Other Complementary Devices

There are many more items that you could add on to your Tablet PC, but I'll cover the basic three here: scanning devices, photo-capturing devices, and printing devices. The Tablet PC is the perfect platform for storing digitized print, such as scanned documents, as well as digital photographs. Being able to print them for others who aren't fortunate enough to have a Tablet PC will probably be required at some point.

Scanners

Windows XP has excellent tools for getting the most out of scanners and cameras. Office XP and 2003 also offer the Office Document Scanning utility, which helps you scan and even use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on your documents and images. This utility lets you scan text into your Word documents directly, without retyping. It is quite accurate, but stray marks and strange fonts can yield text that requires editing.

I recommend using a USB-based scanner. One that uses USB 2.0 will have a faster data throughput than one that uses USB 1.1. However, both your machine and the scanner need to support USB 2.0 for you to gain the speed benefit. Several Tablet PCs include USB 2.0, such as the Toshiba Portégé 3500.

Using scanners is a great way to avoid having to re-type a document, and they can also help you digitize photographs, articles, and more. Coupled with Adobe Acrobat, you can even convert articles to PDF format for later viewing on your Tablet PC so that you don't have to carry the paper version. This allows you to have a permanent copy of the article while being able to edit it in Acrobat (Acrobat Reader will not let you modify the document).

What to Look For

Look for the resolution you need with an interface that matches your Tablet PC (FireWire or USB). Also, look for at least 300 dpi (most scanners today are more than 1200 dpi) and 16-bit color. You will probably want it to include OCR software for converting pages to text.

Digital Cameras

This is an obvious extension for many who work out in the field. Insurance adjusters, construction supervisors, maintenance professionals, and many others can benefit from a built-in or linked camera.

There are several types of cameras that can be used with a Tablet PC, and some tablets may include cameras in the near future.

Overall, there are several ways to connect your Tablet PC to your digital camera. First is the traditional digital camera with a USB adapter; you simply plug in the USB cable when you are ready to transfer data. In many cases, you can control the camera from the computer when it is attached. You could, for example, set the camera on a tripod and zoom in/out and take pictures via your tablet. This could be an excellent tool for the digital photography studio.

Another type of digital camera has Bluetooth or infrared capabilities. This type of camera can connect and transfer data without any wires. With a camera like this, you could even have the camera mounted on a head strap like a miner's cap, or on a tripod, and control it from your Tablet PC hands-free digital photography. Currently, however, there are few options for Bluetooth-enabled cameras.

A PC-card camera enables you to integrate the camera into the Tablet PC. No wires, no wireless. It is now a part of your computer. This can be handy for several applications, but probably will not yield the best results. As cameras get smaller, however, this may become more viable.

To find an updated list of cameras that I recommend, visit my Web site at www.TabletGuru.com and search for the term "digital camera." Because this field changes so quickly, I don't want to include a lot of details about the various models available here. I currently use the Canon G1, which is an excellent camera, but a few years old. It accepts the IBM Microdrive, which holds around 500 pictures. That may sound like a lot, but I'm a big believer in shooting first and cropping later. (I took 3,000 pictures on my last family vacation.)

Printers

If you're interested in wireless connectivity to your printer, you can use a Bluetooth-enabled printer, infrared-enabled printer, or add-on devices such as the 3Com or HP Bluetooth printer adapters. Most Tablet PCs will not have legacy devices such as parallel or serial connectors, so you will need either a wireless connection to the printer, a USB-based printer, or a printer connected to your home or office network.

Make sure that your printer supports Windows XP. Many older printers do not. If it supports Windows XP, then it will support Windows XP, Tablet PC Edition.

You will especially want to make sure the printer can handle photo-quality printing, enabling you to make physical copies of your digital photos.

The Absolute Minimum

Here are the key points to take away from this chapter:

• Your Tablet PC is the base of your computing platform, on which you can add numerous devices to increase your enjoyment, security, and ease of use.

• Find a keyboard and/or mouse that helps you get your work done more efficiently especially if your Tablet PC does not include a keyboard.

• With the voice capabilities of the Tablet PC, you will want to have a good headset for voice recognition. If you get a stereo headset, you will also be able to use it for listening to digital audio.

• If you have needs for portable storage (or backups), look into options for external or add-on storage, such as USB drives and USB flash drives.

• Bluetooth offers wireless communication with devices such as cell phones, mice and keyboards, and PDAs. If you want to connect your devices, consider using Bluetooth to untangle the wires.

• Consider options for protecting both your Tablet PC and the valuable data it contains. Often, the theft of a machine or loss of data is not as critical in business environments that have good backup practices. Where the problem arises is the data that the thief then has access to. At the very least, protect yourself with a data-protection tool such as a USB key.

• Consider all your power needs extra batteries, AC adapters, and travel power sources such as inverters and airline adapters.

• Scanners, digital cameras, and photo-quality printers are excellent additions to the Tablet PC. With its ability to store digital paper and photographs, the Tablet PC is a perfect platform for reading and viewing. Because you'll store digital content on your Tablet PC, also think about the printer you'll need to maximize your experience.