Netbooks to deliver health education in Ghana #mHS12

This morning at the mHealth Summit, Mark Blatt from Intel spoke with Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira from the Ghana Health Service about the use of mobile technology to improve global health.

Mark spoke about the use of mobile tools for improved collaborative care. Mobile collaboration in health care is beyond the phone and involves education, telemedicine, virtual care, and remote patient monitoring. Health data should flow in a way to improve care coordination across the continuum of health care. In emerging markets, there are opportunities for virtual care systems that can be scaled to deliver care for populations of patients. Ebenezer spoke about how Ghana is using Intel Skool to deliver health education on mobile platforms. Ghana has delivered 10,000 netbooks for this eLearning initiative. The Ghana Health Service is involved in public/private partnerships to build the capacity to develop education, train clinicians, and manage the health education initiative. There are growing opportunities to get involved in global health initiatives.

2012 mHealth Summit Coverage

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Slate tablet or netbook?

For a while there, netbooks were extremely popular. Maybe you bought a netbook a few years ago. Every time I would attend a conference, I would see a number of people pulling out their ultra-light netbooks. Now, we’re seeing everyone with iPads.

If you’re looking for a light, low-cost alternative to a standard laptop, you may be thinking about a slate tablet or a netbook. The netbook began losing significant market share when the Apple iPad emerged on the scene a year ago, but there are still those who choose to purchase a netbook today. Are you considering a new gadget?

Here’s something to consider: a netbook may weigh 2 pounds whereas an ultra-light laptop may weigh 3 pounds. Is the difference of 1 pound that significant? If not, then go with an ultra-light laptop.

If you can’t afford high-end ultra-light laptops like the MacBook Air, then you may find yourself thinking about buying a slate tablet and using an external keyboard. Or, you may settle on a netbook. How should you make your purchasing decision?

2011 Slate Tablet PC Market

As predicted, 2010 was the "year of the tablet."  In 2010, we saw several new slate tablets enter the market. The Apple iPad was a huge success (and I often wonder if the marketing folks at Apple predicted correctly). Now, we're seeing a large number of other slates on the market to compete against the iPad. I'll refer to these as slate tablet PCs even though they're not your traditional "PC" running Microsoft Windows. It seems like these slate devices will be called "tablet PCs" or "slate tablet PCs" by those in the industry, so we're bound to face some confusion as people differentiate between devices running Android vs. those full-fledged PCs running Windows 7.

Here are the slate tablet computers we saw in 2010:

• Apple iPad (running iOS)
• Samsung Galaxy Tab (running Android)
• Dell Streak (running Android)

We also heard that in 2011, we can expect to see:

• HP PalmPad (running webOS)
• RIM PlayBook (running BlackBerry)
• Lenovo LePad (running Android)
• Apple iPad 2 (running iOS)

Will 2011 continue the tablet trend as we see more slate devices emerge on the market? Soon, we'll complete a circle as these slate tablets morph into laptop-style devices with removable keyboards.  Does this mean that netbooks will be making a comeback in the near future?

Black Friday laptop deals

This year, I'm seeing some incredible Black Friday deals on laptops. If you need a new computer, this could be a good time to find some great deals (both online and in the stores).

Netbooks are going for $150.
Regular laptops are going for less than $350.

I'm also seeing some good deals on computer peripherals, desktop components, monitors, and much more. Are you a Black Friday shopper? I do most of my shopping online, but this year I went to the store to buy a new Samsung plasma TV for the house.

You can find most of the Black Friday sales by visiting either:
http://www.blackfriday.info/ or http://bfads.net.

Google Chrome vs. Google Android

It appears like Google Chrome will be an operating system (OS) optimized for mobile devices that have built-in keyboards. Google Android is optimized for touch-input, so that's why you'll find this OS on smartphones and slate tablets.

So what if you have a convertible netbook/tablet that includes both a keyboard plus a touch screen? I think I'd prefer Android. I predict that we'll find more apps built for Android and eventually Chrome will get replaced by Android. Then again, Chrome could evolve to be the "desktop" version of Android.

New MacBook Air - impressive? or simply overpriced?

The new MacBook Air really looks thin. Is it too thin and overpriced? Perhaps if you really need to keep up with all the latest "gadgets" that are out there, then you're the type of person who needs to get the newest MacBook Air. I still don't think it makes a lot of sense that you can't remove the battery if you run out of power. Maybe that's because I'm the type of person who's frequently swapping batteries on my laptop. I always travel with 2 batteries.

The new 11" MacBook Air looks really nice, but it's way overpriced at $999 for a super-slim netbook.

From netbooks to iPads - the search for the ultimate mobile computer

I find it interesting to follow mobile computing trends in the world of healthcare. I'm in San Diego and I'm attending the 2nd International mHealth Networking Conference. I'm surrounded by people who have Apple iPads. Has this become the optimal mobile device for conference attendees? Will the iPad replace netbooks? (we're already seeing a decline in netbook sales, so maybe slate computing is going to replace ultra-mobile laptops)

In the past, it seemed like every conference attendee had a netbook. Laptops were simply too heavy and bulky for most medical professionals. Now, the iPad is new, it's trendy, and it's very portable. That's probably why I see so many mHealth professionals here who are using iPads. Then again, this is an mHealth conference, so maybe the room is full of early adopters who have a passion for mobile technology.

Great laptop deals for under $400

I recently purchased several great laptops for under $400. I'm not talking about tiny netbooks that lack built-in optical drives. I'm also not referring to refurbished or recertified products.

If you're shopping for a new laptop and you want a regular screen (14 or 15" screen), plus you also want a built-in DVD-RW drive, then you can probably find a nice deal on a brand new laptop for under $400. You'll save more if you purchase a refurbished computer, but why buy refurbished when you can buy something new for a similar price?

There are some great deals out there on products made by Lenovo, HP/Compaq, Acer, and many other brands. Here's a tip: don't shop on the manufacturer's website. Look for these deals from online retailers like Amazon.com, Newegg.com, and others. You won't even need a coupon code to find these great deals.

As the fall approaches, you can also expect to see some great "back to school" savings.

Tablets will cannibalize netbooks, outselling netbooks starting in 2012.

Here's an interesting line from Sarah Rotman Epps's blog. (she's an analyst at Forrester Research, Inc.)

• Tablets will cannibalize netbooks, outselling netbooks starting in 2012.

Do you agree?

According to their data:

• Over the next five years, PC unit sales across all form factors will increase by 52%.
• US consumers will buy more PCs in 2015 than they do in 2010.
• Growth will come from new form factors like tablets, but laptop sales will increase steadily also.
• In 2015, 23% of all PCs sold to consumers in the US will be tablets.

Sarah serves Consumer Product Strategy professionals with research on consumer PC hardware and software products and services at Forrester Research, Inc.

It should be interesting to follow computer selling trends over the next few years. As people (including physicians) get comfortable with mobile devices, these mobile gadgets will become ubiquitous.  In fact, we will become so dependent on them, that we'll have them everywhere. Right now, people have grown so dependent on their smartphones that if they leave their homes without their smartphone, they feel naked. Will that also happen with larger mobile devices like slate tablets like the Apple iPad?

Will digital pads and slates replace the netbook trend?

When the first netbooks arrived in the United States, most of us probably thought they were toys. The Asus Eee made with white plastic looked like a toy laptop. I don't think anyone really took it seriously. However, when HP, Lenovo, and other major manufacturers started selling professional netbooks, then the world jumped on this trend because now you could have a super-light, super-compact notebook for $300-400 and take this as your travel companion.

Will the digital slate (or digital pad) replace the netbook trend? People are still too dependent on keyboards. That's the problem. Once we get more accustomed to touch-based computing and voice recognition, then I think we'll see a shift away from keyboard-based computers. Right now, the majority of ultra-compact mobile devices are not capable of robust voice recognition or text-to-speech capabilities. As a result, we're not seeing a huge movement towards voice-based computing. I think that's going to be the next major phenomenon after touch-based computing. Once we're comfortable with touch (and multi-touch gestures), then we'll adapt voice computing.

In order for voice computing to become a mainstream reality, we need mobile computers that have very fast processors but that are also highly energy-efficient. Right now, we're still playing the balancing game where we often give up performance to gain battery life.

So, although devices like the Apple iPad and slates running Android or webOS will be extremely popular, we're still going to see the majority of people still hanging on to their keyboards. That's OK for now. Most of these slates will connect to a keyboard, but soon those keyboards will truly become obsolete.

The ThinkPad X100e is ultraportable and less than $500

Although I've switched to an HP EliteBook as my primary notebook, I'm still a big fan of Lenovo ThinkPads.

You can get a new Lenovo ThinkPad X100e for less than $500, so if you're looking for a professional ultraportable laptop, this could be the right one for you. This isn't your typical netbook either. Here's what you get:

ThinkPad X100e key features

• Sub-3 lbs. starting weight
• Small footprint
• Roomy 11.6" HD display
• Available in Midnight Black and Heatwave Red in smooth finishes (Arctic White not available in the US)
• ISO full-sized, spill-resistant keyboard
• TrackPoint® and multitouch touchpad
• Powerful AMD processor
• Low-light-sensitive Web camera
• Multiple connectivity options
• ThinkVantage® Technologies
• Corporate OS support
• Robust warranty options
• 3 USB ports (1 powered), 4-in-1 media card reader and HD audio

View all Lenovo laptops and netbooks under $650!

HP Minis (netbook), from $249

If you're looking for an incredible computer deal, take a look at the HP Business Outlet. Once you're there, scroll down to the "Home & Home Office" section to see HP netbooks starting at $259 (you may even find some as low as $249). Most of these are refurbished. You'll also see some great prices on the HP EliteBook 2730p convertible tablet PC. I'm waiting to get a killer deal on the 2740p tablet.

Visit the HP Business Outlet.

Physician executives and netbooks at ACPE 2010

I'm in Washington D.C. attending the 2010 ACPE (American College of Physician Executives) Annual CME Conference. Physicians attending the Physician in Management Seminar all have laptops in the room because they're taking notes, working on assignments, and preparing for online exams. What's interesting is to note how many physician executives are using netbooks instead of standard laptops. What's your guess?

Surprisingly, I saw more netbooks than expected. I think the netbook phenomenon has caught up to these physician executives. Equipped with reading glasses, they were working on small screens instead of using monster laptops that had 17" screens. Several physicians also had Apple notebooks (mainly MacBook Pro models), but I didn't see many MacBook Air laptops in the room. I guess physician executives aren't willing to pay a premium to have the thinnest, coolest laptop on the market. I saw a few physicians with iPads, so that was refreshing. Who said physicians were late technology adopters?

Click here for highlights from ACPE 2010 published on NonClinicalJobs.com

This coverage of ACPE is sponsored by Practice Fusion EMR. Practice Fusion’s Electronic Medical Record system includes charting, scheduling, e-prescribing, secure messaging and lab connections – all at no cost. Join the fastest growing EMR community today!

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.

Apple iPad vs. netbook (or should you get a hybrid?)

If you've been thinking about purchasing a small and light mobile computer, you may have considered an inexpensive netbook. These tiny notebooks average $300-400 (or less) and are very small and light. What's great is that you can actually try them out at Best Buy, Staples, and even Sam's Club, Costco, and BJs.

Now that the Apple iPad has emerged on the scene, should you go for a netbook or should you get the iPad with the detachable keyboard? Keep in mind that the iPad runs the iPhone OS. Most netbooks run Windows 7 (and some still run Windows XP). How do you plan to use a tiny mobile computer? Business or pleasure?

I still think the Lenovo IdeaPad U1 Hybrid may be the "ideal" device for people who are truly looking for a hybrid experience. If you want something that combines both a slate and a keyboard, then the U1 Hybrid could be the device for you. You can read a review of the U1 Hybrid on laptopreviewscentral.com and then you'll probably need to get your hands on one to decide if a hybrid makes sense. I'm still waiting to see how the HP slate compares with the iPad and the U1 Hybrid.

Mobile Health and Computing

Here's a conversation I had the other night with my wife:

• Wife: What do you mean by "mobile health computing"?
• Me: I'm talking about the use of mobile computers in health care. I'm blogging about tablet PCs, netbooks, small computers, and lately I've been writing about the Apple iPad.
• Wife: If you're just blogging about gadgets, why don't you rename your site iStuff? 
• Me: Well, I think someone's probably already taken the URL iStuff.com. Besides, I'm not just blogging about computers. I'm writing about how mobile computers are changing health care. 
• Wife: Isn't that what MedicineandTechnology.com is about?  
• Me: Yes, but  MedicineandTechnology.com covers broader issues, including advances in health care and also health IT. 
• Wife: You should start a blog about health IT. No one knows what to do with EHRs right now.  All these doctors don't know which EHR system to buy. You should write about that.
• Me: You want me to start another blog???

I'm paraphrasing, but that conversation made me wonder: when will mobile computing really take off?  Will 2010 be the year of the tablet? Will the Apple iPad generate enough buzz and excitement about the slate form factor? Will small computers infiltrate the health care industry to the point that they become ubiquitous?

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.

Browsing computers at Best Buy

I spent some time this afternoon browsing computers at Best Buy. You'd think that I'm there all the time, right? Actually, I haven't been into a Best Buy in quite some time. I do most of my shopping online, but today I had a mission. I had to buy something for my wife and I wanted to get something that I could easily return (in case she didn't like it).

While I was in the store, I also glanced at some of the laptops and netbooks. Did you know that they now have an entire section devoted to netbooks? You would not have seen that a few years ago.

Netbooks are becoming very popular because of their low price and portability. I see them everywhere from the airports to local coffee shops. Do you have a netbook?

Ubuntu on the ThinkPad X200 Tablet

I'm a big fan of Ubuntu because it's a free Linux operating system and it's always getting better with each release. The latest version is 9.10 and they even have a "netbook remix" version for netbooks.

I have an older ThinkPad X200 tablet PC (this model does not include a capacitive multi-touch screen). Although my tablet supports passive touch, it won't support multi-touch gestures. Ubuntu works just fine on my ThinkPad and it's a nice alternative for users who wish to avoid using Microsoft Windows.