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The First 5 Things You'll Want to Know About Tablet Computers

The First 5 Things You'll Want to Know About Tablet Computers

If you're new here, or to Tablet PC's, there's a few things you should know. A few bits of information we should get out of the way first...

1. The Tablet I use is a PC, Not a Mac
Everything but the iPad is Windows based. Mac's tablet the iPad is more like a giant iPod Touch, it wasn't designed to have a stylus/pen input, but there are several apps for that now, but you can either type (using the virtual keyboard) or use your finger to write. Also, the only way you can get anything on the computer is through email, there are no input ports, but i understand on the iPad 3 that might have changed. But don't dispare, this is only the third version of the Mac tablet, and only the first since Steve Jobs passed, so there's bound to be a bit of a shake down cruise since he's gone, and they'll probably come out with one that has a few more input choices. In the mean time, there is an after market/third party 'upgrade' you can get that will turn a MacBookPro into a tablet computer, but I'm not sure of the cost. (If you're interested in that, leave a message here, or better yet email me at tmoodyca@roadrunner.com and I'll hook you up with people in the know about such things), i will tell you that from what i have seen it partitions the harddrive so that you can run both Mac & Windows. So you'd still be running Windows programs just on a Mac machine.

2. What Kind of Tablet is Right for Me?
There's two different types of Tablet PC's. A slate tablet, and a convertible. The slate does NOT come with a keyboard but is usually lighter in weight, but a bit more expensive. The convertible allows the screen to swivel all the way around and lay flat on top of the keyboard. These are a bit heavier (although not by an enormous amount), but they cost less. Poke about in this blog to find some of the manufactures of both types of computer, or contact me via email at the above address.

3. Using Tablet PC's On-Set
Every Tablet PC comes with the program - Windows Journal, Journal Note Writer, or something like that, in it. The name varies, but it's exactly the same program & Script Supervisor's can use this program to take their notes AND line their pages. It does NOT turn your handwriting into text. You can enter text in this program, it just takes a few more menu scrolls and pen clicks, but it can be done. You'll have to decide if it's worth the effort. Other programs I know Script Supers to use are Excel, Filemaker Pro, Access, Adobe Acrobat, & Bluebeam Revu (more about those last two in section 4.)

4. PDF Readers & Printers
You may not know what it is, but you're going to need it. It's a program (or programs) that will allow you to read and print your pages and forms into PDF. PDF is a universal format that every computer, both PC and Mac, can view. There's a couple of different ways to achieve this, some more expensive than others, but all viable ways to go. The Acrobat Reader is free and easy to download, but that's just about all it does. And there are several programs out there that are just PDF printer drivers and those are either free or at a nominal cost. Or you can go with a couple of different PDF Editors. These allow you to read, print and manipulate PDF files. The two most well known are Adobe Acrobat, and Bluebeam Revu. I believe both have a 30 day free trial that can be downloaded from their websites. (There are other PDF Editors out there, just Google for a list.) These can be used to take your notes and to line your pages as well. However there is a little bit more of a learning curve involved with all of them.

5. eBay - A cheaper way to shop
Ok, you've decided to jump in and do the deed, but you're a little tight on cash. Or you're still a bit skittish about the whole thing because you're a Mac and it's a PC. Here's my recommendation: go eBay. First you're gonna want to do a bit of research. Find the make and model of computer you like (HP, Lenovo, Motion Computing, Dell, Tablet Kiosk, etc.), then I suggest going to Fry's or Best Buy, or Sears, and basically fondling the merchandise. Find something that you like the feel of, the weight of. You like the way the pen writes on the screen. See what software it comes with (Microsoft Word, or Excel, etc.), what hardware (external hard drive, or keyboard, etc.). Find the one that's right for you. Do NOT skip this step, I know the research is often the boring part, but in this case it's important. You are going to have to spend at least 12 1/2 hours a day with this machine, and a fairly large chunk of money, so it should be something you like. After you've researched it and found the machine of your dreams, then head to eBay. First just see what they have to offer in tablets, you might find something you didn't know about. Then get down to business, and look for that one computer that will make your life complete. Now you might have to settle for last years model (so make sure you get the name and numbers correct), but if it comes at a significant discount (on the order of one half the price or so) you'll have a decision to make.

So there you are, the first five things you need to know. Go forth and compute.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Dropbox on set

So I decided to try this software I saw a recommendation for on the Script Super yahoo newsgroup, ContinuityGroup@yahoo.com, called Dropbox (you can find the link to it in another post on this site). The gentleman recommending it loved it, and having now used it for a few days on this ultra low-dough, non-union job, I know why. It's just… wonderful.

Here's how it works:

  1. You download the free software that gives you 2 GB of space. If you need more space you can pay a monthly fee
  2. You set up a folder in the folder, called My Dropbox, that is downloaded to your desktop.
  3. You add all the things you want to share with others to this folder(s).
  4. You invite them, via email message, to the folder.

And "Tada" everyone you invited now has access to these files and folders.

So, not only can I drop PDF's of my nightly paperwork into My Dnopbox and the Production office, the Editors and the AD's can pickup my notes anytime they like. But I've also invited my Sound Mixer to My Drop box folder and I throw a PDF of my Editor's Log on there, whenever I think about it, and he can keep up with the circle takes as we go along.

If we were doing circle takes on the Red Cams, I'd have invited my AC's as well. So I'd never have to touch another camera or sound report again!

I can see this being incredibly useful for the sharing of continuity photos, and notes, between both Departments and Units

Tips & Tricks:

I suggest that you only throw PDF's into the folder because this software was designed for collaboration and someone could, accidently, edit your Word or Excel forms.

Also, please note that you need to let the others that have access to your files and folders that they must Copy/Paste not Drag and Drop. If they remove something from the folder, others can't see it. You can recover it however with just a couple of clicks

So. Take a look and see what-cha think.



UPDATE: 10/19/10

It seems my Editor thought this item so useful that he made a folder of his own & dropped it into my main show folder. He created cut scenes for my Director & Producers & put them into this folder. He then invited the Director and Producers to my Dropbox so that they could access the cut scenes, the Director then invited the DP so that he too could look at said scenes.

Had no idea, up until then that anyone could add more people to the invites other than myself. but thought this was a very interesting use of the software.
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