Transcript: TabletPC, August 18, 2005
Published: September 26, 2005
Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity
Introduction
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Tablet PC chat!
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Today we are answering your questions about Tablet PCs.
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Now, I'll have our hosts for the chat today introduce themselves:
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
I'm Andrew Brown, and I'm the MVP Lead for Tablet PC, and the moderator for this chat.
Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Welcome to the Tablet PC chat. I'm a Tablet PC MVP, and have a support web site for users at www.nicecreations.us . Drop by, and Inky will greet you. :)
ArinG [MS] (Expert):
Hi, I'm Arin Goldberg, ISV Architect for the Tablet PC Group
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Hi everybody, I'm Hilton Locke, Test Engineer, Tablet PC Team
Michelle_MS (Expert):
Hi, my name is Michelle. I'm at technical evangelist on the Tablet and Mobile PC Team.
Sears Young [MS] (Expert):
Hi, I'm Sears Young, a Program Manager on the Mobile Hardware and Application Development team.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Hi my name is Frank Gocinski and I work on ISV Evangelism and Business Development for the Mobile Platforms Division. Thanks for joining us today!
Start of Chat
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: Will we see a Windows Vista Tablet Edition? (Can we ask Vista questions :$)
A:We’re very excited about Windows Vista and Tablet functionality that’s included. In Windows Vista, Tablet functionality becomes more of a natural extension of Windows operating system similar to what we started with Windows XPSP2.
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: "When will the lag and input resolution on current tablet models be reduced to the point that they are truly more pen/paper-like, and not as much stylus/touchscreen-like?" (Ben asked this question) :)
A:The performance of the hardware continues to increase, as does the efficiency and performance of our software. Just because printing/scanning has very high resolutions, that doesn't mean that the display device (Tablet) has to be that exact same resolution. On the topic of lag, we feel that while there may be some perception of lag on the part of some users, most of our users do not perceive significant lag except in specific situations e.g. disk access.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: In your opinion, which is the best tablet for students? :) (Of course, something not expensive and good quality)
A:This is a tough question because I think they’re all great. Couple of basic questions you should think about - Do you want a keyboard all the time? Do you need a CD/DVD player integrated into the machine? Do you need higher end graphics to play video games? Is overall weight a concern? You should check out our hardware showcase up on tabletpc.com to see all the models.
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Frank, I need keyboard, DVD player, higher end graphics to use Windows Vista (Aero Glass Requirements) :)
A:I don't think that the requirements are yet set in stone, Jose. IMHO, of course
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Do you experts think that the current support for tablets in Office XP (like simply entering numbers in Excel) is really handwritten "optimized". If not are there plans to?
A:While I don't have first-hand knowledge, my user experience with Office has been mixed. I totally believe that OneNote has taken the lead with handwriting in the Office space, yet I don't believe that Excel or Frontpage have really embraced ink as much as they could have.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: Do you think by next year, tablet pcs will include higher end graphics cards to support Windows Vista's graphic effects?
A:Discreet graphics processor based Tablet PC machines are available right now and we continue to see more OEMs deliver this capability especially in the units designed for consumers and students.
Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: Do you experts think that the current support for tablets in Office XP (like simply entering numbers in Excel) is really handwritten "optimized". If not are there plans to?
A:If you're running Office 2003 applications, you can download the Improve Tablet PC Pack here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=31634d79-34ad-494d-8108-80085ace23be&displaylang=en It adds additional fields in certain applications, which may be helpful for you.
Sears Young [MS] (Expert):
Q: Half of the programs in the experience pack and the student pack don't work on my tablet. Can this be because I have a beta version of SP2 installed?
A:I would definitely start by getting the released version of Service Pack 2 installed on your Tablet. We only tested the packs on the released version SP2, so I wouldn't be surprised if the problems were caused by having the beta version on there. Also, make sure you visit Windows Update to get the latest updates and patches.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: THE PDC attendees (which I was supposed to be before budget got cut) will get a newer build of Vista. Will that be available to the rest of us via MSDN? I understand that build has the Tablet functionality in it - not new function but existing.
A:I can’t comment on what will happen at PDC next week but its safe to say we usually manage to get a new build out to customers. Typically these types special builds are not made available to non attendees, I will make sure the right folks know you’re asking for it.
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: When can we expect more language support. I remember reading 2 years ago that handwriting recognition for danish was only a few months away, but I'm still waiting..
A:We're always evaluating support for additional languages, and have added several since the first release of the Tablet PC. We haven't made any announcements regarding Danish or other currently unsupported languages, however.
Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: Microsoft has a few of its own branded input devices, is there a plan for a microsoft branded tablet pc?
A:No Microsoft branded Tablet PC, Keesh. There are very good OEMs furnishing the hardware platforms these days, and more launching all the time.
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there a way for the Tablet to learn new words that it doesn't know, so it can recognize them better?
A:Yes. By adding new words to the dictionary, you can improve your recognition results.
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Thanks, Hilton. I guess I do not know how to add words to the dictionary? Is it part of the TIP?
A:Yes, it's part of the correction UI in the TIP. If you correct a word by tapping on the misrecognized word, you will note that there is an option to add to the dictionary.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: Are we expecting a new Tablet PC edition, quite soon? :)
A:Staring with Windows XP SP2 Tablet PC functionality is now part of the operating system, if you install XPSP2 on a Tablet you will get the new features, this model seems to resonate well with our customers and it will continue with Windows Vista as we’ve shown Beta-1.
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: If I ask anyone here in Denmark, who aren't computer geeks, if they know what a tablet pc is, they say no. Does it really take that much work to support a language like Danish? I really hope there is support for Danish in the Vista version..
A:That's unfortunate that more people in Denmark don't know about Tablet PCs. However, adding a new language recognizer is not a trivial task. I can tell you though, that we here at Microsoft are constantly working on new and improved functionality.
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: I'm in the healthcare industry and the applications we use (PACS) make use of 3 button mice with scroll wheels. This doesn't translate to the pen too well. What are your thoughts on how I can help my doctors over this hurdle?
A:There’s a lot you can do with Pen Gestures to support the scenarios of a three wheeled mouse. In Windows Vista we have some cool navigation enhancements coming that you should be able to see with Vista Beta-2. If you’re interested in more detail about what you can do today drop us an email at TabISV@Microsoft.com, you may also want to join our partner program at http://www.tabletpcpartners.com
Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I have 3 computers at home and I wanted to install XP on them, do I have to buy another 2 copies of windows XP or can I install it on them?
A:Yes, you must purchase the additional 2 copies of XP
frankgo_ms (Expert):
Q: will there be support in the new Vista ed. for my tablet to "learn" my handwriting? Like speech does?
A:We can’t comment on any new features coming in Windows Vista but I encourage you to sign up for beta testing at http://beta.microsoft.com, you’ll be able to get an advance look at Vista while helping us test the product before it becomes generally available.
Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
This concludes our Tablet PC chat for today. Thanks for coming, everyone!
James Kendrick (Expert):
Thanks everybody!
Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Thanks for joining us today. :)
Sears Young [MS] (Expert):
Thanks everyone!
