Tablet PC Blogs

Not having a Windows key is one of the things that I have always hated about ThinkPads. In fact, I must be in the overall majority by not really liking ThinkPads much at all! Perhaps it's just because I've had to support so may of them that I've been put off ;)

There are lot of interesting aspects about the Lenovo tablet:

If one thinks about buying it I think one should have a look at the

- display quality
- keyboard (from point of view it really stands out!)
- the fact that there is a trackball included (which only the 14" Toshiba offers as well) and they decided to drop the other navigation tool.

finally, all those that "grew up" with the fine black boxes and are looking for a real business tool will have to make up their minds.

This is real good competition for a LIFEBOOK T, HP's TC 4200 or Toshiba's devices. However some may stil pefer a 14" screen or some features of the others. At least it offers "IBMjunkies" an ideal entry option into the Tablet PC world

Welcome to the Tablet PC world!

The lack of a Windows key is a big thing for many Thinkpad owners. I don't know why it hasn't been added-maybe to appeal to the many Linux users that use Thinkpads..I don't know.

On my Thinkpad I first got by using the CTL+ESC combo to pull up start, but I did miss the windows+D toggle - for minimizing all windows/showing and restoring the desktop,Windows+M/Windows+Shift+M - Minimize/restore all windows, Windows+R - Brings up the run command, Windows+F for find all files. So I remapped a key for the Windows key.

It is simple to hack the registry to map an unused to key to simulate the Windows key, which is located here:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]

Most Thinkpad users have mapped the left ALT key to simulate the Windows key. To do this make the following changes:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Keyboard Layout]; press Enter.

Type "00000409"="KBDUS.DLL" (including the two sets of double quotes) on the next line, and then press Enter.

Now type "Scancode Map"=hex:00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,02,00,00,00,5B,E0,38,00,38,00,5B,E0 and press Enter.

There is also a Windows 95 KernelToy that remaps keys here if you hesitant in editing the registry:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows95/downloads/contents/WUToys/W95KernelToy/Default.asp

Hopefully the X41's warranty and price will be competitive with the other convertables out there. From my very brief exposure to it, it is an impressive unit. I also didn't get a chance to look at which bluetooth stack it is using, but I am assuming it is Microsoft's, personally I prefer Widcom since it supports more profiles... Still the X41 will do well, I know I am waiting...patiently... :)