June 18, 2011. Paul Hixon
In 2001, Microsoft’s Bill Gates announced an ambitious project that was poised to take the world of personal computing by storm. Microsoft unveiled the first tablet PC that was pretty much a flat portable tablet-like screen with a stylus that could be used to write on.
It was primarily aimed at the business folk for note taking and fieldwork usage. Unfortunately, it failed to gain much popularity at the time and consequently faded into cyber oblivion. Since then, the category of tablet PCs has undergone a sea change, both in terms of technology and demand, and is today one of the fastest growing categories in computing.
A tablet PC is a portable personal computer that is designed to give you the power of computing at your very fingertips. A tablet PC generally uses a touchscreen interface as the sole input device, by relying on either a virtual keyboard, external keyboard, or a digital pen for input. A tablet PC essentially allows you to fulfill all computing requirements that you would generally accomplish on a laptop or desktop. It comes fully equipped with office suites, web browsers, games, and a variety of applications, social networking etc.
There are several styles of tablets. A convertible tablet PC for instance is one, which has a unique display that swivels a full 180 degrees and can fold back, with the screen facing upwards, onto the integrated keyboard. The more popular variety of tablets is the slate tablet where the entire system is integrated within the touchscreen unit, with no hardware keyboard. The best tablet PCs of today are of the slate tablet variety that comes without an external hardware keyboard. The only interface here is the touchscreen itself. These touch tablet PCs use the screen as the sole input device via finger-touch recognition. They are sleek, easy to carry around, and convenient to use as well. Apple’s path-breaking iPad is considered to be by far the best touch tablet PC. The iPad easily enjoys the indubitable distinction of being the best tablet PC to ever hit stores.
In fact, much of the credit for revitalizing the zombie-like tablet PC genre goes to Apple’s innovative iPad. In 2010, Apple’s wafer-thin CEO Steve Jobs gave a new lease on life to tablet PCs with the introduction of the iPad. With a brilliant touchscreen interface, multi-touch capabilities, excellent connectivity, stupendous applications, and multiple usage opportunities, the iPad has fast become the ‘it’ item of the season. Today, not only are business managers seen sporting the sleek contraption, but also teenagers, youngsters and college-goers, who are all looking to make a statement with the best tablet in town. The Apple iPad is seen as a game changer in the category of tablet PCs with over 15 million pieces being sold in the first year of its release.
And this is only the beginning. Apple has laid the foundation for a multitude of brand introductions in the tablet PC market. The best technology companies in the world are now launching their versions of the touch tablet PC. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, Blackberry Playbook, HTC Flyer, HP TouchPad, and many more are all set to take the tablet PC market to unseen heights.
Updated June 18, 2011. Published March 28, 2011. Paul Hixon
