MOBILITY MATTERS News and Insights from a Tablet PC Marketer

TabletKiosk® Showcases New Mobile Touch Screen Solutions at the Global Gaming Expo In Las Vegas

2009-11-18T07:15:00.001-08:00

LAS VEGAS, NV -- November 17, 2009 — TabletKiosk®, a leading provider of mobile touch screen computing solutions, continues to extend its presence in the casino industry by showcasing its newest handheld Tablet PCs and Ultra-Mobile PCs in booth #643 at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E). These mobile touch screen tablets offer improved value and productivity to casino professionals due to their mobile form factor and ability to run a full PC operating system.

The eo™ a7330D, powered by the Intel® Atom™ Z530P ULV processor features a "fit-in-your-hand" mobile design with a 7.1-inch dual mode digitizer and touch screen, dual hot swappable batteries and a revolutionary new modular expansion system that uses interchangeable modules to enhance the device’s functionality for specific tasks including swiping player cards and mobile POS. In order to highlight the eo platform as a mobile point-of-sale terminal, representatives from TabletKiosk will demonstrate the new eo a7330D running Focus POS, a leading restaurant management software application.

The Sahara NetSlate™ a230T, powered by the Intel® Atom™ N270 processor, features a 12.1-inch resistive touch screen and is designed to run client/server, or cloud -based, applications. This new entry-level Tablet PC is an affordable option for businesses looking for a touch screen tablet solution, without the enhanced feature-set or processing power of the existing Sahara Slate PC® i400 series of Tablet PCs. At G2E, representatives from TabletKiosk will demonstrate the Sahara NetSlate running several restaurant entertainment applications from TapCode, a leading provider of self-service and digital entertainment restaurant solutions.

In addition to highlighting the ease of incorporating a mobile solution in a casino or resort setting, TabletKiosk will also showcase the Sahara Slate PC i400 series of Tablet PCs running Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7 with enhanced touch and inking functionality to promote on-the-go communication. Demos of several of the industry’s most innovative applications will be running on the Sahara Slate PC.

The first demonstration features a Sahara Slate PC i440T acting as a mobile terminal for Cantor Gaming’s “In-Running” betting application, which enables casino guests to wager on live sporting events before and throughout the event. This solution is currently in use at the M Resort in Henderson, NV, for a variety of sporting events, including NBA Basketball and Major League Baseball.

To encourage improved staff/guest interaction, TabletKiosk will also demonstrate the web-based GoConcierge guest service application on a Sahara Slate PC i440D with handwriting input for entering information on the fly. The GoConcierge application is currently in use at the Bellagio and will also be used in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at City Center, opening in November.

“As an industry innovator, TabletKiosk is in a unique position to showcase how the Tablet PC platform can improve worker productivity for casino and resort staff,” said Martin Smekal, president of TabletKiosk. “Because our company focuses solely on solutions featuring slate-style, touch enabled tablets, we understand both the benefits and challenges that integrating this form factor presents and we work closely with our partners to identify potential issues before they occur."

About TabletKiosk®

TabletKiosk is a registered trademark and wholly owned subsidiary of Sand Dune Ventures, Inc. a privately held technology incubator. The company produces slate-style Tablet PCs, Ultra-Mobile PCs and a mobile clinical assistant (MCA) marketed through an authorized reseller channel and directly through the company website. For more information, visit www.tabletkiosk.com.

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MusicReader and TabletKiosk® Create Custom Music Reading Solution for Britten Sinfonia's "Dialogues" Concerts

2009-11-03T10:47:00.001-08:00

Torrance, CA -- November 3, 2009 — One of Europe’s most celebrated and innovative chamber orchestras, Britten Sinfonia, is adding a hi-tech element to its upcoming "Dialogues" concerts. In lieu of traditional paper sheet music, three featured soloists will read their music on a Sahara NetSlate™ Tablet PC by TabletKiosk that is running MusicReader software from Leoné MusicReader.

MusicReader and TabletKiosk developed a special solution for Britten Sinfonia using the Sahara NetSlate a230T Tablet PC on a custom music stand. For page turning, the AirTurn AT-104 wireless foot pedals will be used. This combination gives the soloists the flexibility they need for a seamless and uninterrupted performance.

The three "Dialogues" concerts will be performed on November 6, 7 and 9in Norwich, London and Cambridge respectively and is conducted by the esteemed Pierre-Laurent Aimard. More information about the performance pieces and soloists can be found at Britten Sinfonia's website at www.brittensinfonia.com.

To learn more about the MusicReader software and the AirTurn AT-104 wireless foot pedals, visit www.musicreader.net. For more information on the Sahara NetSlate a230T, as well as the full line of innovative Tablet PCs and UMPCs from TabletKiosk, visit www.tabletkiosk.com.

About Leoné MusicReader B.V.

Leoné MusicReader is a privately held company based in Borne, The Netherlands.
The company offers innovative digital sheet music software to musicians worldwide. Together with this program, the company offers the necessary hardware to supplement the software, including the AirTurn AT-104 wireless page turning solution. The company also has ongoing research and development efforts to be able to offer musicians state-of-the-art software.

For more information about MusicReader please contact:
Marco Leoné - CEO Leoné MusicReader B.V.
Phone: +31-74-7114314

About TabletKiosk®

TabletKiosk is a registered trademark and wholly owned subsidiary of Sand Dune Ventures, Inc. a privately held technology incubator. The company produces slate-style Tablet PCs and Ultra-Mobile PCs marketed through an authorized reseller channel and directly through the company website. In the UK and Europe, TabletKiosk products are available through Forest-it Design www.forest-it.com Tel +44(0) 118 963 7461.

LIMITED TIME OFFER – FREE BUMPCASE WITH PURCHASE OF A SAHARA SLATE PC i412T, i440T or i440D.

2009-10-19T14:10:00.001-07:00

Special Offer for Web orders only…

Purchase a Sahara Slate PC i400 series 12.1-in. Tablet PC from our web store and get a protective Bump Case FREE! ($69.99 value)

This attractive padded case not only looks slick, but also protects your Sahara Slate PC from scrapes, bumps and scratches. Ideal for on-the-go protection, this case was designed to fit securely on all of the Sahara Slate PC i400 series Tablet PCs while providing convenient access to all of the buttons, fingerprint reader and I/O ports. Also features a built-in screen protector.

The case features comfortable elastic crisscrossing straps to provide easy one-handed use as well as an adjustable shoulder strap for hands-free carrying convenience.

For details about how to get this special offer, click here.

I’m all about touch technology, but this seems ridiculous.

2009-10-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

http://www.rubikstouchcube.com/#/about/

TabletKiosk to co-sponsor POS Hardware Showcase for Hospitality – Oct. 7

2009-10-05T10:42:00.001-07:00

This Wednesday, Oct. 7, I will be participating in a webinar presented by Hospitality Technology Magazine entitled

POS Hardware Showcase: A Power-Hour of Leading Solutions.

In this webinar, I will be presenting the full line up of TabletKiosk wireless handheld devices and discussing how they are currently being deployed in the Hospitality market for Point of Sale, and property management services.

Click Here to register for this informative webinar.

Price Reduced for Sahara Slate PC i440D White – while supplies last

2009-09-29T16:59:00.001-07:00

For a limited time only and while supplies last, TabletKiosk has lowered the price of Sahara Slate PC® i440D (white only) to $1,897 (save $498) list price is $2,395.

The Sahara Slate PC i440D features the following:

Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo LV L7400

3.0GB DDR2 5300 SDRAM

160GB SATA Hard Disk Drive

Built-in Wireless a/b/g Networking

Bluetooth® 2.0+EDR

12.1" TFT XGA Wide Angle View LCD Dual
Mode Active Digitizer / Touch Screen Display

Sunlight Readable Display (standard)

Biometric Finger Print Reader

Windows Vista® Business, Windows® XP Embedded, or openSUSE Linux

Pearl White outer casing

If you’ve ever considered purchasing a brand new Sahara Slate PC i440D, you won’t want to miss this opportunity. For details, click here.

Note that special reduced pricing is for standard configurations only and price reduction does not apply to black units.

TabletKiosk® Expands its Tablet PC Product Line with a Trio of New Systems Based on the Intel® Atom™ Processor

2009-09-22T11:04:00.001-07:00

IDF: San Francisco, CA, September 22, 2009 — TabletKiosk®, a leading provider of mobile business computing solutions, today introduced three new systems powered by Intel® Atom™ Processors: the 7-inch eo™ a7330D Ultra-Mobile PC, the 7-inch eo TufTab® a7230XD Rugged Ultra-Mobile PC and the 12.1-inch Sahara NetSlate™ a230T touch screen Tablet PC.

This new generation of slate-style tablets is built for the Enterprise marketplace, and includes a number of new and innovative features designed specifically to deliver improved productivity and value to professionals working in the office or out in the field.

eo™ a7330D Ultra-Mobile PC

This newest member of TabletKiosk's family of eo Ultra-Mobile PCs is the first 7-inch tablet to feature an auto-switching dual mode active digitizer / resistive touch screen panel developed by Wacom®, the pioneering leader in pen technology. Business professionals in hospitality, home automation and industrial control systems are also excited about other features of the eo a7330D including its dual, hot swappable battery packs; integrated wireless connectivity; a "fit-in-your-hand" design; and a revolutionary new modular expansion system. By attaching one of the interchangeable expansion modules, the functionality of the device can be customized for specific business applications including scanning bar codes, swiping credit cards and even connecting to enhanced 3G/3.5G wireless wide area networks. Based on high-speed USB Bus technology, the modules are hot swappable and can be removed or switched out without powering down the system.

“We designed the new eo a7330D in response to the industry-specific challenges which we felt were not being met by the current crop of 7-inch devices,” said Martin Smekal, president of TabletKiosk. “Instead of pushing a 'one-size-fits-all' device that must be paired with external attachments, cords and dongles, the new eo a7330D with its modular expansion system can be easily and cleanly customized to perform specific business functions, thus providing seamless integration with industry standard applications.”

eo a7330D is powered by the Intel® Atom™ Z530P processor and comes standard with 1.0 GB RAM, 1.8" 80 GB HDD (SSD drives optional), sunlight viewable screen, dual hot swappable batteries, built-in wireless capabilities including GPS, 802.11a/b/g/n Dual Channel WiFi and Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR, and the auto-switching dual mode digitizer/touch screen for highly accurate handwriting recognition and finger touch control.

eo TufTab® a7230XD Rugged Ultra-Mobile PC

The new eo TufTab a7230XD is a rugged Ultra-Mobile PC that surpasses MIL-SPEC-810F specifications and is rated IP54 to provide a lightweight and durable solution for on-the-go professionals working in harsher than normal environments. Featuring the same auto-switching active digitizer / passive touch screen as the eo a7330D, this revolutionary device is ably suited for outdoor fieldwork, data collection, warehousing, mobile point of sale and other work functions which endure extreme handling.

Also powered by the Intel® Atom™ Z530P processor, the eo TufTab a7230XD comes standard with 1.0GB RAM, 80GB HDD (SSD optional), 802.11a/b/g/n Dual Channel WiFi, 2.0 Mpixel Still/Video camera with auto focus, dual hot swappable batteries, integrated RFID reader, built-in 1D/2D barcode scanner, 1Gb Ethernet, RS-232 Serial port, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and TPM v1.2. Built-in 3G/3.5G WWAN module is optional.

Sahara NetSlate™ a230T

The latest addition to the Sahara Slate PC® line of 12.1-inch slate-style Tablet PCs is the Sahara NetSlate a230T. This new, entry-level touch screen tablet is more affordable option for on-the-go professionals and companies looking for a true slate-style tablet solution, but not necessarily with the enhanced feature-set or processing power of the existing Sahara Slate PC® i400 series of Tablet PCs.

The Sahara NetSlate a230T shares the same body design and form factor of its i400 series siblings, but is powered by the Intel® Atom™ N270 processor and comes standard with 1.0GB RAM (upgradeable to 2.0GB) a 120GB HDD (SSD optional), 802.11a/b/g/n Dual Channel WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR and an optional built-in 3G/3.5G WWAN module.

Because continuity is an important value when integrating a new client solution into an existing business installation, the Sahara NetSlate is fully compatible with all accessories created for the Sahara Slate PC® i400 series, including the docking cradle, VESA mounting plates, batteries and carrying cases.

“The Intel Atom processor is a great low power design perfectly suited for bringing the Internet to small devices, from MIDs and netbooks to Tablets and smartphones,” said Pankaj Kedia, director of global ecosystem programs in Intel’s Ultra Mobility group. “The Atom processor is helping to accelerate hundreds of innovative designs, like the new eo Ultra-Mobile PCs and Sahara NetSlate products that TabletKiosk is announcing today.”

Because today’s business applications vary greatly in their requirements, all three devices come preinstalled with a choice of Microsoft® Windows Vista® Business, Windows® XP Embedded or openSUSE™ Linux 11. All three systems qualify for a FREE downgrade to Windows XP Professional (or Tablet PC Edition for the two eo UMPCs). In addition, all three also qualify for a FREE upgrade to Windows 7 Professional if purchased with Windows Vista on or before January 31, 2010.

Pricing and Availability

eo™ a7330D can be pre-ordered now and will start shipping the beginning of October.

eo TufTab® a7230XD can be pre-ordered now and will begin shipping the third week of October.

Sahara NetSlate™ a230T is available now.

For pricing and additional details, please visit www.tabletkiosk.com or contact your Authorized TabletKiosk Dealer.

Let the Countdown Begin

2009-09-21T18:53:00.001-07:00

9:00 AM tomorrow – PST 3 new products from TabletKiosk to be announced

Final web programming happens tonight
Web links will go live in a few hours
FCC approval received for eo a7330D
Press Release submitted and approved by MarketWire
Intel has samples and collateral for launch at IDF
Press list finalized
Press kits given to Dan and Martin to take up to SF

Let the games begin.

Team Photo from our Recent Sales meeting

2009-09-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

We recently had our summer sales meeting, and for one of our evening activities we went go-cart racing. Here’s a photo of some of the team members. Can you guess who won? Not me.

Ready or Not… Hospitality Sales Here I Come!

2009-09-08T11:42:00.001-07:00

I’m in transition mode now – and am soon to be moving from the crazy world of marketing at TabletKiosk to the even crazier world of TabletKiosk sales.

As many of you know, for some time now, I have been informally overseeing the sales of our products into the Hospitality market because

1) I identified Hospitality as a new market for us
2) There was no one in our sales team who was familiar with this market
3) I was having a ball discovering new opportunities for TabletKiosk in hospitality
4) I like staying in hotels, shopping and eating in restaurants (not really a reason, but entirely true)
Our all encompassing definition of Hospitality includes hotels, restaurants, clubs, retail – basically any
industry where customer care and sales transactions occur directly at the point of service.

So recently, I decided to take the leap to move into the sales department full time and (sadly) walk away from my marketing duties. I’m in transition now, so I’m still handling most of the marketing functions while jumping headfirst into sales (with little time to breath).

Seven Ways to Improve Your E-Mail Messages - CIO.com - Business Technology Leadership

2009-08-10T12:32:00.001-07:00

Seven Ways to Improve Your E-Mail Messages - CIO.com - Business Technology Leadership

Posted using ShareThis

Microsoft's Bing TV ad: Huh? - Los Angeles Times

2009-06-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

This morning’s LA Times posted a very funny article about the new TV ads for the new Bing search engine.
Click here to read the full article.

Judging from a commercial for Microsoft's new Bing 'decision engine,' the company needs to search for a smarter marketing campaign.

Written by Dan Neil, June 9, 2009

A Strong and Steady Business Vision in a Sea of Netbooks

2009-05-27T09:40:00.001-07:00

Paying close attention to the online techie news sites, I can’t help but notice the emergence of very cool and inexpensive netbooks which seem to be popping up almost daily. These small and lightweight devices have really taken the consumer market by storm and it’s great to see such a great response to new mobile technologies.

In fact, these devices are becoming so prevalent that one of my extremely non-technically minded friends called me up to determine the difference between the netbook her husband bought for her and our TabletKiosk tablet PCs. She had seen a preview of the new eo (shown at right) was worried about how it would compete with her netbook.

So as I found myself explaining how our tablets are different than these lower priced consumer devices, I thought that the information would be good information to share on this blog.

To start with, you have to remember that TabletKiosk operates in the B2B enterprise sector and does not market our products to consumers (although consumers can purchase our products through our website). Because our products are designed for business, they are primarily used to access a central server with domain log-in which can only be accomplished via XP Professional/ Vista/ Win 7 Business OS (or Ultimate). Most netbooks come pre-loaded with a special lower priced version of XP Home which cannot accommodate domain log-in. Microsoft uses this as a key factor to define the differences (function and price) between its Home/Business Operating Systems.

Some other key differentiations that TabletKiosk offers:

Our devices are designed for business use. In order to keep our legacy customers in the TabletKiosk family of products, we offer an ecosystem of business accessories designed to be interchangeable between individual devices as well as for future product revs. Our product rev cycle may be longer than consumer devices, but our products provide a better ROI as a capital investment. From a CIOs perspective, this just makes good business sense.

Our products are designed to run Vista® Business, XP Pro/Tablet, XP Embedded, Win 7 Business or Linux openSUSE.

Our upcoming products offer superior wireless connectivity 802.11a/b/g/n with dual Channel Networking.

We work closely with key industry ISVs to get our devices certified and vetted for use with their software.

Our sales team is vertically focused (healthcare, control systems, education, hospitality) with in-depth knowledge of industry specifications, changes and challenges. In order to validate our products, we also invest in vertically focused pilot programs to ensure that our hardware is the right fit for a perspective project.

We are a US based company with a company-run full service center. All products come with a 1 year standard warranty and we offer live customer service and tech support from corporate headquarters in California.

For volume orders, we can provide options for private label and customer specific builds.

As you can imagine, all of the differentiations listed above result in an entirely different (higher) pricing model for enterprise customers which should not be compared with the lower priced consumer market. In this enterprise space, our competition consists of companies that offer slate tablets like DT Research, Motion Computing, Itronix and Mobile Demand. However what I find the most interesting is that because of the features and services that TabletKiosk and the other enterprise manufactures offer, we rarely hear customers mentioning netbooks as viable solutions to their business needs.

In our niche world, the same customers who use an apple iPhone with capacitive touch for their personal use specifically request resistive touch for their work machines because they often wear gloves when operating our devices. Pan scrolling is cool and it’s fun, but for simple, menu-driven applications, it’s just another bell and whistle that is not needed to get the job done.

From the coolest / latest speeds feeds and features perspective, some of the newest “coolest” technologies just don’t make sense in the enterprise technology sector. To sum it all up, the world of enterprise computing doesn’t focus on the newest, sleekest, shiniest and most inexpensive toys, instead, we focus on producing the right computers to meet our customers unique needs.

Food (and drink) for thought about Starbucks, McDonalds and too many meetings

2009-05-12T18:22:00.001-07:00

In today’s business climate, it is quite common to see people walking into business meetings holding their beloved cup of Starbucks coffee and feeling oh-so hip about it.

Do you think that these same people would be as comfortable walking into a high powered business meeting holding a cup of coffee purchased at McDonald’s?

As a marketer, I look forward to following the latest round of Coffee Wars.

A Day at the Racetrack with TabletKiosk and Intel!

2009-05-11T11:16:00.001-07:00

Last week, TabletKiosk and Intel hosted an exciting event at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale for CIOs and IT lead staff from several hospitals around Southern California.

Dubbed “Electronic Healthcare Day”, this event gave us the opportunity to meet with high level IT managers in a fun and informational setting to educate them about how mobile handheld Tablet PCs from TabletKiosk running Intel processors can be seamlessly integrated in a healthcare setting.

The day began with a short driving training for all participants. Then the the group was split in two. Half of the participants headed to the track to drive while the rest of the people sat through the product training led by Intel and TabletKiosk.

This was the first formalized training event that we have held outside our offices and the event was a resounding success. In fact, we’re considering having more of these mixed-use fun and informative events in the future at different locations around the country and directed at our other targeted industries.

Product Launch – An inside peek of what’s going on behind the scenes

2009-05-01T15:54:00.001-07:00

I received an email today asking me why I haven’t posted any recent blog updates. Well with 2 new products launching in the next 60 days, our R&D, Marketing and OPs teams have been extremely busy juggling all of the tasks required to facilitate two successful launches.

So to give you an idea of what is currently going on behind the scenes at TabletKiosk, here is a very short list of what we are currently working on.

Approving final engineering and tooling
Certifications for WHQL, Intel, Energy Star, FCC, UL
Creating device drivers
Creating recovery media
Testing and benchmarks of final engineering samples
Securing trademarks and patents
Sourcing in box components
Designing packaging and inserts
Writing product manuals and quick start guides
Finalizing Spec sheets
Updating web pages
Creating marketing messaging and materials
Forecasting and planning roll-out quantities
Previewing and planning with our distribution channel
Finalizing pricing for distribution sales channel
Sales channel readiness
Keeping close tabs of inventory for EOL SKUs
Licensing software
Creating accessory ecosystem internally
Working with third party vendors to help develop accessories
Training sales team
Creating launch kit
Finalizing Logistics

Hmmm… no wonder I don’t have any time to blog… I need a vacation.
Stay tuned for news about the launches – we’re counting down from 60 days!

Cantor Gaming implements Mobile Gaming at the M Resort in Las Vegas with Sahara Slate PCs

2009-04-10T11:45:00.001-07:00

Sometime ago, I posted an article that described the new mobile gaming offerings that the new M Resort in Las Vegas would be implementing in its new casino with.

Well now that the casino is up and running, the mobile gaming sportsbook at the M Resort, run by Cantor Gaming is garnering a lot of attention.

The article below was printed in the Las Vegas Review and describes how the “tablet-like” devices are being utilized in the sports book area of the M Resort. Of course, I know that the devices being used are actually Sahara Slate PCs i440Ds which were modified to fulfill the strict standards set by the Nevada Gaming Commission…

New system lets bettors wager on games in progress

(reprinted from the Las Vegas Business Press, April 01, 2009)

Wagering on the NCAA men's basketball tournament took a different twist this month at the M Resort. Gamblers could not only place money on the outcomes and point totals, but on certain games bets were accepted while the action took place. The bets were possible through M Resort's "in-running" wagering, in which betting lines were changed as game play dictated.

Cantor Gaming, a technology company trying to bring hand-held wagering devices into Nevada casinos, is managing M Resort's sports book. The company, a subsidiary of the worldwide financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald, introduced the "in-running" betting system to the sports book.

Customers can place money on account at the sports book and will get a device that resembles a tablet personal computer. The device only works in the M Resort sports book.

On the tablet, betting lines are changed and updated while a game takes place, allowing gamblers to wager on the action. Customers can cash out when the game ends.

"I think this really provides an exciting opportunity to sports bettors and M Resort's customers," said longtime gaming executive Phil Flaherty, who is a consultant to Cantor Gaming. "It was interesting to see how quickly it was accepted by the customers."

M Resort is serving as the showroom for the gambling technology. Cantor Gaming wants to bring the devices into other Nevada sports books. Flaherty said the NCAA basketball tournament was the perfect event for introducing the system. Not all the games during the first two rounds and Sweet 16 were available for the technology. However, all the Final Four matchups Saturday and Monday will be part of "in-running" wagering.

The system will be in full swing, Flaherty said, during the National Basketball Association playoffs and the Major League Baseball season. He expects the technology to receive its biggest challenge during the college and professional football season.

"It's designed to enhance the experience, but it's also designed to enhance the handle (amount wagered)," Flaherty said.

M Resort first tested the system on a National Invitational Tournament college basketball contest between Baylor and Georgetown. Baylor started out as a three-point favorite and had a 10-point lead at halftime. Baylor had to rally, however, to win the game by two points.

Flaherty said wagering on the game increased significantly over what the handle would have been if just the outcome and total had been on the board. The back-and-forth lead changes during the game's second half factored into the wagering.
Early statistics from the system show customers placed anywhere from $200 to $2,000 on accounts for "in-running wagering." Customers have placed between eight and 50 wagers per game. The typical bet is in the $20 to $40 range, but some players have gambled as much as $250 each time the line changed.
"It's been quite fascinating to watch," Flaherty said. "We've also seen a number of women using the system."

For M Resort Chief Executive Officer Anthony Marnell III, new ideas that bring customers into the month-old property might turn them into long-term customers. The sports wagering idea adds to his goal of making M Resort one of the leading casinos for technology.

"Everything is done in real time and you can see the points, spread and money line fluctuate as the game goes on," Marnell said. "We're giving M's sports bettors the most innovative way to bet in the country and the most exciting way to do it."

TabletKiosk® Introduces the MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT: A Mobile Clinical Assistant (MCA) with Touch Screen Input

2009-03-04T10:54:00.001-08:00

TORRANCE, CA, March 04, 2009 — TabletKiosk®, a leader in mobile computing solutions, today announced the new MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT, the only mobile clinical assistant (MCA) featuring a sunlight readable 10.4 inch resistive touch screen. The MCA reference architecture developed by Intel® and based upon significant ethnographic research, workflow studies and conversations with healthcare professionals worldwide; was created specifically for the rigors, needs and workflow of the clinical environment— whether that is a ward, clinic or emergency room.

Built for today’s demanding healthcare environments, MediSlate™ MCAs were designed to improve workflow efficiencies, ease clinician workloads, and help reduce medication and administrative errors by utilizing an array of data and image capturing technologies. Traditionally, healthcare professionals had to rely on paper charts, stationary desktop PCs and equipment wheeled around on bulky carts to help them complete common activities such as taking medical histories, monitoring medications, reviewing test results and x-rays, and patient charting. Using a MediSlate™ MCA in tandem with their existing EMR systems, clinicians and administrators are able to perform all of these same tasks easily and directly at the point-of-care, allowing them to spend more of their time interacting with patients.

The MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT, powered by Intel® Centrino® Mobile Technology, is a versatile and full featured computing device that is housed in a specially sealed, semi-rugged, smooth surface case that is drop-resistant and spill-proof enabling it to be easily wiped clean and disinfected to help reduce the spread of germs. Also, with its integrated 2D/1D barcode scanner, 2.0 megapixel web-enabled video camera, biometric fingerprint reader and a 13.56MHz RFID reader built into its ergonomic handle, the MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT is a mobile, easy to carry, point-of-care device that clinicians can use to enter data, verify patient identification, verify themselves as authorized care givers, and scan pre-printed labels from patient ID bracelets, medication packaging and blood vials.

“Intel’s ethnographic research with healthcare professionals and commitment to improving quality of care for patients worldwide ultimately led to the development of the Mobile Clinical Assistant reference platform. Our goals continue to be reinforced as technology companies, including TabletKiosk, introduce their own innovative MCA devices,” said Louis Burns, vice president and general manager, Intel Digital Health Group. “As awareness for the MCA platform continues to grow, we look forward to more and more clinicians having the opportunity to take mobile point of care to the next level.”

For maximum durability and usability, the MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT is available with a shock mounted 80GB, 1.8” SATA HDD (standard) or 1.8” 32GB Solid State Drive (special order) and is powered by an Intel® Core™2 Solo ULV processor. Configured standard with 2.0GB DDR2 SDRAM, dual band Wi-Fi® 802.11 a/b/g/n (Draft 2.0), integrated Bluetooth® and two (2) hot swappable Lithium-Ion batteries (standard), MediSlate™ MCAs offer uncompromised computing power along with a broad range of essential technological capabilities to keep doctors and nurses current and connected wherever their work takes them.

“Launching the MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT as the newest addition to Intel's mobile clinical assistant reference platform reflects TabletKiosk’s firm commitment to the healthcare market,” said Martin Smekal, president of TabletKiosk. “The purpose built functionality of the MCA platform, combined with the MediSlate MCA's built-in compatibility with existing PC based EMR systems and its familiar touch screen interface, delivers new possibilities and efficiencies for improving patient care by enhancing the workflow of nurses and clinicians.”

MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT Fast Facts:

Processor:            Intel® Core™2 Solo U2100 ULV

Memory:               2.0GB DDR2 533/667 MHz SDRAM
Drive:                   80GB, 1.8" SATA, 4,200 rpm HDD, shock mounted
                            “G sensor” to auto-park read/write heads in case of free fall

O.S.:                     Genuine Windows Vista® Business with Service Pack 1
                             Qualifies for Free Windows® XP downgrade at time of system order

Display:                10.4" TFT XGA (1024x768) LCD with LED backlight
                             Sunlight readable and anti-glare surface
                             G sensor auto-rotates screen orientation up to 360° (0° / 90° / 180°/ 270°)
                             Automatic and manual screen lock for added security

Batteries:             2x Modular battery bays, Hot Swappable to maximize uptime
                             2x 3-cell Lithium-Ion (3S1P) high capacity smart battery packs (standard)
                             2.25 hours of battery life per pack (4.5 hours with both batteries installed)
Wireless:               Intel® Pro Dual Band (2.4/5.0 GHz) WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n (Draft 2.0) networking
                             Bluetooth® 2.1+EDR
                             3G Data Module for WWAN (optional)

Security:              Validity Sensors, Inc. fingerprint reader
                            Single Chip Trusted Platform Module (TPM v 1.2)
                            Kensington Locking Port (Lock mechanism sold separately)

I/O:                      4 wire passive resistive touch screen with palm rejection technology
                            Integrated 2.0 megapixel camera with auto focus and video capture
                            2D bar code reader (1D compatible)
                            RFID reader with ISO 14443A/B and ISO 15693 support

                            Docking Station Connector for additional I/O and security

Dimensions:         270mm x 256mm x 35.34mm (10.63" x 10.08" x 1.39")

Weight:                3.25 lbs (1.47 kg) with both batteries and 3G module installed

Rugged:                IP 54 compliant and meets MIL-STD-810F standards
                             Drop rated up to 4 feet
                             Sealed body enclosure can resist alcohol (80% or less), bleach, iodine
                             and common hospital disinfectants.

Rain, spill, dust and vibration resistant

Availability

MediSlate™ MCA i1040XT is shipping now. For pricing and additional details, please visit www.tabletkiosk.com.

About TabletKiosk

TabletKiosk is a registered trademark and wholly owned subsidiary of Sand Dune Ventures, Inc. a privately held technology incubator. The company produces slate style Tablet PCs, Ultra-Mobile PCs and mobile clinical assistants (MCA) marketed through an authorized reseller channel and directly through the company website. For more information, visit www.tabletkiosk.com

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My new Amazon Kindle is on order...

2009-02-10T09:44:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited!

My husband pre-ordered my Amazon Kindle yesterday, which is my combined birthday, anniversary and Valentine’s Day present for the past year. I am so psyched to receive it because I am a veracious reader and when I travel, I get always get stuck with the same old titles to choose from in the airport bookstore.

I am not a tech geek. I don't own an ipod, I don't text and I definitely don't tweet, but this is the one "gadget" that I believe will truly affect my lifestyle!

A short geography lesson...

2009-02-09T12:47:00.001-08:00

When I am wearing my marketing hat, I spend a quite a lot of time studying our web traffic to determine our strongest partner links, where hits are coming from and what is being written about us on the Internet. The worldwide reach of the Internet never ceases to amaze me and often I will discover stories written about TabletKiosk in different languages from all areas of the world.

Would you believe that only 57.26% of our web traffic comes from the US? This is followed by 5.7% from Canada, and 5.1% from the UK. The remaining 32.04% of our web traffic comes from 202 other countries. I have heard of most of the countries, but some are entirely new to me. For example, where is Lesotho? Extremetracking informs me that it is in Africa and that in January, we had 2 visitors from there. By searching Wikipedia, I learned that Lesotho has a population of 1.881 million (Lesotoans?).

Have you ever heard of Montserrat? I hadn't either but I now know that it is a small island located 300 miles from Puerto Rico and has a population of 4819.Who knew?

With the wonders of the internet, I can easily track when articles or entries are posted from anywhere in the world. For example, yesterday, we had numerous site visitors from France arriving at the TabletKiosk website by entering the search terms "Sahara Slate PC", "Sahara PC" and "Sahara Tablet" in Google, Yahoo and MSN (mostly Google). Obviously, they heard about the Sahara Slate PC - but the question is where did the mention come from? I checked to see if there were any direct links coming in from France, but all of the leads came from a search engines and not from direct links. Here is a screen capture from my tracking service so that you can see the type of information I received.

So the source of these french inquiries remains a mystery. If anyone can track down the original source point, I'd love to see it. That way I can even brush up on my high school french.

Merci beaucoup!

RIP UMPC - But is the 7" Touch Screen Tablet PC really dead?

2008-12-16T16:56:00.001-08:00

Over the past week, I've seen a few posts that reference the demise of the UMPC in 2008. However, I think that the funeral they are referring to is for the UMPC as a consumer, mobile computer device which Microsoft originally touted in 2006, and not necessarily the 7" touch screen Tablet PC form factor.

Remember this?

Ultra-Mobile PCs are a new class of computer that is optimized for mobility. With a screen size of 7 inches or less, Ultra-Mobile PCs can be slipped into a purse or a small bag for ultimate portability. A touch-screen, a tablet pen, and a D-pad give you a variety of input options while you are on the move. Built-in Bluetooth gives you the option of staying connected wherever you go.

Stay in touch with the people and the information that are important to you, get things done quickly and easily, and have more fun on the go. With an ultra-mobile PC, you can experience your world from virtually any location—at the touch of a finger.

In 2006, TabletKiosk embraced the UMPC platform for its touch screen, small form factor and ability to run a full Windows OS, which made a complimentary extension to our line of Sahara Slate PC line of touch screen tablets. At the time, and to Microsoft's dismay, we chose to market the eo (our brand name) to the enterprise community, instead of the end consumer; and have since developed our 7" device as a specialized niche mobile computer in the hospitality, medical, home automation and control systems markets.

Every month, our eo sales continue to grow as more of our customers find the benefits of using a mobile, 7" touch screen computer, and at CES 2009 we will be showing our latest line extensions which we have developed in response to customer requests.

Our customers are attracted to the eo line because of its 7" touch screen which can run the full Windows OS. This is key because they are running or accessing full X86 applications and cannot use Windows Mobile, CE, or any other condensed program to run their software. The 7" screen can output to 1024x768 resolution without sacrificing viewability.

In our experience, these customers never utilized any of the consumer-friendly "Origami Experience" applications , which were designed by Microsoft to increase productivity, because these programs were simply not developed for business usage.

So to those that are nailing the coffin closed, playing taps or sitting "shivah" for the UMPC form factor, consider if you really saying goodbye to the UMPC as Microsoft's promise of the do-everything, inexpensive, mobile computer (the one being handily replaced by the netbook and mobile phone). From my perspective, the 7" touch screen tablet has a very bright future and isn't going away anytime soon!

Business as Usual with My Tablet PC

2008-11-03T11:16:00.001-08:00

Because I use my white Sahara Tablet PC as my primary work computer, I've been trying to pay more attention to how I work differently than my friends who use traditional desktops or laptops. Here is a brief recap of some of the ways that I take advantage of the tablet functionality everyday.

When I get into the office, I place my tablet into its docking cradle. I always have my external mouse, monitor and keyboard hooked up to the back of the cradle so that the tablet becomes a full-featured desktop solution.

I usually use the fingerprint reader to log-on. If for some reason, the fingerprint reader is temperamental (maybe I used too much hand cream that day), I'll log in on the keyboard or touch the on-screen EyesBoard virtual keyboard to log-on.

Once my computer is fully booted, the first thing that I do is start downloading emails. I'm a multi-tasker, so while the messages are downloading, I listen to my phone messages and type the caller information directly into OneNote. I have to admit that it took a long time for me to wean myself off of yellow stickies and scrap paper for phone messages. To do this, I set up a tab in OneNote to use as my dedicated phone log and have been adamant about typing or writing all phone messages into the log. On a few occasions, I have misplaced a phone number and have been able to easily retrieve the info by searing through the log electronically.

As I read through my emails, I make sure to send all sales lead messages directly to OneNote so that I can keep an accurate communication log of the opportunity. These leads come through our website "sales inquiry" form, so when I get these leads, I have the full contact information which I can then include as a page in OneNote.

When I attend meetings, I take the Sahara out of its docking station and use it for taking handwriting notes. If it is a group meeting where we share notes or drawings on a White Board, I hook my tablet up to the projector and take notes directly on screen to project them on the wall. This way, I don't have to retype my meeting notes at a later date. **Note to self, make sure you turn off new message notifications in Outlook when doing this...

Interesting to note that I almost always use my tablet in landscape mode though I'm not sure why...

As you can see, I try to incorporate using my tablet for as many tasks as possible and go out of my way to find new ways to use it. So now the question is, how do you use your tablet?

Gambling on the Go

2008-10-23T09:41:00.001-07:00

Gambling on the Go by Christina Volpe
Reprinted from Hospitality Technology Magazine, October 9, 2008

Gambling on the go
Imagine being able to gamble practically anywhere you want in a casino: by the pool, in the lobby or even while you wait for your table in a restaurant. Nevada has become the first state in the nation to approve of the use of handheld mobile gaming devices in casinos, and several casino operators are lining up to test out this innovative technology.

These wireless handheld devices, which look like Nintendo's Game Boy, feature a variety of games that patrons can choose from to play such as bingo, poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette or horse betting. In order to use these mobile devices, guests simply need to sign them out with the proper identification and load them with the desired amount of money.

By limiting where players can use these wireless devices (they only work in public areas, such as by the pool or in the lobby), manufacturers and operators hope to curb incidents of theft and underage use. Should guests roam away from the sanctioned areas of play, these devices will turn off and can only be reactivated once the player returns to the casino's public area.

The M Resort, Spa and Casino (www.themresort.com) is just one of two Las Vegas resorts which is in the process of testing mobile hand-held gaming, which management expects to go live in spring 2009. Through an exclusive agreement with Cantor Gaming (www.cantorgaming.com), the M Resort has plans to use the hand-held mobile devices for operating their racing and sports books, in addition to offering guests the opportunity to play unique casino game offerings.

The M Resort is currently in the process of choosing which games they are going to use on the mobile devices.
"There is definitely a demand for mobile gaming as an operator," says Joe Magliarditi, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the M Resort, Spa and Casino. "We are going to be able to offer casino customers more time to game at the pool, or during conventions, or when going to dinner with friends. We, like everyone else, are trying to give customers more options. Our hotel will be very value oriented and customers can do something here that they cannot do at other properties. And that is very important."

The Venetian Resort, Hotel, Casino (www.venetian.com) was the first property in Las Vegas to field test devices from Cantor Gaming. After receiving approval from the Gaming Control Board, testing began in April 2008 and is expected to conclude this fall. The field trials are currently contained in the high limit slots salon of The Venetian only, with hopes to roll out mobile gaming throughout The Venetian and The Palazzo once the tests have concluded.
Cantor Gaming is the exclusive mobile gaming provider for both the M Resort and The Venetian. The company is the first licensed manufacturer, distributor and operator of a mobile gaming system in the Nevada Gaming Commission and was one of the early proponents pushing for the legalization of mobile gaming in Nevada.

"It is just like everything else, says Magliarditi, "We are going to have to closely monitor it with security, management and surveillance."

A New Tool for Automatic Data Capture

2008-10-21T13:16:00.001-07:00

As the marketing contact for TabletKiosk, I often get to try out third party hardware accessories to determine how they work with our tablets.

I don't get blown away too often, however I was recently introduced to a scanning solution which really enhances the usability of the Sahara for some specialized business applications.

The Snapshell, from Card Scanning Solutions, is a small USB scanner which reads the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) from Driver's Licenses (all 50 US states and over 45 countries), reads ID and PDF417 barcodes. This data can then be sent directly to a database or can populate a form.

The Snapshell works especially well with our Sahara Touch Tablets because it captures the relevant information from the driver's license information to reduce the need for typing in key information in a mobile setting. It can also read the embedded electronic watermark to authenticate IDs, In just seconds! No typing required!

Just imagine using the Snapshell for the following:

- Car Dealers and Car Rentals who need to get a copy of the customer's driver licence as a part of the selling process.
- Bars & Clubs who need to identify the age of their customers.
- Places who need to have an access and visitors control, like office buildings, schools and clubs
- Loan and mortgage Brokers who need a copy of their customer's ID card
- Mobile bloodbanks who need to collect donor information
- Clinical trials

For privacy concerns, the image capture can be deleted and you are left with just the relevant data which is collected from the license

I've been playing with the Snapshell at my desk and it's really remarkable how it works. In addition to scanning driver's licenses (yes that's really my license with some key info deleted out) I have also been running their Scan to Contacts software to scan my piles of business cards directly directly into Outlook. Note that this is the only software which does not require cards to be scanned into a 3rd party application before the information is imported into Outlook.

If you work in a business setting where you are constantly collecting the very same data that is referenced on a driver's license (you can customize which data you collect), this may be a great solution for you.

Fighting Fires with Paper

2008-10-13T17:59:00.001-07:00

It's October and fire season has started in Los Angeles.

Read about the current fires here

For those of you who do not live in LA, here is the general scenario...

We don't have any rain from April through November
During this time, the wild vegetation in the forests and canyons dry out from lack of water
In the Fall, the hot and dry Santa Ana winds start to blow
Forest fires (either natural or manmade) occur in the forests and dry canyons, and the combination of wind, heat, and dryness from the Santa Ana winds act as fuel for the fires

Thankfully, I live in the "Concrete Jungle" area of LA, away from the fires. However, I have friends who live in the areas which are currently burning, and I am praying for their's, and everyone else who lives in the area's safety.

The reason that I'm writing about this today is because of what I saw on television this morning...

The television reporter was interviewing to a Fire Captain who showed a map of where the fire was burning. The Fire Captain used this map (actually a page torn out of a Thomas Guide) to plan the deployment of the firefighters, determine which roads to close and mark up the direction of the wind. The problem was that once he marked up the map, the lines couldn't be erased, which made it difficult to track the evolving pattern of the fire. In addition, the paper was getting torn up from the wind and it was literally blowing off the clipboard.

I was very surprised that the fire team did not have access to a mobile computer - especially with all of the advancements in GPS and satellite photos. Just imagine how much it would help to be able to calculate maneuvers and weather patterns from a mobile computer...