I mentioned earlier that I had an error finding a file on my install of OneNote. The missing file was SKU0A1.XML. I ignored the file, but I don't know what repercussion it will have. I did have something in Outlook trigger the OneNote install and it asked for that file again.
Did anyone else have this problem?
I missed this when I first installed OneNote 2003 SP1, but Peter Rysavy pointed it out. The OneNote team has helpfully added a OneNote section called "Helpful Tips" where you'll find all kinds of information and guidance on the new features. What a great idea!
I replaced my Acer C300 model TMC301XCi with the beefier TMC302XMi-G. Amanda's getting my "old" one - purchased in November.
The new model has a few improvements:
The screen also feels a bit more "gritty", which makes writing on it a bit easier.
Yes. According to this. If they improve things in OneNote SP1 as nicely as they did with InfoPath SP1 this should be wonderful. I don't know if it'll be a public beta. I was in the original beta so if it is closed I should get an invite in any case.
Cross finally has some information on their site about the Tablet pens they're making. Tablet PC Buzz has a review here.
The Program Manager for OneNote, Chris Pratley, has a blog. It's great to see more information coming out on this app. OneNote is now as central to my daily computing as Outlook. My favourite feature: No more Ctrl-S. It's so freeing to not have to save a document. Ok there are plenty of actual features I like, but not having to save a note just makes the application fade into the background while you just get the job done. We need more apps like this.
Tablet PC.
I wondered how people were creating those nice cutout screen caps. I tried using various graphic programs, but the process was too convoluted in each of them. (Of course, Amanda could do them with ease, but she's a Photoshop guru.) Today I discovered the Microsoft Tablet PC Power Toy called Snipping Tool for Tablet PC. Now I, too, can look like a screen cap pro.
I've had my Acer C300 Tablet PC for a few months now, so it's about time to do a review; especially given that I've been promising one for a while.
This entry is going to meander quite a bit. I'm not a professional reviewer/writer and I'm doing this in a rush between other stuff, so please bear with me. Feel free to ask questions or request clarification in comments. I'm going to assume you know the basics of the Tablet PC. If you would like more background on just what a Tablet PC is, you can visit the official Microsoft site. I should also state that I've been using Acer laptops exclusively for several years now, so it's difficult for me to compare against any other brands, Tablet or not.
I've been watching the Wacom site for a long time to see if their long-promised Executive Tablet PC pens are available. It seems like they adjust the ship date every month. The site says:
"Executive pens with eraser. These pens are under development in cooperation with A.T. Cross. Please review press release for details. Scheduled to be available January 2004."
The press release (which is from the same day the Tablet PC was launched) says it will be available in the second quarter of 2003. What's the delay?
I really would like to try a heavier pen -- I know what a difference a real weighted pen did for my PDA experience. I'm hoping it'll do the same for the Tablet PC. Does anyone have any idea when they'll actually ship?
Update: This article from January 14, 2004 says that the pens will be available at retail in February 2004. I guess the ship date is actually coming close.
I know that handwriting recognition wasn't really pushed as a selling point for the first release of the Windows XP Tablet Edition - it's just not there. I am in the process of converting several pages of handwritten notes in OneNote into text for my Acer C300 review. What a painful process. I realize I should have used Lonestar to do the writing -- converting my handwriting to text on the fly with the wonderful and incredibly accurate handwriting recognition engine that will ship with Windows XP Tablet PC 2004.
I don't know if the recognition engine in OneNote is the same engine used for the Tablet Input Panel, but I sure hope they upgrade OneNote soon to support the level of recognition used in Lonestar. What I like about OneNote is that I can just write freeform without having to worry about editing my words then and there.
When using my Tablet PC to browse my email in Microsoft Outlook 2003 I found that the oft-used Delete icon was in the wrong place. Moving the pen over the Delete icon caused my hand to obscure the message that I was trying to delete. It's simple to reorganize the icons in any Office application. Here's how to shift the icon to the right so that it's in a more convenient location for Tablet PC users:
Click View -> Toolbars -> Customize. When the Customize dialog box appears, you can go ahead and drag 'n drop icons on the toolbar. Drag the Delete icon over next to the Find icon, or anywhere else you'd rather for it to appear.
I've finally broken down and started to write my Acer C300 review. I hope to have it published by tomorrow. I've never really written a review before, but l hope it'll be useful to someone.
Apologies for not providing a C300 review yet. I've been extremely busy and haven't had much time to think and write about anything but the stuff I've been working on (both at work and personally).
On a positive note, I have recently removed a major personal road-block and am very much enjoying the freedom that is starting to come from that. I should have the clarity of mind very soon to write a review of my wonderful new C300. It has proven to be a very valuable research tool. OneNote rules!
Update: My review is here.
I finally received my Acer C300 Tablet PC yesterday. I just about have it set up and tweaked. I'll be posting a review in the next few days. It's a powerful laptop, but it is quite big. More to come...
Update: My review is here.
I received an updated ship date for my Acer C300 Tablet PC today. Looks like it's now going to be November 11th for the Canadian release. I'm not sure if the American release is still set for November 3rd, or if the release date is delayed another week there as well.
My Acer C300 has been backordered by a week. Now expecting it Tuesday, October 28th. I will be posting a review as soon as I've had a chance to break it in.
Ordered my new Acer C300 Tablet PC yesterday. Our supplier is expecting it on the 20th, so I should be seeing it on the 21st. Can't wait.
Update: My review is here.
This is hilarious. Peter Rysavy links to an article on Linux for Tablet PCs. The funny part is imagining that someone would purchase a Tablet PC and ditch Windows XP Tablet Edition for a Linux distribution who's top 3 (and seemingly only) tablet-friendly features are:
The official Linux motto should be "Me Too!"
Amanda is trying out my Tablet PC for a week (or so) and is posting a daily diary here.
Amanda is a great person for the Tablet PC because she has the perfect combination of business and technical skills. She has a ton of business needs that are drivers for the technology, and she's not afraid to tackle new tech head on to make the most of it. She's already a SharePoint Portal Server 2003 guru! I think she'll be a Tablet PC guru in another few days.
Loren has a great blog on all things Tablet PC and is writing some super cool Tablet PC stuff to boot! Here's a great posting on organizing Journal logs - something I've toiled over myself.
Update: I just noticed that Loren actually has a link to my site! I'm honored to have my insanely boring site linked by someone of such stature. I wonder what prompted the link?
Rob Howard posted details of his recent BillG Review. A BillG review at Microsoft is a thing of near mythical proportions*. Rob gives a bit more information in his first post about the review.
Anyway, that's not the important part. What I noticed from Rob's description of the meeting was that Bill Gates was using a regular yellow notepad - not a Tablet PC with Microsoft OneNote:
"The first thing I notice as the meeting starts is that Bill is left-handed. He also didn't bring a computer in with him, but instead is taking notes on a yellow pad of paper. I had heard this before - Bill takes amazingly detailed notes during meetings. I image he has to, given all the information directed at him. The other thing I noticed during the course of the meeting is how he takes his notes. He doesn't take notes from top-to-bottom, but rather logically divides the page into quadrants, each reserved for a different thought. For example, it appeared that all his questions were placed at the bottom of the page."
I've heard Microsoft talk quite a bit about how they eat their own dogfood. I've also heard that the Tablet PC is Bill Gates' pet project - he was the one who conceived the product and drove it through to production when most of the industry was saying it was a stupid idea. So the question is, why isn't he using his Tablet PC, but he wants us to?
I know the answer. If he's using the same beta version of OneNote that I am, the behaviour of the ink "gloms" is just as annoying to him as it is to me. It essentially makes the application useless - and drove me quickly back to the bare-bones Journal. I've heard that they're changing this behaviour in the final release.
Let's hope that the OneNote developer team's goal is to produce a product that will make Bill Gates switch to using his Tablet PC exclusively...
* I first heard about it in the book I Sing the Body Electronic: A Year With Microsoft on the Multimedia Frontier - an older book from the pre-Internet / CD-ROM era, but one that provides rich insights into life inside Microsoft.