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Microsocft MVP: Tablet PC
Archive for 'Accessories' Category
Neat little Recorder/MP3 Player
13 January 2008 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories
Thanks to Kathy Jacobs with Vitamin CH for this tip. This device (which comes in other colors than pink) does around 5-6 hours recording, plays MP3’s, has an FM tuner, and has an easy-to-use user interface. Only $70 at Fry’s and weighs hardly anything. I thought it was neat.
Wired for sound? Be careful out there folks!
9 January 2008 Posted By: RobertPosted in: Accessories
I’m still mega-busy here (sigh!) but I thought I’d provide a quick interlude to Tracy’s excellent CES 2008 coverage by drawing your attention to an ad campaign that has nothing at all to do with Tablet PCs. Go figure?!? This is one of a number of posters from a road safety campaign, run by the NSW Police Force in Australia, which highlights the dangers of pedestrians being killed while wearing their iPods.
I applaud the look of this campaign. The visuals are to the point and they powerfully juxtapose Apple’s familiar iPod advertising iconography. Most importantly though they deliver a reminder to all of us that as much as we love gadget geekness, there are the inherent dangers that come with their use.
Livescribe - Time to ditch the Tablet PC?
29 August 2007 Posted By: RobertPosted in: Accessories
Described as a ‘paper based computer solution’ Livescribe is apparently a new mobile computer solution which uses a combination of electronic ‘smartpen’ and special micro-dotted note-paper to both digitally and traditionally (i.e. ink on paper) record your hand-written notes, while at the same time recording the audio of a lecture or meeting. Once recorded a simple tap on an area of your written notes plays back (via the pen) the portion of audio recording pertaining to those notes. What’s more copies of the digital version of the notes, with the audio embedded, can be distributed and fully accessed via computer. There’s a student targeted ‘teaser’ video showing these features in action so I guess I’d be better shutting up now and inviting you to go along and see for yourself. Make no bones about it, Livescribe looks good on paper (no pun intended) but my immediate response is to wonder just how effective the mic is on that pen is (given it has such a central role of importance). However while I can’t realistically see Livescribe being a direct replacement for a Tablet PC (I just wanted to use a catchy headline :o)), the fact that the price is supposedly being set at under $200 must make it a viable addition to the techno-student’s ‘tool-box’ but that’s only on the condition that Livescribe performs as well as the hype suggests. The company are promising a Q4 release so we’ll no doubt find out soon enough.
Gadget bag voyeurism courtesy of Lifehacker
28 August 2007 Posted By: RobertPosted in: Accessories, News
In the past we’ve all had the pleasure of virtual peeks into the Tablet PC gadgets bags of the usual suspects ( including James Kendrick, Warner Crocker, Sumocat and even li’l ole me) but thanks to a recent request for ‘go bag’ shots at LifeHacker we can all enjoy a whole new round of virtual rummaging. The ‘call to arms bags’ seems to have been popular and to date there are two sets of shots - HERE and HERE. Sadly there aren’t not too many Tablet PC’s on show but there are plenty of other tasty student-centric gadgets to get the mouth watering and the face turning green with envy
Got a Lenovo? Get a Free Tablet Pen!
12 March 2007 Posted By: AndrewPosted in: Accessories
Lenovo is currently running an offer where you take a very quick survey (estimated time to completion is < 2 minutes) and receive a complimentary tablet pen.
I have two pens, the standard one that came with my M200 that I use as backup and my main one (a Wacom Capless Cross Executive Pen); so I’d recommend trying to pick this one up if you have a Lenovo.
http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/pcddm/tablet_survey.html
LE1600, The Series: All About the Convertible Keyboard
14 September 2006 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories, Choosing a Tablet PC
I’m using the convertible keyboard right now. In fact, for the fun of the topic, I’ll use the LE1600’s keyboard for the entire series of posts. It makes me feel like I’m showing you how it types, or at least, that it works, right?
This is my long-awaited post on how the keyboard performs on a daily basis. More specifically, how a person who types a lot (e-mail, blogging, etc.) lives with a slate when the only keyboard solution they have is the convertible keyboard. I know many reading this are hesitant at the thought of losing their precious keyboard, and you are probably looking down at your seamlessly connected input device thinking, “How could I possibly part with this beauty for an inferior, wanna-be keyboard?”
I’ve had this keyboard to experiment with for almost a month (maybe longer but I can’t remember), and as a quick, brief summary, it’s doing pretty good. Continue on for more experiment details.
Outline:
- Introduction
- Typing with it
- Using it in class
- Using it in various sitting positions
- How much do I actually use it?
- Problems (things I’d fix)
- Other opinions
Interesting Combo: Tablet PC + WebCam (+ iPod Video)
26 December 2005 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories, Tips / Tricks
I got a cool Christmas present: a Creative notebook web cam. Small, sleek, fits on the screen while in tablet mode, and has a pretty good picture quality. Now I can record audio and video lectures. Sweet. Imagine using this with OneNote’s sync capabilities.
Since I don’t use OneNote, I’m thinking more along the lines of using my new iPod video (woohoo!) and have the lectures playing while doing homework and studying. There’s a limited amount of time I can pay attention to an audio recording of a lecture (especially since I’m a visual person), but audio and visual should help keep my attention while studying. I don’t know about your classes, but it’s amazing how much you can learn by just hearing and understanding what your lecturer is telling you. So many people just rely on the book and miss so much because of it.
TabletPC2’s Christmas List 2005
2 December 2005 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories
I’m so happy. Last year Linda Epstien put together the best little Christmas list, with not only great items but great photography. Well, there’s another for 2005!
And while you’re over that way, remember to check out what I always go to TabletPC2.com for: the great Tablet PC Comparison Chart.
What’s on Your Gadget Wishlist?
21 November 2005 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories, Tablet Concepts
I’ve been carefully plotting my Christmas list, thinking up toys I’d like for the good guy to bring, and I thought I’d make a call out to hear what made everyone’s list this year.
So, whatever celebration you’re preparing for (any birthday lists composed out there?), post a comment listing the gadgets, electronics, computers, and toys that put a sparkle in your eye.
My List (of course, the real list is PPT for more oomph and visuals. Geeky, I know, but it works wonders):
My “Rice Crispy” Screen
12 September 2005 Posted By: TracyPosted in: Accessories, Blog Related, Tracy's Updates
You know: Snap, Crackle, and Pop. Except this was more of a pop, snap, crackle. Yup. My screen broke.
I had put my tablet in my backpack and I was getting up from lecture to go to my next class when the strap on my backpack unsnapped and the backpack went crashing to the floor (although it didn’t seem that bad at the time). I picked it up, hooked the strap back on, and went to my next class.
Got to physics, pulled out the tablet, turned the screen, looked down, utter shock/horror, turned the screen back, closed the tablet, put the tablet away, pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen.