[aclug-L] Tablet PCs

["Jonathan Hall" <flimzy@xxxxxxxxxx>]

An article in the most recent issue of Popular Mechanics talks about
"Microsoft's" new Tablet PCs... basically laptops with touch-screen LCDs
that swivel in a way that you can close the 'notebook' with the LCD facing
outward, forming a hybrid PDA/laptop PC.  Additionally, the display is said
to work either horizontally or vertically, so you can operate it in standard
laptop mode (horizontally), or tilt it to the side and hold it like you
would a clipboard, or an overgrown PDA, and operate it in vertical mode.

The article talks about "a version of Windows XP" with special handwriting
recognitian software, and other "tablet"-specific software.  Manufacturers
such as Fujitsu, Acer and Toshiba are cited as promising variations on the
theme.

My curiosity is... how long until Linux will have the maturity to run on
these devices with the same functionality that Windows does.  I'm sure Linux
could be loaded on the PCs... but until Linux supports that flavor of
touch-screen monitors (maybe it already does?), and handwriting recognition,
and a few other features... it will still be lagging behind M$ for that
niche in the market.

Is anyone aware of any such emerging technologies on the Linux front?


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