Computer Advice

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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BlacKAT33

BlacKAT33

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I've been trying to figure out what type of laptop I want to buy for vet school. In undergrad, I always thought about how a tablet could help me. I wasted so much time retyping notes, scanning+emailing things to friends, uploading my digital recorded lectures, and bringing my laptop plus multiple notebooks for each class.

I found this new HP tablet that is only 899$ (HP Touchsmart tm2t series)
http://www.shopping.hp.com/webapp/s...oslp/psg/notebooks/Ultra-Portable/tm2t_series

I am also interested in other applications for it like the Ink Flash Cards. Or just in general writing notes on top of the powerpoints with endless variety of pen colors/high lighting, etc.
ex.
60681_375x500_BiologyEye_F.gif
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tabletpc/educationpack/overview3.mspx


Can you guys give me advice for if you think it is a good idea. Would you find this kind of stuff helpful for studying? limiting amount of materials to bring to class?

I will be biking/walking all the time so it means a lot to me to minimize what i carry.

If i didnt go for this I could get a regular laptop for about 500$, but to me this price difference isn't that big of a deal. I have heard that it is IMPOSSIBLE to make time to make flashcards and i really really need flashcards to study. IMO i think it would be good for my needs, but what is your opinion??

thanks!
 
I think there are about 2 people in our class who have tablets. Most of the professors upload the notes as powerpoints, so you can just take notes down at the bottom in the little "notes" section. Some classes are really annoying though and only upload PDFs - for that, I think a tablet would be helpful. Making little text boxes all over the place is really annoying, haha. I know that tpad40 has a thinkpad tablet - you could get in touch with her.

I'd make sure you get something with a fairly big hard drive. I never thought I'd fill up my computer, but I have - I think with all these powerpoints (plus all my music, photos, etc).
 
does everyone think a laptop is really necessary for class in vet school? I have one, but I generally learn better if I record lecture and take notes in a notebook. (although I've never tried a tablet, so this could work similarly).

I've got a macbook pro that is my baby, so if I need one it's not too big of a deal, but I'm just curious how many people bring laptops to class.
 
marycatherine said:
does everyone think a laptop is really necessary for class in vet school? I have one, but I generally learn better if I record lecture and take notes in a notebook. (although I've never tried a tablet, so this could work similarly).

I've got a macbook pro that is my baby, so if I need one it's not too big of a deal, but I'm just curious how many people bring laptops to class.
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I'm sure you can easily get by without a laptop in class. My main reason for wanting one isn't only to use during class, but more importantly for the whole day I am away from home. In undergrad i could easily not have a laptop, but then again, I was usually back at my apartment by noon. In vet school, I get a sense that you're basicaly there from 8 to 5 every day. some days shorter and some days much longer. I don't want to go to the library every time I need a computer during the day. But then again, if you don't think you will need to check your email or use the internet until the evening then I'm sure it would be fine.
 
this is a little different, but has anyone heard of that microsoft office product that records the lecture with the microphone on the computer, and when you type it syncs what you were listening to during the lecture to what you typed when you typed it?

Its called OneNote I believe. Sounds cool...any reviews?
 
BlacKAT33 said:
I'm sure you can easily get by without a laptop in class. My main reason for wanting one isn't only to use during class, but more importantly for the whole day I am away from home. In undergrad i could easily not have a laptop, but then again, I was usually back at my apartment by noon. In vet school, I get a sense that you're basicaly there from 8 to 5 every day. some days shorter and some days much longer. I don't want to go to the library every time I need a computer during the day. But then again, if you don't think you will need to check your email or use the internet until the evening then I'm sure it would be fine.
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That's a point I didn't even think about, thank you. I'd much rather have it on me for breaks than not have it at all, good point.
 
Castaway12 said:
this is a little different, but has anyone heard of that microsoft office product that records the lecture with the microphone on the computer, and when you type it syncs what you were listening to during the lecture to what you typed when you typed it?

Its called OneNote I believe. Sounds cool...any reviews?
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Yes i saw this!! I didn't know it had that function, but in the first link I posted. If you click on it and then click on the arrow to picture 4/6 it shows an example of it writing on power point notes. It sounds like a great organizational tool.
 
Castaway12 said:
this is a little different, but has anyone heard of that microsoft office product that records the lecture with the microphone on the computer, and when you type it syncs what you were listening to during the lecture to what you typed when you typed it?

Its called OneNote I believe. Sounds cool...any reviews?
Click to expand...

My MacBook Pro actually has this incorporated into the Microsoft Word program-- I found out about it from SDN! If you go into the Notebook view or layout, then you can see a microphone which interacts with what you type.
 
The more I read about OneNote the more i fall in love with it! The demo video is great. i love how it will interact with all files and internet websites. Pretty cool. They say it is great even if you don't have a tablet (probably personal opinion). Anyway, for anyone buying a new computer, the Home and Student Package of microsoft is a pretty sweet deal. You get the new Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and OneNote for 150$. If you buy these things individually it will be about 100$ or more a piece. Pretty good deal for all of them together
 
I don't know if it's still valid but Microsoft had some kind of Ultimate deal, which was all their Office products in one, for about $60, which is dirt cheap considering. Was only for college students though.

Also Office 2010 is free for the moment, until August 2010. It's a beta version so not all things may work, however I've been using it for a while now and it works fine and pretty much just like their other products.
 
Castaway12 said:
this is a little different, but has anyone heard of that microsoft office product that records the lecture with the microphone on the computer, and when you type it syncs what you were listening to during the lecture to what you typed when you typed it?

Its called OneNote I believe. Sounds cool...any reviews?
Click to expand...

One note is amazing. However the quality of the audio (maybe my microphone sucks) isn't as great as I'd like it to be. I have to sit way in the front of the room to hear it clearly back. However, it hasn't done me wrong yet and I use it all the time even for personal things since you can password protect chosen "notebooks".

I was also thinking of getting a tablet but unsure. I won't go with hp again since their screen switches are crappy and is why my hp only lasted a year and 2 months. (couldn't see 70% of the screen and it was unrepairable. I wish Sony made a tablet. I have been incredibly happy with the quality as well as their customer service!!!
 
For awhile I was considering investing in a tablet for vet school, but I'm a die-hard Mac person (had 3 different brands of PC laptops die on me in 3 years... had to go Mac after that BS). I was really excited about the iPad... until I learned that it's basically just a giant iPod touch. No stylus?! What's the point?? I haven't totally ruled out a PC tablet, but I bought a brand new MacBook last June so it's really hard to justify. I think I'm going to compromise by upgrading the ram and hard drive on my MacBook. I probably won't use it that much (if at all) to take notes during lectures because I personally retain things better when I'm actively writing. While studying, I also learn things better when they're written in my own handwriting (vs. typed text on a screen/page, even if I was the one who typed it... I'm weird). Also, Cornell has a BEAUTIFUL dry lab with really nice computers, printers, etc. that students have access to 24/7. So I probably won't be lugging my laptop back and forth to school too much either for e-mail/internet access (also, gotta love the ol' Blackberry for this).

Although, all this talk about OneNote definitely has me intrigued... When I bought my new laptop last summer I bought iWork instead of MS Office for Mac, partially because it was cheaper and partially because I'm pretty sure MS Office is what killed my last Mac after 4 years. Now I'm considering giving MS Office another try... thanks for the tip about the 2010 version, HopefulAg! I wonder if the beta version is available for Mac...
 
chii chan said:
I was also thinking of getting a tablet but unsure. I won't go with hp again since their screen switches are crappy and is why my hp only lasted a year and 2 months. (couldn't see 70% of the screen and it was unrepairable. I wish Sony made a tablet. I have been incredibly happy with the quality as well as their customer service!!!
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I had the same issue with an HP tablet. It broke shortly after the one year warranty was up, and it was unrepairable. Hp tried to say I was too rough with it, but it rarely (maybe 5 times max) left my desk. So I definitely wouldn't recommend an Hp tablet
 
I do have an HP tablet, and the only reason I picked this particular tablet was the price and convenience (I got it on sale at Fry's).

I have had a couple of issues with it, but HP has been good about repairing them for free even though I didn't spring for any extra warranty. I'm pretty knowledgeable about hardware and software and very tenacious, though. 😉

If you are thinking about it this far in advance and are not an impatient crazy person like I am, you can get a really good machine for a really good price through IBM's refurb program or their employee referral program. Their tablets are very sturdy and reliable, though much less flashy than most others.

I love having the choice between writing and drawing or typing depending on the subject and topic, and no matter what the format of the notes is (ppt or pdf). I also love not having to carry around a bunch of different notebooks and pens and paper and such. OneNote is pretty good for keeping stuff organized though I advise playing with it a bit and figuring out your organizational strategy early on. And of course it's nice to be able to look things up and cross-reference in notes from the internet.
 
the new macbooks are only $899. I just got one a couple of days ago. I love my macs <3

They are $899 with a student discount
 
I would personally avoid HP. My roommate and I both had HP's that died in less than a year. And HP dicked us both around for quite a while about it. They ended up replacing my hard drive three times, the mother board once, and it still didn't work. I ended up getting it replaced. My roommate had a similar issue. I have known quite a few other people who've had problems with HP as well.
 
Myotis said:
I would personally avoid HP. My roommate and I both had HP's that died in less than a year. And HP dicked us both around for quite a while about it. They ended up replacing my hard drive three times, the mother board once, and it still didn't work. I ended up getting it replaced. My roommate had a similar issue. I have known quite a few other people who've had problems with HP as well.
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See, I had the opposite experience. I got my HP desktop the summer before undergrad and it is in absolutely perfect condition 4.5 years later. I love my 'puter! 😀 I rebooted it once last year to get rid of spyware and such that accumulated and it was good as new. I'm definitely leaning toward another HP when I make a laptop purchase.
 
I've heard mostly bad things about HP. I would highly recommend a Toshiba through personal experience though. Not sure if they make a tablet PC, but their laptops are bang on quality.
 
If you're getting something for school, and you want/ need it to last, also make sure that you buy from a company that offers screen replacement. I know Fujitsu does, and while it's about an extra $500 for the full 3 year plan, that's a three year warranty on the whole thing, and three years screen protection- they'll replace the screen up to twice a year, no questions asked. Quite a deal, since a *normal* replacement screen is usually about as much as a whole new laptop, and sometimes more- I was quoted $1600nz four years ago on mine. I don't even want to think about how much a replacement on a tablet would run.

-j.

oh- i never replaced that screen, just got a monitor to plug it into.
 
its interesting to here these bad experiences with HP. I have similar experience to nittanykitty. i've had an HP for 6 yrs now!! around yr 4 i had a problem (my bad for downloading so many illegal things haha) but when i called them to help me they were really nice and it was fixed.

i am still in the research phase of buying a computer. i just love the cheap price of the new HP tablet. so far there arent many bad reviews...i will wait a couple months to see what happens

nyanko- yes i do think onenote and the tablet in general need to be practiced before i use them during the school yr. i plan to buy one around june and practice with it so i am up to speed!
 
lazyjayn- speaking of broken screens...i broke my boyfriends comp screen when i got my acceptance call lol i will be paying for that soon too. it is 50% of the price of the new comp. and it is a lil mini netbook. i cant imagine the price of a tablet lol
 
nyanko said:
I do have an HP tablet, and the only reason I picked this particular tablet was the price and convenience (I got it on sale at Fry's).

I have had a couple of issues with it, but HP has been good about repairing them for free even though I didn't spring for any extra warranty. I'm pretty knowledgeable about hardware and software and very tenacious, though. 😉

If you are thinking about it this far in advance and are not an impatient crazy person like I am, you can get a really good machine for a really good price through IBM's refurb program or their employee referral program. Their tablets are very sturdy and reliable, though much less flashy than most others.

I love having the choice between writing and drawing or typing depending on the subject and topic, and no matter what the format of the notes is (ppt or pdf). I also love not having to carry around a bunch of different notebooks and pens and paper and such. OneNote is pretty good for keeping stuff organized though I advise playing with it a bit and figuring out your organizational strategy early on. And of course it's nice to be able to look things up and cross-reference in notes from the internet.
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I wonder how you have gotten HP to be so awesome with you. They were awful when I had issues with mine. Hopefully that same charm you have with HP will work for Davis this year. 🙂

How is OneNote with a tablet?? I (obviously) have OneNote on my computer and it is the best program for note taking and organization! However, my computer isn't a tablet, so in some lectures, paper and pen would have been more convenient. However, this could easily be remedied with a tablet.

If any of you are unaware, you can actually drag a PDF or PPT file into OneNote (pick the 3rd option and tell it to paste like a printout) and type on the margins of the slide/page, or over the picture like side notes. This is what I did (for normal laptop users) when teachers provided PDFs or PPTs.

HopefulAg said:
I've heard mostly bad things about HP. I would highly recommend a Toshiba through personal experience though. Not sure if they make a tablet PC, but their laptops are bang on quality.
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Per my SO who is crazy knowledgeable about computers/laptops/almost any electrical technology: HP used to be good but is going downhill (I agree after my experiences). Compaq is crap (made by HP) and their mobos usually fail (though my dad's HD died in his twice). Toshibas are known for their failed HDs (which makes me hesitant, though I personally have never heard anything bad about them). Never get a Gateway! (3rd party parts and expensive as hell. Mine was expensive and complete crap.) And he personally recommends Sony, Dell, or Acer. Acer is super new so their customer service isn't that great, but apparently they make a pretty good computer (from their own parts). I have LOVED LOVED Sony. The converter on my power cord died (under warranty). I called them on Saturday to get it replaced and I had a new power cord on Monday (shipped overnight). The desktop I had for 7 years was great (until it was literally too slow because of new technology and I built a new one for myself from scratch). Never owned a Dell, but heard they're good. Too bad you can't build your own tablet. I'd totally do it. 🙂

Anyone know about Samsung laptops by chance? I know Sony uses Samsung's back panel on their LCD TVs (and I personally think Samsung makes the best quality TV on the market). And BTW I have an iPhone, but I hate Macs. They're over priced and don't give you control over processes like PCs do. So yeah, I have no further input on Macs. But the iPhone is by far the best phone I've ever owned. Almost 9 months since I got mine, and I'm still dazzled by it.
 
chii chan- I also love sony. I replaced my HP with a sony and I love it, and my roommate just replaced his HP with a sony, and so far so good. And my dad just got an iPhone a few months ago, and I swear, every few days I get a text from him telling me how he doesn't know how he lived without it lol
 
chii chan said:
. Never owned a Dell, but heard they're good.
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never buy a delllllllllllll. i hate dells. all of my college friends who had them had multiple problems. POS. lol but i will look into sony!! never had a sony before. My boyfriends netbook is lenovo and it has been great! He also bought another laptop (god he is spoiled, right? lol) and it is an Asus. Pretty darn good so far. They have the double finger scroll like the macs so i love that. although there is a slight flaw in the design but i guess it cant be exactly the same as Macs for copy right issues. ive learned to deal with it.

I wish more brands made tablets!! also...cheaper tablets!
 
Oh yes avoid Dells. My buddy had one and it always screwed up and all I could respond with was "dude, it's a Dell." Put crap in, get crap out.

I'm a firm believer in it not being about brands but rather how the user treats the computer, but Dells are the exception to the rule.
 
HopefulAg said:
Oh yes avoid Dells. My buddy had one and it always screwed up and all I could respond with was "dude, it's a Dell." Put crap in, get crap out.

I'm a firm believer in it not being about brands but rather how the user treats the computer, but Dells are the exception to the rule.
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OMG... NEVER waste your money on a Dell!!! If I could go back in time, I'd convince my dad that I absolutely needed a Mac. I like to call mine the "Dell-o-saur" because it takes forever to boot up and then constantly freezes.

Probably the most frustrating part of my life = a Dell.
 
Hmmmmm, alrighty then. No Dells. Got it. Thank you!! 🙂

I wonder how good the Lenovo tablets are - saw one on the Fry's site and looking at their site now.

BlacKAT33 - Sony also has the double scroll thing, if I think I know what you're talking about (scroll up/down or left/right). Neither are marked on the touch pad, but the function is there.

Myotis - agreed on the iPhone. Too bad my dad doesn't know how to use any of the wonderful functions it has. He couldn't figure out how to text/use Maps/You Tube/etc. if he tried.


Thank God for this forum. I can't believe how unbelievably helpful it is (in information and especially support) - I'd be lost without it.
 
Aw I can't believe Dell's are getting such a bad rap here! We've had Dell's forever and really not much problems. My current laptop, going on 4 years, is my baby and other than me abusing the crap out of it, it's a fantastic machine!

I have convinced (not much convincing necessary once I got the acceptance call!) my mom to get me a new laptop though, a smaller one because this 15.4" thing is like a ball and chain!
I've been doing alot of price comparison and asking around and while I do love my PCs I'm going to make the switch to a Mac. Super bummed that I have to buy a whole new Adobe CS4 suite - I *just* got dreamweaver and photoshop for my dell! But Apple offers the best student discount i've found and I can get the adobe and microsoft office software super cheap from MSU while i'm still a student. I've been playing with Apples at work and am quite warming to the interface!
 
HPs can be hit and miss. The DV6000 series has specific problems - wireless card goes out as does the video. Both are heat related problems. It's good practice for diagnostics though. Seems that the heat blankets weren't good enough and the solder would melt. I've had them replaced twice on mine under warranty, three years after I bought it (warranty is usually only 12 months). If you do some research on Google first and are prepared when you get someone on the phone, they usually don't hassle you too much. It helps to be able to tell them what you've done and get straight to a level 2 tech rep. I have an HP that I bought in '05 that is still running strong. It's our kitchen computer - for looking up recipes, etc. The HPs the Army bought are plain junk, though it might have something to do with the image the Army has us put on them. Lots of corrupt and destroyed hard drives. My DV6000 has been doing ok, once I figured out the problems. This is its second trip to Iraq and I've taken on a few other business trips, which generally are a bit rougher on the baggage than your average trip. So far, it's been working fine.
Most of our computers here are Dell Latitude D630s. They are ok, but lack a lot of the features that I like and are expensive. I haven't tried a tablet - no need at the moment. Touch screens are another source of issues though. My advice when buying a computer is to figure out where you can economize. If you are not comfortable with rooting around to figure out a solution, find a company with great tech support. If you are comfortable, go for more bells and whistles with less support for even money. I still prefer desktops - nothing like easy upgrading.
 
Just pointing out that this thread is 90% opinion. Well *I* had a ________. And it was crap, so never get a _________!

Try Consumer Reports for more official opinions. The HP tablet has been number one on their list for a while, I think...

Just make sure you take care of whatever you get - run your defrag and keep it clean.
 
turnbackhelly said:
I was really excited about the iPad... until I learned that it's basically just a giant iPod touch. No stylus?! What's the point??
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I was so excited when I heard they came out with the iPad because I thought it was a tablet PC...so what is it really, just a large iPhone? You can't get Microsoft Office on it?
 
GreennWhite said:
Super bummed that I have to buy a whole new Adobe CS4 suite - I *just* got dreamweaver and photoshop for my dell! But Apple offers the best student discount i've found and I can get the adobe and microsoft office software super cheap from MSU while i'm still a student.
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I would contact Adobe if you just bought it and they should exchange it.
 
GreennWhite said:
Super bummed that I have to buy a whole new Adobe CS4 suite - I *just* got dreamweaver and photoshop for my dell! But Apple offers the best student discount i've found and I can get the adobe and microsoft office software super cheap from MSU while i'm still a student.
Click to expand...

I would contact Adobe if you just bought it and they should exchange it. Consumer reports seems to always rank Mac laptops as the best, not sure if its the MacBook though. I am considering converting to a Mac when I get my next laptop, especially since their prices are now comparable to the PCs. Apologize for all the posts...
 
about 3/4 of our class has either laptops or net books. The ones with netbooks generally are paper note takers who use the net books to follow/review slide shows, check email, and access study websites after hours (when access to computer labs/library is limited.) of the computer users, I would say it is less than 20% of students, and those foks tend to print powerpoints, take written notes, etc. Of the rest of the computer users, tablet vs standard is about half and half. I love my tablet, but I primarily type, because I am faster at typing. however, for drawing on powerpoints, putting in small written details, etc, the tablet can't be beat.

I upload everything to one note (file per class, tab per 'exam's worth' of material within the file, then pages for each lecture, special notes, etc.) I can print anything to one note, then mark it up.

I do still use flashcards alot, but I type those into excel, then import from excel to a flashcard program. I am currently trialing recallplus, which may be better suited for the tablet. I have used, in a previous career, the flash card program by microsoft for learnig 300+ species of fish in less than 4 days...and I couldn't have done it without the graphics in the tablet flash cards; I could annotate on the pictures the features that distinguished that species/subspecies.

I am a big believer in plunking the extra $$$ down for the on site 24 hour no questions asked repair, particularly if you will primarily use your computer for notes and such, and invest in a seperate hard drive or online space for regular (weekly or twice weekly) backups. When I dropped water on my keyboard, they repaired it in the vet school while was at lunch the next day. I have a Lenova. I had a Toshiba before this, with the same warranty, and the machine was ok, but getting repairs was a fierce battle every single time.

It does reduce the numer of notebooks I carry, but I still get weighted down by lab coat, lab book, and the occasional pack of coure notes that aren't online.
 
I have a lenovo tablet (x200 I believe) and it is a wonderful computer. Lightning fast, reliable. I adore it. That being said, while the tablet feature is very cool, it is just that. I tried using it quite a bit in the beginning and it was mostly a distraction and I kept falling behind in lectures while I tried to mess with formatting or something. It was just not effective. I also dislike typing notes because I just turn into a robot and write what a teacher is saying and retain very little. So I have gone to printing slides and old-fashioned handwritten notes.

The tablet definitely cost extra $$, and in my opinion, wasn't worth it for me. I do however HIGHLY rec. lenovo. I have had at least a couple IBM/lenovo laptops and the service is always fantastic and speedy. They also have hardly ever needed it. I got mine through a start of year special through my Dad's work which was a lot cheaper.

On OneNote, I also sort of failed using that. I am pretty computer savvy, but one note also just slowed me down in class. I think if I had been accustomed to using it before vet school I would have loved it, but I gave up.

I think it is hard to predict because everyones study habits/learning methods are so different and the format of vet school is really different from undergrad. I really thought tablet was the answer, but sadly, I use it more for the swivel screen to show my neighbors weird pictures in class. :laugh:

And finally, I have to add to the HP hate. My previous laptop was an HP tablet (it was very inexpensive, under 700) and it is the devil. I had endless problems: the wireless card was defective (twice), it overheated after one hour, it melted something and wouldn't turn on, and then while trying to fix it I dropped it. You could see a 2" by 2" square into the computers hardware. Fortunately I purchased a huge accidental warranty, but despite this, they made me spend 4 hours on the phone with them. They made me remove my hard drive, reinstall it, remove my memory, and do like 30 other things. Then after four hours of that, they told me they were going to transfer me to further support. I rarely freak out, but I did and demanded a box on my doorstep tomorrow because I had to study! To give them some credit, a box did arrive and I got an entirely new computer in less than a week. Which I promptly sold.
 
lyndaelyzoo said:
I would contact Adobe if you just bought it and they should exchange it. Consumer reports seems to always rank Mac laptops as the best, not sure if its the MacBook though. I am considering converting to a Mac when I get my next laptop, especially since their prices are now comparable to the PCs. Apologize for all the posts...
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Ok, *just* as in a few months for dreamweaver and about a year for photoshop. haha - it's just alot of money!

I think it was PC Mag that I was looking at that had the Macbook Pro 13" consistantly at the top of most comparisons - that's what i'm going with - i've been convinced that the extra $200 is worth it. :laugh:
 
Btw...the macbook pro is no different than the macbook now. I just talked to someone at the mac store and all the "insides" of both computers are now the same. So go with the macbook for $899!!
 
Such hate for Dells. =( I loved the Dell I got 2 years ago but I've had to replace it for a Toshiba tablet per UC Davis' requirements. First things first, MAKE SURE your vet school doesn't require a specific model at matriculation... or you will end up spending a lot of money...

One Note is pretty awesome. I've never had trouble with the microphone function but lectures are broadcast over the sound system and they are recorded separately by the school and accessible online so I haven't used it often. I REALLY like you can make screen clips and print documents into it. Made my life 100x easier since I used to do the same thing with print screen, paint/photoshop, crop, copy, paste.

Personally, I type everything up (used to in undergrad and still do now). My handwriting sucks so I don't like to look at it. 😛 So I only use the tablet function a few times a week but it's still incredibly useful to circle things, draw diagrams, etc.

My vote = tablet + OneNote
 
I LOVE MY Lenovo X200 tablet. ABSOLUTELY. I take notes on it every day using Onenote and it saves me tons of time. I can cut slides out of powerpoint files and write directly on them or just write on the PDFs themselves (using something like Bluebeam PDF)...which is nice since all of our notes are uploaded into either PDF or ppt.

One of the main reasons I love my tablet is being able to search my handwriting. I can look something up instantly by just searching through my notes (yes the handwriting recognition software works REALLY well...and my handwriting is borderline messy)...which makes studying so easy. Since I have been using my tablet in class, two other classmates have gotten jealous and purchased the Lenovo as well. They are SO durable (they actually have a built-in roll cage 👍), they have a great warranty, and the company is really easy to deal with. I also like how light and portable the computer is. It weights practically nothing so its no big deal to carry it around. Some of the newer laptops I see are so huge they barely fit on the desks in our classroom.

I sprung for the bigger battery which is essential for note-taking in a classroom that has ONE outlet for 130 people 🙄. I also got a large external hard-drive and backup my notes every day after school "just in case". If you go with a tablet dont skimp on the RAM; that's the one thing you really cant have enough of on a tablet.

Overall, I wouldn't trade my computer for anything, it has helped me immensely in school. On a side note, I did record all the lectures during my first semester but there is literally NO WAY to listen to them all so I quickly gave up. Sitting in 8 hours of class everyday and then going home and trying to listen to all 8 hours you just recorded just wasn't feasible for me (even though I used to do it all the time in grad school and undergrad). Just my 2c, anyone who want to see a "sample" of the notes I usually take in class...have a look at the attached page from my neuro notes.
 

Attachments

(yes the handwriting recognition software works REALLY well...and my handwriting is borderline messy)
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😴 Only a girl would call that 'borderline messy' handwriting.
 
CBRGrl said:
I LOVE MY Lenovo X200 tablet. ABSOLUTELY. I take notes on it every day using Onenote and it saves me tons of time. I can cut slides out of powerpoint files and write directly on them or just write on the PDFs themselves (using something like Bluebeam PDF)...which is nice since all of our notes are uploaded into either PDF or ppt..
Click to expand...

WOW. Now I feel pretty much sold. (Your handwriting is NOT messy.) I was looking at the Lenovo tablets and love the customization options. However, I've also been looking at the slate tablets. The HP slate looks promising and the Archos 9 looks good also. Since they both are capable of running windows software, then One Note shouldn't be a problem. They're also cheaper than a tablet, lighter weight, and you don't have to worry about the screen switches. (I have a laptop I love and will take with me, but want something solely for school that I don't play music on or download on.) Thoughts? Here's the chart I was looking at. http://gizmodo.com/5459308/slate-sh...te-vs-joojoo-vs-android-tablets--more-updated
 
Question: I've never gotten to play with a tablet before, so I assume they work by writing with a stylus on the screen yes? Then how does the computer, which I assume recognizes the stylus through touch, differentiate the stylus from your hand? I'd imagine writing with your hand held up in the air (vs laying down on the writing surface like on paper) would get very painful and tiring after a while.

Do you have to hold your hand a different way or does it just work like normal somehow, perhaps by magic?
 
HopefulAg-

I think most stili have something in them that causes recognition, like a little magnet or something, because some tablets *do* also work as touch screens, and some don't. Either that or they only accept pressure from a set area as being a valid input... hmmm.... I do know that on my palm I could use my fingernail to "click" stuff, but my whole finger was just not working...

-j.
 
There are a few different methods that tablets use as far as I know. Some, like the iPod Touch, use a technology that utilizes capacitance. Regardless, you DO touch the screen with the stylus.
 
this is great info!!! thanks everyone! im pretty curious about this lenovo tablet now! i think the next step is just going to the store so i can play around with all of them in person.

shanomong-i did not realize penn was paperless! this is great (i hate crazy amts of paper. at the end of the semester its like a skyscraper of unorganized paper)

CBRgrl- thanks for that sample! I guess that was in OneNote? do you put all of your slides into onenote before class and use that to write on? Do you prefer this because you have more open ended space than if it were in powerpoint?
 
Can someone with a lenovo tablet (or someone more computer savvy) tell me which one of these 3 lenovo tablets they have, or is good. I dont know the difference lol

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...-category-id=329576204C9E42289967E79E0E7C9A2D

1. ThinkPad X200 Tablet with integrated graphics
2. Enhanced ThinkPad X200 Tablet with Multi-Touch Screen
3. Elite ThinkPad X200 Tablet with integrated graphics

What is this integrated graphics? and the multitouch screen?? I thought all the tablets were touch, what does multi touch mean?
 
I was looking into buying the Lenovo tablet, but it doesn't have an optic drive so you can't watch DVDs on it. 🙁
 
I think the multi-touch screen is so you can touch two different places at once and have the screen recognize it. Not sure how or why this is useful, but to a more advanced tablet-er it might be.

The other two, no idea.
 
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