From ECDL.web

A tablet computer, or simply tablet, is a complete mobile computer, larger than a mobile phone or personal digital assistant, integrated into a flat touch screen and primarily operated by touching the screen. It often uses an onscreen virtual keyboard or a digital pen rather than a physical keyboard.

[edit] Tablets and tablet PCs

As of 2010, two distinctly different types of tablet computing devices exist, whose operating systems are of different origin.

Tablet personal computers are fully functional portable personal computers employing a slightly modified personal computer operating system (such as Microsoft Windows or Ubuntu Linux), equipped with a touchscreen as a primary input device. A typical tablet PC needs to be stylus driven, because operating the typical desktop based operating system requires a high precision input device to replace the mouse used to point at relatively small user interface objects (like icons and window close buttons). The term "Tablet PC" was made popular as a concept presented by Microsoft in the early 2000s but tablet PCs now refer to any tablet-sized personal computer regardless of the (desktop) operating system.

Tablets do not use a traditional desktop OS, and offer multi-touch and other natural user interface features instead of a mouse or stylus. The first commercially successful tablet was the iPad. Some tablet devices have 3G mobile telephony capabilities.

[edit] History

The tablet computer and the associated special operating software is an example of "pen computing" technology (ie. using a computer with a pen or stylus, rather than devices such as a keyboard and a mouse), and thus the development of tablets has deep historical roots. The depth of these roots can be quite surprising, for example, the first patent for an electronic tablet used for handwriting was granted in 1888, the first patent for a system that recognized handwritten characters by analyzing the handwriting motion was granted in 1915. The first publicly-demonstrated system using a tablet and handwriting text recognition instead of a keyboard for working with a modern digital computer dates to 1956.

In addition to many academic and research systems, there were several companies with commercial products in the 1980s. In 1999, Microsoft attempted to re-institute the by-then decades-old tablet concept, and in 2000 Microsoft coined the term "Microsoft tablet PC" for tablet PCs built to Microsoft's specification. Microsoft Tablet PCs were targeted to address business needs mainly as note-taking devices, and as rugged devices for field work, but tablet PCs failed to gain popularity in the consumer market.

The tablet computer market was reinvigorated by Apple through the introduction of the iPad device in 2010. While the iPad places restrictions on the owner to install software, thus deviating it from the PC tradition, its use of the touch interface is considered a milestone in the history of the development of the tablet computer.

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2011, over 80 new tablets were announced to compete with the iPad. Companies who announced tablets included Motorola which released its Xoom tablet, Samsung with its new Samsung Galaxy Tab, Research in Motion demonstrated their BlackBerry Playbook. Many of these tablets are set to be running Android, Google's mobile operating system for tablets. Apple unveiled the iPad 2 in March 2011.

[edit] Form factors

Tablet computers come in a range of sizes. Tablet personal computers tend to be as large as laptops and often are the largest usable size for mobile tablet computing, while the new generation of tablet computers can be much smaller.

• Booklet computers are dual-touchscreen tablet computers that fold like a book. Typical booklet computers are equipped with multi-touch screens and pen writing recognition capabilities. They are designed to be used as digital day planners, internet surfing devices, project planners, music players, and displays for video, live TV, and e-reading.
• Slate computers, which resemble writing slates, are tablet computers without a dedicated keyboard. For text input, users rely on handwriting recognition via an active digitizer, touching an on-screen keyboard using fingertips or a stylus, or using an external keyboard. Slate computers typically incorporate small (8.4–14.1 inches, 21–36 centimetres) LCD screens.
• Convertible notebooks have a base body with an attached keyboard. They more closely resemble modern laptops, and are usually heavier and larger than slates. Typically, the base of a convertible attaches to the display at a single joint called a swivel hinge or rotating hinge. The joint allows the screen to rotate through 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface.
• Hybrids, a term coined by users of the HP/Compaq TC1000 and TC1100 series, share the features of the slate and convertible by using a detachable keyboard that operates in a similar fashion to a convertible when attached.

[edit] Operating systems and vendors

Tablets, like regular computers, can run a number of operating systems. These come in two classes, namely desktop-based operating systems and mobile-based ("phone-like") operating systems.

[edit] Tablet PC operating systems

• Microsoft Windows: Tablet PCs use the same hardware as normal laptops but add support for pen input. For specialized support for pen input, Microsoft released Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Today there is no tablet specific version of Windows but instead support is built in to both Home and Business versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Tablets running Windows get the added functionality of using the touchscreen for mouse input, hand writing recognition, and gesture support.
• Linux: A number of Linux based OS projects are dedicated to tablet PCs. Since all these are open source, they are freely available and can be run or ported to devices that conform to the tablet PC design. Maemo (rebranded MeeGo in 2010), a Debian Linux based graphical user environment, was developed for the Nokia Internet Tablet devices. The Ubuntu Netbook Remix edition, as well as the Intel sponsored Moblin project, both have touchscreen support integrated into their user interfaces. TabletKiosk currently offers a hybrid digitizer / touch device running openSUSE Linux.

[edit] Mobile operating systems

• Apple: the iPad and the iPad2, tablets that mainly focus on media consumption such as web browsing, email, photos, videos, and e-reading, run a version of iOS which was first created for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Although built on the same underlying Unix implementation as MacOS, the operating system differs radically at the graphical user interface level. iOS is designed for finger based use and has none of the tiny graphical features which required a stylus on earlier tablets. Apple introduced responsive multi touch gestures, like moving two fingers apart to zoom in.
• Google's linux-based Android operating system has been targeted by manufacturers for the tablet space following its success on smartphones. There is, moreover, talk of tablet support from Google coming to its web-centric Chrome OS.
• Research in Motion: The BlackBerry PlayBook is a tablet computer announced in September 2010 which runs the BlackBerry Tablet OS, based on the QNX operating system that Research in Motion acquired in early 2010.
• Hewlett Packard has announced the TouchPad running webOS 3.0.

[edit] Comparison

The advantages and disadvantages of tablet computers are highly subjective measures. What appeals to one user may be exactly what disappoints another. The following are commonly cited opinions of tablet computers versus laptops:

[edit] Advantages

• Usage in environments not conducive to a keyboard and mouse such as lying in bed, standing, or handling with a single hand.
• Lighter weight, lower power models can be userd as dedicated reading devices like the Amazon Kindle.
• Touch environment makes navigation easier than conventional use of keyboard and mouse or touch pad in certain contexts such as image manipulation, musical, or mouse oriented games.
• Digital painting and image editing are more precise and intuitive than painting or sketching with a mouse.
• Allows, with the proper software, universal input, independent from different keyboard localizations.

[edit] Disadvantages

• Higher price — convertible tablet computers can cost significantly more than non-tablet portable PCs.
• Input speed — handwriting or typing on a virtual keyboard can be significantly slower than typing speed on a conventional keyboard.
• Ergonomics — a tablet computer, or a folded slate PC, does not provide room for a wrist rest.
• Screen risk — Tablet computers are handled more than conventional laptops, yet many are built on similar frames; in addition, since their screens also serve as input devices, they run a higher risk of screen damage from impacts and misuse.
• Hinge risk — A convertible tablet computer's screen hinge is often required to rotate around two axes, unlike a normal laptop screen, subsequently increasing the number of possible mechanical and electrical failure points.