<p>In two days, its between the tabletC/convertible and powerbook for my main comp at college. I love how tat in the tablet, you can take notes using the pen. What do you guys reccomend? I'm not playing any games since they can get addicting and it is a waste of time.</p>
<p>A Tablet PC/Convertible would make an excellent laptop computer for students as would a PowerBook. A lot depends on what your major is... </p>
<p>As you probably know, Apple is switching over to Intel processors for all of their desktop and laptop computers in 2006. The Mac news sites are reporting rumors that Apple will announce new Intel IBooks this coming January with PowerBooks to follow soon afterwards. So if you can hold off for a couple of months, you can make an educated choice if you want an Apple laptop. </p>
<p>Either laptops will serve you well though digital ink for note-taking (especially in math and science classes) is invaluable. Mac and regular Window users point to LaTeX (a math typesetting program) for taking math notes. For Tablet users, Xthink's Mathjournal allows you to "write" your math equations on your Tablet screen and get a solution. A huge advantage for Tablet users. </p>
<p>You can't go wrong with either, but with the Mac User Conference in San Francisco coming in a couple of months, it may be worth your while to wait and see what Apple will have to offer...</p>
<p>Good luck making a choice!</p>
<p>Go for the Powerbook - tablet PCs are worthless (IMHO)</p>
<p>The PC Convertable? IBM hasn't made those since the mid 80s! I haven't seen one in about ten years!!!</p>
<p>Old timers will appreciate this reference...</p>
<p>Anyway, if you get a non-Intel iBook you will have better backwards compatibility. If you're a longtime Mac user get the bottom model since it won't set you back a whole lot and it will probably get you by for a few years so you can buy an Intel one later. If you can wait unitl January, that would be good as well, but remember the first generation of anything sometimes has problems. I'd hold off until the summer to get an Intel laptop if I was buying one now.</p>
<p>I see a laptop as being better than a Tablet. You can do a lot more. While some argue that it is better for math, I've found that a piece of unlined paper does the same thing and costs less. Pencils are also dirt cheap too.</p>
<p>The tablet is really worthless, I've found out. The only reason I would use a laptop for taking notes is because I'm a faster typer than a writer. In math/science classes, I feel more comfortable with traditional pencil and paper.</p>
<p>Also, I haven't seen any student use a tablet. Only one of my professors uses it, to make notations on his Powerpoints. And I should add that the Powerbook has immense popularity here, and you'll probably love it too. I would've chosen a Powerbook for my new laptop last month, but unfortunately my dad was paying for it and he has a major dislike of Apple. :(</p>
<p>Powerbook........the one and only choice. I have converted 6 of my friends and they bought new computers upon arrival to campus.......switched to Macs now. All had been using other products.</p>
<p>guys, Im talking a notebook PC that can change into a tablet pc using the swivel screen. Its a notebook/tablet hybrid not just a notebook. It seems weird why no one uses the notebook/tablet devices more often.</p>
<p>I knew what you were talking about. Still, my earlier comment stands. Don't waste the extra money for the tablet; get the Powerbook instead or, as Michuncle said, wait for the news on the new Intel Macs.</p>
<p>why? why is that tablet feature a waste?</p>
<p>So if not the tablet...then a powerbook...right? Should I even consider dell,sager or other brands. How about the IBOOK?</p>
<p>The above link suggests that Januarys Mac Expo in San Francisco will announce the release of the new Intel-based IBooks and that their pricing will be some $200 or more lower than current IBooks. This is still speculation. That said, this coming Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), Mac sites believe, as in years past, that holiday sale prices for select Apple computers will be forthcoming. Im sure Apple will want to sell off their last stock of PPC (IBM) processor based machines to make way for the new MacTel computers. Speculation on the new IBooks and Powerbooks suggest much sleeker (i.e. thinner) and more powerful computers with much sharper LCD screens. If you dont need to buy a laptop right away, it may pay to wait until January to see what Apple has to offer </p>
<p>Convertible Tablet PCs are regular Windows based laptop computers with a swivel LCD screen that can be folded back against the keyboard. A stylus pen allows you to write on the screen just as you would on a piece of paper. With software like GoBinder, MathJournal, MS OneNote, MS Journal and others, students can organize and search their notes electronically. Your handwriting can be converted into text or left as-is. Unlike traditional paper notes which you page through looking for similar information, you can do a search on a keyword or phrase as you would on a computer using MSs Find function or Apples Spotlight. Even if you never use the Tablet PC functions, you still have a regular laptop computer While some argue that they can type faster than they can write, much depends on the subject matter. For those classes in the liberal arts, typing can indeed be more efficient. Math and science classes are less so. </p>
<p>In the end, computers are tools. They allow you to accomplish any number of tasks electronically from searching the Web to taking notes in class (either through typing or in your own hand writing using a Tablet PC) or typing out your term papers. Find the best tool for your needs and pocket book.</p>
<p>I definitely wouldn't blow off tablets so quickly. I think there's some confusion about what a Tablet PC actually is.</p>
<p>A Tablet PC is any computer that runs Windows Tablet PC Editions (which is exactly like regular XP except you have the digitizer functions included).</p>
<p>There are three types of Tablet Pcs:
1. A "slate" is a Tablet PC with only the screen that you write on. No keyboard, no hinge.
2. A "convertible" is a Tablet PC where there is a keyboard hinged to the screen and looks (and can function) exactly like a laptop computer.
3. There's also a "hybrid" Tablet PC where the keyboard can be detatched from the screen but the only type like that is now discontinued. </p>
<p>So, since the tablet in question is a convertible, it can do everything a laptop can do (I've used one for school almost a year now, so I know) plus everything tablets let you do (easy reading, digital notes, digital markup, surfing by tapping the screen with a pen instead of messing with touchpads, etc...).</p>
<p>Right now there are a lot of tablets available and I would highly suggest taking another look at them. The premium for the digitizer is only $100-200, but Gateway is pushing their new CX200X so hard that it's possible you could get a tablet for less than a comparable laptop. </p>
<p>Now, Mac vs. Windows...that's you're own choice. Just don't let the tablet part trip you up.</p>
<p>The IBM X41 Tablet PC is very nice. I will most likely get that in addition to a relatively cheap, humongous HP with 17in screen. </p>
<p>It is only $1500 btw. Pretty cheap considering its size, usability and decent performance.</p>
<p>If I had to pick between the two, I'd pick the powerbook. This is coming from a Windows user. I say this because I personally would not utilize the tablet functions (notetaking because I would rather just use a pen and paper. Sure it can get a little messy, but I woudl rather thumb through pages than thumb through files...plus, I won't have to worry about computer crashes. With a tablet, if your computer crashes, you not only lose your assignments, but your NOTES too!</p>
<p>If you want a computer and the money isn't really an issue, there's no choice better than the powerbook, honestly. And if money is an issue, the iBook is your friend.</p>
<p>Look forward to laughing at your friends when they lose everything on their hard drive... happened to about 8 kids in my dorm freshmen year (of 50), and none of them were mac users.</p>
<p>A lot of people with non powerbooks wish they had one, trust me.</p>
<p>And that's why you back up ... sigh.. cant stress this enough... there are even tools out there that will upload to FTP in zip format (automatically, on a squedule). Macs might be better built.. but they are also more expensive... an equivilant PC in price AND performance would be just as durable . </p>
<p>Besides, with a PC you are not just limited to windows.. *unix is out there too..and you can always dual boot.</p>
<hr>
<p>If you are familiar with unix you'll know the obvious choice, if you arent.. there are still a lot more apps for the pc (many are free, unlike with the mac). </p>
<p>Look forward to having your friends thank you for helping them set up an automated back up system with multiple backup options.</p>
<p>Wait until next year when Apple switches to Intel processors, and then get a powerbook.</p>
<p>Not a fan of tablets. You're paying a lot more for a feature that you may not use (a common complaint with tablets is that it's just not as comfortable to write on a screen as it is writing with a pencil on paper).</p>
<p>If you decide that you'd rather get a laptop you should definately consider other brands than just Powerbook, unless you're a diehard Mac fan.</p>
<p>theonekid</p>
<p>i agree, but how many non-computery people do you know who run unix on their computers? or know what dual boot is / how to do it?</p>