The Tableteers Lament

Sung to know tune whatsoever.

Help me! Help me! Which Tablet is right for me?

Lenovo? Fujitsu? Or perhaps a UMPC?

Bluetooth? WWAN? Edge or Verizon?

More new choices just over the horizon.

High res? Touch? Wide or small? Which screen to choose?

I’m so afraid I’ll pick wrong , I’m sure to loose.

Core Duo or Core 2? Vista or XP?

Somene tell me which is right for me?

Ok, it’s not this lame lyric, it’s the content.

For we all know well, the Tableteers lament.

Yes, we do. We all know the agony of trying to make that decison whether it is a first Tablet PC or UMPC, or whether it is our second, or third, etc… With new mobile wonders rolling out and more certainly to come, it is tough to choose and sometimes tough to pull the trigger. Buy now or wait?

Of course when the question, “What Tablet PC is right for me?” is asked, it is usually met with a question in return. “What are you going to do with it?” I’ve often said Tablet PCs put the personal back into personal computing and I still believe that to be true. And the more personal a decision the more ruminating that goes on before hand.

In light of the fact that you can’t run down to the nearest big box and compare there are fortunately a number of excellent resources out there for you to check out. I’ve listed a few select ones here that I visit when I’m making a decision, and I’m sure most of them will be familar to many. None will answer the question for you. They may even raise more questions. But they will at least give you some good info on which to base your decision.

GottaBeMobile.com. Of course you knew I’d list this one first. Between the new and rapidly growing Forums, News postings, and the Inkshows we offer, there is a wealth of content, opinions, rants and raves to peruse. Register and ask a question in the Forums and you’re sure to get several different opinions. Check out the Inkshows for reviews and opinions on what different GBM members think about the hardware we get a chance to check out.

TabletWiki. Tablet PC MVP WNewquay has quietly built this new community resource into a growing treasure trove of information. While we all wish the ongoing woes of Tablet PC Buzz did not exist, some of the excellent articles and think pieces WN created on the Buzz have been ported over to the Tablet Wiki. Good articles to start with are Decison Criteria, The Rationalizer, and How To Buy a Tablet PC. By the way, we now list TabletWiki under the Resources Menu.

jkOnTheRun. James Kendrick’s long running blog has always been a great source of reviews, opinions, and new gadget info. With the addition of Kevin Tofel to the team, it has become even more so. You’ll also find great video reviews on the Mobile Media Edition of jkOnTheRun.

TabletPCReviewSpot.com. Barry Doyle and the TPCRS gang do a great job with reviews that include benchmarks, specs, and other great data to help you in your selection process.

Carrypad. If you’re looking for good info on UMPCs, Carrypad has a wealth of information that can help you begin to sort out the questions.

TabletPC2.com. Linda Epstein gets her hands on just about any new product that gets released and she publishes a very thorough look at each item.

Hugo Ortega’s Uber Tablet: a Tablet PC Talk Spot. Hugo’s enthusiasm for Tablet PCs and UMPCs is more than contagious. His video coverage is another excellent resource for you to check out.

There are certainly more sites out there but these will get you more than started and on your way.