Hi there, again... You all may remember me, or not... Anyways, I have a few questions for all 'tablet (graphics or PC)/PDA/Touch Screen device' users. Those questions are: 1) What do you not like about your current device (Please list it as well)? 2) What would you improve and how (If you can)? 3) What do you like about your current device? 4) Would you like a portable ~8.5x11in (screen area) tablet/device that could be compacted in some way to fit into your pocket? Also, please put any ideas you might have... Thanks for any and all responses... I'm using this data to formulate my senior project this year in my Engineering Technology (formerly Pre-Engineering) course. On a side note: Congradulations on getting Beta 2 so close to release, I can't wait to play it! -Sheepe
Sheepe... I remember the name... but I don't remember how you play. As for tablets, I know that Gabe at penny-arcade uses one to draw the comics, but thats all I can tell you.
I dont own a PDA with touch screen but I have installed one and made it operational for a teacher at my old school. What I liked about it was that the interface allows much more freedom in how you navigate and such in different programs unlike the rigid system of a regular mobilephone and similar stuff with only a few buttons. It can be used to create a far more intuitive interface on a small device. I did not like the pen thing you had to use on the screen, much like the pens for digitiser drawing plates. I often feel like using a finger instead for better and faster control. Dont know if that already exist for smaller devices like uhmm... maybe heat signature instead of presure or however it works... just a better solution than a pen would be nice, but also something that allows me to use my fingers without smudging the screen with fingerprints all the time. hmmm maybe some kind of new nanotech surface treatment to reguire less cleaning. Another thing I often dont like about touchscreen and small portable devices are the price. It is mostly very high compared to what it really does.... atleast for me. That leads me to the question would I want such a device. If it was cheap and handy enough yes ofcourse, as in small, affordable, light weight, very long battery time and so on. But I mostly see these types of devices as usefull for people with a very hectic life/job, for planing. A life style that I would never willingly get into. You may think that it has many other applications like "why not use it for intertainment ?" But I really dont like watching TV/movies on such a tiny screen or listening to musik as there is usually very bad sound in such devices and no bass at all. And I feel no need to be connected to the Internet always. I do find touchscreen device tech to be quite cool. On a side note I would be far more interrested in something like the prototype screen thing I saw a video of (I think it was made by Sony). Almost as thin as paper and very flexible. Maybe a big screen like a 22" rolled up in a small pipe or maybe even bigger screens like 60" in something like the size of a poster tube.
I own a Dell Axim pocketPC based PDA, but I can't say I use it a whole lot. It's not really the device's fault, but I just couldn't get used to it. It booted up too slowly and once it was going, putting in data was rather slow making it an obnoxious chore when simply jotting something down in an agenda/dayplanner takes 45 secs while using the PDA would take 2-5 mins depending on the errors I'd make using the write language or missing the letter on the onscreen keyboard Part of the problem was the software. I mostly used it as a notebook/dayplanner and to check my mail once in a while. The email client couldn't check hotmail so it was useless to me. Microsoft Activesync is really annoying and used for everything, from installing software to synchronizing software. The install paths were never clean or customizable and most of the time made no sense at all. The software and settings would also be lost when the battery runs out, and since the installation was so fubar already I didn't bother after a few times and put the device away until I'd find a use for it. On the hardware side the biggest disappointment was that it didn't feature a usb interface so I couldn't sync with my PC without lugging around a big docking station. Lacking also was on-board wifi so I had to buy a seperate CF based card, but the driver installation was clunky and cumbersome. The range it could pick up signals wasn't too great either. The screen size is pretty big and I never had much of a problem with it, except for the film. It was a little too bouncy (too thick or there was some air trapped behind it) which made using the stylus feel unnatural as it would stick or be pushed off when you'd drag something (especially annoying when writing!). The sides were rubberized which made holding it easy and the scroll wheel on the side made selections without the stylus easy. The soft-reset button was right below it though, and sometimes I'd accidentally press it causing some loss of data I was working on. Major bummer. For the rest there was some wasted space beside the screen and I'd rather have it be a little thinner and shorter. The stylus imho, could be a little thicker and a little less slick so it doesn't shift around too much. Also a nice design change would be moving the power button so I'd be able to turn it on/off with the hand I'm holding the device. Ofcourse, not directly under a finger to cause involuntary shut-down, but somewhere in reach at least. I hope this is useful to you.
I would ask all forum goes to kindly forward this query to any and all users of these devices that you know. Have them send all respones here: azures.skye@gmail.com Thank you very much, the responses I have gotten have been a huge help! -Sheepe
1: I have to look at my monitor while drawing. It makes it harder to draw like I would on a piece of paper. 2: Be able to see on the tablet, what I'm drawing. 3t's light and easy to use 4: I am indifferent.
Thank you all for your responses... I have gleamed some useful information from this, but realized I did not get what I sought for I asked the wrong questions. Since I was mainly trying to ask about notebooks in general, I'll probably end up posting another set of questions soon... -Sheepe
