When you were in school, did you draw on your desk? When Microsoft launched Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Loren and I talked about how great it would be if our eldest brother could finally draw on his desk again. Yes, mark all over it.
You see, he's an architect. Even though more recently his drafting table is primarily used for reviewing and his PC is used for drafting or redlining, with pen and multi-touch technology he could have a multi-touch table. Architecture firms could also use entire walls to literally walk a customer through a virtual building to proof the drawing.
With Windows SDK offering ink and shape & handwriting recognition at a platform level, Google TouchLib, Microsoft Surface, Microsoft TouchWall, and other similar efforts we're nearing an opportunity to converge developer platforms*in order to expand and deliver a greater variety to users. I don't think it'll happen in one fell swoop, but consider the possibilities.


What Is New in Tablet PCs and UMPCs.