Layne just called me to give an update on how the LA Tablet PC Developer Training session is going. Here's what he had to say:

Good news. There is a 3:1 ratio of developers to end users. Frank Gocinski led the Tablet PC Developer tour in the afternoon. Developers arrived to a personable, driven presentation allowing great exchanges between presenter and audience. Plenty of jokes. (A big positive for Layne. LOL) Relaxed atmosphere. Perfect opportunity to learn to think in ink... digital ink that is.

As the presentation moved forward more developers arrived just as Frank talked about the increase in interest in developing for Tablet PCs. With Windows XP Service Pack 2 there are currently 2500+ beta testers and 70,000 developers.

Momentum is definitely increasing.

Next, he reviewed the Tablet PC Vision:

2003 - Tablet PCs were a new type of notebook PC
2004 / 2005 - Tablet is a feature of notebooks
2006+ - There will be a Mobile PC for every customer need

Here is the really great part, Frank shared what a strong impact System Vendors are having on Tablet PC sales. 88% of the general Tablet PC deployments are due to ISV solutions and 92% of the corporate deployments are due to direct ISV solutions. This certainly shows how the fundamental success of Tablet PCs relies on developers.

Frank consistently described Tablet PCs as an ultra-portable machine as fully functional as a desktop machine with Windows XP. (I think I screwed up how Layne said this - will have to clarify later.)

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which is rolled into Windows XP Service Pack 2, has 4 main advantages in terms of inking:

1.) Redesign of the tip
2.) Context sensitive handwriting
3.) East Asia recognition improvements
4.) General platform enhancements

In terms of the Tablet PC 1.7 SDK, which developers use to integrate Tablet PC features into applications, a key feature that SDK 1.7 allows is browser support.

If developers cannot make one of the Tablet PC Developer Training Sessions, the Seattle session at which Arin Goldberg, Microsoft Tablet PC Lead Architect, spoke was video taped. That video will be available on the new Tablet PC Developer Center on MSDN in about 2 weeks.

Developers can email tabbeta@microsoft.com to get a copy of Tablet SDK 1.7. Individuals or companies working on Tablet PC applications can send technical questions tabisv@microsoft.com.

Layne wrapped the rest of the conversation up fairly quickly because he had to get back into the sessions. His next comments were about a wonderful chart showing the progress in technology for mobile users. (We'll recreate later.) And a couple quotes.

One was from Joe from Acer. Joe described the buying advantage of a Tablet PC over other computers very well. "The Tablet PC is really 3 for the price of 1: a notebook, notebook with ink, and a desktop replacement."

Gretchen Rivas handled the morning Free Mobility Show aimed at general businesses. She reviewed signs that your workers need mobile solutions.

We'll have more information for you later, including pictures from today's event.