[NTLK] PDA vs slate

Well, I watched OQO with bated breath, waiting for them to release a
brick (oh, I nagged them too). My sons bought me a Motion Computing
M1400. I did not find the slate hard to use, and actually have used it
for development.

But, the batteries never last long enough, any upgrade to windows (I'm
running XP tablet edition) runs the risk of breaking the whole machine
(back to damn proprietary drivers -- like 1998 all over again) and MC
isn't actively supporting this machine anymore (um, 4 years old?).

I love using it to take notes in meetings, so I don't have the
"signboard" of a laptop screen between me and the others. I've had
people assume it was some kind of lightscreen under a pad ;) I have
used MS Office One Note a lot and it's OK.

Connectivity is better than the newt, and it's nice to have a "modern"
browser and enough "oomph" to download stuff.

But there are a lot of drawbacks, and there were several cruel design
flaws with the 1400. Matthias -- I tried one of the newer small
tablets from MC -- but they are so HOT. I mean as in burning you!

In fact, that's one of the crappy compromises of a slate, enough
processing jazz to run windows badly and you still get burnt or the
insides start to fail because it's so dang hot in there.

I had a love - hate relationship with my Palms. They taught me the
trade off between small enough to be innocuous and readily carried,
and functionality too small for my eyes and (even my very small)
hands.

So now I'm using the MP 2100 full time, unless I'll be typing a lot
that day, and then I may bring the emate along. I love these machines.
Big enough to be functional, small enough to carry, cool enough to
touch and a week or more on a set off batteries. Yum.

I don't think I will buy another slate for a long time, at least until
they get to a compromise between the heat and the processor speeds. In
the meantime I'll take my Newts along with a small laptop and be
pretty happy.

Stephanie

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Received on Fri Nov 16 12:54:44 2007