Over a year has gone by since some bold predictions about Tablet PCs outselling traditional notebooks, and I still haven’t bought a Tablet PC. Since this time, though we did buy an HDTV and got our very first Apple Mac. Why didn’t we pull the Tablet PC trigger? One big reason I’ve cited is retail availability. For purchases in excess of $400 or $500 I really need to go see them in a store. Apparently I’m not the only one who hasn’t been seeing Tablet PCs in widespread use. Mike Wendland (freep.com):

Not that I’m sure there aren’t more of them out there. But I think I’m safe in saying that Gates was considerably off in his prediction. I travel a lot. It’s all laptops I see on the road. I don’t see tablets. That’s probably because, after initial sales failed to spike, Microsoft and its tablet PC partners decided to promote them mainly among some special groups — construction workers, medical and health care personnel, students and educational workers and sales and financial professionals.

Though originally, I really wanted to believe people like Chris Riley, and posted as much here about my geekish desires over the Tablet PC future, however I’m starting to join the ranks of the Tablet PC doubters. Yes, I still have that open invite out there to check out some Tablet PC gear from Microsofties and I’m still not closing the door on buying one, but I’m starting to think more and more this sale will be the one that got away; the one that never happened. I’ve said this repeatedly though: I think the price is the killer for the Tablet PC. Why should — or would — small business owners want to shell out more money for a less powerful machine just because it’s a Tablet? That’s been the problem, I think, more than anything, but couple that with retail stores not carrying them en masse and you have the recipe for Tablet PC sales not living up to expectations. Jake from 8bitjoystick asked some of the same questions to his readers in August of 2003.

So here I am, about to head off with my wife to a Microsoft small business Connections meeting this morning in Auburn, a year gone by, and I’m still thinking pretty much the same thing about Table PCs (I wonder how many others are like me?):

Tablet PCs might not be selling to expectation, but I still would like to buy one someday.

Update 11/20/2004: Never say never, Wendland, AKA PCMike seems to have (bought?) a Tablet PC.

• My Tablet PC purchase literally took over 2 years
• Tablet PCs to be 25% cheaper in next marketing push
• More money spent online for clothes than computers in 2006
• Scoble (sort of) points me to Fry’s for $1,000 Media Center PC
• Microsoft taking “a step back” with Tablet PC
• Tablet PC online chat Dec 7, 2005