1. 10 (or more) things you
didn’t know about Business
Windows Tablet PCs
1 Powerful is Productive
The majority of Windows 7 Tablet PCs
now surpass the average office desktop
PC in terms of performance. Mobile
Tablet PC technology has come a long
way over the last few years with the
introduction of dedicated mobile ULV
(Ultra Low Voltage) CPU’s from leading
manufacturers such as Intel. Intel work
very closely with Tablet PC
manufacturers to ensure all current
Tablet computers make the most from their latest range of high end mobile CPU’s in terms of
maximum performance without the sacrifice of mobile battery life. This is evident in the well-
received i3, i5, and i7 Ivy Bridge processors from Intel.
The CPU is not one of the only features which dictate fast responsive Tablet PCs, Graphics options
(such as Intel’s latest HD4000 graphics) and RAM quantity/speed (Tablets now support up to 16GB
DDR3 @ 1600Mhz!) dictate a smooth operating experience even on the most demanding operating
system and software set-up.
It’s important to buy for the future too, so a few upgrades on specification at point of purchase will
reap rewards in the years to come. The inevitable amount of new software installations and the “I
can also do this on my Tablet PC!“ discoveries will eventually push any system to the limit. So be pre-
warned, although some units can be upgraded after point of purchase the majority of consumer type
devices will not be able to be upgraded due to the nature of one-off mass builds to cut down prices.
Cheap is never best in my opinion, I prefer my Tablet PC hardware to last until the end – minimum 5
years.
2 Office Integration
Never be out of the office.
All Windows based Tablet PC have the ability to be both
your main office PC and your mobile office pc. Equip your
office with a docking station, and once docked, the Tablet
PC will act like any office PC, just add a keyboard, a mouse
and an external Monitor (depending on Docking Station
type) and you’ll not be able to tell the difference. All
Windows Tablet PCs will run Microsoft’s latest Office

2. package so no need to worry in regards to office integration, if your office is running a slightly older
version of Windows, MS Office will take care of your documents and presentations.
When out of the office, simply remove the tablet from the docking station and walk away. It’ll be
fully charged and ready for the busy day ahead. With MS Office, you can pick-up/receive Emails on-
the-go and using the same mobile network, receive up to date job sheets with your orders of the day
(or send them orders!). PDF Datasheets are easily viewed and zoomed in on if you require details on
specific parts etc.. PowerPoint presentations, Excel sheets, graphs, detailed photographs, online
presentation etc….
All this is why the Tablet PC has become a staple in mobile computing. The encumbrance of a
physical keyboard has been replaced with functioning workable on screen solutions.
3 Digitizer Pen Input
Touchscreens haven’t been with us for long, I can
remember the original influx of resistive type finger touch
Tablet PC back in the last decade, although great at the
time this left little to be desired in terms of accuracy and
functionality (Although great with gloves on!). Capacitive
touch is now the flavour of the day and utilises the low
pulses of electricity which emits through our fingers. This
is great while on the move and for hitting non-accurate
large size boxes while manipulating dedicated
applications, but it does have its drawbacks when
running a more user friendly operating system such as
Windows 7 or Windows 8 Professional.
This is why Digitizer has made the list, understated in the general Tablet PC market over the last few
years (mainly due to the excellent marketing of world leading manufactures), it’s been well known
within the Windows Tablet PC faithful to be the best input method for a PC since the more famous
“Mouse” hit the PC, and it’s just as natural to use too.
Leading technology has been developed by Wacom over the past decade to produce a great user
experience. Don’t get this muddled up with capacitive pens though (they’re next to useless) this is
the real deal. Identical to the Wacom Cintiq’s (professional designer hardware) input method the
Wacom digitizer pen input gives you more control over your actions. For example, the harder you
press down on the pen the thicker a line will be produced (in dedicated applications such as
Photoshop or Windows 7 Handwriting Input Panel) alternatively the lighter you press down the
thinner the stroke. This is hugely popular and a staple for Computer Aided Designers (CAD) favoured
by cinematography professionals for large motion picture CGI artwork which utilises the Wacom
technology to produce the most stunning scenes on big picture – it all starts with human input.
Digitizer also displays a mouse cursor when you hover over the screen, so when you make an action
such as a screen tap on the Tablet PC you know exactly which pixel you’re tapping on.
For applications such as the Microsoft’s Office Excel package, Digitizer Input is a god send.
Attempting to manipulate drop down boxes on Tablet PCs with your finger becomes frustrating at
the best of times. This is where the Tablet digitizer pen input shines, simple handwriting to digital
text input or signature capture to sign off documents the digitizer pen input cannot be beaten.

3. Currently it’s a little more expensive but that’s only due to the nature of the best-on-market
technology. Best of all, the majority of Windows professional Wacom enabled Tablet PCs ship with
capacitive touch as standard so you get ‘best of both worlds’.
4 Semi-Rugged
Semi-Rugged is a relatively new term (Also known as business rugged). Semi-Rugged Tablet PCs fall
in to a category of its own. Traditionally consumer grade Tablet PCs and Rugged Tablet PCs were the
only choice, this was great if you wanted an entry level Tablet or a fully hardened durable unit for
use in Military, mining, construction etc… but the latter comes with a higher entry level price. These
high prices are warrantied though; fully rugged units ship with a high IP rating and can only gain this
rating by passing very stringent testing. This testing is not an inexpensive task and many units fail to
make the grade. Indecently, this is why the more rugged Tablet PCs tend to have older specifications
or will keep newer specifications un-upgraded for a number of years, once individual components
have been changed internally the testing becomes void and the manufacturer has to retest the units
at high expense.
The benefit of Semi-Rugged is that the testing and chassis materials are not as expensive as full
rugged tablets and honestly, if you’re not putting a Tablet PC in an environment where it’s required
to be fully rugged then why pay the extra? It would be wrong to say Semi-Rugged is not durable,
though these still hold a high IP Rating and go through tough testing, such as drop testing and water
ingress testing, it’s just these tests are to protect the unit against everyday use and everyday
weather environment not the extremes of the fully rugged tablet pc. They are still built to last the
toughest test, the general worker!
Motion Computing and Panasonic specialize in these devices and as such they have seen a great
increase in market share (Motion Computing out sold all other manufactures worldwide in 2012 for
semi-rugged and rugged Tablet PC sales). Having a unit resistant to local yearly weather changes and
drop tested from Tablet PC (held at waist height) covers the majority of typical user accidents.
For the first time we are now seeing Semi-Rugged Tablet PCs enter the market below the £1000.00
mark, a welcoming price point from the entry level price of £2000.00 for a fully Rugged Tablet PC.
5 Hot Swap Batteries
Battery life for Tablet PCs have drastically improved over of
the last few years, this was initially due to the introduction of
Lithium-Ion but nowadays, since the next upgrade for battery
technology is still a little way off (Fuel cells?), the power
savings have come from more power friendly CPU’s and LCD
trans-reflective screen technology. Although a good Tablet PC
will just about last a full working day on low power saving
settings, there is still the need to draw more power from the
Tablet PC by means of integrated hardware. In simple terms,
the more dedicated hardware items you use the more battery power you require. Items such as
integrated 3G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, High Brightness Screens, overclocked CPUs and dedicated GPS, will
all push the best battery to the limit.

4. This is where a Hot-Swap feature excels. With a spare fully charged battery slab and one of the
higher end Windows Tablet PCs with hot swap features, you can simply switch the batteries in a
matter of seconds and carry on with your workload, zero downtime! Add an eternal way to charge
the extra battery and you can put the Tablet PC to work 24/7 (just make sure to change the user
every once and a while). This is excellent where the Tablet PC’s battery has a quick charge cycle.
Typical charge cycles are on a 1:4 ratio, charge for 1 hour and use for 4 hours, pretty impressive.
6 Out Door Screens
If you’ve never seen Motion Computing’s VAD (View Anywhere Display) then you have never seen an
outdoor screen. Most manufacturers use sunlight viewable technology, which while is not too bad, it
utilises a polarising filter within the screen which reduces the reflective glare on standard screens
thus giving improved visibility. But this relies on pushing brightness to the maximum for you to be
able to see data on screen, which in turn greatly impacts battery life.
The VAD from Motion computing however is second to none in my experience. This is taken from
the manufacturers’ website which will explain a little more on the tech behind the VAD:
VAD (View Anywhere Display)
The View Anywhere display uses a proprietary optical enhancement process based on technology
initially developed for high-end military aviation and marine applications.
The View Anywhere display adjusts quickly from your office or home work environment and
accommodates a variety of outdoor work scenarios. This innovative solution was designed for
mobile users that use Tablet PCs in bright light environments.
Compared with Motion’s standard display, the View Anywhere display technology enhances indoor
viewing - while substantially improving outdoor viewing.
 10:1 reduction in unwanted reflectance and glare
 15% improvement in “light pass-through” efficiency
 225% increase in sunlight contrast ratio over the standard display
 Better view-ability at wide viewing angles
The view anywhere Tablet PC display technology also retains the
traditional feel of pen on paper that has become a hallmark of Motion’s
ink-enabled Windows Tablet PCs, and the solution is also stronger, more
durable and scratch resistant. Finally, Motion Computing accomplishes
this solution without compromises, complexity or high cost.
Who should have the View Anywhere® display?
High Ambient Light Usage Scenarios
 Ideal for inspectors, field engineers, surveyors, law enforcement personnel, military, construction
superintendents, sports/coaches, customer service professionals, aviation/pilots, realtors and
other highly mobile professionals.
 Great for outdoor field use in conjunction with WWAN and GPS technology available in the
industry.
 Great for any user who uses a Windows Tablet PC in bright indoor light, in automobiles or
outdoors.

5. High Reflective Usage Scenarios
 Better solution than conventional display technology for individuals working in a room with bright
fluorescent lighting, such as in a large retail setting, hospital or classroom.
 Medical professionals operating in bright artificial light.
Actions speak louder than words, as they say, but to put it plainly, this is without a doubt the best-
on-market display I have come across, stunningly excellent.
7 Lightweight is best?
Tablet PCs are becoming lighter and thinner, this is great! But the downside is that durability suffers.
If you’re buying a new thin lightweight Tablet PC then make sure you look for a decent carry case
and other tablet pc protection solutions.
On the flip side this means that more business tablet pcs are dropping weight too, it was only last
year that Motion Computing brought out the Motion CL910 which weighs less than 1KG and
Panasonic have also just released the FZ-G1 – this unit weighs only 1.1KG which is quite a feat for a
fully rugged IP64 Tablet PC.
The above two units when in a carry solution are not noticeable when on the move, so while thin
and light is great for entry level units there are alternative solutions available for the more rugged
type Tablet PC.
8 Peripherals
Peripherals are king when introducing new
technology into your work life or everyday use,
these can transform the functionality of your Tablet
PC and make you wonder how you ever dealt
without them. As above Carry Cases are great for
when you’re getting about and using the tablet
when on your feet but it’s when you’re back in the
office or at home where the accessories start to
shine.
The best set-up I’ve seen is a user with a Tablet PC &
Tablet PC Docking Station hooked up to two external
monitors giving 3 displays total. This was with one of
the Motion J3600 Tablet PCs (a very powerful Semi-Rugged Windows Tablet PC) and the user was
running the full standard desktop version of CAD. The other ports on the docking station were used
for fast internet connection via the Ethernet port and via the USB ports the user added a keyboard
and mouse. This set-up was duplicated at home and in the office, ensuring the Tablet PC stayed with
the user at all times. Whatever your location work can commence. This might sound a little over the
top for the standard Tablet PC user but the savings made over a month paid for the entire hardware,
food for thought and A professional Tablet PC solution for a true business professional.
Other peripherals are available just make sure to see the individual Tablet PC in question and don’t
forget to check the manufacturers’ page. More often than not these are more up to date with newer
items and updated frequently. If there is a lack of accessories then you may wish to consider the
longevity of the Tablet PC in questions. If no apparent support in terms of accessories, does this

6. mean support for the Tablet PC hardware will suddenly be non-existent? I’ve seen this countless
times for cheap Tablet PCs where manufactures disappear even before the warranty is up! Again,
look for no shorter than 4-5 fully supported computing years, especially for technology at the true
business end of the spectrum.
9 TEXT & Email
With integrated 3G Broadband you’d expect to be able to send emails with your Tablet PC, but did
you know you can also send Text messages and even make calls? Nor did I until about 5 minutes ago.
I used my standard phone SIM card to enable 3G on this Tablet PC and next thing a text popped up!
Which was actually useful since my phone was off due to me removing the SIM Card, you can send
them too it seems. I’d still recommend a dedicated card for your Tablet PC, all Mobile operators ship
them now and some are even free if you have an existing contract with a mobile 3G operator.
10 This article has been written on a Tablet PC!
You won’t see any difference, but this entire article has been written on a Tablet PC supplied from
Camtech Systems, I’d like to thanks them for their support by adding this ‘did you know guide’ to this
website and hopefully help them a little too by giving them a mention:
You can see their full range of Tablet PCs on their website www.camtechsystems.co.uk and for
reference I wrote this on the Motion J3600, was a bit tricky to start with but once I got used to the
writing style it was on par with physical writing to a pad of paper (I used Microsoft Journal in this
case since it’s supplied free with Windows 7 Professional) and once I’d finished writing my article the
software on the tablet pc converted my scribble to actual text, it even corrected the occasional
misspelling. Thanks again to Camtech for their full support and quickly retuning any questions I had
along the way.