I’ll keep an up to date list of the hardware I am actually using on a day to day basis right here.
Fujitsu T4220 convertible tablet
*** The successor to the T4220 is the Fujitsu Lifebook T5010 . Fujitsu also makes ultra-light convertible tablets, the T2010 and T2020. ***
This is my everyday workhorse that the hospital purchased for our physician group. It’s configured for the hospital network, and runs Windows XP Tablet Edition. Read another user’s review here.
What I like:
The Fujitsu T4220 screen has a bidirectional hinge, meaning I can swivel it into tablet mode clockwise or counterclockwise. This comes in surprisingly handy when I want to show my screen to someone sitting beside me, on either side, or across the table from me. The screen is extremely bright with a native resolution of 1024 x 768. This matters a lot when you’re over 40 and start to need reading glasses. In contrast, my Lenovo X61 has a native screen resolution of 1400 x 1050 and isn’t nearly as bright. I find there is no need for a screen protector, unlike my Lenovo X61. The “writing feel” is nice, although a little noisy, and the screen does not scratch. It cleans easily as well.
I took out the optical disk drive, and replaced it with a secondary battery. This makes the unit heavier, but capable of working at full speed with maximum brightness for a good 4 to 6 hours. If you set it up to go into sleep mode when you close the lid, and close the lid when you are not using it, it will last a full workday.
What I don’t like:
The Fujitsu T4220 is not slim and sexy. It is thick and heavy. For me, the trade-off is worth it to have the power and long battery life. Besides, lugging this my tablet around gives me a good upper body workout. Having said that, when I don’t need the extra power and battery life, the feel of my Lenovo X61 is more natural. The Lenovo is the one I take with me when traveling.
The keyboard on the T4220 works well, but it has some “flex” (it feels squishy and bouncy) and sounds “clicky”. Between the “tappy” sound of the pen in tablet mode, and the “clicky” sound of the keyboard in laptop mode, this could be distracting during meetings or sessions depending on how active you are. With my Lenovo X61 in contrast, the keyboard feels firm and quiet. With the screen protector in place, writing in tablet mode is almost silent. Adding a screen protector to the T4220 would likely have the same effect.
The only truly annoying feature about the keyboard is the assignment of the Home and End keys as modified functions of the Page Up and Page Down keys. I use the Home and End keys constantly, so I remapped (reversed) the key assignments using a small utility called SharpKeys .
Lenovo X61t convertible tablet
*** The successor to the X61t is the ThinkPad X200 Tablet. ***
This is my home and travel tablet. Read another user’s review here.
Because this is my own tablet, I can install and run whatever software I like. I’m currently using Windows 7 (public beta), Microsoft’s successor to Windows Vista. It runs beautifully on the Lenovo X61, allowing me to take advantage of all the improvements in handwriting recognition and pen support offered by Windows Vista and now Windows 7. If I could run this operating system at work, I would.
Most of my likes and dislikes appear above in my comments about the Fujitsu T4220. I should point out that the X61 does not have an optical drive, nor a touchpad. For me, this is preferable. I do not use optical discs anymore, and I prefer not to use a touchpad. I find using the mouse, or the pen, to be faster and more efficient than a touchpad. In a pinch, I will use the pointing stick. On the Fujitsu, I have the touchpad disabled by default so I don’t accidentally activate it with my palms while typing.
When I bought my X61, there was a lower resolution screen available, similar to the T4220. While I enjoy the “screen real estate” provided by the higher resolution, I really can’t use the Lenovo X61 without my reading glasses. I also wonder if the lower resolution screen would be brighter.
The screen protector I use on the X61 is from Boxwave.com
Plantronics Calisto headset with Bluetooth Adapter
Over the years, I’ve tried dozens of microphones. Microphone selection for speech recognition is a topic on its own. I have two microphones that I use regularly. One is a wireless headset microphone, and the other is a wired hand-held microphone. I purchased the Plantronics Calisto Bluetooth headset, I thought I would be able to avoid using the USB adapter, since the Fujitsu T4220 has Bluetooth built right in. Unfortunately, I haven’t had success pairing the headset with Bluetooth adapter in the laptop. Fortunately, using the Bluetooth adapter provided truly is a “plug-and-play” affair, bypassing Bluetooth setup problems experienced in the past.
What I like:
- The ear mount is secure and comfortable. Other ear mount microphones I’ve tried have been floppy and uncomfortable.
- Because it latches on firmly, microphone placement remains 100% consistent, resulting in improved accuracy between dictation sessions.
- The audio quality is equal to or better than wired headsets I have used in the past.
- Because it is small and lacks a headband, it tucks away nicely in my work bag for portability.
- The blue LED on the USB adapter turns out to be quite handy for letting me know whether my microphone is on or off.
What I don’t like:
- Like every wireless microphone out there, the batteries need to be kept charged and ready to go when you need it. This headset recharges from any standard USB port, meaning I can recharge it from my lap top battery even when I am away from an outlet.
- The USB adapter sticking out the side of my computer will get snapped off someday.
Buddy StylusMic by InSync
This microphone was a real surprise. Usually, the accuracy of any handheld microphone is poor compared to a headset microphone. When I unpackaged this one, and felt the superlight plastic stylus in my hand, the first impression was not one of quality craftsmanship. After setting it up however, I was truly impressed by the quality of the microphone input, the recognition accuracy, and the handiness of having a little thumb switch to toggle the microphone on and off. Unfortunately, it’s a crappy stylus.
What I like:
- No recharging required.
- Thumb toggle switch feels very natural.
- Excellent sound quality.
- Pen clip on USB adapter.
What I don’t like:
- Bulky USB adapter.
- The coiled cord is a (necessary) nuisance, but weighs more than the stylus.
- Being caught talking privately to a pen can raise some eyebrows.
Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks
This is a precision intrument with perfect tracking on any surface and super battery life. Takes two AAA batteries.
What I like:
- It’s light and low profile, but still big enough for my hand.
- High speed silent scroll, or traditional click scroll.
- The “dongle”doesn’t dangle from the laptop.
What I don’t like:
- Nothing. I seem to buy another one every time they go on sale at Future Shop or Staples.
Fujitsu ScanSnap S510
*** Fujitsu has released an upgrade called the ScanSnap S1500.***
Oh ScanSnap, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… THREE.
That’s right, I’ve purchased three of these little miracles. One for home and two for work. I use it to turn paper into bytes every day, and I also use it to turn my textbooks into PDF files. Cutting the spine off a beloved textbook felt wrong the first time I did it, but now I routinely mutilate and recycle my old texts that still have value. I don’t purchase new texts anymore (only electronic or online versions), so it’s only a matter of time before I no longer have any traditional textbooks in my possession.
I could actually load these PDF books onto an eReader like the Sony Reader Digital Book or the eSlick Reader by FoxIt, but for now I’m happy just having them on my laptop and my website.
Apple iPhone 3G
What started out as a geewhiz piece of hardware is quickly becoming a real productivity tool, thanks to all the new applications being developed for it. The release of the 3.0 software update this summer, and an expected hardware update, will only make this more powerful. I particularly appreciate the “visual voicemail” feature, Google Maps, and Google Calendar sync.
