ThinkPad TransNote

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IBM ThinkPad TransNote
IBM ThinkPad TransNote
ManufacturerIBM
Product familyThinkPad
Type2-in-1 PC, Graphics tablet
Release dateFebruary 28, 2001; 25 years ago (2001-02-28)[1]
DiscontinuedOctober 28, 2003; 22 years ago (2003-10-28)[2]
Operating system
CPUMobile Intel Pentium III (Coppermine) @ 600 MHz
Memory64-320 MB PC100 SDRAM
Storage10 or 20 GB HDD
Removable storageCompactFlash
Display10.4" SVGA TFT Touchscreen
GraphicsATI Rage Mobility M

The ThinkPad TransNote is a notebook computer by IBM[3] that was launched in February 2001.[4]

Design

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The TransNote was an internal collaboration between IBM's Research and Personal Computing Division (PCD). Randy Moulic, manager of client systems at IBM, merged the pen technologies group and mobile PC platform group to work on the prototype.[5] John Karidis was responsible for the mechanical design of the TransNote.[6][7] Kardis and Ronald Smith developed the system that allows the TransNote to fold on top of itself to reduce the footprint of the device.[8]

The TransNote was created to combine the CrossPad which IBM developed in collaboration with A.T. Cross and a laptop computer, specifically the ThinkPad. IBM was targetting two groups with the development of the TransNote: note-takers and graphic-intensive users.[9]

The TrasNote received several patents for its design and features.[8][10][11][12]

Features

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The TransNote consists of a leather-like folio case which contains a computer on one side and a paper notebook on the other side.[13]

The CrossPad technology would become known as ThinkScribe on the TransNote.[14] The ThinkScribe pad had 2MB of internal memory to record notes that could be stored and then transferred to the computer component.[13] The notes could be converted into JPEG, TIFF and PDF formats.[5]

The hardware relies on the use of the software package InkManagerPro which was developed for the TransNote. [15]

Specifications

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The TransNote comes equipped with:

Folded TransNote with opened cover

The battery pack uses flat Samsung 103450 cells.[18]

Reception

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Computerworld called it a "failed design" because it tried to blend a large 3M digitized pad with a tiny underpowered laptop in the same product.[19] PCQuest viewed it as an attractive choice for people who travel a lot.[20] TechRepublic called it one of the 25 "unique and bizarre breakthroughs" in laptop innovation.[21]

Awards

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The TransNote won a Gold iF Product Design Award in 2002 in the product discipline.[22] The TransNote was the winner in the PC category of the PC Magazine Awards for Technical Excellence in 2001.[23] It also won an IDSA IDEA Award in 2001.[24]

Academia

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The TransNote was utilized in a handwriting study that examined the writing speed and "wrinkliness" as it related to forged handwriting.[25]

Further developments

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IBM announced the discontinuation of the TransNote in February 2002, intending to discontinue it at the end of the year.[26] John Karidis noted that IBM learned a lot about the tablet PC market and the kinds of customers that use these devices.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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  8. ^ a b US6307741B1, Karidis, John P. & Smith, Ronald Alan, "System and method for improving the physical management of a portfolio computer and reducing the footprint thereof during operation", issued Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). 
  9. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ US20020041290A1, Lekuch, Scott; Inoue, Ken & Dumarot, Dan et al., "Extending the GUI desktop/paper metaphor to incorporate physical paper input", issued Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). 
  11. ^ US20020040817A1, Lekuch, Scott; Inoue, Ken & Dumarot, Dan et al., "Data steering flip pen system", issued Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). 
  12. ^ US20020042888A1, Lekuch, Scott; Inoue, Ken & Dumarot, Dan et al., "Digitizer companion subsystem to extend PC battery life", issued Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). 
  13. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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