In Steven Vaughan-Nichols' latest JavaWatch column, he wrote about Java on Linux Tablets.
I'm sure many of you know I tend to differ in opinion with Steven, and this article with which I take exception.
This paragraph is a gem.
But, first, let’s dismiss this idea of tablet PCs as a mass-market product. Windows-based tablet PCs cost about twice as much as a similarly equipped laptop, and are difficult to use for most office tasks. I’ve also found them too easy to break. Still, tablets make sense in some vertical niche markets such as hospitals and inventory, and in those markets, they are selling well.
How do you define a vertical market? Do you consider “education” to be a niche market? Considering the size and breadth of the market, I certainly wouldn't. As someone who is already using the tablet at school, I couldn't be happier with the Tablet PC platform.
As far as usability for most office tasks, this can be true. I'm guessing from this comment that Steven used a slate model, because it can be frustrating at times trying to use a pen to certain tasks (although I do have to say that the Lonestar update improves this situation infinitely).
But that's exactly why I bought the convertible. A convertible Tablet PC is a superset of the laptop. It can do everything that a laptop can do, plus the screen flips around and you can write on it. I even play games like Sim City 4 and Civilization III and Black & White on it.
As I mentioned in my previous post, handwriting will never completely replace the keyboard for many reasons. The convertible Tablet PC gives you the best of both worlds. Have you ever tried sitting on the couch with your laptop, browsing the web or reading an e-book? Or used your laptop while standing? Or in a meeting? The tablet is not a replacement, but rather a supplement. It allows you to use your computer in situations you wouldn't previously, and in ways you couldn't previously.
I'm not quite sure what to say about the “too easy to break“ comment. I've never broken mine, but if you really have a problem with that go buy a rugged tablet like this one.
In all honestly, I think the premium that Steven mentions is just about the only thing holding Tablet PC back from mass-market adoption. It's the classic chicken-and-the-egg problem - you can't justify the premium until you see the value, but you won't see the value until you use it on a daily basis.
I would like to point out, however, that the premium for a Tablet PC is definitely not 100%, and more importantly, it's dropping every day.
A good example of this is the new Toshiba M200. For $2,399, you can get a 1.5ghz Pentium-M, 512 MB of DDR RAM, 12.1'' screen, and a 40 GB HD. By comparison, the M100, with similar specs except it's only a 1.2ghz Pentium-M but has a longer battery life, costs $2,199. So for an extra 300mhz of Pentium-M processing power and the Tablet PC functionality, you're only paying $200 extra and some battery life.
Maybe I'll give my Acer to my girlfriend when she goes back to school, and use that as an excuse to buy a new machine.
By the way, I'm still not sure what point Steven is trying to make with the article. Maybe someone else can shed some light.
To make a long story short: If you’re building Java-specific vertical applications to be deployed on tablets, it makes sense to deploy them on Linux, rather than on Windows.
Huh?
(Oh, and while we're on the subject, Lycoris Tablet PC edition doesn't yet have ink recognition. It just has an on-screen touch keyboard. That's not a Tablet PC in my mind).