Tablet PC Web Chat (December 7, 2005)

Please note: Portions of this transcript have been edited for clarity

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Hi everyone, and welcome to the Tablet PC chat! Today we are answering your questions about the Tablet PC.Now, I'll have our hosts for the chat today introduce themselves:

Introductions:

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
I'm Andrew Brown, and I'm the MVP Lead for Tablet PC, and the moderator for this chat.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Hi, I'm Hilton Locke, Test Engineer on the Tablet Platform (SDK) team.Read my blog http://blogs.msdn.com/hiltonl/

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Hi, I'm a Program Manager on the team that develops the Tablet PC packs. Welcome to the chat!

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Hi! Welcome to the Tablet PC Chat. I'm an MVP for Tablets and have the www.nicecreations.us web site.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Go ahead and begin sending us your questions, and we'll get the chat underway.

Start of chat:

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there anyone out there for the ISV buddy program for Tablet PC?
A: Yes, I am an ISV Buddy. What is your question?

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: How do I make u my buddy?
A: send me your email and I'll handle this offline with you. I won't necessarily be your buddy, but I'll make sure somebody is there for you. In the meantime, you can ask quick questions here.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: I have a tablet pc, Gateway M275, and it was a centrino with 512 megs of ram. I found the performance, when compared to other laptops at our university of similar type (Centrino with 512) but the non-tablet os, ran seemingly exponentially faster.
A: Were you comparing Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to Windows XP Professional Edition? That would be the closest comparison. The Tablet components and drivers will take up some extra processing speed, but the difference usually isn't that big.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: I was comparing Professional to Tablet PC, sp2.
A: Right - the only difference between the two will be the Tablet PC components, drivers for the digitizer, and any applications that the manufacturer has installed. You might want to take a look at those applications to see if any of them is causing a performance degradation.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I understand that Microsoft will allow future Tablet PCs to have touch screens instead of, or in addition to, an active digitizer. How do you plan to solve the problem of a hand or arm resting on the touch screen when writing on the Tablet?
A: The problem is a thorny one and we are encouraging digitizer OEMs to handle this in their driver.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: May I recommend that on systems with both forms of input that you simply disable the touch screen whenever the active digitizer detects the pen near the screen?
A: Sure, recommendation noted. :)

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Are there any Tablet PC that have a pressure secitive pen or stylus. Just like my Graphire 3 WACOM graphics tablet.. it has 512 levels.. I want to get a Tablet Pc and use it with Corel Painter 9, Photoshop 7.0 and Elements 3.0 and Corel Paint Shop 9.
A: Yes, virtually all Tablets support pressure. What you may find is that not all applications do anything with this data coming from the driver.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Can I install tablet OS on a regular PC and use a wacom?
A: Yes. But you need to be an MSDN subscriber to have the Tablet PC Edition install media in the first place. There is no commercially available Windows XP SP2 Tablet PC Edition install media.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: follow up on question 15 will there ever be?
A: ever be commercially available media? Sorry, I don't know that.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: I already asked this several times, without a direct answer, but there it goes again. When will portuguese handwrite recognition be available, if ever? What about in vista?
A: We are constantly working on improving our recognizers and expanding them to new markets. However, we haven't publicly announced what recognizers will be available for Vista, so I'm sorry that we can't answer your question at this time.

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: how much has tablet technology changed since may of this year, because i am considering a HP tc4200 and fear it may already be to old
A: With the current XP SP2 and Tablet PC Edition 2005, there haven't been a lot of changes since May. The big changes are expected to come in Vista late next year, but those are not firmly in place yet.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I'm left handed. With a pen, having the scroll bars on the right side of windows is a major pain because I have to reach across what I'm reading in order to scroll. Is there any hope that we'll ever have the ability to move them to the left side?
A: I agree with you on the handedness thing (though I'm right-handed myself). It's a deeper problem than you might think though, to swap scrollbars around and otherwise make the OS more handedness-friendly.

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: I'm left handed. With a pen, having the scroll bars on the right side of windows is a major pain because I have to reach across what I'm reading in order to scroll. Is there any hope that we'll ever have the ability to move them to the left side?
A: Lefties aren't the only ones who like to move things around, but I understand another method of scrolling may be coming along with the Vista Tablet PC bits next year.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: where can i get market numbers like how many tablets were sold and by which manufacturer? Can MSFT provide this info to ISV partners for free so that it helps us in our market sizing etc
A: The best place to get that information is directly from the manufacturers. They'll know how many units they sell into which channels and into which countries. I'll pass the request on to our ISV team though.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: What big changes are expected to come in Vista?
A: Don't know whether to be facetious or not here. There is plenty of public information about what Windows Vista brings to the party though.

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: Is there currently a way to configure the TIP to not change the color of but keyboard buttons when I enter text in password fields?
A: That situation is the program in which you're entering the password not identifying the area as a secure/password situation, therefore the TIP believes you're just entering text and not something to be hidden.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: what will the hardware requirements be for Vista?
A: We haven't made any announcements on the final hardware requirements for Vista yet. Stay tuned!

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I work with students and tablet PCs a lot and often am asked if they should wait till Vista to buy their tablet since its a big purchase, is it worth the wait if they can? How should I advise them is this regard?
A: We don't encourage people to wait (naturally, our goal is to sell more Tablets), but I think for people who are limited budget-wise like students, they should ask the question the other way around - can I get value out of a Tablet PC today, or would it just be another laptop to them?

Michelle_MS (Expert):
Q: I hear that the TIP in Vista will do a better job of getting out of your way than it does in XP. Can you elaborate any on how it will do that?
A: The TIP has a much improved user experience in Vista. It now supports autocomplete, easier scratch out and better correction ui.

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Q: I'm using Tablet 2005 and lately when I type a address in the browser to go to a web page it takes a long time to find it. Example if I type www.msn.com and press enter it takes about a min to two to find it. But if I just type msn and press ctrl and enter
A: If you're on a LAN, I would reboot - not reset - your router and modem. Sounds more like a traffic issue, although you may also need to clear the cache in your browser.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Can we post API questions here or is it more of a end user group chat?
A: It's more end-user here. You can usually find help on the forums at http://forums.msdn.com

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: when is the expected releace for vista tablet?
A: Your best bet is to wait for the announcement of the general Vista release date. The different versions of Vista should release around the same time.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Will the latest M4 from Toshiba run Vista ok?
A: All 2nd and 3rd gen Tablets will run Windows Vista with good performance. Even 1st gen Tablets will run Windows Vista acceptably. What is your definition of ok?

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Leaving the tier1 graphics out of the picture, will everything else works?
A: AFAIK, yes. If not, it's a bug.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there any plans for a 2 screen tablet (kinda like the Nintendo DS), i think that would be really cool. The lower screen would have a finger sensitive keyboard and would be able to change modes (like to math mode) a would become = and so on
A: You'd have to ask our hardware OEMs for that. I'm sure if there were enough demand...

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: Is there a list of Tablet PCs available today that will run Vista?
A: As with the question about whether or not the hardware requirements for Vista had been announced, there's no list of Tablet PCs available today that are guaranteed to run Vista. The hardware requirements would have to be locked down prior to the creation of such a list. We're definitely aware of people's interest in knowing this information, so look for future announcements on these topics.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: [REVISED] What changes are in store for the Tablet PC in Vista ?
A: You can expect that many of the Tablet-specific components such as the input panel and recognizers will see huge improvements, plus there will be a few new things to make the Tablet experience much better. (The new things haven't been announced, so I can't comment on them.)

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: if you where to but a new tablet for your self would you wait for vista? personally
A: Me? No. I'm too addicted to them. :) I'd have to have one now and would just upgrade it to Vista later.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: will vista see a price jump from say xp or other like OS'es
A: Vista pricing hasn't been announced yet. Sorry!

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Q: Experts, what Tablet announcements, events, etc. is Msft planning for CES?
A: If we told you, they wouldn't really be announcements at CES, now would they...? :) Sorry, can't comment on this, I'm afraid. This chat is primarily to discuss questions or issues with our current products.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: Victoria, are you on one now(tablet)?
A: Yes, I have a Gateway M280E. I have also used the HP TC1100, the Motion M1400, and the Compaq TC1000.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Lately we've seen various devices, or demos of possible devices, that are "ultra-portable"... almost PDAs in size. How do you all see the Tablet PC OS playing in that space?
A: Can't answer that. Suffice to say, BillG has said eventually all mobile PCs will have Tablet functionality.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Any one in the team has experience with Toshiba M4, i'm thinking of getting one!
A: Sure, what is your specific question? I developed our internal selfhost/dogfood story for the M4

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: is the m4 a good desktop replecment tablet
A: Yes. I certainly think so.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: For develop and daily tasks?
A: My personal beef with the M4 is that it's too darn heavy. But keep in mind that I'm mobile and I like to carry a 3.5-4 lb machine rather than 6.5 lbs. It's the best Tablet available today for graphics. I personally think it's good for Development and daily tasks that don't require mobility.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: Will I be able to install Applications from Experience/Education Pack to a TabletPC running a TabletPC 2005 MUI version?
A: Yes, the Experience Pack and Education Pack will install on an English-language Tablet PC running MUI. The pack UI will still be in English however.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I'm about to buy the M275. But I'm wondering something. Would purchasing it with the Pentium M Processor 745 1.80GHz chip that goes for $50 extra, make a huge difference than the default Pentium M Processor 735 1.70GHz? Is it worth the $50 extra?
A: Not a 'huge' difference, but it's worth the small $50 investment. It'll stay more viable longer with the better CPU.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: How do you define an English-language Tablet PC, keyboard ?
A: If you're running Windows MUI and Tablet PC MUI, then it's an English system underneath. By English-language, I mean the underlaying version of Windows, not the language of the keyboard or the user interface (which is changeable with MUI.)

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: why is it that when you use the send to onenote power toy feature you cannot edit what is sent? That is to say, if a page has text, you send it to onenote, but you cannot edit it further with a keyboard
A: Send to OneNote 2003 is a virtual print driver and sends the document to OneNote as an image rather than as text. We would've loved to add the ability to send documents as editable text, but it wasn't feasible in the timeframe we had.

Michelle_MS (Expert):
Q: the documentation says that using the recognizercontext object is good for small number of lines while the divider is better for large number of lines. Why is this? Is there an inherent problem with recognizercontext's performance for more than 4-5 lines?
A: The RecoContext doesnt have a perf problem but: the Divider adds extra value on top of the RC.Note: The Divider user RC internally, so if RC had a performance problem, Divider would suffer from it as well.If you have one line of ink in the Divider and the same line of ink in an RC (with lined guide), you would get equivalent results. Now if you have multiple lines, the Divider can identify those lines and set up the lined guides for the RC dynamically even if the lines arent equidistant. Moreover, if lines are written at an angle, the Divider rotates the ink first to a horizontal line before passing it to the RC. Thus the Divider can achieve better recognition accuracy.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: Is there a way, other than docking it, to keep the TIP up in Excel and Outlook? Example, I'm in Tasks and tap on a "cell" and tap on the TIP tab key the TIP disappears.
A: Hmmm, not that I know of. By tapping on the cell, you're switching focus away from the text input of the Tasks and thus we think you don't need the TIP anymore.

Robert Williams (Expert):
Q: Is there a big difference in noise levels, running graphics application on Tablet PC with a LV processor compared to a one with a ULV processor?
A: Do you mean noise in the pen/digitizer path, noise in the audio path, other?

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: I mean fan noise level. Or is there no fan on a Tablet PC with a Centrino processor?
A: Centrino-based PCs have fans too, but they're generally darn quiet, almost inaudible. For instance when you're not stressing a Toshiba M200, it's silent. When it's stressed/hot, it's relatively loud.

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: The applications I use with my present laptop causes fan run almost all the time (loud). I'm planning to buy this time a TabletPC with a Centrino processor, that's why I was asking about the LV and ULV processor machines fan noise levels.
A: Yeah, that's likely to continue with your new system. If you're stressing the CPU, it's going to run hotter, that's just a fact. Sorry about the fan noise, but maybe the OEM has a solution for you.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: My thanks, to the team, and keep inovating there's plenty of ground for it!
A: You're welcome - from all of us. :)

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
Q: For developing native Tablet application, should we use Platform SDK for Windows 2003 SP1 or Tablet SDK 1.7?
A: No doubt about it, Tablet SDK 1.7. There is nothing in Platform SDK for Tablet that isn't in the Tablet SDK.

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Q: On my Toshiba R15 came preinstalled OneNote. My question is, is it on the recovery disc? If I reformat will I have to purchase it?
A: Usually manufacturers provided all the software with the recovery media, though I can't say for certain in this case. You might want to check with Toshiba to be sure.

Robert Williams (Expert):
Q: Something that comes up in our forums a lot surrounds the issue of doing a "clean install" of the operating system. Aside from people with access to the MSDN, why isn't a clean version of the operating system available to purchase?
A: When tablet was launched there was no "after market" hardware available so it made sense to only offer the bits in the OEM channel for installation on tablets designed specifically to run those bits. By the time we launch Vista next fall that situation will no longer apply. End users will be able to purchase Vista OS versions with tablet bits at retail. Until then the options are: OEM preinstall, MSDN, enterprise volume license, or through distribution (this is a new channel as of this fall).

Robert Williams (Expert):
Q: Are prices likely to fall soon?? As I was looking to purchase the M200 but they are stil 1200, does Microsoft have much involement in this?
A: Microsoft has absolutely nothing to do with OEM hardware pricing. An observation that I think all of us have made is that new hardware products tend to come in high and trend downward as volume increases and more competitors enter the space. That would lead me to expect tablet pricing to continue to become more competitive over time. But, just to reiterate, Microsoft is a software company (ok, forget XBox for the moment). We don't control the price of PC hardware from OEMs.

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
This concludes our Tablet PC chat for today. Thanks for coming, everyone!

Andrew_MSFT (Moderator):
Please feel free to stay and continue to chat about Tablet PC or other Windows topics.

Robert Williams (Expert):
goodbye. see ya next time

WNewquay (Expert):
Heading on out - nice to see you all here ... would have said more but I have the flu and laryngitis (sp?)

Hilton Locke [MSFT] (Expert):
see ya next time! http://blogs.msdn.com/hiltonl/

VictoriaKruse_MSFT (Expert):
Goodbye and thanks for joining us!

Chris H Tablet PC (Expert):
Thanks for the participation, folks. Good questions! Have a nice holiday!

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