Tablet | Michael Weening: a few pictures

For many years I have wanted the tablet to deliver on one promise – paperless.

Starting with Microsoft’s digital ink (2002) which was rumored to cost hundreds of millions, but due to battery life and screen issues – never took off. Then the iPad came along and whilst it is a good multi-purpose device, the note taking element remains substandard. I have written on this topic a few times.

When I am in a meeting and someone is typing notes into their tablet or laptop, it is distracting – creates a barrier and ultimately, inefficient. Type the note on your phone and you run the risk of looking like you are checking email creating irritation or suspicion.

So, I keep using my Moleskine with the Evernote function (I never sync to Evernote) hoping that one day, someone will invent the capability to properly take notes electronically. Why notes? I like to write notes – it helps me remember, comprehend, think – digest – or something along those lines. Plus, when I am taking notes I am focused, and if I am with a client – that sends a message.

Yes, I have tried different pens on different devices .. Android, iPad with a Wacom pen, but everything is middling and I end up back to pen and paper.

Perhaps the day has finally come and this company has figured out the trick. The solution is like the Kindle, a single purpose, low cost device .. the BoogieBoard 9.7. Bluetooth sync and transfer, $100 price tag, Evernote integration, the right size – light and big enough to write on. Looks like it will go “live” at CES 2014.

Boogie_Board_Sync_9_7_LCD_eWriter___Improv_Electronics

Signed up for the notice of when it finally goes GA. Hopefully it will come in a color other than orange trim.

In my eyes, the winner of WMC has to be the Samsung 10.1” Note (Tablet). I still remember getting my first tablet back in 2002 – the Compaq TC1000. The notion of finally having your notes recorded digitally – truly no more paper – was very appealing. Unfortunately, the battery life and speed (It was so slowwwww….) were not up to expectations and it never really took off.

Last year HTC came out with a 7” tablet with a pen. I was very excited. Fantastic integration into applications, but the screen size was too small.

This year, Samsung brings out a 10.1” tablet with a pen and they seem to have got it right. The only thing missing is some deeper application integration (Specifically – native support for Evernote). But I am sure that will come.

CNET review here.

They were demoing Adobe Ideas on the Samsung – very impressive tablet based art and editing. The creative possibilities are very interesting. I can imagine our boys going to school with this tablet and no paper, drawing on it, taking class notes, watching videos, surfing the internet, reading books and on and on.

The tablet finally becomes what it was always meant to be.