Tablet-PC for OneNote

[MFH]

I'm looking for a tablet pc to take handwritten notes and surf the net. As I'm using OneNote - and gonna keep using it :) - I'm obviously looking for a Windows-based tablet. Any suggestions on possible devices?

Short list of hardware I'd consider minimum - though you may suggest different hardware (with a reason :)):

• Passiv digitizer (Wacom?)
  
• Long battery life (6+h)
  
• 2GB RAM - could be upgraded manually?
  
• min res.: 1024x768 - my netbook has 1024x600, had to use hacked drivers to up the resolution?
  
• min screen size: 10" - bigger could be problematic
  
• Windows 7 - though I have spare licenses, so a older Win is fine as long as the device is compatible with 7?
  

Some things I'd like to do with the tablet - came to mind while writing this topic:

• read eBooks - PDFs (e.g. language specifications, library documentations,?)
  
• take handwritten notes - OneNote
  
• basic internet surfing
  

[Arceles]

As a person that has a Wacom Tablet: yes, One note is pretty handy (but you have to switch pages contiguously because if you saturate one page too much it gets a tad slower. Also, Ipad -> finger writing -> slow as hell.

[acnpt]

I'd advise against an iPad, I don't find handwriting on it very good at all, even with a stylus. It's because of the capacitive screen.

Personally I choose pen and paper over everything.

[Jen Smith]

I've only toyed with it, but my husband uses an Asus Eee Slate EP121 when he's on the go and is pretty happy with it. Seemed pretty competent for a tablet and has a lot of bells and whistles. (And a price tag to match if I recall...) Think his only complaint was battery life, ~5 hours (with bluetooth/etc enabled) Depends on your needs of course, you might want to wait a while, with the Windows 8 ARM tablets coming out and all that. Windows 7 isn't bad with touch screens but Win8 is really designed for it from the get-go, and the hardware is going to be a lot lighter too I would think.

[MFH]

I've only toyed with it, but my husband uses an Asus Eee Slate EP121 when he's on the go and is pretty happy with it. Seemed pretty competent for a tablet and has a lot of bells and whistles. (And a price tag to match if I recall...) Think his only complaint was battery life, ~5 hours (with bluetooth/etc enabled) Depends on your needs of course, you might want to wait a while, with the Windows 8 ARM tablets coming out and all that. Windows 7 isn't bad with touch screens but Win8 is really designed for it from the get-go, and the hardware is going to be a lot lighter too I would think.

I've looked at the EP 121 it's a great device, that has IMHO 2 flaws:

1. The price - considering that it's a seconday/ternary device 1000? is pretty expensive
   
2. The battery is really undersized?
   

On waiting for Win8-ARM:

I'm currently not convinced by Win8? - Hope BUILD will change that.

Especially as Office is not an .NET-application that means I would have to buy Office 2012, which sure as hell will be incompatible with 2010 as 2010 was with 2007?

Furthermore Microsoft won't update WHSv1 to support Win8 so I'd have to update my WHS too and buy a 3rd-party-addin to replace DriveExtender?

Seems like Win8 will add a whole lot of additional costs?

[HawkMan]

How wad 2010 incompatible with 2007....

But yeah for note taking you will want. Tablet pc not a tablet/pad. That is one of those with n actual tablet/digitizer in it, one with a proper pen.

[giantpotato]

I have a HP TM2, which works pretty well. Works with both a digitizer or with touch. It is a little on the heavy side when compared to a tablet, but it is also full-fledged windows 7 laptop.

[MFH]

How wad 2010 incompatible with 2007....

Don't know what they changed, but they use different versions of the OneNote-file format?

Try saving in OneNote 2010 -> you get the option to save pages and so on in OneNote2010 and OneNote2007 format?

I have a HP TM2, which works pretty well. Works with both a digitizer or with touch. It is a little on the heavy side when compared to a tablet, but it is also full-fledged windows 7 laptop.

I'm honestly a desktop-guy (Was never really fond of laptops - I own a netbook to use in university but I won't buy a new netbook/laptop after my studies are over?) so a convertible is not quite what i want?

[Eric Veteran]

[Thread cleaned]

Please stick to the topic

[pack34]

I have the HP TM2t and the thing is awesome.

I would suggest using a multiple device approach. Use the tablet-pc on the go or on the couch and use a desktop in your home office. It works seemlessly if you use Mesh to keep all your files in sync. That way the notes you take during class or at work will automatically be on your desktop at home.

[MFH]

I have the HP TM2t and the thing is awesome.

I would suggest using a multiple device approach. Use the tablet-pc on the go or on the couch and use a desktop in your home office. It works seemlessly if you use Mesh to keep all your files in sync. That way the notes you take during class or at work will automatically be on your desktop at home.

Looks like a nice device but i honestly don't need a notebook - hence the keyboard would only add unnecessary weight and bulk :/

[HawkMan]

For what you want it's what its your needs best though. Proper tablet pc's are he only ones worth it for note taking. Pads and touch screens are useless for anything but surfing and simple games

[Shadrack]

I've looked at the EP 121 it's a great device, that has IMHO 2 flaws:

1. The price - considering that it's a seconday/ternary device 1000? is pretty expensive
   
2. The battery is really undersized?
   

On waiting for Win8-ARM:

I'm currently not convinced by Win8? - Hope BUILD will change that.

Especially as Office is not an .NET-application that means I would have to buy Office 2012, which sure as hell will be incompatible with 2010 as 2010 was with 2007?

Furthermore Microsoft won't update WHSv1 to support Win8 so I'd have to update my WHS too and buy a 3rd-party-addin to replace DriveExtender?

Seems like Win8 will add a whole lot of additional costs?

Idk, I think I'm definitely waiting until Windows 8. I've never really liked the experience of taking hand written notes on a tablet pc. iPad and Android tablets are even worse.

Office Home and Business is like $279, but if you don't need commercial licensing you can go with Home and Student for $120ish.

But it seems to me that you are interested in the tablet form factor, and Microsoft is making a big deal about how much they are putting into this particular form factor. I think you will regret not waiting (unless you can just upgrade when win8 is released :cool: )

[MFH]

Office Home and Business is like $279, but if you don't need commercial licensing you can go with Home and Student for $120ish.

I just bought Office2010 so buying the next release won't happen for me?

But it seems to me that you are interested in the tablet form factor, and Microsoft is making a big deal about how much they are putting into this particular form factor. I think you will regret not waiting (unless you can just upgrade when win8 is released :cool: )

Of course I could upgrade - but from what we've seen until now they aim Win8 to compete with the iPad - at least in terms of the UI. That UI doesn't seem to fit taking notes any more than the current one? Let's say I'm interested in the Slate form factor :)

[pack34]

Acer Iconia Tab

http://us.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/model/LE.RK602.047

HP Slate

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF05a/321957-321957-64295-3841267-3955550-4332585.html?jumpid=hpr_R1002_USEN

[primexx]

you're going to have a hard time with those requirements if you think the EP121 is expensive.

The Iconia Tab looks like it's capacitive only, so it'll be useless for note taking.

The HP Slate is an N-Trig digitizer, which is still inferior to Wacom.

You have to shell out the money if you want a proper tablet PC.

[MFH]

you're going to have a hard time with those requirements if you think the EP121 is expensive.

You have to shell out the money if you want a proper tablet PC.

Well 1000? for something my only intention is to take notes on is expensive?

Define "proper" tablet PC - I just want to take digital notes :(

[primexx]

Well 1000? for something my only intention is to take notes on is expensive?

Define "proper" tablet PC - I just want to take digital notes :(

taking digital notes is the pinnacle of tablet PC usage in terms of technology, because of the requisite active digitizer. and that is very very expensive (too expensive, but it's a niche market so we're all screwed).

at the cheap end you have passive digitizer tech, resistive, capacitive, optical, etc.

resistive is semi-okay for stylus input, because it works on pressure, it's a rather crude technology (oldest of the bunch) but recent iterations are workable, not ideal. The problem is basically no tablet uses resistive tech anymore.

next up you have capacitive, which is a lot cheaper these days because everyone and their dog is throwing it into their devices. it's absolutely great for touch input, but terrible for stylus input. All the styli have to be as thick as your finger, made of special materials, to work - terribly at that. You won't be able to take notes on this thing.

nobody uses optical or other passive methods on portable devices (as far as I know), in any case they'd have the same problems.

so that leaves you with active digitizers (electromagnetic).

N-Trig is a new-comer that does dual capacitive and active input, because of the way they did their tech, you need a stylus with a battery in it. it's also lacking driver support because it's new. I don't think there is anything theoretically preventing it from being as good as Wacom given time to mature, but it simply isn't at the moment.

And finally you have the gold standard of digitizers, Wacom, and also the most expensive of the bunch. You'll be most familiar with their stand alone tablets that plug into a computer. They also have a dual capacitive/active digitizer which is used in all the high end (~$2000) tabletPCs, you also have an option for active digitizer only, of course.

So a "proper" tablet PC for note-taking would be one that has an active digitizer, preferably with a Wacom but N-Trig is an acceptable entry-level option. With Wacom digitizers you're looking at at least $1500 (maybe a bit less with discounts/promos/coupons) up to multiple thousands of dollars, most of which are convertibles because that's what the professional market wants (as you can guess, these are usually business/enterprise models). if you go for N-Trig you have a bit more leeway in price because they build smaller/cheaper machines with them, bringing the overall price down, but I have yet to see anything much lower than $1000.

edit: it just occurred to me that you do have one option, which is the Asus Eee Note, but you'll be sacrificing Windows and Onenote, or really any computer-y function for a plain notetaking device.