Here is a series of video tutorials on using a tablet pc:
Tutorial Part 1:
This is the first video from ICON Pareto showing you how to use the basic functions of your tablet PC.
Tutorial Part 2:
In this video Starla shows you how to use Ink Pen Notation Tool for Windows Tablet Edition PCs.
Tutorial Part 3:
In this tutorial Starla teaches us how to use tablet specific programs such as Journal Note Writer, Microsoft Office OneNote and Sticky Notes.
Tutorial Part 4:
In this video Starla shows us how to use the Microsoft Snipping tool. This tool is a very powerful application that lets you take customizable snapshots of your screen and send it to others. |
SOURCE: YouTube and IconPareto
Here is a series of funny commercials by Microsoft about OneNote 2003, found now on YouTube:
Let's face it. Stationery isn't very good. And when it comes to note taking, it just isn't up to the job.
That's why we created Microsoft® Office OneNote® 2003 - the note taking application that combines the freedom and flexibility of pen and paper with the power and efficiency of digital tools.
With OneNote you can take, organize and share your notes easily and intuitively on your laptop, desktop or tablet PC. And not a leaky pen in sight.
We have obtained new domain names for each of our Blogs. While the TypePad addresses will continue to work, it may be easier to type in the shorter URL's of the domains, so feel free to update your links and favorites and subscriptions as follows:
Georgia Family Law Blog is now at http://gafamilylawblog.com
Georgia Adoption Law Blog is now at http://gaadoptionlaw.com
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Laptops, more commonly called notebook PCs these days, are well known for their portable, light weight computing power. Tablet PCs, while not as well known, are beginning to make their mark.
There are essentially two types of tablet PCs on the market today. The most common version, sometimes referred to as a convertible tablet, looks very much like a standard notebook, but with a screen that swivels and collapses to form a flat surface. Other tablets are exactly that, a tablet where one side is the screen and one side is the bottom of the unit, just like on a standard notebook.
The key to what makes a tablet is the fact that the screen is touch sensitive, the fact that it accepts input via a special pen called a stylus and also that the screen automatically adjusts to the way you hold the unit — vertically or horizontally. A tablet is essentially the same as a notebook, except that you may also use it just like a pad of paper, writing onto the screen as one of the methods of input.
Tablets are beginning to show up in all kinds of applications. Insurance adjusters, health care providers, lawyers, anyone who has a need to work efficiently in a very portable manner, may benefit from a laptop.
Through the handwriting recognition software that is standard with a tablet, a user may take notes right on their computer screen in nearly the same way they would on a traditional paper notepad. The difference is that the input is saved right into the software you are using, saving you the step of transcribing your notes into your PC after the fact.
This operates the same regardless of which type of tablet you may be using. Most users seem to prefer the convertible tablet that can operate as a notebook. With a swivel of the screen and a fold back down on top of the keyboard, it will look and act more like a standard tablet or paper notepad.
Another intriguing feature of tablets is how they respond to the way they are held. When you hold a tablet, you have a choice to hold it in a vertical (portrait) or horizontal (landscape) position. A sensor built into the tablet will sense the orientation of unit and adjust the screen accordingly.
When using a tablet for Internet browsing or presentations, this is a very handy feature. It allows you to dynamically rotate the unit to maintain the most optimal screen viewing based on what you are doing at that moment.
Another feature common among tablets are their smaller size and lighter weight. In part to encourage the use of this technology, manufacturers had to make tablets smaller and lighter than their notebook cousins, or there would be little incentive to move in this direction.
No one wants to carry around a bulky, heavy computer. Because of this, tablets typically have 12-inch LCD screens, rather than the larger 14- to 15-inch screens typically found on mainstream notebooks.
This helps keep the weight down, but more importantly, helps extend battery life, which is critical for a truly portable application of this technology. Depending on the manufacturer, you may also have an internal CD/DVD drive, or have to use an external drive or something called a media base.
A media base is essentially a unit that snaps on to the bottom of the tablet, to provide for the CD/DVD drive, as well as additional connectors that you may want to have for connecting an external monitor, keyboard or mouse, among other things. Those of you who have used very small, lightweight notebooks may be familiar with this type of device, as they have been used to help slim down size and weight for these PCs as well.
If you're considering a new portable computer over the next year, consider looking into a tablet PC. Depending on how you intend to use your computer, it may be a good choice to consider.
SOURCE: MJ Shoer at SeacoastOnline
Jeff Riffer, senior litigation partner in the law firm of Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro in Los Angeles, CA, discusses why and how he uses Microsoft's OneNoteTM software for day-to-day litigation.
In looking for software to help him win cases, he originally wanted software that would help him organize facts and data he obtained during the progression of the lawsuit, software that would be learned easily, and software that would be easy to use.
As litigation unfolds, attorneys learn many disparate facts; they don’t always know if the facts will be important during trial or even how they may be connected to other parts of the case. Thus, the software must be capable of collecting the information and then searchable later when the entire picture comes into keener focus.
In other words, the process is analogous to the collection of pieces of paper with notes scribbled on them. However, with many pieces of paper, especially in cases with many documents, organization is often difficult. With Microsoft's OneNoteTM, this process became much easier for Jeff.
In this interview, (runs 22 minutes, 45 seconds) Jeff Riffer talks about OneNoteTM and how he uses the software.
SOURCE: LawBiz.com
Tablet PC Review has the following video in its review of the new Fujitsu LifeBook T4220:
In this article, legal technologist Seth Rowland predicts that the Tablet PC will revolutionize the way lawyers work and interact with their clients. With the evolution of fully powered Tablet PCs and wireless networks, the Tablet PC has emerged as a productivity force that can now serve an important purpose in client meetings, not just as an expensive note-taking device. With the proper software, the Tablet PC can bring attorney and client closer together and foster greater productivity. Could a Tablet PC empower your legal practice?
The Tablet PC Revolution has been a long time coming. The use of a "tablet" as a means of communication has ancient origins. Look to the Hebrew and Christian Bible for sources.
There were the Ten Commandments -- written on a tablet. In the Book of Isaiah, it is written: "And now, go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever" (Isaiah 30:8).
Tablets were used to record visions: "Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision. Clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily" (Habakkuk 2:2).
Or even better: "He asked for a tablet and wrote, 'John is his name,' and all were amazed" (Luke 1:63).
Tablet PC technology has advanced through the millennia. Tablet PCs weigh much less than those used by Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai. The text storage is virtually unlimited; today's Tablet PC could in fact store the entire Torah, Talmud, and commentaries with gigabytes to spare. And the ability to communicate with a tablet connected through a WiFi network to the Internet dwarfs the ability of the early tablet writers.
A change has come in recent years that heralds the emergence of the Tablet PC from the toy of the "early adopters" to a central tool in the arsenal of the attorney. With today's Tablet PC, you can store "all the laws" and "all the cases" and "all the documents" and "all the work product" in a device than can weigh less than 14 ounces and fit in your pocket. The Tablet PC accomplishes this using the same core software that sits on your desktop or laptop PC, with a few important extras.
Undoubtedly, technology has transformed legal practice. With the widespread use of case management, lawyers can now manage their schedules and files with a minimum of administrative overhead. With the adoption of document assembly tools like HotDocs, GhostFill, and DealBuilder, a single lawyer can prove many times as productive.
To use these tools, however, the lawyer must sit behind a "wall" -- whether that be a desktop monitor or a laptop screen -- in his office. This wall divides the lawyer from his client, opposing counsel, or witness. The computer shields full and complete communication. Placing a laptop with the screen flipped up in front of you on a conference room table creates a physical barrier between you and others in the room. It suggests that the lawyer may not be fully listening (he could be checking his e-mail). And nothing is more distracting during a meeting, than having a participant typing away on a laptop.
In contrast, the Tablet PC gives the lawyer the "same PC" but in a new form. About the size of a thick notepad, the Tablet rests on the desk or the lap. It appears as no different than taking notes on a pad. The Tablet lies open for all to see. It can easily be shared, or shown to a neighbor to illustrate a point.
When you type on a laptop, your brain is engaged not only in listening, but in using both your hands and eyes to operate the computer. This activity can cause you to tune out of the meeting.
By contrast, when writing on a Tablet PC with a pen, your mind stays focused on the meeting; it comes naturally. We can all take notes, listen and contribute, remaining engaged in the meeting at hand.
Have you ever tried to look a witness in the eye while you type notes about what the witness was saying. Unless you are a "touch typer" doing so is practically impossible.
However, it is easy to scribble notes on a pad while talking to someone. You can use diagrams and shorthand. And you can always clean up the notes later, if needed.
By restoring eye contact, you can convey the perception of others that you are engaged and personable.
Even more important to the attorney, you can "take notes" while at the same time judging the demeanor of your interlocutor. You can read body language. And, you can decrease the "personal space" between you and your interlocutor to convey either the "seriousness" or the "compassion" of the listener.
Typing works because it can be understood by everyone, categorized, and searched. The Tablet PC introduces Digital Ink, which has two ramifications.
First, digital ink is no longer limited to "words," but can include illustrations and symbols, sketches, and drawings. The "ink" can be archived for later review, readily copied, printed, and even e-mailed to someone for review.
Second, Digital Ink can also be "searched." The Tablet PC gives you the option to write in script or print and have it "directly converted" to typed text, or to have the written text "indexed" in the background, letting you search your notes as you would run a file search.
Yes, handwriting is back and here to stay. It facilitates creativity in your note taking. Handwriting communicates more about the meaning of your notes. You can integrate the notes with sketches and expressive marks on the note-taking page. You can "doodle." You can copy information from whiteboards and presentations.
All in all, it emerges as an easier and more powerful medium for "recording" ideas than a keyboard.
Microsoft has extended the Tablet PC even further. The Tablet PC ships with a "Journal" which is a virtual notepad that even looks like a legal pad, depending on the template you choose.
But it goes a step further with a product called "One Note." This product lets you create virtual notebooks, with tabs and subtabs that mix typed text, illustrations, handwritten notes, pictures, and even voice notes.
You can now "dictate" to your Tablet PC and it will record your voice and save it to the note. The Tablet PC even features voice recognition, not fully implemented, that will translate your spoken note, into a searchable written note.
When it comes to drafting documents, keyboards are very fast. But access your HotDocs or GhostFill template library from a Tablet PC during a client meeting, and discover a whole new realm of legal practice. Using a tablet-optimized questionnaire with checkboxes and pull down menus, you can deliver a range of documents while the meeting is in progress -- the ultimate in client service.
Imagine meeting with a client to prepare an estate plan; taking notes on an electronic worksheet for the type of structure the client needs to preserve their wealth for future generations.
Now imagine that worksheet as a document assembly interview which generates a summary of the client's requirement for the client to review before the end of the meeting. You could even have the estate planning documents ready for the client to sign and get witnessed when she returns from lunch.
This example just marks the beginning of this revolution in Tablet PC-driven client service.
Windows XP Tablet PC Edition offers all the security features of Windows XP Professional, including the Encrypting File System (EFS) security feature and the access control feature. Tablet PC also supports secure network login using a single hardware button.
I recently purchased a Motion Computing M1400 Slate Tablet http://www.motioncomputing.com I had considered the Fujitsu Stylistic ST5000 http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com, but chose the M1400 for weight, less than 3 pounds, and its super bright screen which I can read in broad sunlight.
The M1400 came with a biometric fingerprint scanner. It can be configured to restrict access to the Tablet's data (even encrypt the data) until the proper fingerprint scan or code is entered.
The implications for a highly portable device that can hold 40 gigabytes of data, yet slip into a briefcase, means that your work product, client confidences, and trade secrets can be kept secure, even if your device is stolen.
I made the choice to purchase a Tablet PC to supplement my main desktop computer. With its Pentium M 1.5 ghz, 40 GB hard drive and up to 2 GB of RAM, my Motion M1400 Slate could serve many lawyers as their main computer.
However, I like to work with dual 19 inch monitors, a wall of technology on my desktop. It gives me the maximum virtual space. For me, a 12.2 inch screen was just too small. I use Network Unplugged http://www.mobiliti.com to synchronize with my network when I leave the range of my WiFi router.
I toyed with Convertible Tablets. These are basically ultra-lite laptop computers in which the screen flips back and covers the keyboard when used in "slate" mode. These are for the "budget conscious" since the Tablet does double duty as a laptop and a slate.
Some models to consider include: Acer TravelMate C300 http://us.acer.com, Panasonic Toughbook 18 http://www.panasonic.com, Hewlett-Packard TC4200 http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/tabletpc, and Fujitsu LifeBook T4000 http://www.computers.us.fujitsu.com/.
However, these computers tend to weigh more and seem bulkier than the slate Tablet PCs. For me, every ounce counts when lugging a Tablet PC around because the Tablet PC is meant to be taken EVERYWHERE, not just lugged from the office to the home and back again.
The Tablet PC should be as unobtrusive as possible. The more it resembles a pad of paper, the more it will facilitate the goals identified above.
If weight remains a major factor for you, then you might want to consider the OQO Model 01 http://www.oqo.com. Just 4.9 inches long, 3.4 inches wide, .9 inches thin, and weighing only 14 ounces, the Model 01 can fit in a pocket or purse and go with you anywhere.
At 14 ounces, it weighs more than a PocketPC, but it comes with a thumb keyboard, and can connect to a USB hub and external monitor and function as a full computer. When you finish with it, just pop the computer in your pocket and take it with you everywhere.
If you want something more rugged, you might consider the Rugged iX104 Tablet from Xplore http://www.xploretech.com/index.pl. Designed and tested to meet stringent Military Environmental Standards (MIL STD 810F), the iX104 family of Tablet PCs can endure drops to concrete from up to four feet, extreme temperatures, and exposure to water and dust.
A Tablet PC may just be in your future, whether it serves as your primary or secondary computer. You will not regret your choice.
SOURCE: Basha Systems