Hey all. Been lurking around for a few months no

[nlamartina]

Hey all. Been lurking around for a few months now, and I wanted to decloak for a bit to ask a few questions.

I'm a collegiate debater, and I'm considering getting a Tablet PC in the summer to flow with (as well as take notes in class, draw, write music, etc). For those unfamiliar with the term "flowing", it involves making a rapid transcription of a debater's speech using blank paper, often using several sheets and multiple colors of ink for organizational purposes (like stenography, but with a pen :-)). Also, I sometimes print rather small. So here are the questions:

1. Is there a limitation to the speed one can write on a TPC before it starts making errors?
2. Can one easily and quickly change the color of their ink?
3. Is it easy and/or possible to create multiple blank pages and flip in between them at will?
4. How reliable are TPC's in general? Do I have to worry about them crashing or halting a lot?
5. Finally, is it possible to create your own kind of ‘paper’ to write on, ie, have a style template other than lined paper or blank.

Thanks for any help you can give,
Nick

[brammerf]

1. Is there a limitation to the speed one can write on a TPC before it starts making errors?

Yes, the Tablet & Software has limits. Some Tablets are better then others when it comes to speed. I recommend you find one and test it. There are more and more demo models becoming available.

2. Can one easily and quickly change the color of their ink?

Yes, at least in Journal you can change colors with a single tap.

3. Is it easy and/or possible to create multiple blank pages and flip in between them at will?

I haven't figured out a easy way to create multiple pages, but once you have them you have several options to navigate them quickly. There is a single click bar at the bottom, a page Up/Down button and the scroll bar. You also have hardware options to, but that depends on the device you use.

4. How reliable are TPC's in general? Do I have to worry about them crashing or halting a lot?

I've had no system failures. It is a machine; so the potential exists.

5. Finally, is it possible to create your own kind of ‘paper’ to write on, ie, have a style template other than lined paper or blank.

Yes, you can create templates.

I have a Motion Computing Tablet and I'm very happy with it. You can check out Motion's Tablet at Gateway stores. Gateway dual brands the model they sell.

Happy Debating

[yvilla]

As to the ease of creating multiple pages to flip back and forth to and from--I think OneNote, due out this summer, might be the answer to that, with its tabbed interface. Check it out here: http://www.microsoft.com/office/onenote/overview.asp

[Big Lar]

I find it very easy to create new pages in Journal using the page navigation buttons in the lower right hand corner. If you are on the last page of a document, pressing the page down button creates a new page and takes you there. To get back to the previous page, simply click page up. Also, the "Jog Dial" on the Compaq TC1000 works these buttons for you.

I hope this helps,

--Lar

[Displaze]

1. Is there a limitation to the speed one can write on a TPC before it starts making errors?
If all you are concerned about is writing (and not translating your handwriting to text),you can write as fast as you want without any errors. The digitizer on the tablets is very precise so you can print small and be able to read it.

2. Can one easily and quickly change the color of their ink?
Yes, in the Journal program, you can have predefined pen styles.
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3. Is it easy and/or possible to create multiple blank pages and flip in between them at will?
Yes, in Journal, you can create as many pages as you want and you are also able to go directly to any page using a page bar at the bottom of the screen.

4. How reliable are TPC's in general? Do I have to worry about them crashing or halting a lot?
Windows XP Pro has been very stable.

5. Finally, is it possible to create your own kind of ‘paper’ to write on, ie, have a style template other than lined paper or blank.
Yes! You can create a template in Journal by printing any document you created to a special printer. You can then write over this template and still add note pages at the end.

[nlamartina]

You guys have answered all my questions completely. Thank you very much for the information.

- Nick

[Malleable]

yvilla,
I took a look at the link for Onenote. Wow, it seems to have everything I want. I hope it doesnt cost too much. The recording of audio also sounded really cool. Not sure how that would work, but I can see potential. Maybe combining some audio recognition.

Mal

[seanabrady]

As a former High School Debater (and a sort of collegiate debater) I have flowed many a case. I honestly dont think that the tablet PC would be superior to a standard legal pad for flowing a debate. Here is why:

1) The biggest benefit of a Tablet PC to my is the ability to search a large set of notes. From a flow standpoint if you have to do a search, you are already taking to much time.

2) Its just to hot, heavy and reflective. I have a Motion TPC and if I have to hold the tablet while trying to do a 4 minute rebuttal I might cook part of my arm off. It is to heavy to hold the TPC and alos sort through evidence whether in a brief, a card... unless you can fule all your evidence on the TPC also. When you are sitting down listening to another argument and you want to write the screen can be very refelctive of overhead light sources which can washout the view altogether.

3) Flipping pages is not fast enough. Journal allows you to place littl buttons at the bottom of each page to quickly jump from page to page. But it cannot match the flexibility (literally) of paper. The ability to flip up a piece of paper and see a bit on both sides can be very helpful.

Just my opinion based on owning a TPC now and having debated in the past...albeit 14 years ago.

Sean

[bloom]

Like Sean, as a prior debate team member, IMHO, while the TabletPC does everything you ask about, it is not well suited for use in a debate.

You'd be so busy pointing, tapping and clicking that you would lose your train of thought. While the screens are very good, you still have to get the right angle and sometimes you have to wait for the hard disc or screen to get moving.

It would be good during a meeting where you were trying to get ideas, or maybe for a coach, but I think if you tried to use a TabletPC in a debate as they are now, you might gain a point for style but you would certainly lose more points for substance.

That's one where the ole' legal pad still has an edge...

[Dennis Rice]

Hmmm, I'd have to say I agree and disagree. I would disagree on the copmments about the hardware issues -- those are subjective to the different models. I would agree with the fast note switching right now though. There is just not an app yet that will handle that fast switching, unless you open multiple pages and use the taskbar. The Franklin Covey Tablet Planner does have a nice tabbed interface that could work, but I still think it would be too slow for your purpose. Wait for Onenote to come out, then test it on a number of different models. I don't think you are that far away from a great tool for your purpose. The ability to digitally record those notes would be a great thing to have, you just need a tool like Onenote to make it happen. Don't give up on the idea!