Tablet PC Gets Multi-Lingual Boost
Microsoft on Monday released an update to the Tablet PC's core text recognition technology. The text recognizer pack, which enables a multi-lingual interface, is both available on all new Tablets and as an update to existing models. Along with support for a number of languages, it delivers long awaited support for Spanish.
As of today, the list of supported languages includes: UK English, U.S. English, French, German, Spanish (International Sort), Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The Tablet Input Panel offers users the correct keyboard for the selected language.
Speech recognizers are limited to English, Japanese, as well as Simplified and Traditional Chinese.
Since its inception, the Tablet PC has been couched in rhetoric proclaiming it to be "paper on steroids." With the incentive of Microsoft's 400 million dollar marketing blitz, OEMs partnered with the software giant to prove that the technology meets its mettle.
Despite cries that Tablets are simply an overgrown PDA, as well as solid but underwhelming sales figures, development has persisted.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer predicated that its tablet design will soon overtake laptops in overall popularity within a matter of years. The company's efforts have come to a crescendo in the form of the Tablet PC.
Working with partner OEMs and its own developers to create "killer apps," Microsoft is working to iron out most of the technical challenges that dogged previous pen-based designs.
Tablet PCs represent an attempt to launch a new computing paradigm based upon the Windows XP platform. Users can write in natural handwriting in a native application known as Journal. Content authored in Journal can be converted to text, or sent directly via e-mail to recipients.
The recent release of Office 2003, now available to MSDN subscribers, includes "inkable" applications that excel far beyond the rudimentary handwriting support Office XP offered as a downloadable add-on.
The Tablet PC's handwriting recognition is by no means flawless, but represents a major technical advance. By utilizing powerful algorithms, it avoids the need for the Tablet to learn an individual's penmanship - thus providing a rich out of the box experience. Users can also opt to write left handed, although it is reported that support for lefties is not yet on par with that for righties.
Despite all of the brouhaha surrounding the Tablet PC launch, many analysts fail to see any key feature that will drive sales. Several attempts, including Microsoft's ePeriodicals, have fallen short.
ePeriodicals is an XML-based program that takes aim at Adobe's PDF format for the distribution of published text ranging from whitepapers to magazines. Combined with the company's ClearType font technology, Microsoft hoped the software would spur the publication of more digital magazine content.