Don't Give Up on Pen Computing

Michael Gartenberg at JupiterResearch writes his regular column at Computerworld on the various factors that have slowed or doomed pen-based platforms. Gartenberg cites two key factors - handwriting recognition and inadequate hardware that make too many trade-offs to gain the pen-based functions. He concludes:

Pen computing isn't dead, but it is stagnant. For small devices where browsing is more important than content creation, the pen is an ideal navigation tool. But when it comes to composing information like e-mail, thumb keyboards are proving superior, even in small devices. The PC is a different story. Despite Microsoft's best efforts, tablet PCs haven't really caught on. Still, with devices like the x41 coming to market, it's time for IT to take another look at the functionality of tablet PCs and see where it makes sense to deploy them. There are a lot of places where the pen is mightier than the keyboard.