Microsoft Tablet PC

The Tablet PC with Windows XP released in 2001 had 128 megabytes of RAM and a 600 megahertz processor, with a storage capacity of 10 GB.

For specialized support for pen input, Microsoft released Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

Tablets running Windows get the added functionality of using the touchscreen for mouse input, hand writing recognition, and gesture support.

Many tablet manufacturers are moving to the ARM architecture with lighter operating systems, Microsoft followed suit in 2012 with Surface and Windows RT.

Tablet PCs typically incorporate small (8.4–14.1 in or 21–36 cm) LCD screens and have been popular in vertical markets such as health care, education, hospitality and field work.

Applications for field work often need a tablet PC that has rugged specifications that ensure long life by resisting heat, humidity, and drop/vibration damage.

The joint allows the screen to rotate through 180° and fold down on top of the keyboard to provide a flat writing surface.

Convertibles are by far the most popular configuration of tablet PCs, because they still offer the keyboard and pointing device (usually a touchpad) of older notebooks, for users who do not use the touchscreen display as the primary input method.

Service Pack 2 for Windows XP includes Tablet PC Edition 2005 and is a free upgrade.

Windows 7 also significantly improved pen input and handwriting recognition by becoming faster, more accurate, and supportive of more languages, including East Asian writing systems.

Personalized custom dictionaries help with the recognition of specialized vocabulary (like medical and technical terms), and text prediction speeds up the input process to make note-taking faster.

Multi-touch technology is also available on some Tablet PCs, enabling more advanced interaction using touch gestures with your fingers the same way a mouse is used.

A brief description of the applications included follows: The Touch Pack for Windows 7 is a free package of games and programs optimized for multitouch input.