Recently I wrote about a tablet PC for sale for under $1,000 that uses the Linux operating system from Lycoris

I have done some research into the Helium2100 because a tablet PC has been on my wish list for some time and some of the things I was told left me less likely to want to buy a Tablet PC, not only this one, but in general. Here is what I was told when I called the Lycoris sales department:

1) the Helium2100 Tablet PC does not come with any hand writing recognition software. Wait, isn’t that the whole point of the Tablet PC? That users can write instead of type? He indicated to me that hand recognition software would be coming (as part of the Lycoris software?) soon. I asked what about the existence of sourceforge projects for this and he wasn’t able to give me any specific information but he did say that there were a couple of products “out there.” The fact that the system doesn’t come packaged with handwriting recognition software and that it would be “coming soon” sent me a mixed message about this key functionality. On the Windows XP Tablet Edition front, handwriting recognition is included.

I did some Googling for “handwriting recognition for linux” and came up with:

penreader - the java demo is a bit weak with a mouse and didn’t work nearly as good as writing with a pen on the screen. I find it difficult to write on screens. I notice that Target has a signature screen thing, similar to UPS and I find those more difficult to sign than paper.

2) Hand writing recognition isn’t quite there yet as far as accuracy and reliability. I think he was just trying to diminsh my concern in #1 by saying that the handwriting recognition technology included within Microsoft’s Table PC was poor at best. So if it doesn’t work, then it’s just easier to type. Also, I mentioned to him that I tried a demo model at Best Buy of a Toshiba Tablet PC and it recognized my terrible scrawlings just fine. In fact, I was even impressed by how accurate it was in my hands-on testing. I detected slick sales tactics being used here and not reliable data.

3) Most people don’t use Tablet PC’s for writing, they use the keyboard for that. They use it for annotating the text or doodling. Huh? I thought that Tablet PCs were aimed at business users. I was looking at this to be able to replace the yellow legal pad that I carry along to meetings. Most people he has spoken to that are actually using Tablet PCs, he said, are still using legal pads. What? Why would I buy a Tablet PC that is more expensive than a laptop and with less processing power and use it like a standard laptop? The salesperson I spoke to didn’t have a good answer for that.

I have set a budget between $1500 and $2500 for this Tablet PC purchase, but have found myself no closer to purchasing one than I was before reviewing the Helium2100 or the various brands I’ve seen at stores like Best Buy. I really like the price and look of the Helium2100, and maybe I just need to exercise some patience and try back when they have more fully developed the handwriting recognition. I also like the fact that by buying this Tablet PC it would be supporting the open source community.

It looks like I’m going to go past Christmas 2003 and still be using legal pads for notes.

• Improve Tablet PC Handwriting Recognition
• Why Linux on Tablet PC?
• My Tablet PC purchase literally took over 2 years
• Tablet PC to overtake laptop market, says Riley
• Tabtip.exe doesn’t spit, it swallows
• Working without a mouse on Windows, Mac and Linux/Unix