August 4th, 2009

Tablet devices suck, so why does Apple want to make one?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:08 am

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, On the road, Rumors, Tablet PC

Tags: Apple Inc., Tablets, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Matthew Miller

The rumors of an Apple tablet/large screen iPod continue to live on, along with the possible upcoming Crunchpad device. After reading Jeremy Toeman’s latest article titled, The Tablet That Nobody Really Wants…, I have to say I think he put into words perfectly what most of us have been thinking. Wired posted an article stating that 2010 may be the year of the tablet, but I respectfully disagree and don’t think any year will be the year of the tablet. People rarely write with a pen and paper anymore and I don’t think they will go back to handwriting, especially on an electronic screen that cannot compete with a nice sheet of paper.

I have tried different tablet devices in the past and I see very little benefit from them for the majority of people. The iPhone/iPod touch seem to be just about as big as you need for a productive web surfing and media consumption device and a tablet Apple really does not make much sense to me.

I do think the handwriting recognition found in Windows Tablet PCs is actually extremely accurate and quite remarkable. That said, I am still way more accurate and productive on a QWERTY keyboard and find little benefit in handwriting on a computer screen. The convertible Tablet PC devices do give you a full notebook experience along with a tablet experience, but these have never seemed to sell that well and are priced quite high compared to a comparable netbook.

Does anyone think a tablet device doesn’t suck?

July 30th, 2009

Evernote announces PDF search capability

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 4:00 am

Categories: Mobile software, On the road, Tablet PC, Ultra portable PC, mobile services

Tags: Adobe PDF, Search Technology, Evernote, Matthew Miller

Regular readers here know that I am a big fan of the Evernote application that I use on my PC, Mac, and mobile phones. Evernote just announced an amazing new feature for premium subscribers (I have been a premium subscriber since day 1) that I am sure will be great news for many of you. Evernote now supports PDF Search capabilities so the PDF documents you upload to your account go through their search recognition technology engine servers and are fully searchable within minutes. Evernote will begin processing all of your existing non-searchable PDF documents within the next week so they will be searchable soon while new documents will be searchable right away.

Searching PDFs with the Adobe software is sometimes a useless endeavor since some PDF documents are not searchable. With Evernote and the desktop client you can run a PDF document through your premium account and then right click (on the desktop version) to export this searchable PDF. Even better, you can search right within Evernote to find the word(s) you are looking for in any document you have in your account.

Remember, this new searchable PDF support is a premium account holder benefit so check out their subscription model and seriously consider this option. I think it is well worth the $45/year and am happy to pay every year for my premium account.

July 13th, 2009

Can Apple launch a tablet device and do what it did with the iPhone?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 12:21 pm

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, Rumors, Tablet PC, UMPC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Apple iPhone, Apple Inc., Tablets, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Matthew Miller

Both Andrew and Jason posted the news about the latest Apple tablet computer rumor that has the 9.7 inch device slated for an October release for $800. As a guy who tried a few Windows Tablet PC devices in the past, but rarely even used the touch screen functionality of the Tablets I at first just kind of shrugged off this latest rumor. Then I paused and thought a bit more about what Apple did with the smartphone market after launching the iPhone and now I think there are some real possibilities here for Apple to again demonstrate how something like a large screen tablet can be done right.

We have had Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Nokia, and Palm smartphones around for years when the Apple iPhone was launched. Those of us in the mobile industry and those in corporate environments were fairly familiar with wireless data access, but it seems that very few consumers fully understood what a phone could do for them. Apple changed the game with the iPhone launch and their huge marketing campaign that made people aware of what these devices could do. I actually think that Apple and the iPhone probably helped out every mobile operating system as it brought a level of understanding to the entire mobile phone community and then people started realizing there were more choices available.

The Tablet PC and UMPC market never really took off for Microsoft and was a pretty niche market with a few selected areas of industry (primarily healthcare and field workers) that embraced the technology and devices. Netbooks swooped in at low prices and in form factors that people are used to working with and I think essentially killed off any possibility of Tablet PCs ever taking off. Tablet PCs and UMPCs were priced too high for consumers at $1,000 to $2,500+ with little real advantage over a much cheaper notebook.

If Apple can launch a tablet form factor device for $800, people may find a way to afford it. Apple is going to have to “tell the story” (something my buddy Michael Gartenberg likes to say) of why and how this tablet device can improve your life and be an enjoyable product. Apple will probably sell at least a million right off the bat to Apple fans, but they also need to go beyond that base to have a successful product. Given what Apple has done with the iPhone and the App Store I am actually excited to see what that looks like in a device of this form factor.

I don’t think they can just release a MacBook without a keyboard and a touch sensitive on-screen keyboard and have a product that everyone wants to own, which may be why it is taking so long to come out with a tablet Apple device. Will we see some new text input technology? Will we see some new way to manage and use your media content from the Apple tablet? Will social networking, Internet browsing, and sharing media with family and friends have a whole new look? There are some cool things Apple can do here with this form factor and we will just have to continue to wait and see if this rumored device ever appears.

February 3rd, 2009

Keep dreaming and hoping, we won't see an Apple tablet anytime soon

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:11 am

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, Linux, Open Handset Alliance, Tablet PC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Apple iPod, Apple Inc., Apple iPod Touch, Tablets, Digital Music, Digital Media, Notebooks, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Personal Technology

Right at the end of 2008, Michael Arrington posted some info from his sources on a rumored large form Apple iPod touch/tablet for sometime in 2009. There is now some information available on an Apple patent for a large display device. Even with these pieces of information and hopes of the Apple faithful, I am highly skeptical of Apple ever releasing an Apple tablet/large display iPod. The iPod touch is already priced at $299 and $399 and the original iPhone (unsubsidized) was priced at US$599 so an Apple tablet would easily be priced at $700+ I am sure. In today’s economy that is an unreasonable figure when small form notebooks with actual keyboards can be used to do the same thing for $300.

I am sure there are prototype devices being tested and trialed at Apple, but just because there are prototypes and patents doesn’t mean we will ever see such a device. As a mobile geek, I am sure it would be a very cool device and would sell a few thousand. However, the tablet form factor devices have really only done well in areas like the medical field and I doubt too many people would adopt using a touch screen only keyboard input method and would soon tire of such a device. An iPod touch works just fine for browsing on the couch, watching movies, listening to music, and controlling your home media center. I suppose Apple could come out with a 4 inch or 5 inch iPod touch to give you a bit better experience, but highly doubt we will see anything larger than that from Apple.

We may see a tablet type device running the Android OS because it should be able to be sold for $400 or so down in the iPod touch range. Then again, I still am not convinced people will readily adopt a touch only interface for text input.

December 31st, 2008

An OQO with OLED and Intel processor could be revealed at CES

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:49 am

Categories: Rumors, Tablet PC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Processor, Organic Light-emitting Diode, OQO, Intel Corp., 3G, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

One mobile device I never owned, but almost pulled the trigger on a couple of times, was the OQO. However, it is way out of my price range, starts at $1,299 and accessories are expensive too, and I could never justify the price. The nicest high-end model is a whopping US$2,999 too. Rob Bushway mentioned that the Digital Experience vendor email list revealed that an updated OQO will be revealed at CES next week.

This updated OQO model will apparently be called the OQO model 2+ and will use an Intel Atom processor, OLED display (awesome!), and have worldwide 3G capability. These upgrades sound great, but I imagine this feature-packed baby with the 2GB of RAM coming in close to that $3,000 price so it makes it a non-device for me. With the low price small computers/netbooks available today is there still a market for highly portable, expensive devices like the OQO?

November 11th, 2008

Check out the ultimate ultra mobile PC buyer's guide

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:57 am

Categories: Gadgets, Netbook, Tablet PC, UMPC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: PC, Ultramobile PC, Ultramobile PCs (UMPCs), Tablets, Hardware, Notebooks & Tablets, Emerging Technologies, Matthew Miller

Are you considering an ultra-mobile PC this holiday season? If so, then I highly recommend you check out the 11,000 word, 28-page Ultra Mobile Computing Buyer’s Guide put together by the biggest fan of UMPCs I have ever seen, Steve “Chippy” Paine. He initially posted this in a 4-part article and has now assembled it all into a single PDF document that you can download and use as an essential reference tool.

I was reading through this outstanding guide this morning and am very impressed by the amount and quality of information Steve provides. You can read about the history of ultra mobile computing, different features, the different processors, different form factors, and more. There is a link to his incredible UMPC list that shows just about every ultra portable computer you can think of and then provides more details and specs when you click on the image on the page.

November 6th, 2008

The Intel Classmate Netvertible appears for preliminary evaluation

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 4:48 am

Categories: Gadgets, Netbook, On the road, Tablet PC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Touch Screen, Device, Intel Corp., Intel Classmate Netvertible, Joanna Stern, Keyboards, Monitors & Displays, Tablets, Hardware, Peripherals

Joanna Stern is usually the first person to get a look at the new netbook devices and writes some fantastic reviews that I personally read before making purchase decisions. She continues this practice with an article that takes a first look at the CTL 2go Tablet (aka Intel Classmate Netvertible). This is a touch screen netbook device that will compete with the upcoming ASUS touch screen netbook device.

The CTL 2go Tablet is a device that flips and swivels to switch between a standard laptop mode and a tablet/slate mode. One of the biggest surprises for me in Joanna’s article was the probable price of US$499 to US$549. The device specifications are 8.9 inch display, 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 60GB hard drive, and integrated WiFi. The lowest price model will run a version of Linux and Windows XP should add about US$50. XP doesn’t have Tablet functionality integrated unless you upgrade to the Windows XP Tablet Edition operating system or install 3rd party applications like RitePen (for handwriting recognition. However, a Tablet PC at about US$500 is fantastic since most Tablet PCs come in at US$1,200 plus.

I am traveling this week with my 10 inch MSI Wind and to be productive I think a 10 inch display is just about perfect. If handwriting for notes and sketches is important to you, then I can see how this upcoming Tablet netbook will appeal to you.

September 24th, 2008

Will a 6600 mAh battery convince you to buy an HTC Shift?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:07 am

Categories: HTC, Microsoft, Tablet PC, UMPC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: High Tech Computer Corp., Battery, Engineering, Matthew Miller

On my recent trip to New York to cover the T-Mobile G1 Android launch I traveled with just a backpack and used my Fujitsu U810 to write on the road. It was adequate, but the keyboard is quite small and limits how fast I can type. I reviewed the Sprint version HTC Shift back in March and one of the major flaws for me was the poor battery life. Paul at MoDaCo just posted a review of a new 3rd party 6600 mAh battery for the Shift that has me thinking about the device again. This whopping battery (compared to the minimal 2700 mAh battery loaded in the device) is priced at US$239.95.

I see that an open box 3G version (compatible with US 3G on AT&T) is available on Dynamism for US$999 and I am tempted to sell my Fujitsu U810 and pick up the Shift. Then again, this battery adds some considerable size to the device with a nice new cover provided by Mugen Power.

It’s not just the battery that would improve the device, but Paul also posted on how to enable GPS and Windows XP is almost up and running on the device as well. I know I should probably stick with something like the MSI Wind for much less cost and am looking at that device too (I may have an eval unit soon) since it has a much more usable keyboard and better specs.

September 11th, 2008

InScribe had sliding text entry a decade before Swype, what's the big deal now?

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 7:10 am

Categories: Gadgets, Mobile software, Tablet PC, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Method, Swype, Keyboards, Productivity, Ultramobile PCs (UMPCs), Tablets, Hardware, Peripherals, Notebooks & Tablets, Emerging Technologies

TechCrunch50 was held this week and there was lots of excitement in the press about the Swype text input method. After checking out the Swype site I could have sworn I already saw this same technique used a few years ago where I even tried it out and wrote about it here on this blog. Ilium Software created the free InScribe text entry program back in 1997 and rereleased it 2006. Both methods appear to use the same slide across letters method to enter text. I contacted both companies to find out if it was developed by the same people and what the differences between the two input methods are since it looks to use the same technique. I’ll post an update if I get more information.

The InScribe text entry method also supports various layouts, such as Dvorak, Maltron, Staggered, etc. so it may actually be a bit more powerful for those who like to use something other than QWERTY. Other advanced features of InScribe that I don’t see in the demo video of Swype include transparency of the keyboard so you can see your work behind it, the option to tap on it just like a regular keyboard if you don’t want to swipe/slide across the keys (I read one statement that leads me to believe you may be able to just tap Swype as well), and the ability to adjust to your personal style.

It seems that people haven’t tried InScribe before if there is this much excitement about Swype. The Tablet PC/UMPC market is quite small and not really a growing segment of the PC market so I am also a bit surprised that touch text entry is getting so much press.

James let me know that the IBM Research Center had the SHARK text entry input method (later renamed to ShapeWriter) up and running in 2004 as well that used the same sliding across the screen method.

July 22nd, 2008

jkOnTheRun purchased by the Giga Omni Media group

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:57 pm

Categories: MoTR podcast, Tablet PC, Windows Mobile, iPhone

Tags: Media, Site, Podcasts, Internet, Matthew Miller

I am very happy to let you all know that my two fellow MobileTechRoundup podcast co-hosts James Kendrick and Kevin Tofel are now full time bloggers for Giga Omni Media. James started jkOnTheRun a long time ago and Kevin joined him a few years ago in writing and posting videos on this active, entertaining, educational, and newsbreaking site. Congratulations James and Kevin! We look forward to more great content from you both.

As you can read in the announcement post, readers won’t see much change over at jkOnTheRun as the site becomes a part of the Giga Omni Media group. We actually may see more content since James and Kevin will be devoting all of their time to creating content and relying on the technical expertise of their new owners to keep that part of the site up. The only obvious thing I noticed so far is that there is a single bar up top with links to all of the Giga Omni Media properties.

I think our podcast will continue as before, but we have to chat about the details because now that podcast is owned by the group as well so maybe we’ll have a different schedule, hosting site, or something.