Configuring Your Tablet PC for Business Success
Published: August 31, 2005
I use my Tablet PC both as my primary work computer and as a very powerful mobile computer. I work much of the day with my Tablet PC at my desk, and when I stand up to go to meetings I take it and have access to all my daily work and references with me. When configured right, a Tablet PC has all the power of a Microsoft Windows XP desktop computer, yet the ease of use of a near instant-on, instant-off, PDA-like, mobile computer.
In this article, I'll show you some simple but important configurations to make to your Tablet PC to make the move to and from your desktop easy and productive. And if you are going to be in meetings nearly all day, you will want to take advantage of some power management options in Windows XP.
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Using the Tablet PC as your Desktop Computer
At my desk, my Tablet PC is a full citizen on my corporate network. It's the place where I do all my daily work?read my e-mail, work and print documents, and complete all my tasks. Tablet PCs are fully powered Windows XP computers, and suitable for desktop use. Using a docking station, I attach an external keyboard, mouse, and monitor to my Tablet PC. It functions just like a desktop computer. In some scenarios I also use an external monitor with the Tablet PC monitor upright in its docking station; that way I can enjoy the benefits of using multiple monitors.
This is an example of how you can set up your Tablet PC in a docking station. The Tablet PC shown here is from Motion Computing.
The docking station also makes it easier to connect and disconnect from my peripherals and network when I grab my Tablet PC to take to a meeting. With the Tablet PC design, I can unplug from my network without powering down. I just grab my computer and go.
Using the Tablet PC for Mobile Use
When I'm working out of my office I have the full power of my desktop computer with me; either working at a client site, or doing office tasks while commuting. In addition, I have all my phone numbers, schedules, and to-do lists in Microsoft Office Outlook. I can get to them without having to synchronize with another computer and just as fast as launching a PDA. I also have all my standard software, my files?everything I need to make effective use of the Tablet PC in meetings. Learn 5 ways you can get more done in meetings with your Tablet PC.
To make this possible, I configure Outlook to work offline when I'm on the go. If you work in an office with a Microsoft Exchange server, unless you have a wireless network, you'll need to reconfigure Outlook. You have two options:
Both give you full access to the last copy of your e-mail, and both make working on the run easy. I prefer using Cached Exchange Mode (it requires you to have both Exchange 2003 and Outlook 2003 in use) because it makes the switch between working online and offline more transparent. Learn more about Outlook Offline folders and Cached Exchange Mode and their differences.
Conserving Power by Mapping Standby to your Power Switch
If you are going to be in a lot of meetings, or out of the office and away from a power outlet, you can configure the standard Windows XP power management features to increase the amount of time you can use your Tablet PC. I program my Tablet PC power switch to put my Tablet PC in standby rather than shutting down. That way I can turn my computer on and off in seconds, without using considerable power throughout the day. Standby leaves all applications and documents open and ready to use, so whatever I was working on last is usable in seconds.
I use standby probably 20 or 30 times a day as I use my Tablet PC intermittently during meetings and throughout the day. If you have ever had trouble using standby on laptops in the past, you will find that standby works great on all Tablet PCs.
To map Standby to your power switch:
1. | Click Start and click Control Panel. |
2. | In the Control Panel, click Power Options. |
3. | In the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab. |
4. | In the Power buttons box, in the When I Press the Power Button on my Computer drop-down menu, select Stand by.  You can use the Power Options Properties dialog box to enable the power switch on your Tablet PC to engage standby. |
5. | In the Options section, clear the check box labeled Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby, as shown in the top of the figure above. However, keep in mind the security implications of this if you tend to leave your Tablet PC unattended. |
Save your Tablet PC State Indefinitely with Hibernation
Standby does draw some power, so if I leave my Tablet PC in standby for more than a few days, its battery may run out. The solution? I configure my power management to automatically switch to hibernation after a few hours of standby when my Tablet PC is unplugged. Hibernation uses zero power and enables me to leave my computer unplugged as long as I want without shutting down. When I power back on, the previous state of the Tablet PC is restored in about 10 seconds, with all my favorite applications and documents I’m using still open.
To configure your Tablet PC to enter hibernation after a few hours of standby:
1. | Click Start and click Control Panel. |
2. | In the Control Panel, click Power Options. |
3. | In the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Power Schemes tab. |
4. | In the Settings for Motion Computing Optimized Power scheme section, find the System hibernates: option. In the Running on batteries drop-down box, select After 2 hours. Note Many Tablet PC computer manufacturers ship their Tablet PCs with a similar setting by default.  Use the Power Options Properties dialog box to put your Tablet PC automatically into hibernation after several hours of standby. |
Learn more about the power management features of Windows XP and tips to conserve your battery.
Smart Use of the Startup Folder
I usually shutdown my Tablet PC in the evening as I leave the office. Since I often have a meeting first thing in the morning, I like to have all my important software ready and running as I enter the meeting. This enables me to take notes, search for documents, or check my schedule immediately. To enable this, I pack the Startup folder with shortcuts to all my favorite software. When I start my Tablet PC in the morning at my desk, everything I need also starts up and is ready as I move into the conference room.
To place shortcuts in the startup folder:
1. | Make a shortcut to your favorite applications and place it on your desktop. Learn more about creating shortcuts. |
2. | Next, drag the shortcut icon from your desktop and place it over the Start menu in the lower left corner of your screen. Do not release the mouse button yet. |
3. | After a few moments, the Start menu will open. Continue to drag the item to the All Programs entry of the Start menu. Again, do not release the mouse button. |
4. | After a few moments, the All Programs menu will open; now continue to drag the item to the Startup folder inside the All Programs menu. A black line will appear just above the Startup folder entry. Pause there, and in a moment the contents of the Startup folder will appear in to the right of the menu. See figure below. |
5. | Continue to drag the item into that contents area of the Startup folder. Now you can release the mouse. The item will drop into the Startup folder, and the entire Start menu will close.  This example shows how you can drop an application shortcut into the Startup folder. |
6. | This menu closes too quickly to see if you were successful, so re-enter the Startup folder through the Start menu, and examine the contents to ensure the shortcut is there. |
Try restarting your Tablet PC and you should see the application launch automatically after startup. Repeat these steps with any other application you want to have immediately available after startup.
Summary
Using the Tablet PC as your desktop computer and as a PDA-like mobile computer ensures you have all the files and software you could possibly need while you are on the move, quickly. With a few simple configurations, you will be using your Tablet PC everywhere you go.
 | Michael Linenberger
Michael Linenberger is the author of Seize the Work Day: Using the Tablet PC to Take Total Control of Your Work and Meeting Day, a book about making practical use of the Tablet PC in a business setting. Michael has been a management and technology professional for more than 20 years, most recently as a program management consultant at a large insurance company in Northern California, and as Vice President of Technology for Connection to eBay, an Accenture Service. As a management and technology consultant with Accenture, he has been advising and managing projects in the San Francisco Bay Area for clients such as: eBay, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, Applied Materials, UPS, Adecco, and others. Before Accenture, Michael led the technology department at U.S. Peace Corps.
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