The Tablet PC

Tablet pc is a great name for it because it literally is like a tablet, A Tablet PC is a slate-shaped mobile computer. Its touchscreen or digitizing tablet technology allows the user to operate the computer with a stylus or digital pen, or a fingertip, instead of a keyboard or mouse.

This is more convenient that the typical keypad or mouse of a desktop pc for when you are on the go. The functionality of a tablet pc is great when a laptop or pen and paper may not be appropriate due to being on the go, or because pen and paper does not come with the software of a tablet pc.

Tablet pc's come in two forms, slate or convertible. One is not necessarily better then the other, it is just user preference. Slate style Tablet PC's come with a stylus, or digital pen as its main way for user interface. The convertible style is much like a notebook in many ways, but a main difference from notebook is that the screen can swivel.

The difference in the convertible to the slate is that the convertible comes with a build in keyboard and the slate does not. To use as a traditional laptop, the slate tablet style requires being connected to a docking station or having an optional keyboard plugged in or connected by BlueTooth to use a keyboard.

There is a weight difference between the two. The slate style Tablet PC usually weighs around 3.5 pounds and the convertible weighs 1-2 pounds more. For most people, the slate style is what is preferred due to its lighter weight and it offers more features.

But if you find that you need a keyboard often, it is probably best to get the convertible style. There is also a less used Hybrid series. The Hybrid shares qualities of both the slate and convertible style by having a detachable keyboard.

Nearly every Tablet PC comes with built-in wireless networking. In order for a Tablet PC to send or receive data in real time you must be connected to a wireless network.

The battery life usually last from 2-6 hours depending on the model you choose. However, it is good to keep in mind that using the built-in wireless networking can use up the batter life a lot faster, but still should be good for at least 2 hours of use.

There are several advantages to using Tablet PC's to notebooks:

1) There is a natural ease to using a pen for sketching or writing notes compared to a keyboard and mouse.

2) There is no jerky mouse movement like on notebooks which can allow you to pay attention to what is important, not worrying about trying to aim the mouse perfectly.

3) Tablet PC's are very slim, and are smaller then typical laptops which makes them easier to carry and use in a flash.

Tablet PC's are gaining popularity with many professionals for their portability, ease of use, and their high functionality. Popular models include:

Slate

* PaceBlade P120

* Fujitsu Stylistic ST5010

* Electrovaya Scribbler SC2000, SC3000, SC3100

* MobileDemand xTablet T8600 Rugged Tablet PC

* NEC Versa LitePad

* Panasonic Toughbook 08

* TabletKiosk Sahara i400 series

* Samsung Q1

* Nokia 770 and N800

* SonyEricsson P990

Convertible

* Acer TravelMate C100/C300/C310

* Asus R1F

* Averatec C3500 Series

* Fujitsu LifeBook P1610

* Gateway CX210/M285/S7200

* HP Compaq TC4200/TC4400

* HP TX1000/TX1020/TX1210us

* Lenovo ThinkPad X41

* Lenovo ThinkPad X60

* Lenovo ThinkPad X61 Tablet

* LG XNote C1

* LG LT-20-47CE

* Panasonic Toughbook 19

* Toshiba Portegé 3500/M200/M400/M405/R400

* Toshiba Satellite R10/R15/R20/R25

* Toshiba Tecra M4/M7

Hybrid

* Compaq TC1000

* HP Compaq TC1100

* Fujitsu-siemens

You can find the latest Tablet PC Reviews at TabletPCReview.com