Prior iPads
Given that there have been several web pad initiatives in the past, it should come as no surprise that there were iPads in the past. A brief scan through Pen Computing's archives revealed that LG Electronics announced the Digital iPad at CeBIT 2001, a multimedia-savvy Linux-based tablet handheld that offered Internet access, plus standard PIM features and word processing. A year later, the Fujitsu iPad that was announced by Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, Inc., at the 2002 National Retail Federation Expo in New York. The sleek 10 ounce device was based on Microsoft's CE .NET and Pen Computing commented on how the Fujitsu iPAD could function as a cordless phone (using WLAN and VoIP). A more detailed search would likely reveal others, but we're sure Apple was aware of them all and properly secured the name. -- Posted Friday, January 29, 2010 by chb

iPad: HotHardware.com weighs in
We highly respect our friends at HotHardware.com for their very detailed analyses and assessment of new hardware technology. They have now weighed in on the iPad. [See HotHardware.com's iPad's Identity Crisis and Apple's A4 CPU Showstopper] -- Posted Thursday, January 28, 2010 by chb

Neonode announces zBook reference design
Neonode, Inc., the Swedish Optical Touchscreen Technology Company, announced the launch of zBook, a new low cost touch screen reference design for e-book readers. zBook is the latest in a series of new innovative products based on the Company’s patented touchscreen technology, zForce. The zBook reference design is aimed at companies who develop and sell e-book readers that require 100% transparent touch windows, finger and stylus input and multi-touch functionality. -- Posted Thursday, January 28, 2010 by chb

Flood of iPad support announcements
A day after Apple announced the iPad, there's already a flood of announcements of all sorts of iPad peripherals, add-ons and other iPad goodies. Examples: Belkin's iPad cases, mobile learning firm inkling is heavily counting on the iPad, NearbyNow announced iPad extensions for its a mobile shopping and in-App advertising platform, educational institutions get in the game, with Abilene Christian University’s student-run media staff announcing its commitment to produce the first paper of its kind for Apple's iPad, and so on. ANd that's months before the device is actually available. -- Posted Thursday, January 28, 2010 by chb

InStat: iPad impressive, but Kindle not dead just yet
Market research firm InStat, while lauding the iPad's ebook potential, says Amazon's Kindle is not dead just yet. Recent InStat research found that Amazon is the leading brand of e-Book owned, that most e-book owners spend between $9 and $20 per month on e-books, and that worldwide e-reader shipments will increase from less than a million in 2008 to almost 30 million in 2013. -- Posted Thursday, January 28, 2010 by chb

Apple announces the iPad
After months of intense hype and speculation, Apple announced the iPad, a 7.5 x 9.6 inch tablet that's just half an inch thick and weighs just a pound and a half. The iPad has a 9.7-inch 768 x 1024 pixel multi-touch display, runs all iPhone apps and starts at US$499. There are also 3G versions that start at US$629. Apple announced a US$14.99/month limited and a US$29.99/month unlimited plan, without 2-year contract, and the iPad is unlocked. Apple also announced an iBook Store and special iPad versions of the iWorks apps. [Read full description of the new Apple iPad]
-- Posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010 by chb

Treo gone, last of the old Palms
Palm is down to two models now, the Palm Pre Plus and the Palm Pixi Plus. No more Treos, and that means that the Palm OS as well as Windows Mobile-based Palms are now gone for good. -- Posted Tuesday, January 26, 2010 by chb

US$30 LCD writing tablets!
Kent Displays' revolutionary Reflex no power LCD technology is going to be available under the Improv Electronics name, with the Boogie Board LCD Writing Tablet its initial product. The Boogie Board it is the first paperless tablet to use a pressure-sensitive Reflex LCD for the writing surface made of impact-resistant, flexible plastic. The tablet requires no power to generate or retain an image, and only a small amount to erase. At a retail price of $29.97 USD, the Boogie Board tablet's cost per erase is 15 times less than the per sheet cost of paper in a comparable steno notepad. [See Boogie Board page andReflex LCD Writing Tablet backgrounder] -- Posted Monday, January 25, 2010 by chb

Kindle Development Kit
Amazon announced a limited beta Kindle Development Kit that will allow developers to come up with Amazon hopes innovative applications and perhaps unanticipated new uses for the Kindle that'll leverage the device's inherent eBook reader capabilities. Amazon's move is clearly a step towards keeping its options open in the eBook reader field that has huge potential but as of yet still no clear definition or truly compelling vision. -- Posted Monday, January 25, 2010 by chb

Eye-Fi Fo Fum
If it looks like our Dr. Tim has disappeared as of late, he hasn't. He's just been exploring some other areas in his vast fields of interest. The doctor is back now, though, and informs us of a deal that looks too good to be true, but isn't. Looks like Google has an irresistible offer where you get a free 4GB Eye-Fi wireless SD card if you sign up for their Picasa 200GB storage plan. Read more... -- Posted Wednesday, January 20, 2010 by chb

MobileDemand announces availability of ultra-compact xTablet 7000
Leading Tablet PC provider MobileDemand announced the availability of the "Retail Ready" xTablet T7000, a rugged mini Tablet PC that combines the functionality of a notebook, full Windows OS and the portability and data collection capabilities of a handheld in a light-weight slate form factor with a built-in numeric keypad, optional QWERTY keyboard attachment, color camera and 7-inch high resolution (1024 x 600 & 768) all-light-readable touch screen display. [See full review of the Mobile Demand xTablet T7000] -- Posted Friday, January 15, 2010 by chb

Nvidia Tegra 250 processor
Anticipating that everyone will want great graphics and full-speed HD video instead of the jerky stuff we get now in low-end platforms, NVIDIA keeps pushing ahead with its Tegra integrated processor initiative. At CES, they unveiled the Tegra 250 that offer lightning-quick browsing, streaming 1080p video and Adobe Flash Player 10.1 acceleration with an immersive 3D user interface and days of battery life. [See NVIDIA Tegra press release and NVIDIA Tegra Developer Zone] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

Palm webOS developer program open
The Palm webOS developer program is open to any developer to sign up and start developing and distributing applications for webOS devices. Palm showcased its developer program and tools at 2010 CES, and announced a $1 million developer Hot Apps bonus program for the rapidly growing Palm webOS developer community. -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

TI also launches an eBook development platform
With the eBook market suddenly hot, Texas Instrument launched an OMAP 3 processor-based eBook development platform to help manufacturers and developers rapidly deploy their endless ideas to launch new, innovative eBook readers into consumers' hands. Touting a sleek electrophoretic display, TI's platform includes the new OMAP3621 applications processor, WiLink 6.0 WiFi/Bluetooth/FM "combo" connectivity solution, the new TPS6518x electronic paper display (EPD), power management IC, along with other TI analog solutions, and 3G modem connectivity support. [See TI's eBook development platform] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

MSI U135 netbook now with SUSE Moblin
Like the new Atom N450-powered netbooks, but Windows 7 not so much? Soon you can get a MSI U135 netbook preloaded with SUSE Moblin version 2.1. [See the MSI U135 netbook] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

Fingerprint-resistant screen protectors
There's nothing worse than a touchscreen full of smudges and fingerprints. Targus claims to have solved this problem with its new fingerprint-resistant line of screen protectors with Clear View technology that feature a microscopic landscape of ridges and valleys that work to dissipate fingerprint oils, thus leaving the screen virtually fingerprint and smudge free and also reduce glare. Available for a variety of smartphones and such for US$9.99. -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

Meet Alex
Alex is the tablet in the picture, not the guy. It's a dual-screen Marvell PXA303-powered Google Android-based eReader that seeks to integrate web browsing and reading. A 6-inch 600 x 800 pixel grayscale display is for ePUB-format eBook reading, a 320 x 480 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD for navigation and web browsing. There's 32GB of flash, a microSD slot, 802.11b/g WiFi, and the device is "compatible with 3G, EVDO/CDMA and GSM." Available for US$399 the end of February. [See Alex website] -- Posted Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by chb

Slates and tablets: Deja Vue All Over Again
At the 2010 CES, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer played with a supposed HP slate during his keynote, disappointing those who'd bought into the massive tablet hype and had expected more in terms of real product. But wait, is the tablet shown in the picture to the right perhaps the new HP tablet? Nope. That was a Compaq tablet concept shown at the Tablet PC press event at the 2001 Comdex. Interestingly, back in 2001, there was actually a solid technological effort behind the (much more modest) hype, the Tablet PC project. See what all happened in 2001 and what was expected of tablets in a pilot version of Tablet PC Magazine (we pitched it to Microsoft; they were not interested). -- Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 by chb

CNN reports on tablets at CES
Though there really wasn't much to see in terms of tablets at CESS, the current slate and tablet hype has even the biggies reporting and covering. CNN's contribution is a report entitled "What is a tablet anyway?" Well, it was really Microsoft that named the platform "Tablet PC" back in 2001. Before that, people usually spoke of pen computers or slates, though there were efforts to introduce other terms as well (like "pads"). CNN also reports that in the past, "Consumers couldn't touch the screens with their fingers to control the tablets," which, of course, is not true, but such is the reporting of history. -- Posted Saturday, January 9, 2010 by chb

Slate and tablet computers: learning from the past
According to CNN, tablet-sized computers are now "a much-hyped category of electronics." But tablets were not invented by Microsoft in 2001, as many editors and industry pundits seem to think. Fact is, slate and tablet computers have been around for a good 20 years, and in 1991, there was as much hype about slates as we have today (see excerpts of "The Past and Future of Pen Computing" by RuggedPCReview.com editor Conrad H. Blickenstorfer). The image shows an Apple concept called the Knowledge Navigator from 1987, way before the World Wide Web was even invented. Read about Slate and tablet computers: learning from the past. -- Posted Thursday, January 7, 2010 by chb

Google opens online store for Nexus One phone
Google unveiled a new way for consumers to buy an Android mobile phone, a web store hosted by Google. The company also launched the first phone offered through this new model, called the Nexus One, which combines the latest HTC hardware with the latest Google rev. 2.1 Android software. We're talking 3.7-inch AMOLED 480 x 800 touch (not multi!) display, Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, 5mp camera, SDHC card (up to 32GB), and a removable battery. The device costs US$179 with a 2-year T-Mobile contract, or US$529 without service. [See Google store with Nexus One] -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by chb

Waterproof case for the Kindle
Those who are afraid to take their Kindle along because it might get wet or damaged, fear no more -- M-Edge has introduced the Guardian Case for Kindle. It's a polycarbonate affair that comes in six colors, allows full operation of the Kindle inside the case, and is even waterproof to a depth of about three feet. [See Kindle Guardian case product page] -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by chb

Broadcom navigation processor to support Android, Windows CE
Broadcom Corporation announced that it has ported the Android and Windows CE operating systems to run on its Broadcom BCM4760 navigation processor, enabling a new generation of location-aware mobile internet devices (MIDs) and personal navigation devices (PNDs). MIDs and PNDs are including increasingly sophisticated navigation functionality and location based services, and support for these OS platforms will make the devices attractive to a broader range of application developers, driving innovation and improved user experiences. -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by chb

Lenovo hybrid Win7/Linux convertible tablet
Lenovo introduced a rather odd device in the IdeaPad U1 hybrid tablet. Hybrid here stands not so much for using it as a tablet or a notebook (though you can), but for the U1 being both a Core 2 Duo-powered Windows 7 machine (when docked) and a Snapdragon-powered Linux slate (when using just the tablet/display). It's essentially two computers with that share some hardware (like the 11.6-inch multi-touch display, the battery, comms) but not memory or storage. The whole thing weighs 3.8 pounds, the tablet alone just 1.6, and pricing starts at US$999. -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by chb

HP TouchSmart tm2: improved multi-touch
HP has updated their TouchSmart tx2 with the TouchSmart tm2, an elegant, aluminum-clad convertible Tablet PC with multi-touch capabilities on its 12.1-inch display. Sporting Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the tm2 gets up to nine hours of battery life, a variety of touch-optimized software (including "BumpTop," a touch-enhanced 3-D interface for photos and documents), a fingerprint reader, but no optical drive. Pricing starts at US$949. -- Posted Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by chb

Synaptics Previews Scrybe
Synaptics, a developer of human interface solutions for mobile computing, communications, and entertainment devices, announced beta availability for Scrybe gesture workflows, a next-generation advancement in TouchPad-based interfaces for PCs. Scrybe is optimized for multi-touch TouchPads, but also supports existing single-touch TouchPads. It all reminds us a bit of macros that were all the rage in the late 80s and gestures in early handwriting reco systems, only with new and much more powerful technology. Check out Scrybe here. -- Posted Monday, January 4, 2010 by chb

Touch Revolution unveils "drop-in" NIM1000 module
Touch Revolution unveiled its new "drop-in" NIM1000 module designed to help OEMs integrate dynamic touch screen interfaces in a broad range of appliances and devices. Touch Revolution CEO Mark Hamblin, who previously served as the design lead for the original iPhone touch screen at Apple, said, “Our goal is to make it easy for manufacturers to offer iPhone-like touch interfaces while taking advantage of the NIM1000 module’s network and application processing capabilities as well as its suitability for high volume manufacturing. -- Posted Monday, January 4, 2010 by chb

Freescale proposes second-gen "Smartbook" tablets
With netbooks selling by the millions and there being renewed interest in tablets, Freescale revealed a second-generation "Smartbook" reference design with a 1024 x 600 pixel 7-inch touch screen based on Freescale's i.MX515 processor incorporating ARM Cortex-A8 technology as well as other FreeScale chips and an accelerometer. The reference tablet measures 8 x 5 x 0.6 inches, weighs 13 ounces, has WiFi and Bluetooth (and a 3G modem option), 4-64GB of internal storage, a 3mp camera, and runs Linux or Android. Smartbooks baed on the platform should have prices under US$200, feature instant-on and just generally combine the best of smarthones and netbooks. [See FreeScale Smartbook reference design] -- Posted Monday, January 4, 2010 by chb

The global notebook leaders of 2010
According to Digitimes, here are the expected number of notebooks shipped globally during 2010: 1) HP 44 million, 2) Acer 40 million, 3) Dell 24.8 million, 4) Asustek 20 million, 5) Toshiba 18.8 million, 6) Lenovo 18 million. Of all those, about 34 millions are expected to be netbooks. -- Posted Monday, January 4, 2010 by chb

Intel announces next-gen Atom processors
Intel announced a next generation of Atom processors that succeed the current 230, 330, N270 and N280 processors (but not the Z-series Atoms, which are a different family). The new chips are the single core N450 geared towards netbook-style devices which we'll likely see in a lot of rugged/mobile systems, and the desktop-oriented single core D410 and dual core D510. All run at 1.66GHz. Whereas older N-series Atoms used a three-chip solution (Atom - ICH7M - GMCH), graphics and memory controller are now part of the new Atoms, resulting in a smaller two-chip solution (Atom - NM10). Graphics seem slightly improved, but there's still no HD hardware acceleration. The primary benefit may be reduced power consumption of the N410 package versus the N270/280 package (7 vs. 12 watts). The D410 and D510 packages seem to have faster graphics and there is no obvious reason why they could not be used in mobile systems as their system power consumption is still only 12 and 15 watts. [See list of all Intel Atom processors and Intel announcement of new Atoms] -- Posted Tuesday, December 22, 2009 by chb

Review: the US$149 ECTACO jetBook-Lite
With interest in eBooks picking up but eBook readers generally still expensive, the US$149.95 jetBook-Lite from ECTACO will likely attract a good deal of attention. It's a competent unit the size of a small paperback that uses standard AA batteries (or rechargeables). There's no wireless download, so you either copy books to the unit via USB cable (supplied) or put them on a SD card. The 5-inch reflective display is a bit small, but it is very crisp and sharp. [See review of the ECTACO jetBook-Lite] -- Posted Monday, December 21, 2009 by chb

Multi-Touch Virtual Keyboard for Windows 7
The ever-innovative folks at Comfort Software Group have added multi-touch support to Hot Virtual Keyboard, their on-screen typing solution for Windows. Replacing the original Windows On-Screen Keyboard, Hot Virtual Keyboard 5.0 offers numerous benefits over the built-in version to allow computer users type faster and with more comfort. The latest edition adds support for Windows 7 and its sensor input with up to 255 touch points. There's also word auto-complete, programmable keys, several dozens of different layouts, as well as complete customization. -- Posted Wednesday, December 16, 2009 by chb

Synaptics shows next-gen concept phone
Synaptics, always at the forefront of checking out new interface solutions, has developed a next-gen concept phone that demonstrates all sorts of interesting new interface technologies. The Fuse mobile phone concept can, among other things, be squeezed, tilted, and poked from the backside to make things happen. [See the Synaptics Fuse next-gen concept phone] -- Posted Monday, December 14, 2009 by chb

Windows Mobile: RIP 2000-2009?
Windows Mobile: RIP 2000-2009, that's the title of a blog entry at examiner.com. The blog doesn't claim that Windows Mobile is dead, just that it might as well be dead. There's been a flood of other similar articles, all suggesting that Microsoft might as well shut down Windows Mobile and get out of the phone market. What all those pundits don't consider is that while Microsoft has indeed fumbled the mobile consumer market in a downright Palmian manner, Windows Mobile remains strong in the vertical market where it essentially has no competition. -- Posted Monday, December 14, 2009 by chb

Shenzhen Guangxuntong Communication Technology Co., Ltd.
And yet another cool little machine we'll never get. Offered by Shenzhen Guangxuntong Communication Technology Co., Ltd. of China, the eKing S515 is an Atom Z515 or Z520-powered micro-UMPC with a 5-inch 800x480/1024x600 display, 16GB of SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G modules, a camera and USB ports. The little thing weighs less than 12 ounces and apparently runs Windows 7. [See website] -- Posted Friday, December 11, 2009 by chb

Healthcare Technology Online: Don't lose faith in EHRs
A recent study led by Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Medical School suggested that EHR (Electronic Health Records) so far have not resulted in the savings and increased quality hoped for. Healthcare Technology Line, however, feels it's much to early to pass judgement on EHR and that its benefits will become more than evident over time. These systems are of important to the rugged industry which has been bringing a variety of MCA (Mobile Clinical Assistant) devices to market. [Read Heathcare Technology Online position on EHR] -- Posted Thursday, December 10, 2009 by chb

Panasonic concludes purchase of Sanyo
Panasonic, which makes the Panasonic Toughbooks, says it has now secured majority ownership of Sanyo, and Sanyo will likely become a subsidiary of Panasonic. While the two companies have been rivals, they are also family as Sanyo was started by Panasonic Founder Konosuke Matsushita's brother-in-law Toshio with the help of Matsushita. The deal will give Panasonic access to Sanyo's battery and renewable energy products. -- Posted Thursday, December 10, 2009 by chb

Nokia closing flagship US stores
Nokia says it's closing its New York and Chicago stores, leaving it with just ten stores worldwide (Apple has 279 and generates about US$6.6 billion with them). One problem is that while Nokia still has the largest global cellphone marketshare (37%), its US marketshare is negligeable and the company is badly lagging in the ever more important smartphone arena. -- Posted Thursday, December 10, 2009 by chb

MSI touch-screen PCs used for White House exhibit
MSI announced that its Wind Top All-in-One desktop PCs are being used by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Ill., for its new exhibit, The White House: A Look Inside. The exhibit is leveraging MSI’' All-in-One PCs with 18.5-inch widescreen displays to help provide guests with never-before-seen views inside America’s most famous landmark. The MSI AE1900 models use an Atom 230 or 330, are in the US$500 range, and provide touch screen browsing and computing with netbook performance in a sleek and elegant all-in-one. -- Posted Thursday, December 10, 2009 by chb

Little Japanese Atom-powered Win 7 Tablet PC
Every time I go to Japan I see lots of interesting gear that never makes it stateside. Some of it is too small, specialized or expensive for the US market, but some products would be interesting to have on the US market. Take, for example, the Atom Z520-powered, Windows 7-based Onkyo NX707A4, a small (7.6 x 5.2 x 0.95 inches) and light (1.6 pounds) convertible Tablet PC with a 1024 x 600 7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, dual cameras, a multi-card reader, etc. Cost? US$675. [See the Onkyo NX707A4] -- Posted Thursday, December 10, 2009 by chb

Still not milling gossip about an Apple tablet
It's stunning how many websites are endlessly gossiping about a potential Apple tablet. Talk about polluting the web with meaningless non-information, and that includes some of the most respected news organizations. Shame on you. Apple will talk when they are ready, or not. -- Posted Wednesday, December 9, 2009 by chb

Seagate enters SSD market
Seagate has been part of the PC revolution from the start. Its hard disks were in the original IBM PC XT in the early 1980s, and unlike many other hard disk vendors that folded or were absorbed, Seagate is still around. However, Seagate was never part of the increasingly important solid state storage market. That has changed now as Seagate announced its entry into the SSD market with the Seagate Pulsar, a 2.5-inch form-factor SATA platform currently going up to 200GB. Seagate believes that its numerous relationships with OEMs will make up for its late entry into the market. [See Seagate Pulsar product page] -- Posted Wednesday, December 9, 2009 by chb

Good for Enterprise now on various Android devices
Good Technology announced that Good for Enterprise is now available for multiple Android devices, including DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS by HTC, HTC Hero, HTC My Touch 3G, Samsung Moment and others. This latest release allows users to connect and collaborate on the Android devices while providing IT departments with the enterprise management and control they need, without compromising any security policies. -- Posted Monday, December 7, 2009 by chb

DLI announces rugged, super-compact point-of-sale tablet
DLI, a LaPorte, Indiana based manufacturer of rugged mobile tablets has announced the DLI 8800 Mobile POS tablet. The rugged Atom Z530-powered DLI 8800 has a 7-inch screen, weighs just 2.3 pounds, has an integrated mag stripe reader, and can be ordered with an integrated RFID reader and 2D barcode scanner. The DLI 8800 is available either with a touch screen or an active digitizer. [See description and specs of the DLI 8800 POS tablet] -- Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by chb

Matte versus glossy displays
Most displays on consumer notebooks and an increasing number of displays on rugged computing equipment now have a glossy surface. Manufacturers love those displays because they "pop" in showrooms and work well for watching videos. However, they also result in annoying screen reflections that can make them hard to read, especially outdoors. A website has now launched a petition to offer matte screens. It's geared towards Macs, but the arguments, voting and discussion are quite interesting. [See MacMatte site on matte versus glossy displays] -- Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by chb

PhatWare releases update to PenOffice
PhatWare has released an update to its PenOffice app, adding compatibility with Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. It also offers pen-based collaboration, improved security and reliability features, support for multi-core processing, and configuration and management features to improve mobile working. PenOffice supports numerous languages and is designed for use with Windows-based PCs. Beyond the Microsoft Office markup feature, PenOffice now adds support for OpenOffice.org 3.0 or later documents. [See the PhatWare PenOffice page] -- Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by chb

How ruggedness reduces mobile computer TCO
Anyone seeking ammo and/or information to justify the higher initial cost of ruggedized computing equipment should download this 8-page white paper by Intermec. It provides an excellent summary of how various levels of ruggedness result in lower total cost of ownership compared to consumer-grade products. [Download How Ruggedness Reduces TCO for Mobile Computers] -- Posted Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by chb

HP releases the iPAQ Glisten smartphone
Once upon a time Compaq almost singlehandedly saved the fledgling Pocket PC platform. That was then, the new HP iPAQ Glisten is now. It's a snazzy and roughly iPhone-sized device with a gorgeous landscape-oriented AMOLED touchscreen. There's a 3.1 megapixel camera, GSM/GPRS/EDGE and UMTS/HSDPA, 802.11b/g WiFi and GPS. The Glisten will be available for use with the AT&T network and will cost US$229 with the usual 2-year contract. [See description and specs of the HP iPAQ Glisten] -- Posted Monday, November 30, 2009 by chb

Tablet PC deja-vue all over again
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Back in June of 2002 we reported how Microsoft gave working versions of Acer TravelMate TM100 convertible notebooks with the Windows Tablet PC Edition to a small group of journalists who participated at a Microsoft Tablet PC Reviewer's Conference in Seattle (see here). More than seven years later, Microsoft handed out Acer Aspire 1420P convertibles with Windows 7 to full-conference attendees at the Professional Developer Conference 2009, in Los Angeles (see here). Interestingly, Acer really has never been much of a factor in Tablet PCs, and Tablet PC technology has remained almost totally stagnant in those seven years. -- Posted Monday, November 30, 2009 by chb

The diminished utility of the iPhone 3GS
We love the iPhone, but the mediocre battery life of the iPhone 3GS and the crippling way AT&T implemented and charges for GSM has, for our editor at least, diminished the value of the iPhone 3GS. [Read The diminished utility of the iPhone 3GS] -- Posted Monday, November 30, 2009 by chb

GammaTech now offers Durabook R13S convertible Tablet PC
GammaTech is now offering the Durabook R13S, a rugged notebook computer that can also be used as a tablet. The IP54-sealed machine uses a frugal Intel U7500 Core 2 Duo chip, offers good connectivity, and its 13.3-inch wide-format touchscreen is larger than what most of the competition in this class offers. The R13S is a bit heavy though (9 pounds) and there's no active digitizer option. [See description and specs of the GammaTech Durabook R13S] -- Posted Thursday, November 26, 2009 by chb

A first: Wacom pen technology in an eReader
Wacom announced that its Wacom pen technology will be used with the IREX DR800SG, marking the first time the pen will be deployed with a consumer eReader. The DR800SG is a sleek, 8.1‐inch, touch‐screen eReader that offers multi‐mode 3G wireless capabilities and has an MSRP of $399.99. Wireless access to download content is included in the cost of the DR800SG and no contract is required. -- Posted Thursday, November 19, 2009 by chb

Fedora 12: Out-of-the-box Tablet PC support
Accoding to a Jack Wallen article at ghacks.net, the newly released Fedora 12 will work on Tablet PCs without having to configure xorg.conf. The new release supposedly supports tablet pressure sensitivity, handwriting recognition, and many more features without any special configuration at all. -- Posted Wednesday, November 18, 2009 by chb

Added: ultra-rugged Casio DT-X30 handheld
Casio's Industrial Handheld Division offers the state-of-the-art Casio DT-X30, a IP67-sealed substantial handheld based on Marvell's PXA320 processor and running Windows Mobile 6.1. The DT-X30, which comes with a 1D/2D imager and an integrated digital camera with LED illuminator, can be equipped with Bluetooth, WWAN as well as GPS, making it a good choice for location-based applications. The display measures 3.5 inches and the 29-key keypad allows rapid data entry as well as support for custom applications via 8 function keys. [Read description and specs of the Casio DT-X30] -- Posted Monday, November 16, 2009 by chb

Getac video on Chattanooga police force using Getac rugged computers
Getac published a very informative and nicely done video on the Chattanooga, Tennessee, police force using Getac rugged notebook computers. Police staff explain applications and provide rationale for their choice. [See Getac video] -- Posted Thursday, November 5, 2009 by chb

Over 100,000 iPhone apps now, total developer revenue US$900 million
Apple says that consumers in 77 countries have downloaded well over two billion iPhone apps in 20 categories, with a total selection of over 100,000 available apps. According to iPhone analytics company Pinch Media, about 30% of those two billion downloads fall into the premium app category, and they generated total developer revenues of US$900 million. -- Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by chb

Next gen of DocuPen pen scanners
Planon Systems Solutions introduced its new DocuPen Xtreme X-Series line of scanning pense, encompassing the X05, X10 and X50. Able to support image resolutions of up to 600 dpi (up to 1,200 dpi for the X50), the three models each feature a 200 MHz internal processor, 64MB of RAM, OLED displays, Bluetooth and PaperPort SE software. So if you need professional quality reproductions of contracts, receipts, invoices, color pictures and more, check 'em out! [DocuPen X Series] -- Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by chb

Samwell introduces space-saving Intel Atom-powered MCA
While most current Mobile Clinical Assistant's (MCAs) follow Intel's 2007 reference design, Samwell introduced a new and smaller form factor with a 8.9-inch wide-format display that leaves off the handle part, but includes RFID, barcode scanning, and camera for flexible data capture. The low-power Intel Atom Z530P allows for a fanless platform, and the aluminum-magnesium housing is rugged and carries IP54 sealing. Weight is just 2.4 pounds. [See description and specs of the Samwell RUGGEDBOOK MCA9 Medical Clinical Assistant] -- Posted Wednesday, November 4, 2009 by chb

Marvell and E Ink collaborate on next -gen eReaders
Marvell -- the folks who now handle the XScale processor and a lot of other storage, communications, and consumer silicon solutions -- announced its collaboration with E Ink, the supplier of electronic paper display technologies for most of the world's eReaders. The two companies have begun to ship a highly integrated eReader processor in Marvell's ARMADA 166E chip. New platforms based on the processor, such as the enTourage eDGe, are expected to accelerate the rapid release of new forms of eReaders at a variety of price points. -- Posted Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by chb

Motorla releases MC3100 successor to best-selling MC3000
Motorola introduced the MC3100 mid-range rugged wireless mobile computer as the successor of its best-selling (over 750,000 units) MC3000 Series. The MC3100 is based on the state-of-the-art Marvel PXA320 processor, includes an accelerometer, and can be ordered with three different keypads, with turret or integrated scanner, and also in a pistol-grip version. The MC3100, which can use all of the MC3000 peripherals and accessories, has a 320 x 320 pixel 3-inch touch display, runs either Windows CE 6.0 or Windows Mobile 6.1, and can be equipped with either a 1D laser or a 2D imager. Cost ranges from US$1,295 to US$1,995. [Read description and specs of the Motorola MC3100] -- Posted Tuesday, November 3, 2009 by chb

Handheld's new ultra-rugged GPS PDA
HHCS Handheld USA has beefed up its handheld offerings by adding the ultra-rugged Nautiz X7 handheld computer. Based on Windows Mobile 6.1 and the powerful 806MHz Marvell PXA310 processor, the Nautiz X7 has a 3-megapixel camera, an E-compass, altimeter, a full-VGA 480 x 640 pixel touch display, up to 12GB of storage, Bluetooth and Wifi, and optional HSDPA wireless WWAN. [Read full review of the Handheld Nautiz X7] -- Posted Friday, October 30, 2009 by chb

Aaeon introduces rugged Intel Atom-powered tablet computer
Taiwanese Aaeon Technology is now offering its rugged RTC-1000 platform with an Intel Atom N270 processor running Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 2009. The device has a 10.2-inch WSVGA (1024 x 600) touch display with LED backlight and both sunlight-viewable and active digitizer options. There are disk and SSD based systems, good onboard connectivity and expansion, ruggedness, IP65 sealing and optional 3.5G wireless, GPS, scanning and bar code reading. If more speed is needed, a Core Duo version is available as well. [See description and specs of the Aaeon RTC-1000A] -- Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009 by chb

Touch coming to marine displays
Manufacturers of marine displays are hopping onto the touch bandwagon, too. Raymarine just introduced its new E-Series wide-screen Multifunction Display with HybridTouch in an effort to "bring the familiar touch screen and icon-based design found in today's smartphones to the marine environment." The E-Series has a WVGA sunlight-viewable display, an operating temperature range of 14-122F, and carries IPX6 sealing. See Raymarine E-Series -- Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009 by chb

Dell introduced toughened-up XFR version of its XT2 convertible
Dell introduced the Latitude XT2 XFR, a ruggedized version of their Latitude XT2. What you get here is a toughened-up version of Dell's sleek convertible Tablet PC, one that is sealed against the elements, can handle desert-hot and icy-cold, and is altogether better equipped to handle life on the road where things can get bumped and dropped. [Read description and specs of the Dell Latitude XT2 XFR] -- Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by chb

US$149 JetBook eBook reader
ECTACO launched the jetBook Lite eBook reader that lists for just US$149. It measures 6 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches, weighs 7.5 ounces, has a 5-inch reflective monochrome screen, a SD card slot (up to 2GB cards), supports screen rotation and its Li-Polymer battery lasts 20 hours on a charge. Books are books downloadable from barnesandnoble.com and jetBook.net. In essence, you get a smaller, lighter reader that even includes dictionaries and T9 for less money, but no wireless downloads. [See how the jetBook compares] -- Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by chb

Fonix launches next gen speech recognition technology
Fonix Speech, Inc., which specializes in embedded speech interfaces for mobile devices, handheld electronic products, video game systems and processors, announced its VoiceSync 1.0 software that represents a significant leap forward in the development of speech recognition technology by accurately interpreting phonetic data and timing that information to create "human-like" lip and facial movements. -- Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by chb

MobileDemand xTablet T7000: A smaller rugged Tablet PC
Your average full-function rugged Tablet PC weighs between four and five pounds. That's light enough to carry such a device around on the job, but it's still quite substantial. So how about a UMPC device that provides pretty much the same functionality as a full-size machine, but is a lot smaller? If that thought appeals to you, check out what MobileDemand of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have in store for you. RuggedPCReview is taking a first, and detailed, look at the MobileDemand xTablet T7000. [Read review of the MobileDemand T7000 rugged Tablet PC] -- Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 by chb

Motion: complete line ready for Windows 7
Motion Computing announced that its complete line of rugged tablet PCs are ready to ship with Windows 7 Professional. Additionally, the Motion J3400, C5, F5 and LE1700 Tablet PCs are supported for upgrading to the new operating system. With enhanced tablet PC functionality, faster performance and improvements to power management for extended battery life, Windows 7 helps mobile users extend the productivity benefits of computing with highly mobile Motion Tablet PCs. -- Posted Thursday, October 22, 2009 by chb

A talk with Wacom
The Columbian, a paper serving Clark County, Washington, recently ran feature on Wacom, summarizing the company's products and outlook. [See Columbian article on Wacom] -- Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2009 by chb

New: Fujitsu Lifebook T4410 multi-touch convertible
Fujitsu announced the Lifebook T4410 Tablet PC convertible available with Windows 7 and optional dual-digitizer that includes capacitive multi-touch. The T4410 has a 12.1-inch WXGA display with a 200-nit LED backlight (300-nit wide viewing angle version available), a multi-bay with optical drive, and good connectivity (including an HDMI port). The 4-pound T4410 is powered by a selection of fairly potent Core 2 Duo processors and is also available in a home/student version (the T4310). Pricing starts at a very reasonale US$1,199. [See description and specs of the Fujitsu T4410] -- Posted Monday, October 19, 2009 by chb

New Wi-Fi peer-to-peer spec in 2010
Wi-Fi devices will soon be able to link via a new specification called Wi-Fi Direct that enables devices to connect to one another without joining a traditional wireless network. The Wi-Fi Alliance expects to begin certification for this new specification in mid-2010, and products which achieve the certification will be designated Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct. We can see many uses for this in mobile devices. [See press release] -- Posted Saturday, October 17, 2009 by chb

Using the iPhone 3GS -- is it that much better?
There was much excitement when Apple introduced the iPhone 3GS earlier this year. Is it really that much better? Our editor reports on his experience with the iPhone 3GS that replaced his original iPhone. [See Having used it for three months, how much better is the iPhone 3GS?] -- Posted Friday, October 16, 2009 by chb

Wacom introduces new brand for OEM solutions
Wacom, probably feeling the heat from increasing touch screen competition, announced a new brand for their OEM solutions, Wacom Feel IT Technologies, which seek to combine Wacom's well-established active digitizer technology with projective capacitive multi-touch. Check the Wacom Feel website and Wacom's press release on the Wacom Feel IT Technologies. -- Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by chb

Another new eBook reader: IREX DR800SG
Book readers haven't done well in the past, but primarily thanks to the Amazon Kindle they seem to be making a comeback. The latest addition is the IREX DR800SG, a consumer device with an 8.1-inch touch screen that costs US$399 and can hold about 1,500 books. IREX says the DR800SG is an open platform and supports more standard document formats (see eReader comparison chart). The IREX device includes the Barnes & Noble eBookstore, giving users access to more than 750,000 titles, including new releases and bestsellers at $9.99. Verizon 3G wireless access to download content is included in the cost of the DR800SG and no contract is required. -- Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by chb

Standalone WikiReader
What if you rely on Wikipedia's almost endless resources, but don't always have an internet connection or a computer to access the Wikipedia site? Then you may want to consider the new WikiReader, a US$99 device that lets you access three million topics with just three buttons. Two AAA batteries power the touch screen device with its monochrome display for months. Quarterly updates can be downloaded for free, or you can pay $29 and get two annual updates on microSD cards. Check the WikiReader website. -- Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by chb

Full review: Datalogic Memor
One of the problems with many industrial handhelds is that they are big and heavy. Those that are small and handy often lack features. Datalogic addressed these issues with the Memor handheld that combines mobile computing, data capture, scanning and voice/data communication in one small but rugged handheld that weighs just nine ounces. Powered by a speedy, modern PXA310 processor and available with a variety of scanning and communication options, the Datalogic Memor has a lot to offer. [See review of the Datalogic Memor] -- Posted Tuesday, October 13, 2009 by chb

TI co-processors can handle up to 20 megapixel, 720p HD video
Texas Instruments announced two new members of its OMAP-DM5x family of coprocessors, which deliver the industry's highest megapixel (MP) capability, with up to 20 MP still imaging capabilities, as well as 720p high-definition (HD) camcorder functionality. TI says that as wireless services drive forward into advanced 3G and 4G technologies, camera phones are moving up to 20-megapixel image sensors, with displays showing a corresponding increase in resolution. [See TI's OMAP page] -- Posted Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by chb

Windows Mobile 6.5: Big letdown
To almost no one's surprise, the release of Windows Mobile 6.5 has generally been greeted with anything from indifference to downright shock and dismay (see the extent of the dismay in John Herrman's detailed review at Gizmodo). Essentially, WinMo 6.5 provides a weird new home screen on what appears to be the same ancient, obsolete OS. In recent years we've frequently commented on how increasingly sophisticated and powerful rugged handheld hardware seems to be held back by Windows Mobile (see Palm and Windows Mobile and how the iPhone really changed everything), and this "new" version 6.5, unfortunately, perpetuates the misery. -- Posted Tuesday, October 6, 2009 by chb

New York Times article on Tablet PCs
The New York Times ran an interesting article titles "Just a Touch Away, the Elusive Tablet PC," taking a brief look at the past and possible future of tablet computing devices. -- Posted Monday, October 5, 2009 by chb

Full review: Samwell RUGGEDBOOK SR800
The Samwell RUGGEDBOOK SR800 is a compact rugged Tablet PC that offers a good balance between performance (Intel Core Duo U2500), features, ruggedness, portability, and battery life. Its 10.4-inch display is larger and offers higher resolution than that of most machines in its class and the tablet has both a touch screen and an active digitizer. [See review of the Samwell RUGGEDBOOK SR800] -- Posted Sunday, October 4, 2009 by chb

Apple's iPhone app store hits 2 billion downloads
Apple announced that over 2 billion apps have been downloaded from its App Store since its launch in July 2008. According to Apple, there are now more than 85,000 apps available. -- Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 by chb

Apple reportedly re-hires Newton guru Michael Tchao
Back in 1993 I cornered Michael Tchao of Apple's Newton team at a conference and showed him the prototype of Pen Computing Magazine. Michael said, "We need to be in this magazine" and Apple became an advertiser for the Newton. Now the New York Times reports that Tchao is back at Apple. Hmmm.... -- Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 by chb

Ballmer quote: we screwed up with Windows Mobile
Check this most interesting tweet from a venture capital conference. If Ballmer really said that, I don't think too many people would argue the point. -- Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 by chb

Wacom adds multi-touch to Bamboo tablets
Wacom has introduced Multi-Touch in its new family of Bamboo tablets that are meant to serve as natural and intuitive input to desktop or laptop computer users. Bamboo includes a family of five distinct tablets: touch-only, pen-only and three versions of the pen and Multi-Touch combination. [See Wacom's Bamboo page] -- Posted Saturday, September 26, 2009 by chb

Review: Dell Latitude XT2 convertible with multi-touch
With the Latitude XT2, Dell offers a very competent Tablet PC convertible with a modern, economical Core 2 Duo processor, decent battery life, both digitizer and touch input, and even some multi-touch functionality. The XT2 weighs less than four pounds, has a 12.1-inch wide-format screen, and offers excellent connectivity, both wired and wireless. [Read review of the Dell Latitude XT2] -- Posted Wednesday, September 23, 2009 by chb

Silverlight central to Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3
Microsoft announced the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3, the next-generation platform of the componentized, real-time Windows Embedded CE operating system. The main thrust is that Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3 adds the Silverlight for Windows Embedded user interface (UI) framework which is meant to enable a consistent experience across devices and PCs with Microsoft Office and PDF viewers. [Read Microsoft release on Windows Embedded CE 6.0] -- Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2009 by chb

iPhone apps as brand reinforcement tools
S1 Corporation, a global provider of financial services and payment software solutions, announced the availability of S1 Mobile's iPhone application, which is a unique user interface or "skin", as part of the newest addition to its suite of banking and payments solutions. S1 points out that iPhone customers spend over 80 minutes each day using apps on their iPhone and that this creates a significant branding opportunity. Every time a customer selects an app to run, the financial institution gets brand reinforcement by having their logo on the iPhone. -- Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 by chb

Apple iPhone as part of medical records solutions?
We're seeing more and more iPhone apps for industry applications. Webahn, for example, just launched two new iPhone apps for physicians. Capzule for its online Electronic Medical Records service Capzule.com and Accent, a voice recording application, for its online transcription service OvernightScribe.com. The emergence of iPhone apps will undoubtedly raise the bar for what users expect from their mobile computers. -- Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 by chb

RMT's DAP Technologies expands into Windows Embedded Standard with new line of Kinysis tablets
For those who really like the quality and form factor of their CE8640 and CE8800 tablets, but need a Windows Embedded Standard OS instead of Windows CE, RMT's DAP Technologies now offers the AMD Geode-powered Kinysis 8900KS and 8900VS. The two new tablets share the CE-versions' design, size and ruggedness (4-foot drop, IP67, -4 to 122F, etc.) but can take advantage of the power and configurability of a full Windows Embedded OS. The Kinysis tablets can also accommodate custom electronic modules within their sealed expansion bay. [See description and specs of the DAP Kinysis 8900KS and Kinysis 8900VS] -- Posted Wednesday, September 16, 2009 by chb

Fujitsu LifeBook T5010 now with optional multi-touch
Fujitsu announced that the LifeBook T5010 convertible tablet PC now has a new dual digitizer option where the touch screen function on its 13.3-inch display supports multi-touch for two-finger actions including panning, rotating, flicks and zooming. With seamless switching between pen and touch, users can change tasks on the fly, from casual surfing to detailed editing or writing. The currently Windows Vista-based LifeBook T5010 is the first in a line of new LifeBook platforms and form factors designed to take advantage of the capabilities of soon-to-be-launched Windows 7. -- Posted Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by chb

Motorola introduces next-gen MC9500 rugged handheld
Building upon its successful MC9000 line of rugged handhelds, Motorola introduced the next-gen MC9500 built on state-of-the-art processing (Marvell PXA320), display (3.7-inch VGA), communication (3.5G, both major standards) and data capture technology (laser/imager/camera). The device also includes SiRFstarIII GPS, a smart full-shift battery, no fewer than five modular keyboard options, and it's tough as nails. [See description and specs of the Motorola MC9500] -- Posted Tuesday, September 15, 2009 by chb

LXE to equip all its rugged handhelds with Summit Data WiFi solutions
LXE announced today a strategic alliance with Summit Data Communications, a leading provider of wireless LAN radio modules and cards for business-critical mobile devices. Under the expanded alliance, LXE will equip all of its rugged handheld, voice- ready, and wearable computers, and most LXE vehicle mount computers, with Summit- embedded Wi-Fi solutions. -- Posted Monday, September 14, 2009 by chb

GestureTek's optical tracker powers gesture control phone
GestureTek, a leader in gesture control interfaces for interactive displays and devic, announced that its patented EyeMobile optical tracking software will be used in Sony Ericsson's new Yari mobile phone. EyeMobile is available on over 100 million mobile devices, enabling motion-control game play on mobile phones. Many titles have already added advanced gesture recognition. [See YouTube demo of the Sony Ericsson Yari] -- Posted Monday, September 14, 2009 by chb

Atmel releases maXTouch capacitive touchscreen controller solutions
Atmel announced the release of its new maXTouch capacitive touchscreen controller solutions, capable of supporting an unlimited number of unique simultaneous touches with a video-quality screen refresh rate of 250 Hz. maXTouch can be used in 10-inch and larger touchscreens with full zoom, rotate, handwriting and shape recognition functionality. According to Displays Research, by 2013, worldwide demand for touch screen modules will exceed $6.4 billion, making touch interfaces the fastest growing segment in the displays industry. -- Posted Thursday, September 10, 2009 by chb

ACCESS NetFront deployment now over 800 million worldwide
ACCESS CO., LTD., which owns the old "Garnet" Palm OS, announced that worldwide deployments of its NetFront products, notably its NetFront Browser for mobile handsets and Internet-enabled devices, surpassed 800 million at the end of July 2009. -- Posted Thursday, September 10, 2009 by chb

Apple event: Jobs, iPhone OS 3.1, iTunes 9, updated iPods
The main event at the September 9th Apple event in San Francisco was Steve Jobs' appearance. Else: In 2+ years, Apple sold 30 million iPhones. There are more than 75,000 apps, and 1.8 billion billion app downloads. iPhone OS 3.1 was introduced. The Genius feature now also makes app recommendations. There will now be 30,000 ringtones, at $1.29 each. Apple is the #1 worldwide music retailer, has sold 8.5 billion songs and there are now 100 million iTunes accounts in iTunes. The new iTunes 9.0 allows Genius Mixes, improved syncing, app management, has iTunes LP (extra content for music albums). Over 220 million iPods sold to date, with iPod marketshare at 73.8%" (Microsoft 1.1%, Sandisk 7.2%). Also sold 20 million iPod Touch. New pricing: iPod Touch 8GB: $199, 32GB $299, 64GB $399. iPod classic capacity now 160GB, same price ($249). New colors for the iPPod Shuffle (pink, green, blue, silver and black). Cost is $59 for 2GB and $79 for 4GB. All iPod Nano now come with VGA video camera, FM radio, pedometer, larger 2.2-inch display. Cost: 8GB for $149, 16GB for $179. -- Posted Thursday, September 10, 2009 by chb

Half-price Palm Pre offer yanked by Sprint
According to FierceWireless, an offer that would have given new Sprint customers a $100 service credit if they switched their line to a Palm Pre and signed a two-year contract has been withdrawn by Sprint as it was based on an "internal communications issue." -- Posted Thursday, September 10, 2009 by chb

Evernote gets additional funding from DOCOMO Capital
Handwriting recognition and digital ink technology specialist Evernote has secured $2 million in funding from DOCOMO Capital, in addition to a recent investment from Troika Dialog. The funding will help Evernote's offer more language support and local versions. "Evernote is radically changing the way people conceive of and interact with their memories and the company's impressive growth and loyal customer base speaks to its value and unique approach to simplifying people's lives," said Tomoya Hemmi, president and CEO of DOCOMO. Pen Computing readers may know Evernote from its Ritescript division that offers ritePen, riteForm and riteShape. -- Posted Thursday, September 10, 2009 by chb

Palm Pixi -- a smaller, thumbtype New Palm
Anyone without a two-year contract take note: on the eve of Apple's latest announcements, Palm announced the Palm Pixi, a follow-up on the Palm Pre, only smaller yet (a tiny bit smaller than the iPhone at 2.2 x 4.4 x .43, 3.5 ounces) and a bit cheaper (irrelevant; the cost is in the Sprint telco contract) when it arrives "for the holidays." No WiFi, smaller 2.63-inch 320 x 400 pixel screen, lower-res (2mp) camera, Bluetooth, GPS, 8GB of storage. The Pixi seems a handsome iPhone clone with a thumbtype keyboard for those who miss the Treo and like the Pre's webOS. See the Pixi at Palm. -- Posted Wednesday, September 9, 2009 by chb

Getac introduces ultra-rugged GPS PDA
Getac beefed up its handheld offerings by adding the ultra-rugged PS236 GPS handheld. Based on Windows Mobile 6.2 and the powerful 806MHz Marvell PXA310 processor, the PS236 has a 3-megapixel camera, an E-compass, altimeter, a full-VGA display, up to 12GB of storage, Bluetooth and Wifi, and optional HSDPA wireless WWAN. [See description and specs of the Getac PS236 GPS handheld] -- Posted Tuesday, September 8, 2009 by chb

Full review: Handheld US Nautiz X5
If you need a high-performance, top-of-the-line rugged handheld computer with integrated scanner, full VGA graphics, and 3G voice/data communication, there aren't many choices. The Nautiz X5, sold by Handheld US, is one of the few handhelds powered by the speedy 806MHz Marvell PXA320 processor. It has an integrated laser scanner, integrated SiRFstar III GPS, 3G comms, a very powerful battery, and a RFID version is available as well. [See full review of the Handheld US Nautiz X5] -- Posted Thursday, September 3, 2009 by chb

New gen of Windows Phones with Windows Mobile 6.5
Microsoft announced that Windows phones will be widely available at retail stores worldwide on Oct. 6, 2009. The new phones will be the first to feature Windows Mobile 6.5, the latest version of Microsoft's mobile phone software, and will deliver new customer experiences through an improved, easy-to-use user interface, better browsing capabilities and access to valuable services, including Windows Marketplace for Mobile and Microsoft My Phone. [Read Microsoft press release] -- Posted Tuesday, September 1, 2009 by chb

Full review: RUGGEDBOOK SR858
Samwell is entering the heavily contested market for rugged notebooks with the tough-looking SR858 that provides a good balance between performance and battery life. Also unique in this class are the wide-format 13.3-inch 1280 x 800 pixel touchscreen and the convertible notebook form factor. We found the RUGGEDBOOK SR858, with its fully sunlight-readable display, an interesting addition to the current rugged notebook offerings. [Read full review of the Samwell RUGGEDBOOK SR858] -- Posted Monday, August 31, 2009 by chb

Netbooks now have 22% of notebook market
According to DisplaySearch, netbooks accounted for 22.2% of 38 million notebook PCs sold in Q2/2009. That's up from just 5.6% a year ago. The differentiation between netbooks and notebooks, however, is pretty vague, with some manufacturers now calling 11.6-inch notebooks netbooks. Our definition for the grossly misnamed "netbook" -- a small, handy notebook PC that's an impulse buy due to a price that's below the pain threshold. -- Posted Monday, August 31, 2009 by chb

Intrinsically safe ruggedized phone
Airo, a maker of ruggedized cell phones, announced the A25is Intrinsically Safe handset, available for delivery Q4 of 2009. The PXA270-based and Windows Mobile 6.1-powered A25is can handle 4-foot drops, is IP67 sealed, can operate in -4 to 122 degrees F, and operates under GSM/GPRS/EDGE. [See spec sheet of the intrinsically safe Airo A25is] -- Posted Monday, August 31, 2009 by chb

Third new Sony ebook reader
Sony announced a third member of its new Reader family - the Reader Daily Edition, a wireless model with 3G connectivity. The Daily Edition joins the Reader Pocket Edition and the Reader Touch Edition that were announced earlier this month. The new Sony reader has a 7-inch display and retails for about US$399. There are no monthly fees or transaction charges for the basic wireless connectivity. Sony has also made changes and improvements to its eBook Store to provide better access to a greater variety of ebooks. Earlier this summer Sony announced the availability of more than one million free public domain books from Google, and the company made new releases and New York Times bestseller titles available for $9.99. [See Sony Reader page] -- Posted Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by chb

Replacing a hard drive with a SSD
We're seeing more and more rugged systems with solid state disks (SSDs) instead of conventional hard drives. SSDs have a number of advantages in terms of performance, heat generation, ruggedness and reliability. SSD prices have come way down, though they are still more expensive than hard disks. For a video tutorial on how to upgrade your rugged machine to an SSD, check Hot Hardware's excellent SSD upgrade guide. For all sorts of general SSD information, check the Solid State Disks Buyers Guide. -- Posted Tuesday, August 25, 2009 by chb

Portable touchscreen USB display
MIMOMonitors.com has announced the addition of the MIMO 720-S "Touchscreen Slider" monitor to its line of USB-driven mini-displays. The MIMO 720-S has a 7-inch 800 x 480 pixel resistive touch screen, works with PCs and Macs, weighs just a pound, and lists for US$229. -- Posted Monday, August 24, 2009 by chb

IP-67 rated rugged Sonim XP3 phone now at Best Buy
Can you drop your phone from up to 6.5 feet onto concrete; talk for up to 18 hours; submerge it in water; leave it outside at -5 to +130 degrees; cover it in dust; leave it on a freeway to be run over? You can if you have a Sonim XP3 Quest from Sonim Technologies, makers of rugged phones, now also available at Best Buy. So if you need a phone with an IP67 rating that's waterproof in up to 3.3 feet, the Sonim is it. -- Posted Monday, August 24, 2009 by chb

Trimble introduces digital pen solution for construction
Trimble introduced a family of Digital Pen Solutions for the construction industry that provides the simplicity of working with pen and paper with easy conversion to digital data by using a dockable digital pen. Once digitized, the documents can be shared with project teams and designers to improve change documentation, track construction progress and reduce project risk. With immediate access to jobsite data, teams can keep projects on-track and minimize risks from poor documentation without the costs and delays of scanning and transcribing data from paper. The Trimble Digital Pen Solution leverages the Capturx technology--a jobsite proven technology used by hundreds of organizations to automate paper-based data collection. -- Posted Monday, August 24, 2009 by chb

CNET wonders about Microsoft's lack of ambition in mobile
In an article entitled "Microsoft's curious lack of ambition in mobile" CNET asked the obvious: what in the universe is Microsoft doing in the mobile space, or rather not doing? Redmond's smartphone marketshare has fallen below 10%, and that from the company that pioneered Windows CE 13 years ago! Then again, HP also squandered Compaq's huge "iPAQ" brand equity. Maybe Windows and consumer handheld technology are simply inherently incompatible. -- Posted Friday, August 21, 2009 by chb

Motion extends its mobile Point-of-Care offering with Motion Clinical Workstations
Motion Computing announced a new line of Motion Clinical Workstations (MCW) designed to support a broad range of clinical workflows. They can be configured with the Motion C5 or Motion J3400, a small form factor PC, laptop, thin client or a combination of the available devices. Motion developed the MCWs as a complement to existing healthcare offerings that combine industry-leading technologies with specialized services to streamline access to patient information at the bedside. “This new line of MCWs is an extension of Motion’s healthcare expertise and focus on developing complete solutions for mobile clinicians,” said Mike Stinson, vice president of marketing for Motion. [See Motion MCW press release] -- Posted Wednesday, August 19, 2009 by chb

Learning from the Newton
CNET news ran an interesting feature where they not only showed the old Apple Newton commercials from back in 1993/94, but also a mock 2008 new Newton commercial. [The original Apple tablet: Marketing lessons from the Newton] -- Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by chb

Hothardware.com's 2009 Netbook and Notebook Buyer's Guide
Hothardware.com published its 2009 Netbook and Notebook Buyer's Guide, which presents a great discussion and summary of current trends and offerings. They also confirm our own assessment of netbooks: cheap, small and great battery life, BUT lousy performance and hideous multimedia playback. [See Hothardware.com's 2009 Netbook and Notebook Buyer's Guide] -- Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by chb

Ingenious Med's IM Quality solution goes mobile
Ingenious Med, a provider of mobile solutions for physicians, announced that the IM Quality solution, for Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) reporting, is now available on handheld devices. The addition of handheld PQRI reporting enhances the ability of physicians to capture quality and revenue information while rounding at hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other healthcare environments. -- Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by chb

Track & Trace Virtual Trade Show, December 2-3, 2009
With travel ever more cumbersome and expensive, virtual trade shows are coming on strong. We checked out some of the early ones and came away impressed. UBM International Media and AIM, the international trade association representing automatic identification and mobility technology solution providers, announced the Track & Trace Virtual Trade Show, December 2-3, 2009. [See info on the Track & Trace Virtual Trade Show] -- Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by chb

eTextbooks for college students now available on app store
CourseSmart LLC, the nation's largest digital course materials supplier, announced the release of its free eTextbooks application on the App Store. The eTextbooks App gives student and instructor subscribers access to their CourseSmart eTextbooks any time, anywhere. With a catalog representing most of the titles in use on campus today, students can purchase their required textbooks as CourseSmart eTextbooks at an average of half the price of print textbooks. With the addition of the eTextbooks App students will be able to use their iPhone or iPod touch as a mobile learning device to quickly reference their eTextbooks in the classroom and even search their notes. -- Posted Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by chb

Business Travel: What is holding down the economy?
So the worst may be behind us. Business outlooks are becoming more optimistic. It's time to hit the road and see those customers! Well not so fast! Last anyone checked, travel still costs money... [...more] -- Posted Friday, August 14, 2009 by chb

Juniper Archer Longbow remote positioning GPS handheld
Juniper Systems, Inc. and Surveylab Ltd. launched the Archer Longbow™ remote positioning GPS handheld. By combining a rugged computer, GPS receiver, 3D compass, digital camera and a laser rangefinder, the Longbow provides the user with an all-in-one mobile GIS data capture solution. The laser is available in 100 meter, 300 meter and 1,000 meter versions. [See Longbow description and specs or Archer Longbow brochure] -- Posted Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by chb

Business Travel: Not just mobile, but shrinking
Many of our readers seek the most efficient devices to improve their efforts at completing the task at hand. Just-in-time communication allows the road warrior to seek, obtain, and submit that quarter-end/year-end forecast-busting order just under the wire. [...more] -- Posted Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by chb

RAM Mounts' new Seat-Mate
A lot of rugged and mobile systems are used in vehicles, but a full, permanent installation isn't always necessary. This is where RAM Mounts' new Seat-Mate comes in. It's a super-simple mounting base that installs in less than a minute and turns almost any passenger seat into a workstation. The Seat-Mate base fits seamlessly into RAM's vast lineup of mounting solutions and components, and can be used with trays for notebooks, netbooks, tablets, and handhelds. [See description of the RAM Seat-Mate] -- Posted Tuesday, August 4, 2009 by chb

Full review: Waterproof, ultra-rugged 2T Hydrus
There's rugged, and then there's ultra-rugged, nearly indestructible and fully waterproof. That would describe the highly customizable Hydrus handheld from Two Technologies. It's a 2.5-pound Marvell PXA270/Windows CE-powered handheld with a large 55-key keypad, a 5-megapixel imager/scanner with laser auto-focus and illuminators, 40 hour battery life, and yes, we even tested it underwater [See full review of the Two Technologies Hydrus and see YouTube video of the Hydrus underwater] -- Posted Monday, August 3, 2009 by chb

Predicted: A flood of ARM-based "smartbooks"
After millions of Intel Atom-powered netbooks, will the next wave consist of ARM-based Windows CE "smartbooks" with Snapdragon or Tegra processors? High-res displays and 1080P playback (a notable weakness in Atom-based units) are luring, but whether the concept takes off is anyone's guess. -- Posted Monday, August 3, 2009 by chb

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