Tablet PC

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Introduction

“Generically, a tablet PC refers to a laptop or slate-shaped mobile computer, equipped with a touchscreen or graphics tablet/screen hybrid to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse.” (Wikipedia, retrieved 18:43, 15 June 2009 (UTC)).

Hardware

Several vendors sell tablet PCs.

I found not very easy to find a good website that gives good advice on high-end tablet PCs. TablePC Review is ok as starting point. In June 2009, I found 4 useful systems, HP tx2005z (attractive price, but not sold in Switzerland), Lenovo ThinkPad (but a colleague has it and doesn't like it), Fujitsu LifBook T5010 (was difficult to find), so I settled for a Dell XT2 (3GB, 120 GB HD) with a DVD "backback". I am happy with it so far. Its DLV screen is fine for a tablet PC and works in most light conditions. It also can understand double touch like the iPhone (if you can find an application that can handle it). On the negative side, it doesn't have a built-in camera, but a 2MPixel portable Logitech webcam gives better image quality anyhow, so I got one of these. - Daniel K. Schneider 18:43, 15 June 2009 (UTC).

Software

Various

• For Windows (both XP and Vista), there are free Microsoft experience packs for download.
  • Experience Pack for Tablet PC (Windows XP)
  • Microsoft Experience Pack for Windows Vista (English only, but works in non-English versions)

• Microsoft Ink Desktop for Windows Vista
  • Allows to write on the desktop in various way (e.g. transparently)
  • Download page. English is default, change the language in the pulldown menu of the download page. An English version will not work on a french system for example.

Drawing and note taking

• InkSeine is a free note taking / idea management product from Microsoft research. It's a good idea to look at it since it tests a new interface paradigm for tablet PCs...
  • AlpineInker An InKSeine Developer Blog.
  • GBM InkShow: InkSeine, BottaBeMobile.com

• OneNote - MS commercial note taking product (this is usually include if your organization has a site licence for MS products)
  • Official Homepage
  • WMS OneNote -Wikipedia Entry
  • Daniel Escapa's OneNote Blog

• Freestyler is an educational software with many functionalities (including collaborative drawing and modeling)
  • I use this program when I teach to create drawings on the fly (instead of a more clumsy interactive whiteboard) - Daniel K. Schneider.

Fun

• linerider.com

OS Support

Windows support

Win XP users should install Tablet PC Win XP addons from Microsoft if it hasn't been done by the vendor. Same for Office 2003 programes like PPT.

Win Vista already includes tablet PC functionalities (no downloads required) and offers a series of improvements like:

• Better handwriting recognition
• Visual pen feedback for single tap, double-tap and right clicking
• File explorer has checkboxes
• Pen flicks (pen gestures like "move forward", "move back" etc.
• Support for use of fingers (e.g. useful for moving windows and menus). Also includes a "touch pointer" including a virtual mouse, drag area and pointer. Using the pen is easier we think.
• Snipping tool.
• Better input panel

Mac

There is no official table PC so far (June 2009)

Linux

Support seems to flaky so far (but didn't really try).

In education

Introduction

Tablet PCs (like any technology are being used in education for two very different purposes.

Teachers use tablet PCs to present infromation, e.g. like with a blackboard (e.g. write text and create illustrations) or in some combined mode annotating for example "half-baked" slides.

Learners may use tablet PCs in all situations where they have to create drawings (instead of using a tablet). Younger children can input text through handwriting (recognition programs are fairly accurate if the user writes carefully). However, the current priceing (2009) of tablet PCs (about double price for similar systems) may not justify buying these since graphic tablets are cheap and pupils should learn touchtyping anyhow. In order to get mileage out of tablet PCs we need to justify additional pedagogical benefits.

Tablet PCs as presentation devices

“In one of the earliest recorded reflections on pedagogy, Socrates drew a figure in the sand to demonstrate to Meno that the slave already knew how to construct a square with double the area of a given square. The Greek philosopher improvised an informal sketch in the sand to structure an interactive, engaging learning experience. Why didn't Socrates prepare his points before class, using the PowerPoint of his day: a chisel and block of stone?” (Roschelle et al, 2003: 42).

=== Young children

A special population are very young children for which direct object manipulation finger touch interfaces are very appropriate. Such a "touch" interface also should facilitate task-level colloboration. One of the larger succesful projects was the integrated NIMIS classroom project of the late 1990's (Hoppe, 2000; Lingau et al., 2003) which integrated early touch screen technology in the pupils desks.

Links

Introductions

• Table PC (Wikipedia)

Windows support

• Windows XP Table PC
• Vista for Moblie PCs. Entry point for VISTA add-ons etc.

Commercial websites

• TablePC Review

Bibliography

• Chiu-Pin Lin; Kuo-Pin Liu; Niramitranon, J. (2008). Tablet PC to Support Collaborative Learning: An Empirical Study of English Vocabulary Learning, Wireless, Mobile, and Ubiquitous Technology in Education - WMUTE 2008. Fifth IEEE International Conference, 23-26 March 2008, 47 - 51. DOI 10.1109/WMUTE.2008.22.

• Chiu-Pin Lin; Kuo-Ping Liu; Chee Kit Looi (2008). Group Scribbles to Support Jigsaw Cooperative Learning in a Graduate Course, Eighth IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, 2008. ICALT '08. 1-5 July 2008, 459 - 463 10.1109/ICALT.2008.183

• Hoppe, H. Ulrich, Lingnau, Andreas, Machado, Isabel, Paiva, Ana, Prada, Rui, Tewissen, Frank - Supporting Collaborative Activities in Computer Integrated Classrooms - the NIMIS Approach. (2000). Proc. of 6th International Workshop on Groupware, CRIWG 2000 , Madeira, Portugal. Download

• Hoppe, H. U., Lingnau, A., Machado, I., Paiva, A., Prada, R., Tewissen, F. (2000) Supporting Collaborative Activities in Computer Integrated Classrooms - the NIMIS Approach. Proc. of CRIWG 2000. IEEE CS Press.

• Lingnau, Andreas, Kuhn, Markus, Harrer, Andreas, Hofmann, D, Fendrich, M, Hoppe, H. Ulrich (2003). Enriching Traditional Classroom Scenarios by Seamless Integration of Interactive Media. Advanced Learning Technologies: Technology Enhanced Learning , Los Alamitos, CA,2003, PDF

• Roschelle, J.; Tatar, D.; Chaudbury, S.R.; Dimitriadis, Y.; Patton, C.; DiGiano, C.; (2007).

Ink, Improvisation, and Interactive Engagement: Learning with Tablets, Computer, Volume 40, Issue 9, Sept. 2007, 42 - 48 DOI 10.1109/MC.2007.321