The last time you bought a computer you most likely selected a model for “more power” which gave you more memory, more disk space, and as fast a processor as you could afford.  You brought it back to your office, loaded all of your applications and files, and once it was setup you were ready to go. Your friends and co-workers were envious for a minute or two, but it did not fundamentally change the way you work.

Tablet PC’s fundamentally change the way you use a computer, at work, at home, and on the go.  The new Tablet PC’s offer true mobility.  Mobility means being able to use your tablet wherever you are and in any situation… around a conference tablet, in a meeting, walking, standing still, even on a desk!  
 
The Tablet PC, with a screen you can write on and the robust Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system, offers mobility.  Whether you need to be “connected” to the Internet or other network resources or everything you need resides on your hard drive, you are mobile with a Tablet PC.  You can use the tablet in places and situations you never could use a computer before.  If you use a notebook today you always need to find a place to put it down before you can use it.  A desk?  Your lap?  However, unless you are Houdini, you cannot use it while standing, moving around the office, and even in some meetings.  It is considered rude by many to open a notebook in a meeting, as it creates a barrier.  I know I have felt this way, particularly in one-on-one meetings.  You lose eye contact while pecking at the keyboard. 
 
Have you ever hesitated to take out a notepad and take notes?  Never.  It’s perfectly acceptable to write down meeting notes, sketches (doodles?) or to mark up a document while in a meeting.  What if you could take your notes on your computer, in your natural handwriting?  The new Microsoft Journal application lets you do just that!  You can even pick what type of paper you want to use – lined yellow pad, graph paper, or your own form.  You may choose to convert your notes to text (I rarely do).  The conversion to text is not the point… your notes and doodles are just “ink,” just like when you write on paper.  
 


“Ink” is ink… and more.  You can insert space in the middle of a page (try that on your pad).  You can move sections of text around, change the color, highlight, erase, and include pictures.  You can mark up most documents including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF files.  You can fill out forms.  The “pen” enables you to write on the screen like you are writing on a yellow pad.  The pen is your mouse.  Touching the screen is the same as a mouse click. 

New features of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition enable you to “hoover” over an area of the screen and bring up menus.  The pen has an erase at the end, just like a pencil!  There is even a programmable button (I have mine set to do a “right click”). You can use “gestures” to control your systems, or if you prefer it could listen for your commands.   The speech recognition works quite well when you use a headset to eliminate room noise.
 
Would you like to be able to send an e-mail in your handwriting?  Yes, that’s right – just write it with your pen and touch “send.”  

 

Salespeople will see many benefits using a Tablet PC instead of a notebook computer.  The dynamics of the sales call is the first change to be noticed.  The notebook screen is often seen as a “barrier” between the salesperson and the customer.  With a Tablet PC, information is accessible at the touch of the pen and can be shared with prospects in new ways.   Many salespeople do not even take their computers out of their bag, for fear of appearing rude.  With a tablet you can maintain eye contact and simply navigate or enter information with a pen.  It is not considered rude to write on a yellow pad, is it?  The tablet is replacing the yellow pad (with the Journal application).  You can update information in any application, take meeting notes,  view documents, take an order, and more.
 
If you use PowerPoint you can do a presentation to someone one-on-one as if you were showing them something on a piece of paper.  It’s a lot more personal.  This may take some getting used to but early results by sales forces show that meetings using the new Tablet PC’s as a sales tool are highly productive.  
 
You can mark up the PowerPoint to emphasize key points, with either a marker or highlighter.  You can take notes on the slide and even email the annotated presentation on the spot (all have built-in WiFi 802.11 wireless connectivity.) This offers tremendous potential for increased sales, higher productivity at meetings, and more commissions to salespeople.  Salespeople are anxious to use the new sales tools offered on the tablets.  Immediate follow-up will certainly make a positive impression.  Of course, if you prefer to present using a projector, external monitor or on the tablet screen you can.  I would suggest you try the one-on-one method out sometime and would like to get your feedback.



Mobile professionals in most any profession will benefit from a Tablet PC.  The range of early adopters who have purchased tablets since sales began the first week of October is fascinating.  Doctors are seeking tablets to update patient records on the spot.  They are particularly concerned about HIPAA, a new set of government regulations that govern how the privacy of your healthcare information is assured.  The Smart Card security in some of the Tablet PC’s is a good start to the protection and privacy of healthcare records.  Lawyers want to be able to take notes and annotate documents.  They are also using the new wireless options to access LEXIS and other databases, while in meetings and even from the courtroom!

 A recent experience… I went to a meeting at my child’s school last week with my wife.  I took notes on the tablet.  Her first comment was “put that away!”  I explained that I was simply taking notes, just like she was doing on her pad.   Enough said.  I was able to save my notes for the next conference.  I doubt she will be able to find her notes tomorrow.

What does mobility mean to you?  How will you use a Tablet PC to increase your productivity?   Do you want the computer that everyone will envy?  Please let us know.
 
Learn more about Tablet PC from the Tablet Computer Experts at InfoCater.