MouthStick Stylus

People who have physical disabilities may find the MouthStick Stylus a useful tool for interacting with tablets like the Apple iPad.

The Griffin Mouthstick is a capacitive touchscreen stylus that is designed to be held in the mouth. Using this stylus, persons with limited or no use of their hands can enjoy the advantages of touchscreen interfaces on smartphones and tablet devices.

Unlike other mouthsticks, the Griffin Mouthstick Stylus is designed and engineered for both touchscreen and Home Button manipulation. It returns total control of the iPad user experience to those with motor disabilities. The conductive rubber tip works with all capacitive touchscreens commonly found on tablets and mobile devices.

Windows 8 on the HP ElitePad 900

Here's a short little video demonstrating some basic Windows 8 features on the new HP ElitePad 900:

Microsoft reveals Windows 8

It looks like Microsoft is designing Windows 8 to bridge the gap between desktop operating systems and mobile operating systems. The new Windows 8 OS will run on systems that have lower hardware specifications. Windows 8 will be optimized for touch-screen navigation, so I can't wait to load it on my HP Slate 500 to see how it performs. Here's a great post from Engadget that covers some of the Windows 8 highlights from Computex 2011.

Will the next iPad use a stylus pen?

The current iPad only has a capacitive touch screen, so it really doesn't accommodate a stylus pen that uses input technology developed by Wacom or N-Trig. Some of the other slate tablets developed by HP, Fujitsu, Motion Computing, HTC, and others are employing both a capacitive multi-touch screen along with an N-Trig digitizer that allows you to draw and write on the screen with high precision. The current HP Slate 500 is an example of a device that allows input via touch plus N-trig digitizer. The HTC Flyer is another example.

Will the next Apple iPad incorporate similar technology? Is the demand for "inking" growing among tablet PC users, or is touch input and navigation sufficient? I'm a big fan of digitizers and inking because I've been a tablet PC user for many years. Some of the first tablet PCs were using digitizer technology made by Wacom and Wacom continues to power tablet PCs made by HP, Lenovo, Fujitsu, and others.

Will the next iPad include an active digitizer?

HTC Flyer: An Android tablet with a "Magic Pen"

The HTC Flyer is an Android slate tablet that includes a "magic pen" that will allow you to write, draw, and "ink" more accurately than most other slate tablets (with the exception of slate tablet PCs running Windows 7).

With these smaller tablets that include both a capacitive touch screen an some sort of active digitizer, we're seeing more devices using the DuoSense Digitizer Solution from N-trig. My HP Slate 500 uses an N-trig pen and the new Fujitsu Q550 also uses an N-trig pen. The Motion Computing CL900 also uses the same type of pen. Why the movement away from Wacom?

Before you go out and purchase an HTC Flyer, check to see if the device comes with a "magic pen." Otherwise, you may be spending $30 or more to purchase a separate pen.

The HTC Flyer is a portable 7-inch tablet with a magic pen that can do more for you than you can imagine. From creating masterpieces with a stroke of a paintbrush, to taking multimedia notes or even signing digital documents, HTC Flyer puts you in control of any situation. With streaming movies at a touch of your finger, HTC Flyer turns any moment into something special.

Another chance to win a Lenovo M90z

If you want a chance to win a free Lenovo M90z all-in-one PC, then you're about to get another chance. Actually, you'll have 26 chances since there are 26 bloggers who are getting ready to give away a Lenovo M90z.

Some of our own contributors are running contests on their own blogs. Specifically:

Physician Mom (contest runs from Apr 16 to Apr 20)
Scrubd In (contest runs from Apr 17 to Apr 21)

Good luck!

HTC Flyer (slate tablet running Android)

HTC has joined the slate tablet revolution with the HTC Flyer. This Android slate will feature: HTC Sense UI, HTC Watch video service, HTC Scribe Technology and OnLive cloud gaming. With a 7" screen, it will resemble the Samsung Galaxy Tab but it will feature a stylus pen. Right! This may be the first capacitive-only slate tablet that includes a stylus pen. HTC has been promoting its HTC Scribe technology for pen-based computing on a capacitive screen.

Fujitsu LIFEBOOK® T580 Tablet PC

Once upon a time, I used to have a small convertible tablet PC made by Fujitsu. I gave that computer away about 2 years ago. The  Fujitsu LIFEBOOK® T580 Tablet PC  looks like it's a great little device for people who need a device that blends the benefits of a netbook (small, portable, + keyboard) with a capacitive touch-screen tablet that runs Windows 7.  So, it's not as light as an iPad, but it gives you a functional keyboard when you need it.


You can also get an optional hand strap for this small convertible tablet PC.  This hand strap makes handling and carrying your LIFEBOOK Tablet PC easier. The hand strap comes with an attachment bracket that allows you to attach it to the threaded inserts on the back of your tablet to provide a secure attachment. The adjustable Velcro makes this hand strap easy to adjust for any size hand. 

Here are some highlights of its specs:

• Genuine Windows® 7 Professional
• Intel® Core™ i5 Processor
• Ultra versatile Tablet PC with 10.1" WXGA LED backlight display
• Multi-touch screen with pen input
• Optional webcam and solid state drive
• 4-finger capacitive multi-touch screen with pen input

What's the best iPad stylus pen?

I love my iPad, but I miss inking on a traditional tablet PC. That's why I'm now on the hunt to find a nice stylus pen for the Apple iPad. There are a variety of them out there, but which one is the "best" one?  It can't be too easy to make a functional capacitive stylus.  Maybe that's why some of these pens have gotten poor ratings by users.

Right now, there are several options out there including:

• Griffin Technology Stylus for iPad
• BoxWave Capacitive iPad Stylus
• Targus Stylus for Apple iPad 
• Hard Candy Cases iPad Stylus
• Acase Apple iPad Capacitive Stylus
• Ten One Design Pogo Sketch stylus for iPad

What's been your experience with these stylus pens? This weekend, I plan to visit my local Apple store so that I can test some of them out.

Motion CL900

I can't wait to try the Motion CL900. Some of you might remember the Motion LS800. That was a smaller slate tablet that resembled a smaller LE1600. The LS800 had an 8.4" screen with an active digitizer. No touch. Plus, the LS800 got fairly warm when you were using it.

Now, Motion Computing has introduced the CL900 rugged slate tablet. Times have definitely changed since 2005. Because of the Apple iPad, almost everyone is now comfortable with the slate tablet form factor. Plus, advances in computing technology have led to faster processors that run cooler. I hope Motion will have some CL900 demos at HIMSS11.

Let's briefly compare the Motion CL900 vs. the HP Slate 500:

• The Motion CL900 and the HP Slate 500 are some of the newer slate tablets that run Windows 7.  
• The Motion CL900 is a rugged slate that uses Gorilla Glass. 
• The HP Slate 500 is lighter and smaller at 1.5 lbs compared to the CL900 that weighs 2.1 lbs. 
• The HP Slate 500 has a smaller screen (8.9") compared to the CL900 that has a 10.1" screen. (higher screen resolution on the CL900)
• The CL900 comes with a WWAN option using Gobi.
• Battery life: HP Slate 500 is rated at 5+ hrs. Motion CL900 is rated at 8 hrs.

Two Contests: Enter to win a Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one PC

Win up to five (5) M90z PCs! There are 2 contests here: 1) Contest #1 is for a single Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z all-in-one PC; 2) Contest #2 is for a package of five (5) M90z units.

Click here for more details.

Want a free PC? Lenovo is giving away some M90z all-in-one PCs!

Lenovo is getting ready to give away some M90z all-in-one PCs! There will be a contest coming up in the early part of December where Lenovo will give one M90z all-in-one PC to a winner.

In addition to that, Lenovo is looking for medical clinics, offices, educational groups, and other types of non-profit organizations that could use 5 new all-in-one M90z PCs. Specifically, they're looking for these types of organizations:

1) Organization must be located in US or Canada
2) Medical, education or similar community focus
3) Preference given to non-profits or organizations dedicated to social good
4) Must have concrete application for 5 touch-enabled Lenovo M90z’s

Stay tuned for all the details about the upcoming giveaways. In the meanwhile, I urge you "like" my 4 Facebook fan pages, because this will be required if you want to enter the upcoming contest:

1. http://www.facebook.com/MobileHealthComputing
2. http://www.facebook.com/MedicalSmartphones
3. http://www.facebook.com/MedicineandTechnology
4. http://www.facebook.com/NonClinicalJobs

The Lenovo M90z is a great all-in-one PC that also comes with the option for touch-screen navigation. You can mount this PC on the wall and use it in the clinical setting at the point of care, so it's a great computer that's very functional and versatile.

The Dell Inspiron Duo - a novel convertible tablet

The Dell Inspiron Duo is not your "typical" convertible tablet.  The engineers at Dell have taken a fresh approach to the convertible concept.

With its innovative flip-hinge design, you can switch from touch to type in seconds.

The Dell Inspiron Duo is a slick touch-screen slate tablet that converts to a nice laptop with a 10.1" screen. It runs Windows 7 and weighs only 3.39 lbs. At $549.99, it would make a nice gift this holiday season. Learn more about the Dell Inspiron Duo at the Dell website.

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.

A review of 3 tablet PCs and notebooks - Part 1

I'm posting Part 1 of my ongoing review of 3 different tablet PCs/notebooks. In this review, we'll look at some of my initial impressions as I test these 3 computers.

• The first computer on the far left is a Panasonic Toughbook CF-T8
• The second computer in the middle is an HP EliteBook 2740p convertible tablet PC
• The third computer on the far right is a Lenovo ThinkPad X200 convertible tablet PC

I've been using the ThinkPad for over a year and it's a solid machine. It's also the heaviest one in the group and it has the largest footprint, especially when you're using the extended battery. I've also had the HP EliteBook for quite some time and I've thoroughly tested the 2730p and the 2740p.

The Panasonic Toughbook T8 has the smallest footprint (and the smallest keyboard) and it's the lightest at 3.3 lbs. However, this notebook is actually the thickest one. You'll see that by looking at the photo above. The T8 is the one of the bottom. For a notebook that's only 3.3 lbs, the T8 is surprisingly thick. Then again, it's the only rugged PC out of the 3, so it's expected to be thicker if it's going to have that 1 foot drop rating.


The Panasonic T8 has a nice rubber hand grip that allows you to securely hold the laptop in one hand while you're typing or tapping on the screen with another.  This hand grip is designed really well and it turns flat when you place the laptop on a desk. The rubber hand grip is sanitizable (great for health care professionals). In fact, a number of disinfectant solutions have been tested on the entire line of Toughbook mobile computers. 

The keyboard on the T8 is a bit smaller compared to all the others. I was able to get used to it quickly, but it's an adjustment if you're not accustomed to typing on a smaller keyboard.

All 3 laptops have 12" screens, but the Toughbook does not have a widescreen display. Instead, it uses the standard 1024 x 768 XGA resolution. Even though the T8 is not a convertible tablet, it has a passive touch-screen, which is a great feature if you're using an electronic health record (EHR) that's optimized for touch. If you need a Toughbook tablet PC, then take a look at the Toughbook C1.

The ThinkPad is 3.88 lbs when you're using the 8-cell extended battery. It also has the largest footprint, but it includes a full-size QWERTY keyboard. Many will argue that the keyboard on the ThinkPad is one of the best laptop keyboards in the industry. I just wish Lenovo would add an LED light to the keyboard on the tablet. The HP EliteBook has a pop-out LED light that I use all the time. The HP EliteBook 2740p is the thinnest convertible tablet out of the bunch. It starts at 3.8 lbs, so it's slightly lighter than the ThinkPad.

The 2740p is still thin after you add the docking station to the laptop. You can also get a thin "slice" battery for the 2740p and stay mobile all day (up to 10 hours) while you're using your laptop. The 2740p blends a capacitive multi-touch screen with an active digitizer. The newer ThinkPad X201 tablet also comes with this dual-input option.

The T8 comes with a round touchpad mouse. The 2740p and the X201 come with dual pointing options: a point stick and a touchpad. The older X200 tablet only comes with a point stick (TrackPoint).

This concludes Part 1 of my review. Stay tuned as I continue to write about these 3 different mobile computers.

Installing the wall mount on the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z

I've been thinking about mounting the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z on the wall. This all-in-one PC comes with the option of a multi-touch screen that works so well that you don't need a mouse or a keyboard to use this computer. Imagine having a huge iPad mounted on your wall. That's what I want. That's why I've been looking into the wall mounting option.

I'll need this part: Ergotron 60-239-007 FX30 Wall Mount (part # 78Y2316).

Once I get that part, I'll need to remove the back cover and follow the instructions outlined here.

Testing the Panasonic Toughbook® T8

I received a Panasonic Toughbook® T8 today and I'll be testing this rugged laptop for the next few weeks. The T8 is a super-light notebook that also includes a touch screen. Here's a brief description of this light, durable notebook:

Weighing in at 3.3 lbs., the Toughbook® T8 business-rugged laptop combines light weight and durability, with a built-in magnesium alloy case, sanitizable rubber hand strap, embedded wireless, and added security and remote management with Intel® Core™2 processor with vPro™ technology*. Built with legendary Toughbook reliability and unparalleled portability, the drop- and spill-resistant Toughbook T8 keeps up with today's busy mobile professionals.

You'll see that the T8 has a hand-strap that allows you to securely hold the laptop while you're moving around. The T8 is so light that it's actually quite easy to hold this computer in one hand and type with the other hand. You'll be plucking at the keys, but you may prefer that method over using a stylus on a tablet PC. You can also easily tap on the screen using your finger or the built-in stylus pen.

Stay tuned as I test the T8 and publish blog posts related to this laptop.

A growing interest in all-in-one PCs

I've noticed a recent trend in the growing availability of all-in-one PCs. I'm currently testing the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z and I can see why more people would want an all-in-one. Consumers (and many medical professionals) are jumping on the all-in-one PC bandwagon by purchasing the popular Apple iMac. Here are several examples of Windows PCs that are all-in-one:

• HP TouchSmart
• HP Compaq 6000 Pro
• Lenovo IdeaCentre or ThinkCentre
• Apple iMac
• Sony VAIO VGC-LV180J
• Dell Studio One

So, why all this interest in all-in-ones? For one thing, they take up less space compared to a conventional desktop.  Plus, it's great to have the flexibility to mount the entire PC on your wall. Some of the all-in-one PCs give you that flexibility and also include a touch screen (generally a multi-touch screen) so that you can compute at the point of care without pulling out a mouse or keyboard. What's also nice is that these touch screens often allow you to compute when you have gloved hands. So, you're no longer limited to small monitors in the operating room or emergency room if you want to touch the computer screen. With these all-in-one PCs, you can keep your gloves on and tap on large screens.

Optical touch screen

Most of you are probably familiar with capacitive and passive touch screens. How about optical touch?

The beauty of the optical touch screen is that it can handle input from passive objects (like a plastic pointer or even gloved hands) and it supports multitouch input. So, if you're working in the operating room and you need a multitouch touch screen, then you're probably looking at an optical touch screen device.

I've been testing the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90z that has an optical touch screen. The touch screen is very easy to use, it's responsive (does not require any pressure), and I can use it even if I'm wearing surgical gloves. I'm not a surgeon, but it's nice to know that this is the type of device that could work nicely in an emergency room or a surgical suite.

How does optical touch work? Here's a brief description from NextWindow:

Working together, two optical sensors track the movement of any object close to the surface by detecting the interruption of an infra-red light source. The light is emitted in a plane across the surface of the screen and can be either active (infra-red LED) or passive (special reflective surfaces).

At the heart of the system is a printed circuit controller board that receives signals from the optical sensors. Its software then compensates for optical distortions and triangulates the position of the touching object with extreme accuracy.

Some of NextWindow's products, such as the 1900 series, use low-profile optical sensors mounted on the surface of the glass. Other products use different configurations. In all models, the infrared light source and optical sensors are synchronized using a sophisticated algorithm that also reduces the effect of ambient light, creating an very clear, accurate screen.

Computers in Iron Man 2

I think some people out there think that every MIT grad has home computers like Tony Stark in Iron Man.

So, do most people use touch-screen computers at home? Some do. How about talking computers? Maybe. Computers where you can navigate in the air using 3D gestures? Probably not.

Many people think of the movie Minority Report when they think about virtual navigation on-screen computing. I really don't think we're that far away when we see technology like Microsoft Surface and novel computing platforms on the horizon. They keyboard and mouse will soon become a thing of the past. Future computing platforms will rely primarily on voice recognition, touch, and multi-touch gestures. Those are my predictions.