Rethinking the Kindle DX

I've been thinking about the rationale behind the Kindle DX. Why would Amazon want to release something so large and expensive? You could purchase a mobile computer (like a laptop or netbook) for the same amount. Does it really make sense to release an e-book reader that's so expensive?

The folks over at Amazon must really think that people are willing to replace textbooks with e-books. I'm a big fan of being paperless, but that's why I use my convertible Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet PC. I have a large color screen (12") and I can read all the PDFs I want to without panning, scrolling, etc.

How will the Apple iPad (I call it that right now, but it could end up being called the MacPad, MacTablet or iTablet) change the way people view these portable digital devices? Many people read on their iPhone. Will a larger tablet-sized gadget be preferred? How will doctors react to this surge of slate tablet-type gadgets? Will physicians become more inclined to embrace pen-based input and move away from the keyboard? Will Microsoft Surface reinforce the fact that you can be so much more efficient if you're using natural touch and finger gestures?

Multi-Touch Screens on a Tablet PC

The phrase "multi-touch" has gotten confusing in the tablet PC industry. My Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet is considered to have a multi-touch screen because I can use my active digitizer pen or my finger as an input device. However, I can't use two fingers on the screen because it is a passive screen (not a capacitive touch screen like the iPhone or BlackBerry Storm).

I was walking through Best Buy today and I played with the convertible tablet PC made by HP. It was the HP tablet TX2Z that features a capacitive multi-touch display (which means that you can use two fingers on the screen and perform gestures).

Windows 7 will include the capability to use some of those cool multi-touch gestures. Apple already leverages this technology on the iPhone and on their MacBooks.

Windows 7 Much Better than Vista and XP

I didn't have high hopes for Windows 7. I didn't think that Microsoft could build an operating system that was more efficient than XP for slower machines like ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs). For these reasons, I've been running Windows XP on my Samsung Q1 Ultra which has a very slow processor (single core, 800 MHz). It's not like my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet that has a blazing Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

My hat's off to you Microsoft. You've learned from your mistakes (and failures) on Vista and you've created a great operating system with Windows 7. I'm very impressed by the way that Windows 7 is running on my Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC). I had tried a few of the earlier builds of Windows 7 on my Samsung Q1 Ultra and they were not better than Vista. However, the latest build of Windows 7 (build 7077) has been fast, efficient, and very responsive. If you're still running Windows XP, I urge you skip Vista and go to Windows 7.

Dell XT2 Tablet

Speaking of the Dell XT2 Tablet, I've noticed that Dell knows who they are targeting on their website. This image was taken from their tablet site and you can see that they are advertising the "touch feature" of this tablet PC. My Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet also has this feature. I can use my stylus pen (active digitizer) to write on the tablet and enter data. I can also use my finger (or any other passive device) to tap on the screen. This type of multi-touch allows you to quickly enter information and navigate without always relying on your digital stylus pen. I love where technology is taking us in the computing field.

Updated Drivers and Software for the Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet

I just downloaded and installed some of the updates from Lenovo for my Thinkpad X200 Tablet PC. The new software seem to have fixed some of the Wi-Fi connection problems I was having before. The Thinkvantage System Update is undergoing some changes and it probably won't be running until May. So, you have to manually download and install these updates.

Spilled Water On a Laptop Keyboard

Well, I didn't spill the water. Thankfully, it wasn't my current Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet PC (which has a spill-proof keyboard). It was my older Fujitsu P1610 Lifebook (which is a tiny device shaped like an UMPC and has a porous keyboard). I quickly unplugged it, removed the battery, and disassembled it to speed up the drying process. Thank goodness for online service manuals. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see whether or not it will work. Fortunately, this device has become a recreational device (even though it is a convertible tablet PC with a passive touch screen). It's a great little computer that I used for a while, but I quickly realized that I needed a full-size keyboard to be more productive while I traveled for work. That's why I switched to the Thinkpad. I'll miss the p1610 if it dies, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Downgrading from Windows 7 to XP

Looks like Microsoft XP continues to live on. According to rumors, consumers will be able to downgrade from Windows 7 to XP. Maybe the netbook version of Windows 7 will really be XP with a new skin. I still use XP on most of my machines and I run Vista on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet PC. To be quite honest, my expectations for Windows 7 are not very high. I've been doing some beta testing and I haven't been impressed with the new OS. I hope to be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Sony Vaio P

So, when will Sony add a backlit keyboard to their Vaio P series? I'm a big fan of Sony products, but I will not purchase the Vaio P unless it comes with a backlit keyboard. I'm willing to pass on a touch screen (unless we're talking about a convertible tablet), but I must insist that the device have an illuminated keyboard.

Why am I so insistent? Well, I spend a fair amount of time doing work while I'm sitting in my bed and my wife is asleep. I have a USB light that shines down on the keyboard, but this can be quite disruptive. My wife has a MacBook Pro that has a backlit keyboard and it's a great machine (but a bit too big for my uses). I like tiny gadgets - that's just who I am. I used to use my OQO model 02 (which does have illuminated keys), but that's just too small and the fan is too loud. So, I often sit in bed typing on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet and using the USB light that has a bright LED on the end.

Dell Adamo Laptop

So, what do you think about the Dell Adamo ultra-thin and light laptop? It looks really nice, but at $2k, it's hard to justify. Plus, a non-user replaceable battery? What's the purpose of an ultra-light mobile PC if you can't replace the battery when you run out of juice? That just doesn't make any sense to me and I think that the Apple MacBook Air has set a poor example.

I have had several Dell PCs and I even use one right now to run Mac OS X (x86 mod/hack running OS X 10.5.2). I also run Ubuntu and XP, so it's currently configured for triple-boot. I've been happy with Dell and I've recently purchased some from the Dell outlet for a small medical office practice. I think the Adamo has tremendous potential, but the lack of a removable battery is a deal breaker for me. I'l stick with my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet and continue to use that until someone comes out with a battery that will last over 24 hrs.

MobileBlogger for Windows Mobile

Do you blog when you're on the go? Many people are embracing microblogging these days. Twitter and other sites are becoming increasingly popular. Well, if you want to use your PDA/smartphone to blog when you're on the go, then try MobileBlogger. This application works on Windows Mobile devices (soon to be called the Windows Phone if you have a smartphone). I just can't type very fast on my mobile device (which is a Verizon XV 6800), so I prefer using my Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC, my OQO model 02, or my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet. What about you? Do you blog on the go?

Windows 7 Build 7048

There are more circulating rumors about Microsoft Windows 7 (in this case, it's about build 7048). Some don't seem to think that this is the Release Candidate version of Windows 7. It seems like Microsoft still has many things to fix before Windows 7 is ready for the world.

It's been refreshing to use XP on my main PC at work. I had Vista on it, but I was having so many issues that I finally decided to go to XP. I still have Vista on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet, but that's primarily because the tablet features are so much better on Vista. Almost all those nice tablet features will also be found on Windows 7. I use the on-screen touch pointer quite a bit when I'm tapping on the screen. Otherwise, I rely on the active Wacom digitizer found on my stylus pen.

So are you excited about Windows 7? I used to have more enthusiasm, but recently that's dwindled significantly. I'd like to see Microsoft continue support for XP since it will probably still be the dominant operating system on netbooks and UMPCs (well, it will be for people who want a sleek, refined, stable operating system that takes up minimal hard drive space).

Fingerprint Laptop Security

More and more business laptops, tablets, and other mobile devices have built-in biometric fingerprint scanners. They actually work amazingly well. My Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet has this scanner and I use it to log into Windows. I can also use this fingerprint scanner to store all my other passwords. My old tiny Fujitsu Lifebook p1610 also had a fingerprint scanner and the Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC comes with a scanner.

Cursed by Vista

I'm reinstalling Vista on my "mission critical" PC today. Fortunately, my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet has become a very reliable backup to my mission critical PC. Therefore, I'm mainly using my notebook for the next several days.

After reinstalling Visa and having some of the same problems, I've decided to install XP. I admit that there are days when I wonder why I'm even playing around with Vista. Will Windows 7 really be that much better? I don't want to get my hopes up.

All my friends are telling me to switch to a Mac. I've been running OS X on an old Dell laptop (OSx86) and I admit there are many features that I like. However, I'm entangled by Microsoft applications and unless I'm constanly running VMware, I wouldn't be able to survive. Am I kidding myself? As soon as the official MacTablet arrives, maybe I'll be one of those people to camp outside of the Apple store and get one (only to find that the price dropped by $300 after 2 months).

Screen Protectors for Mobile Gadgets

There was a time when I used screen protectors on all my devices. My Apple Newton Messagepad 2100 had a screen protector. Then, any other device that had a touch screen got a screen protector. This includes my Palm Pilot, the Casio Cassiopeia E-125, HP/Compaq iPaq, the Treo 700wx, and more recently my HTC XV6800.

I've started moving away from screen protectors on some of my other devices. For instance, my Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC doesn't have a screen protector. I've been using this device for over a year and it doesn't have a single scratch on it. I also haven't used a screen protector on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet. No scratches.

So. my XV6800 needs a new screen protector. There are several different types and I've been using the original one that came in the Verizon box.

Intel Turbo Memory on the Thinkpad X200 Tablet

I have Intel Turbo Memory on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet. I've been doing some reading about Turbo Memory and the tech experts seem to have varying views of the efficacy of this technology. Since it's there, I really don't pay any attention to it. However, I think I'm going to try disabling it just to see if I notice any difference in performance. Since I'm already running 64 bit Vista with 4 GB of RAM, I don't think that Turbo Memory is adding a whole lot.

First BSOD on Vista Business 64 bit

I experienced my first blue screen of death (BSOD) on my Thinkpad X200 tablet running Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64 bit. Everything seems OK now, but all my applications froze and were unresponsive before I got the BSOD. This is my first experience running the 64 bit version of Vista, so I guess we'll have to see how things go. I anticipate that once Windows 7 gets released, I'll be installing that and getting rid of Vista.

The Uncertain Future of Tablet PCs

What type of future lies ahead for slate and convertible Tablet PCs? Will Apple revive the Tablet computer in 2009? Will pen-based computing be more than just a niche market where healthcare professionals dominate with the pen and point-and-click EHRs? As more smartphones, MP3 players, MIDs, video players, and other devices rely on touch-based input, will this naturally transition over to notebooks and netbooks? At one point, I remember thinking that we'd be seeing many more convertible laptops by now. Instead, I feel like that pie is shrinking.

There seems to be fewer convertible tablet PCs on the market from major manufacturers. For instance, Sony still hasn't released a convertible tablet PC. Also, Apple also hasn't jumped on this wagon quite yet. And, we hardly see a dedicated slate tablet PC these days. Fujitsu and Motion may be the only two companies making these (I realize there are others, but I wanted to pick on my favorites since I had/have a Fujitsu).

I'm still very happy with my Thinkpad X200 tablet and I wouldn't trade it for any standard notebook that's out there on the market. This computer has an active digitizer plus a passive touch screen. You really can't ask for more (well, maybe capacitive touch and multi-finger touch gestures).

Great deals on the Lenovo Thinkpad X61 Tablet

There are some incredible deals out there on the Lenovo Thinkpad X61 tablet PC. Since the X200 tablet replaced the X61, the deals are quite incredible.

Lenovo is still selling the X61 as a brand new unit, so you can order a custom configured model. If you want to experience the Lenovo Outlet, that's one option if you're not in a rush to get a new laptop. However, I would suggest trying to find an "open box special."

Owls and Fans

I've been thinking about the fan issue for a while. I have a Thinkpad X200 tablet and the fan is barely audible, even when it's on high. The Thinkpad fan blades reflect some of the innovations in design found in nature:

ThinkPad Silent Owl Blade

I wish OQO could refine or improve the fan so that it's much quieter. I have a model 02 and I really like it, but the fan can get disruptive if you're in a quiet room.

While you still have the chance to improve the fan on the model 02+ (since we're still several months away from May), please improve the fan! Thanks.

Dell XT2 or Lenovo X200 Tablet?

If you had to purchase a tablet PC today and price wasn't an issue, which one would you choose? The Dell XT2 or the Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet?

I've owned several different Dells and Thinkpads.

• They both offer multi-touch screens.
• Neither offer a backlit keyboard or any type of keyboard illumination.
• Both have robust battery life.

The reality is that price is a huge issue and the Dell is overpriced. End of story.