As expected, Raikes will also discuss Microsoft's Tablet PC initiative. Raikes will disclose that three PC hardware makers -- Toshiba, Acer and Fujitsu -- will debut the first Tablet PC models on November 7. At least six other makers, including Viewsonic, Motion Computing and Via, are expected to follow with Tablet PC systems later this year, Raikes said. Tablet PCs, in their most generic form, are modified notebooks. They will weigh about three to four pounds, can connect to the Internet wirelessly and may include keyboards. Unlike notebooks, though, tablet PCs will come loaded with new applications, such as Microsoft Journal, that let people input words or drawings into the computer by writing on the screen. Raikes said Tablet PCs are a "good example of how devices will become a part of a broader productivity enhancements" for workers. Prototype Tablet PCs with a beta test version of Windows XP Professional Tablet PC Edition will begin being tested by several Microsoft customers within 30 days, Raikes said. Raikes will also demonstrate Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition, a version of the company's operating system for handhelds, which combines a personal digital assistant with wireless voice and data access. The software will debut later this summer on systems from VoiceStream/T-Mobile, Raikes said.
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