History of Tablet Computers

A Brief History of Tablet Computers

By Ryan J. Vetter, MA

August 1, 2009

1 Vetter, Ryan J., 2009

Vetter, Ryan J., 2009

Tablet Computers: A Definition

A tablet computer is a device with a touchscreen that allows for either pen input and/or touch/multi-touch gestures. The width and length is about that of a piece of A4 paper. Two varieties exist: 1. Hybrid Tablets (with keyboard) and Slate Tablets (sans keyboard)

2 Vetter, Ryan J., 2009


Tablet Computers: Beginnings

We can think of a tablet as being a slate that can record information, traditionally through input via a stylus, or, in ancient times, through inscriptions from sharp writing objects (primitive pens/styli).

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Ancient Tablets: 32,000+ Years Ago

As reported in the BBC News in 2003, one of the oldest tablets was discovered in Mexico. Notable is the carving of the man on the Mammoth tusk: it is in the shape of the

constellation Orion.4


A Rock Slate Tablet

Mesopotamian Sumerian Medical Tablet, circa 2400 BC: reproduction.

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1888: Telautograph

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1888: Telautograph

What is interpreted as the first tablet computer, the Telautograph is patented by Elisha Gray. In an interview in 1888, published in The Manufacturer & Builder (Vol. 20: No. 4: pages 85-86), Gray discussed his invention as follows:

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By my invention you can sit down in your office in Chicago, take a pencil in your hand, write a message to me, and as your pencil moves, a pencil here in my laboratory moves simultaneously, and

forms the same letters and words in the same way. What you write in Chicago is instantly reproduced here in fac-simile. You may write in any language, use a code or cipher, no matter, a fac-simile is produced here. If you want to draw a picture it is the same, the picture is reproduced here. The artist of your

newspaper can, by this device, telegraph his pictures of a railway wreck or other occurrences just as a reporter telegraphs his

description in words.

1888: Telautograph

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The Telautograph transmits electrical impulses (pen input) recorded by a potentiometer to the receiving station

where a pen attached to a stepping motor reproduces the original input on a stationary sheet of paper. It became

particularly popular transmitting signatures in the banking industry, and in the the health care industry in large

hospitals for the timely delivery of doctors orders and patient information.

1888: Telautograph

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1957: Styalator

1957: More like todays tablets, the Styalator was the first digitizer tablet with a stylus used for handwriting

recognition, paired with a computer.

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1964: Rand Tablet

1964: The RAND Tablet, or Grafacon, is introduced, which functioned in much the same way as the Styalator as well as

the Apple Graphics Tablet; through a magnetic signal, the Grafacon localized a stylus on the x, y and z axis, with its

input being reproduced on a computer.

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1964: Rand Tablet

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1968: Dynabook

1968: Dynabook... conceived of, by Alan Kay (Xerox Researcher). Kay released a now famous paper titled A Personal Computer for Children of All Ages in 1972 detailing

the Dynabook as a fantasy device.

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1968: DynabookThe Dynabook, as a concept device, was to be a tablet computer aimed at children. The way Kay described it

implied that, not only would the software and hardware have to be tightly conjoined, but it would require many of the online services we take for granted today. At any rate, Kay was touting a device, ideally, with no moving parts and

haptic feedback - a touch screen.

!

The Dynabook never made it to market, however.

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1979: Apple Graphics Tablet

This was a digitizer pad with a wired stylus. It was offered as a companion for the Apple II.

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As illustrated in a 1981 Apple Spring Catalogue, The Apple Graphics Tablet turns your Apple II system into an artists canvas. The tablet offers an exciting medium with easy-to-use tools and techniques for creating and displaying pictorial information. This OEM tablet, developed by Summagraphics, uses magnetostriction: it has built in alloy wires that localizes the stylus on x, y, and z axis points.

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1982: Pencept PenPad 200

The Pencept PenPad 200 used a digitizer pad with stylus, along with a monitor. The sole input method was handwriting recognition, which, based on its gesture recognition algorithm, required little user training.

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1982: Pencept PenPad 200

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1989: GridPad Pen Computer

Developed by Jeff Hawkins, founder of Palm Computing. Hawkings notes that he got his idea for the Palm Pilot from

the GridPad Pen Computer.20


1989: GridPad Pen Computer

Manufactured by Samsung.

Specs: 5 lbs and 11.5" x 9.3" x 1.48".

20MHz processor.

20MB RAM and 40, 60, 80 or 120MB hard drive.

10" diagonal backlit VGA display with 32 gray scales.

Built in PCMCIA card slot, an internal fax/modem

card, a floppy drive port and a standard keyboard port.

3 hours on NiCad battery pack.21


1989

What is to be the Russian company Paragraph Software, they license their write recognition software to Apple for the Original Newton MessagePad, which launches in 1993. It was an improvement on what the Newton team was working with at the time.

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1990

The software recognizes both print and handwritten text using a combination of factors by analyzing: stroke formation, spacing between characters, speed of writing, among others. Built into the Original MessagePad, the recognition was poor, which adversely affected the performance, sales, and reputation of the Apple Newton.

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1991: Momenta Pentop

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1991: Momenta Pentop 386 based.

Weight: 7 lbs.

Supports gestures and handwriting

recognition.

Software: MS DOS and Windows.

Detachable screen to use as notepad in

meetings, etc.

Backlit model price: $5495 USD.25


1992: Windows for Pen Computing

Windows responds to the PenPoint OS by releasing Windows for Pen Computing: it was a series of add ons for MS Windows enabling pen input.

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1993: IBM ThinkPad 750p/360p

Convertible Notebook that allowed for pen input.

33 MHz i486SL.

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1995

1995: Rosetta, developed at Apple (Lead Software Engineer Larry Yaeger). It is an improved print recognition technology, included in Newton OS 2.x and OS X (compatible with stylus based tablets/writing pads i.e. Wacom).

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1999: Aqcess Qbe Original Tablet PC

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1999: Aqcess Qbe Original Tablet PC

Celeron 400 MHz.

96 MB SDRAM.

Windows 98 Second Edition.

13.3 TFT Active Matrix color display (800

x 600).

Pen input.

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2001: Windows XP Tablet PC Edition

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition is released.

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2003: Fingerworks

Fingerworks develops touchscreen technologies later found in the iPhone.

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Most of this Latter Decade

Various convertible tablet PCs come to market.

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Most of this Latter Decade

Modern tablets for artists. These tablets require a computer for tethering. Artists can sketch, for instance, in Adobe Photoshop, directly on screen with a stylus.

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All of the images included in this presentation are copyright their respective holders: they are used under fair usage guidelines (for educational purposes). The rest of the material is Copyright Ryan J. Vetter, 2009.

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History of Tablet Computers

Documents

telautograph8 vetter

telautograph9 vetter

telautograph6 vetter

rand tablet12 vetter

digitizer tablet

definitiona tablet computer

apple graphics tablet

ancient tablets