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The Emerging Enterprise - Small Biz Short Cuts: Evaluating Tablet PCs 2003
Small Biz Short Cuts: Evaluating Tablet PCs 2003
Thereıs a new notebook in town. Tablets, however, are far from ready for primetime in most small businesses.
By Dayna Haberle-Delmonico
You have to start somewhere
Have you seen the new Tablet PCs? They are slick with a lot of the ıthatıs coolı factor, and judging the hype surrounding Tablet PCs at the end of 2002, the worldwide business community must be clamoring for them. Not so fast. Gartner Dataquest only expects 425,000 units to ship this year. IDC predicts that number will rise to 1.5 million units by 2005, but these are tiny drops in the computer unit sales world. Given the current technology-buying slump, those numbers are likely to be real and not conservative.
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The Tablet PC manufacturers claim the units are right for 20 million small businesses. For now, however, the obvious target markets are those vertical industries that already use pen-based devices. In addition, insurance companies, enterprises with large field service operations, legal firms, and healthcare industries have demonstrated a need for such technology. Workers who attend many meetings and actually take notes also may benefit from these devices.
Of course, Tablet PCs will appeal to those with a pathological need for the slickest tech toys with a "WOW" factor. [Editorıs note: Toshiba announced, in December, that they increased production more than 30% due to customer demand. What else do you give someone who has everything for Christmas? No one, however, changed the unit shipment estimates for 2003.] Some may ask why all laptop users wonıt convert to the new technology, but in reality, most laptop users want longer battery life and more speed from theyıre laptops. They are not demanding a new input device, and Tablets will come up short.
Thereıs also the technology history factor to remember: Best product and advanced technology rarely wins. The best marketing does, and the software "gods" in Redmond (Microsoft) say this will be the standard hardware form factor for PCs of the future. Although that is hardware advice from a software company that is repeatedly chastised for trying to muscle hardware companies, theyıre probably right. However, most small businesses should ignore all the hype. Letıs cut through all the media hype and dump the "geek speak." The abbreviated version of the current facts you need to make your own decision, on Tablet PCs follows.
Product Type: Tablet PCs joins notebooks and sub notebooks as the third type of portable PC. They are personal computers with all the processing power, range of ports and abilities including wireless networking users expect. However, the manufacturers have added "pen and ink" input on a touch screen, and this differentiates the new units. If ıpen and inkı input is not critical to your business, notebooks and sub notebooks may offer a better solution.
System Design (Form Factor): There are three form factors at the momentıthe notebook convertible, the slate, and the detachable keyboard hybrid. The notebook convertible is the closest to a standard notebook and these feature a swivel screen that collapses. Users can close the notebook and use the top as a screen where they input with a pen while walking around. For now, they are the size and weight of most slimline notebooks (3 or 4 pounds). The tablet designs provide an integrated unit that is roughly the size of a notebook. Most units require the user to rely on pen and touch screen input or add a separate keyboard. The detachable keyboard hybrid units have a separate screen and keyboard that can be assembled to create a workstation. Optionally, users can use pen and touch screen input. The form factor you select should support the applications the systems will support.
Product Life Cycle: The "Phoenix Generation". Although manufacturers launched Tablet PCs in November 2002, they are not a new idea. Xerox spawned the idea in the 1970ıs, and the first pen systems emerged from numerous companies in the 90s. The most famous of these releases, Appleıs Newton, was not commercially successful, but the idea didnıt die. This new version implements more powerful technology, and it has a much better chance at living a long healthy commercial life, but may be slow to gain general business acceptance. As a result of this slow adoption cycle, Bill Gates has demonstrated similar technologies at Comdex for three years in a row, and unless there are compelling reasons to become an early adopter of the technology, most users would be well advised to wait before purchasing a Tablet PC.
The Hardware Players: Fujitsu, HP/Compaq, Acer, Motion Computing, ViewSonic, and Toshiba were the first out of the gate. NEC and Gateway announced products, but IBM and Dell have remained on the sidelines at this writing. Again, competition will increase and prices will drop, so businesses should consider Tablet PCs only if they solve an immediate need.
Operating System: The units run under Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, a version of Microsoft XP Professional with handwriting recognition and storage capabilities. If you are a business that has yet to upgrade to XP, you will need to learn XP and pen input. Unless you have the time, this could be a big drawback.
Communications: Most units offer the same communications options as a laptop, including WiFi (wireless connection to your Ethernet network). This removes a critical concern for most buyers.
Price: Tablet PCs cost more than traditional notebooks. List prices range from approximately $1,699 to $2,499 per unit, and on-the-street prices range from $1,675 to $2,339. You will need to balance the form factor convenience and ıpen and inkı input capability against these higher prices.
Software Applications: There are very few applications, but more will emerge throughout 2003. Observers expect little known Microsoft partners, especially vertical software developers, to release applications almost daily, but small business should learn from big bizıs example: beware of depending upon software (any technology for that matter) from a company that didnıt exist six months ago.
The Software Players: Agilix Labs, AliasWavefront ,Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Corel, Groove Networks, Leszynski Group, Microsoft, SAP, and WebEx have released software for Tablet PCs.
General Business Applications:
Collaboration ı Groove Networks, WebEx
Graphics ı Corel, AliasWavefront
Office Suite ı Microsoft
Planner ı Agilix Labs
Publishing ı Microsoft
Sales/CRM ı SAP
Vertical Applications:
Legal ı Leszynski Group
Medical ı Allscripts Healthcare Solution
If You Must Buy Now:
- Stick with the name brands.
- Donıt buy in volume. It is simply too soon to consider replacing all those notebooks in the sales department.
- Look for units that offer both pen and ıgoodı keyboard input.
- Be aware that the new ıpen and inkı input requires processor cycles and extended storage requirements. Although note-taking capabilities are improved , performance may be a disappointment once the glow wears off.
- Digital ink has been deemed a powerful tool, but many observers dismiss it as "Etch-A-Sketch" technology. Be sure that the technology thoroughly supports a business need.
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