Just curious ... If I’m getting something this small why not get a Tablet PC instead? Some have much the same basic specs.

Well, for one reason…optical drive. None of the tablets of the size of the TR have a built-in optical drive.

I use my DVD/CDRW all the time so having a tablet makes no sense at all. I watch DVDs on flights and burn CD-R/RWs for clients with digital photos or copies of documentation.

I’m actually looking to get a tablet in the future but I’m waiting for the next version of Tablet PC software which should finally be the version of Windows XP Tablet Edition that should have been released. Also, with the release of Microsoft’s OneNote (which is actually a pretty killer app) people should have more reason to use a Tablet.

I’d also like the tablets to have higher DPI and pressure sensitivity so that I can use them as art tablets and so that I can sketch directly with great detail.  :wink:

Read some reviews of tablets and you’ll see quickly why not to buy them.

1. Battery life
2. Weight
3. Horrible handwriting recognition…well it’s not horrible, but it’s no up to par for what its meant to be used for.

It’s a decent effort for a first run product…Gen IIs will be much better…I would wait and see.

Erik

I’m still not sold on the form factor. I can imagine several jobs that with the right software it could be great, but for the enthusiast or the typical business user, it doesn’t work. I can’t imagine writing out any sort of long document, like a proposal or coding. Even emailing would push it. Keyboards are so much faster and error-free. Then there’s the size. Even if it was made of styrofoam, you have to hold it one-handed and balance it on your arm. The PDA form-factor is much easier to manipulate. As for handwriting recognition, even most humans have problems with modern handwriting.

C’mon, Sony, show em’ how its done! 8)

There are definitely some applications that lend themselves very well to the Tablet PC.  I need one for such an application but I am not satisfied with the current selection for the reasons mentioned above.  I will be patient (not one of my strong suits) and wait for a better generation of Tablets to arrive.

I find the TR much more useful than the tablet PC I tried out. The hybrid tablet notebooks from Toshiba don’t look too bad, but currently I use a TR2 and a Sony CLIE PDA for my needs. The PDA is easier to carry around, has an excellent form factor, and with WiFi built-in, I’ve found that it can do a lot more than previous PDAs I’ve owned.