More slate tablets coming this year

There are so many rumors circulating on the Internet about upcoming slate tablets. Right now, the Apple iPad is leading the pack. Over 1 million sold!

A few companies are making tablets running Google Android. Not sure which one will be the most popular Android Pad at this point. Will it be made by Dell? It probably won't be HP.

How about the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid? That could be the "idea" tablet for those who're looking to use a keyboard. Skip the netbook and go right for the hybrid.

I think it's fair to say that we can expect HP to release a webOS tablet. I'm wondering if they'll allow other manufacturers (like Sony) to run webOS.

How will netbooks evolve?

Do you own a netbook? These tiny little laptop computers have been amazingly popular and you've probably seen them at the airport, the bookstore, and even in office meetings. Who wouldn't want to carry a small, light computer? Why spend $1,500 for a really light Apple MacBook Air when you can spend $300 for a light netbook?

My prediction is that we'll start seeing more hybrid netbook/slate tablets. The Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid will probably be the first model that makes it on the market, but I think we'll see similar computers in the near future. The iPad revolution will get more people interested in touch-screen devices, but will netbooks get replaced by slate tablets? 2010 is the "year of the tablet," so I guess we'll have to wait and see.

The evolving tablet PC for the health care industry

When some of the first tablet PCs came out, they were heavy and expensive. Some are still heavy and expensive, but the tablet PC market has certainly shrunk. Slate tablet PCs are rare and we see the vast majority of people using laptops or convertible tablets. Several U.S. medical schools require medical students to use a Lenovo ThinkPad X200 tablet PC. Sorry, but if you're an Apple fan, you'll need to use a PC if you're in one of those schools.

So, how has the tablet PC evolved in the health care industry?

• One of the major changes occurred when we lost the Apple Newton MessagePad.  Doctors (early adopters of technology) who used the Newton were devastated. What do we use now?
• Some physicians tried using slate tablets, but at the time, many electronic health record (EHR) software solutions were not really optimized for tablets and pen-based input. 
• Some manufacturers created slate-style tablet PCs that detached from a keyboard base. Remember the HP TC1000 and TC1100?
• Then, physicians turned to convertible tablets, but most physicians simply used these as laptops because they were more comfortable with the keyboard and mouse.
• Then, nurses and other clinicians started using Mobile Clinical Assistants in the hospital setting. These devices were versatile, thanks to their built-in RFID and barcode scanners. The Motion C5 and Panasonic H1 became quite popular, despite their high price tags.
• Many PC manufacturers gave up on the slate tablet industry. It was simply too niche. 
• Additional PC manufacturers gave up on the convertible tablet industry.
• The concept of the ultra-mobile PCs flopped.  The origami campaign was dead.
• Then, netbooks started gaining popularity and Asus created a convertible tablet netbook.
• Lenovo introduced a hybrid tablet/notebook with the IdeaPad U1 hybrid.
• HP teased the world with the HP Slate.
• Now, Apple (and others like HP and Lenovo) may be revolutionizing the slate industry by introducing slate-style devices like the iPad. If health care professionals start becoming more comfortable with a slate form factor, will this translate over to pen-based computing? Will we be more inclined to navigate directly on the screen of a device instead of using a mouse and keyboard?

I believe that tablets will gain tremendous traction in the healthcare industry. Once physicians realize that they can be much more productive by navigating directly on the screen, they will be inclined to switch to touch/pen-based computing.

Do you plan to get an Apple iPad?

I'd be really tempted to buy an Apple iPad if the price was significantly lower (say by $100-200). I can't justify the purchase at the current price and I'm hoping (probably dreaming) that Apple will reduce the prices on the iPad to punish early adopters and to succumb to industry pressure placed by other hardware manufacturers like HP and Lenovo. After all, HP is releasing a "Slate" this year and it will probably be priced lower than the iPad. Lenovo has an exciting hybrid tablet (IdeaPad U1 Hybrid) that has definitely captured my interest.

So, do you plan to buy an Apple iPad? I know several people who have signed up and they'll probably be the first ones at the stores. I know more people who are "undecided" at this point. I'm not in such a hurry because I'd rather wait and purchase a second generation iPad (if I ever decide to buy an iPad because I don't think I'll ever justify such a purchase at the current price, but let's wait and see what happens). Of course, by then Apple may be getting ready to release a fully-functional tablet called the iTablet (or maybe even the iSlate) and revive these names that we thought were dead. Maybe the next iPad will come with an active digitizer and a stylus pen (in addition to a multi-touch capacitive screen).

There's no doubt that the iPad is a great piece of technology and I'm sure it will revolutionize the world of mobile computing. I'm an early adopter, but I already have too many early gadgets. Maybe I'll be really lucky this year and win an iPad in some type of raffle.

More thoughts about the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid

I've always been a tablet PC user. I have a slate PC and a convertible tablet. In fact, my Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC (ultra-mobile PC) is my notepad. I don't carry pens or paper when I go to a meeting. Instead, I pull out my executive case and my small little tablet.

the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid is a novel concept and I'm very eager to get my hands on one of these devices. I think that this type of device could have many practical applications in the healthcare marketplace (both inpatient and outpatient settings) and I'd like to see how Lenovo will leverage this product in the healthcare sector. I'm sure other major hardware manufacturers will also come out with similar hybrid devices.

The IdeaPad U1 is a first generation hybrid, so unless you're a true early adopter, you're probably going to wait until the second or third generation hybrids hit the market. I'm anxious to also see what Apple will reveal when they announce their tablet (iSlate). I don't think it will be a hybrid tablet like the IdeaPad U1, but then again - maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised.

2010 will be the year of the mini slate tablet

2009 was the year of the netbook.
2010 appears like it will be the year of the mini slate tablet.

• There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the Apple tablet (iSlate).
• HP unveiled a small slate at CES.
• Lenovo revealed the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid (slate + keyboard)
  
• Archos has been getting people excited about their Archos 9 PCtablet.
  

So, will these slate tablet gain momentum in 2010? I think that we're going to see this happen as more consumers embrace digital book readers like the Kindle, Nook, and QUE. People will become more comfortable with the idea of holding a slate in their hands and navigating that device using touch-screen gestures. Many health care professionals are already comfortable with the tablet PC form factor. Now, this comfort level will grow and expand as more physicians use touch-screen smartphones and recognize the value of always having access to a small mobile computer.

Missing the OQO at CES

I wonder if anyone attending CES misses the OQO. If I were in Vegas right now, I think I'd be looking for the OQO booth (I know that the company went out of business, but CES is the type of meeting where you'd expect surprises like an OQO exhibit).

There's a lot of buzz regarding slate mini-tablets. The HP Slate has drawn considerable attention. The Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid has also received a lot of attention due to its innovative design. Forget about mini computers that have buttons and keyboards. Will 2010 be the "year of the slate tablet?"

Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid looks very interesting

Lenovo may be coming out with a very novel device called the IdeaPad U1 hybrid. The photo on the right is from Engadget and they have several intriguing photos of this device. Why is it called a hybrid? It this a slate tablet? A notebook? A convertible tablet?

Does this remind you of the HP Compaq TC1000?

To view the images of the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid on Engadget, click here. I'm eager to learn more about the Skylight OS. Will Linux make it very far in the health IT world?