Chapter 1 - Tablet Computing Comes of Age

Part I

The Tablet PC and Its Applications

Chapter 1

Tablet Computing Comes of Age

So you want to be a Tablet PC software developer! We re encouraged by your enthusiasm, which we quite heartily share. Of late, there has been much interest in the press regarding Microsoft s Tablet PC, and indeed the interest is well deserved. There are a lot of exciting possibilities for the Tablet PC, many of which are yet to be discovered and developed by people like you.

But first we must acknowledge that tablet computing is not a new idea. In fact, it s not even new to Microsoft, which about a decade ago made its first foray into the world of tablet computing with Windows for Pen Computing (Pen Windows). Others have made excursions into the same territory in the past few years, some notable, some quickly forgotten. In this chapter we first define what a tablet computer really is, and then we follow up with the remarkable history of prior attempts in tablet computing. Finally we close with a discussion of the distinguishing characteristics of Microsoft s Tablet PC, which is both similar to and different from those that have gone before it.

The microcosm of tablet computing is filled with strong opinions, big bets, and even bigger disasters. Let s explore the past together, while getting to know the new kid on the block Microsoft s Tablet PC.