Don't ask me why, it just feels better to get those emotions down on ground up trees. However, since one can't send a sheet of paper to someone across the country nearly as fast as you can send an email, so I end up having to type it out anyways. This seems like it'll get rid of most of the redundancy of having to put down an idea twice just to get people to be able to read it.