I asked Dell about a Tablet PC...sorta

I spent about two hours today attending the Web 2.0 conference. What's that, you say? How'd he do that if he's near Philly and the conference is in California? OK, I was virtually there; you caught me. I actually watched and participated in a ustream.tv 'cast courtesy of Robert Scoble. Robert had his notebook with EV-DO Rev A card and was broadcasting live over lunch. The stream includes a Java-based IRC channel, so folks watching can communicate with the host and with each other. Various folks approached Robert who was easier to find than ever, courtesy of the web-cam taped to his hat. ;)

Among the many folks was someone associated with Dell, so I did the obligatory "Is Dell going to make a Tablet PC?" and Robert asked for me (thanks!). The response was the typical "we're thinking about it and looking into it" kind of deal, but what struck me was that I could actually watch the respondent as he replied. You can tell more from demeanor and body language than you often can via the written word, so it was an interesting experience. That doesn't mean that Dell is going to make a Tablet by any means (but it wouldn't surprise me to learn that something on the drawing board). It's amazing how interactive video can change your perspective; mobile technology simply rocks! Oh and I did ask Robert to check his bandwidth during the broadcast. He was at 77 MB in roughly 25 minutes using ustream.tv; hope he knows about the 5 GB cap and the Verizon TOS slant on streaming! ;)

Comments

[Chris Magnusson]

I have never had a bad experience with Dell hardware, so I would love it if they were to make a Tablet PC.

[Andy Foot]

....Many new second- and third-generation models are emerging, and Dell is planning a convertible model in midyear, said IDC analyst Richard Shim. Dell would not comment, but Shim said Dell's entry could dramatically improve sales of tablet PCs, if only because Dell has a reputation for its ability to flood the market with less expensive devices.