Resistive touch vs. digitizer (and the new Classmate tablet) - 32 views

• 
  #1 Thomas Nicholas on 21 Dec 08

   

  I'm currently teaching with a Toshiba M200 tablet. I use it pretty much everyday, largely as a replacement for a white board and to comment on and respond to student essays (I teach English at a community college). Because the bulk of what I do on the tablet involves writing, I don't mind the lack of a resistive touch screen... I virtually always have the stylus in my hand anyway. As my M200 is aging, I'm looking for a replacement, and wanted to solicit some advice.
  
  Most of the new ultralight/netbook tablets (which I'd like, because the four pounds of M200 I'm currently hauling around takes up a lot of room in my bag), have resistive touch screens rather than the active digitizer that most tablet PCs have. My understanding is that active digitizers tend to be far more robust and accurate than the touch screens and that touchscreens tend to have a much shorter lifespan than active digitizers.
  
  So, my question: has anyone had experience with the resistive touchscreens in a daily use school environment (preferably where the kids were beating on them) and had good luck? I'd really like to move to something smaller and lighter, but I need something that will stand up to a lot of touchscreen use.
  
  Tami, you've had your hands on the new Classmate tablet, right? How accurate did writing on the screen seem? Is there a big difference from the (I think) Lenovo's you're using?
  
  Thanks!

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">I'm currently teaching with a Toshiba M200 tablet. I use it pretty much everyday, largely as a replacement for a white board and to comment on and respond to student essays (I teach English at a community college). Because the bulk of what I do on the tablet involves writing, I don't mind the lack of a resistive touch screen... I virtually always have the stylus in my hand anyway. As my M200 is aging, I'm looking for a replacement, and wanted to solicit some advice. <br /> <br /> Most of the new ultralight/netbook tablets (which I'd like, because the four pounds of M200 I'm currently hauling around takes up a lot of room in my bag), have resistive touch screens rather than the active digitizer that most tablet PCs have. My understanding is that active digitizers tend to be far more robust and accurate than the touch screens and that touchscreens tend to have a much shorter lifespan than active digitizers. <br /> <br /> So, my question: has anyone had experience with the resistive touchscreens in a daily use school environment (preferably where the kids were beating on them) and had good luck? I'd really like to move to something smaller and lighter, but I need something that will stand up to a lot of touchscreen use. <br /> <br /> Tami, you've had your hands on the new Classmate tablet, right? How accurate did writing on the screen seem? Is there a big difference from the (I think) Lenovo's you're using? <br /> <br /> Thanks!</div>

  ...

  Cancel
• 
  #2 Tami Brass on 22 Dec 08

   

  Thomas,
  
  The Classmate didn't have tablet OS yet. I'm waiting for the production model with the OS I'd like to fully evaluate. That will come in January. Intel isn't looking at an adult consumer for this model - strictly K-9. The keyboard and formfactor compare to netbooks, but it's got more ruggedized features than typical netbooks. I believe it's the first tabletpc in this price range and size. I know there are ultraportables with similar and smaller size, but they're generally 3-4x the price.
  
  That said, I've heard from a ton of people using the Toshiba M700 tablet with touch screen who LOVE it. I believe it's the current model at Cincinnati Country Day School. I think it would take a bit of getting used to, but I'd be happy to have one myself (I've got the M700 with regular screen). My students are using the M700s I use. The one weak spot is the corner where the stylus is stored. We've had a lot of breakage on that corner, and it's been frustrating because the stylus gets stuck or can't be inserted.
  
  I'll be blogging about the Classmate tablet once the production model is in my hands :-) I'm really hoping it becomes a viable option for us.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Thomas, <br /> <br /> The Classmate didn't have tablet OS yet. I'm waiting for the production model with the OS I'd like to fully evaluate. That will come in January. Intel isn't looking at an adult consumer for this model - strictly K-9. The keyboard and formfactor compare to netbooks, but it's got more ruggedized features than typical netbooks. I believe it's the first tabletpc in this price range and size. I know there are ultraportables with similar and smaller size, but they're generally 3-4x the price. <br /> <br /> That said, I've heard from a ton of people using the Toshiba M700 tablet with touch screen who LOVE it. I believe it's the current model at Cincinnati Country Day School. I think it would take a bit of getting used to, but I'd be happy to have one myself (I've got the M700 with regular screen). My students are using the M700s I use. The one weak spot is the corner where the stylus is stored. We've had a lot of breakage on that corner, and it's been frustrating because the stylus gets stuck or can't be inserted. <br /> <br /> I'll be blogging about the Classmate tablet once the production model is in my hands :-) I'm really hoping it becomes a viable option for us.</div>

  ...

  Cancel
• 
  #3 Lora Heiny on 22 Jan 09

   

  Did you see the photos of the future ASUS Eee PC T101H that came out of CES? It's similar to the Classmate in that will use an Intel Atom processor, yet the industrial design is not specifically for kids.
  
  A few comments that may help:
  
  1) Schools with volume license agreements have the option of using Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or Windows Vista to get Tablet & Touch technology on any of these mini-notebooks / netbooks, like the Classmate PC. You'll want to work with your OEM for drivers.
  
  2) The Toshiba Portege M750 has a dual EM / resistive touch digitizer. It auto switches between the two, so when a pen is in range you don't get funny lines going across the screen and when no pen is detected you can touch the screen with your finger.
  
  This is different from resistive digitizers only, which have a lower sampling rate and writing appears a bit more jaggy.
  
  3) Mini-netbooks also known as netbooks (just means it has an Intel Atom processor), are low performance PCs relative to something like the Toshiba Portege M750 (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) . If you're willing to compromise performance for weight (a good tradeoff for some people), then you might want to look that route. But if it's your primary PC, you might want to stay with the Portege line. If you want to shave a pound off, Lenovo x200 is another to consider.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Did you see the photos of the future ASUS Eee PC T101H that came out of CES? It's similar to the Classmate in that will use an Intel Atom processor, yet the industrial design is not specifically for kids. <br /> <br /> A few comments that may help: <br /> <br /> 1) Schools with volume license agreements have the option of using Windows XP Tablet PC Edition or Windows Vista to get Tablet & Touch technology on any of these mini-notebooks / netbooks, like the Classmate PC. You'll want to work with your OEM for drivers. <br /> <br /> 2) The Toshiba Portege M750 has a dual EM / resistive touch digitizer. It auto switches between the two, so when a pen is in range you don't get funny lines going across the screen and when no pen is detected you can touch the screen with your finger. <br /> <br /> This is different from resistive digitizers only, which have a lower sampling rate and writing appears a bit more jaggy. <br /> <br /> 3) Mini-netbooks also known as netbooks (just means it has an Intel Atom processor), are low performance PCs relative to something like the Toshiba Portege M750 (Intel Core 2 Duo processor) . If you're willing to compromise performance for weight (a good tradeoff for some people), then you might want to look that route. But if it's your primary PC, you might want to stay with the Portege line. If you want to shave a pound off, Lenovo x200 is another to consider.</div>

  ...

  Cancel
• 
  #4 Thomas Nicholas on 23 Jan 09

   

  Thanks for info. I did see the ASUS Eee tablet, and my concern with it (though I am excited by it) is the same as with the Classmate... that resistive digitizer. My students don't use tablets on a routine basis (we're still working to get the admin to get basic laptops for the faculty), so this is largely for me to use in class as a digital whiteboard, to mark up student essays, and for oodles of notetaking. If the writing function won't work very well, it's sort of out for me, as that's my key use for the tablet.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Thanks for info. I did see the ASUS Eee tablet, and my concern with it (though I am excited by it) is the same as with the Classmate... that resistive digitizer. My students don't use tablets on a routine basis (we're still working to get the admin to get basic laptops for the faculty), so this is largely for me to use in class as a digital whiteboard, to mark up student essays, and for oodles of notetaking. If the writing function won't work very well, it's sort of out for me, as that's my key use for the tablet.</div>

  ...

  Cancel

To Top