Tablet PC Hits First Year Milestone
Manufactures Report Tablet PC Takes Center Stage in Canadian Business’ Mobile Solutions
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MISSISSAUGA, ON, November 7, 2003 — After its first year in the field, the Tablet PC and the Microsoft Windows® XP Tablet PC Edition operating system are becoming entrenched in the Canadian business environment. Canadian Tablet PC manufacturers have seen sales and interest in the Tablet PC spike over the last year as organizations recognize the versatility of the Tablet PC. It allows users to combine the simplicity of a pen and paper with the power of a personal computer.
"Given the current climate of fiscal prudence in IT spending, organizations are faced with the challenge of 'doing more with less,'” says Eddie Chan, research analyst, mobile and personal computing, IDC Canada Ltd. "While the Tablet PC market is in its infancy, many business are beginning to realize the employee productivity gains associated with the pen and mobile computing platforms. IDC expects pen functionality resident in the operating system to increasingly become an integral part of the mobile computing experience."
The Tablet PC offers the capabilities of a fully functional computer, innovative software such as Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and Microsoft® Office OneNote 2003 note-taking program and new form factors from OEMs such as HP, Fujitsu, Xplore Technologies, Motion Computing, Electrovaya, Viewsonic and Acer. Adoption of the Tablet PC is accelerating because it extends the office directly to a mobile information worker.
“It is exciting for us to be celebrating the first anniversary of the Tablet PC with our Canadian resellers,” says Elliot Katz, Microsoft Canada’s senior product manager, Windows Client. “The innovations and continuing developments we have seen within the mobile computing platform over the past year are incredible examples of how technology is changing to fit today’s lifestyle.”
What the Resellers Are Saying
Information workers on the go continue to drive the need for critical business information to be available anywhere, anytime. Lightweight and powerful, the Tablet PC delivers a platform which works with the demands of today’s business climate. Microsoft resellers weigh in with their views on the success of the Tablet PC.
"Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co is committed to enabling customers and partners to work more effectively with a PC that is mobile and versatile enough to adopt to their working style. The introduction of HP's newest Tablet PC, the HP Compaq Tablet PC TC1100, offers users all the productivity of a Windows PC. We expect to see a continued strong adoption of this platform as it delivers performance, mobility and compatibility in an innovative form factor, while simplifying computing needs." – Daniel Reio, product marketing manager for Tablet PCs, Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co.
"We have seen the Tablet PC expand from the existing vertical-oriented pen tablet market, making it valuable for everyone from the truly mobile field worker to the notebook business user and the broader portable market. With the introduction of the LifeBook T3000 series, Fujitsu's first convertible model, we expect even greater levels of adoption because of the familiarity of a traditional notebook combined with the versatile 'digital inking' capabilities of a Tablet." -- Tamara Keserovic, marketing manager, mobile computing products, Fujitsu Canada, Inc.
"Acer has worked closely with Microsoft and has been a driving force delivering innovative Tablet solutions to the marketplace since the announcement of the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC operating system last year. With the development of new productivity software such as the Microsoft Office System 2003, and the addition of the third-generation TravelMate C300, the only 14.1-inch convertible notebook PC, to our portfolio of Tablet-enabled products, Microsoft and Acer will lead the evolution of portable computing and bring the simplicity and power of digital ink to the everyday PC experience." -- Terry Tomecek, general manager, Acer America Corporation (Canada).
“Electrovaya has seen tremendous quarterly growth of the Scribbler Tablet PC. Sales from the quarter ending December 2002 until the quarter ending September 2003 have increased by 178.6 per cent. We believe that this growth will continue and are excited to launch a premium Laptop Tablet PC Combo, the SC 2000, with Intel® Centrino 1.2Ghz processor. This Tablet PC runs for up to 9 hours with 70 Wh of Electrovaya's SuperPolymer® Li-Ion battery technology". -- Dr. Sankar Das Gupta, CEO, Electrovaya Inc.
"We are pleased with the success of the Viewsonic V1100 Tablet PC to date. We are seeing a rapid increase in interest and adoption of the technology which has led us to expand our current product line with a new convertible offering coming to market later in the 4th quarter." -- Colleen Browne, general manager, ViewSonic Canada.
“Toshiba’s Tablet PC is one of the top-selling convertible notebook/Tablet PCs in Canada, thanks to Microsoft’s innovations in developing a comprehensive Tablet operating system.” -- Mary-Ann Yule, vice president of marketing, Toshiba of Canada, ISG.
"With pilot programs in Canada quickly converting to major orders, and Motion's inclusion on the Federal Government Standing Order, Motion Computing has grown rapidly and sees the prospects for adoption of the tablet PC, in Canada, as very bright," -- Pete Lewis, business development executive, Motion Computing, Inc.
"On a year over year basis, Xplore has seen a doubling of its revenue which is attributed to the introduction of our rugged iX104 Tablet PC family. Xplore's rugged iX104 Tablet PC systems allow us to address emerging customer needs in new vertical markets. These include Homeland Security, Military, Warehousing, Retail, Manufacturing, Transportation, Utility, Field Service and Distribution." -- Rich Perley, senior vice president, Xplore Technologies Corp.
Advantages for the Mobile Worker
With Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, users can move, copy, paste and even search on handwritten notes without converting them to text. As well, the Tablet PC has state-of the-art handwriting recognition. The flexibility and versatility of the pen and ink capabilities of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition and availability of intuitive software such as Microsoft Office OneNote 2003 allow information workers to be productive wherever they are.
Over the last year Canadian Tablet PC OEMs have seen Canadian businesses recognize that a mobile computing solution can give them a business edge. With an increased demand to facilitate the sharing of information, Canadian OEMs believe that the Tablet PC’s ability to combine the simplicity of a pen and paper with the power of a personal computer will continue to drive business decision makers to implement Tablet PC technology. In response to the growing enterprise and consumer demand for mobile solutions, Microsoft and its resellers continue to develop innovative technology.
About the Tablet PC
Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition enables today’s computers to be optimized for mobility, convenience, reduced weight and comfort. The Tablet PC operating system enables Windows-based applications to take advantage of various input modes, including keyboard, mouse, pen and voice. With software developed and optimized by Microsoft for the new platform, the link between the pen input process and a wide range of Windows-based applications will give users new ways to collaborate, communicate and bring their PCs to bear on new tasks. Its high-resolution display makes the Tablet PC ideal for immersive reading. More information on Windows XP Tablet PC edition is available at http://www.microsoft.ca/tabletpc/.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canada's web site at www.microsoft.ca.
Microsoft, OneNote and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information about Tablet PC: http://www.microsoft.ca/tabletpc/.
