Windows XP Tablet Edition Nears Delivery

A decade after introducing Windows for Pen Computing, Microsoft is releasing Windows XP Tablet Edition to support a new class of portable computer that accepts input from an electronic pen rather than a keyboard or mouse. Microsoft hopes that hardware improvements and the increasing ubiquity of wireless networks will help it find new markets for pen-based computing—instead of costly, proprietary systems for vertical applications, Microsoft hopes to turn pen-based computing into a standardized platform that’s as cheap and simple to use (and develop for) as today’s laptops. But some remaining technology issues and unknowns, such as battery life and pricing, could still slow the widespread adoption of the Tablet PC.

Improved Technology Inspires Another Try

Pen-based computing has suffered from several false starts, including the Apple Newton, Go Corporation’s PenPoint OS, and Microsoft’s previous attempts to pen-enable Windows. (See the illustration “Windows on the Go“.) These earlier efforts failed because of inadequate processor power, hardware components that were too large and power-hungry for the form factor, software that could not adequately recognize handwriting, and the difficulty of synchronizing information from the pen-based computer to desktops or servers. While personal digital assistants (PDAs) based on the Palm or Windows CE operating system (OS) have gained market acceptance for simple applications, such as storing calendar or contact information, Microsoft is betting that the convergence of improved hardware, software, and communications infrastructure will allow it to succeed with a fully Windows-compatible pen-based computer where others have failed.