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Win a Tablet PC
by Patrick Meader

May 2003 Issue

Patrick Meader Editor in Chief

What kinds of applications would you be interested in writing for the Tablet PC? Tell me at or discuss this in the Talk to the Editors of Visual Studio Magazine forum on our Web site. Use this Locator+ code: VS0305EN_D

A  few months ago, I tested a Tablet PC for an extended period of time. I enjoyed using the device, but thought it came up short in several areas, including its handwriting recognition. I also struggled to come up with practical uses for it. As is often the case with version 1 products, everything felt a little bit off. These caveats notwithstanding, I thought the device had tons of potential, and I couldn't wait to see future versions of the product.

Now I'm getting a second, extended trial with a Tablet PC, as a judge for a contest that will give away a handful of Tablet PCs a month to winning developer entries (more on that in a moment). What a difference a few months, a different manufacturer, and a bit more time with a device can make. I've been loaned a Toshiba Protégé 3500 Convertible Tablet PC, and I can't stand the thought of returning this device. Neither can my wife, who was underwhelmed by the first one. She now spends between two and four hours per day surfing the Web in tablet mode. Her favorite activity: reading the paper in bed.

I'm also noticing a marked improvement in handwriting recognition—I'm writing this Editor's Note by hand, using the handwriting-recognition system. It's still not perfect, but making the necessary corrections isn't tedious. I wouldn't want to write longer pieces in this mode, but the level of recognition is acceptable for short notes and e-mails. I don't know if the recognition improved because it's a different device or because I'm writing more neatly. It's probably both, but it's making a big difference in how much I want to use it.

I enjoy using the device as-is, but there are only a handful of applications designed to take advantage of the Tablet PC's ink features out of the box. Sure, you can input text into most applications through a special field that translates your writing and inserts it at the cursor. That's useful. Plus, Office includes a special, unsupported Tablet PC pack you can download that lets you scribble/write over Word documents and e-mails.

But what the device needs now is software, software, software—especially software that takes advantage of the Tablet PC's special inking capabilities. Some third-party software exists. Corel has created Grafigo (written entirely in C#), a specialized drawing/annotation program for the Tablet PC (you can download a free, preview version from Corel's site). And FranklinCovey sells a planner that takes advantage of digital ink. In addition to the standalone products, a smattering of products, from Groove Workspace to Adobe Acrobat, now have plug-ins or extensions that enable you to exploit the inking capabilities in their existing products.

Such software will play an important role in the Tablet PC, but it won't be as important as the uses that developers like you come up with. Corporate developers made Windows and Microsoft development tools a success, and I think your acceptance and exploitation of this technology is going to play the most important role in how quickly this device is adopted—especially in corporate environments. Of course, one of the initial hurdles Microsoft faces is getting such devices into the hands of developers, so you can see its capabilities, first-hand.

To that end, Microsoft is sponsoring a contest that gives away a Tablet PC a month for developers who create the best software in each of three categories: Best Source Code, Best PowerToy, and Best Component. Pen Computing and Visual Studio Magazine will judge the entrants. Yours truly and VSM's publisher, Jeff Hadfield, will judge the Best Source Code category. For more information on contest rules, visit www.tabletpcdeveloper.com. The contest will run at least through this summer. Note that you don't need a Tablet PC to create an entry for the contest. The Tablet PC Platform SDK 1.5 runs on Tablet PC, Windows 2000, and Windows XP.

I was skeptical at first, but I think people will want their notebooks pen-enabled. It isn't just geeks who love these devices, but nontechnical people, as well. My wife loves using this device; my mother-in-law, too. I'm no different; I find new tasks to use it for frequently. Of course, I would enjoy it still more if there were apps to take advantage of it. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and write me some! And win a free Tablet PC in the process.