In terms of text input, speech recognition can do a lot in quieter environments... I think the on screen keyboard will only have utility in a handful of situations (when you are really mobile, like in a car, walking, observing in experiments, roaming up and down library isles taking notes, etc.). Or if you want to quickly look things up on Google...
As for busier places, and times when we want to do a lot of work, like emails, etc., where a keyboard is required, the simple solution is a bluetooth keyboard. No need for a mouse, just touch the screen...
The tablet will be able to handle pretty much anything thrown at it if you factor in that bluetooth keyboard. This is assuming that there will be a built in prop arm on the tablet that will keep the tablet upright on flat surfaces (see Wacom for some examples of that design).
What is interesting about the set up is that you get more mobility than a traditional laptop, with arguably more functionality. A small bluetooth keyboard and a thin tablet would fit nicely in a custom neoprene sleeve, and likely weigh less than a full featured laptop.
Looking into the future, speech, in my opinion, is the future of computing, but it will be in the form of direct links from brain to computer, so there will not be any audible cues on behalf of the user. Input will be silent. Until then, bluetooth keyboards, on screen keyboards and audible speech... good enough for now™.
Ryan
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Received on Thu Aug 6 17:49:46 2009
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