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Michael Tchao

(Credit: CC Michell Zappa/Flickr)

Those expecting Apple to introduce a new tablet computer soon may have another clue to the device's imminent arrival.

Apple has rehired Michael Tchao, one of the original developers of Apple's Newton personal digital assistant, according to a report Monday in The New York Times.

Tchao, who rejoined Apple on Monday as vice president of product marketing, most recently served as general manager for Nike Techlab, where he oversaw creation of new digital products and services for fitness enthusiasts. Tchao spent 10 years at Apple, overseeing product marketing for the Newton and reportedly persuading former Apple CEO John Scully to include the company's handwriting-recognition technology into what would become Apple's first consumer device.

Introduced in 1993 as the brainchild of Sculley, the handheld was plagued by poor reviews that pointed to the difficulty in its handwriting recognition capabilities. Beyond the initial snags, the Newton and other Apple handheld technologies never seemed to catch on, and Apple announced in 1998 that it would discontinue development of the Newton operating system and Newton-related products.

Rumors of an Apple tablet have been swirling for a couple of years, but speculation has ramped up in recent months, including reports that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been focusing intensely on a tablet device since returning to work in June after a liver transplant.

Apple representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday evening, but Apple has apparently been laying the groundwork for a tablet PC for years. The company was granted a patent in 2005 for tablet PC design, and the company was granted a patent last year for a tablet-like device that incorporated a touchscreen. Apple has also long had some of the key technologies for a tablet computer with Inkwell--a handwriting recognition feature having been in Mac OS X for some time.

We couldn't record today's Podcast without spending a little time on Gizmodo's big unveiling of Microsoft's secret tablet PC. The blog is reporting that even though our first inclination is to call it a tablet, it's really more of a booklet, with two 7-inch(ish) screens with multitouch, a 3MP camera on the back, and a fancy stylus for clicking, writing, dragging, and drawing. In typical 404 fashion, we have to poke fun at the fact that while a long plastic pen is very innovative, we wish it had fully functioning voice recognition, but as we've seen from the Google iPhone app, that technology will likely never be perfected. In the meantime, it looks like the Microsoft booklet will materialize before the fabled Apple tablet.

Speaking of Apple, Wilson and I are very psyched for Google to finally release push e-mail support on Google Sync for the iPhone. This means there will always be a connection to Google's servers to keep your mailbox up to date. There's no additional application necessary, just head to m.google.com/sync from your computer and follow these instructions.

If you're a long-time 404 listener, you'll remember a few months back when my iPhone camera stopped working and the Apple Genius at the store told me that my phone had somehow been submerged in water, judging by the indication on the external water sensor. Well as it turns out, that liquid sensor is a filthy liar. There are actually two liquid sensors on the phone, an internal and an external, which more often than not, tell contradicting stories. If a Genius sees the external one is triggered, the official Apple protocol tells them to report that the warranty is now void and Apple is no longer responsible for fixing the damaged phone. More importantly, the protocol says not to open iPhones and check the internal sensor. If you've had a similar experience, we want to hear about it, but you should also head back to the Apple store and ask them to open up the phone and double-check it. Who knows, you might leave with a brand-new iPhone.

This is a conversation I had with myself while watching episode four of "Dollhouse," in which one of the main characters is involved in the break-in and robbery of a vault filled with valuable works of art:

Me: Hey, I think that's the HP tx2z that guy's using.
Me: Yeah, it totally is.
Me: Wonder if he's using the multitouch to rotate his plans every time he changes direction?
Me: Doubtful. The multitouch is slow and inefficient on that thing.
Me: You wanna talk about inefficient, how 'bout that AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core ZM-86 processor it's running on?
Me: Hey now, it performed on par with a 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo P8400.
Me: All right, but what about the battery life? He's clearly using the extended eight-cell pack on that thing and it only gets about three hours work time. Would you want to be in the middle of a heist with all your plans or whatever on a laptop and have it die on you?
Me: Yeah, totally impractical...but for non-heist-related computing it's pretty fun.
Me: Oh sure, I'd give it 3.5 out of 5 stars overall.

Read the full review of the HP TouchSmart tx2z convertible Tablet PC.

HP TouchSmart tx2z photos

At Thursday's Pepcom press event in New York, Lenovo showed off an updated ultraportable Tablet PC and an even lighter version of the ThinkPad X200.

The ThinkPad X200 Tablet finally brings the wide-screen format to Lenovo's tablet line, with a 12.1-inch display and up to WXGA resolution. Buyers can opt for an LED-backlit option that not only reduces the tablet's weight but should also make for better visibility outdoors. Lenovo also lets you choose between a passive touch-screen that lets you use your finger to navigate menus or an active digitizer that only accepts input from the included stylus.

Another key enhancement with the X200 Tablet is a bi-directional display swivel, meaning you can twist the screen in either direction to convert the laptop into a tablet. This seems like a minor feature, but we always appreciate not having to remember which way the screen turns every time we want to switch modes. We also appreciate that, like the X-series laptop, the X200 Tablet incorporates the same broad ThinkPad keyboard found on Lenovo's 14- and 15-inch models.

With a starting weight of 3.6 pounds, the X200 Tablet is still rather portable, if not exactly designed for taking handwritten notes on the run, clipboard-style. And it incorporates all the top-of-the-line features that have become a ThinkPad hallmark: Intel Core 2 Duo processors (the low-voltage variety), an integrated Webcam and dual-array microphone, a 128GB solid-state drive option, and connectivity options that include WWAN, GPS, and (later this year) WiMax.

Also on display Thursday evening: the ThinkPad X200s, a lighter version of the CNET Editors' Choice-winning X200. Though it shares many of the same features as its larger sibling, the X200s includes a new top cover roll cage made of carbon and glass fiber that helps bring the system weight down to a highly portable 2.4 pounds. The 12.1-inch screen is available in resolutions up to 1,440x900; the case can be stocked with the full range of hard drive and solid-state drive options as well as a variety of low-voltage and ultra-low-voltage Core 2 Duo processors. Those power-efficient processors, the company claims, will achieve a maximum battery life of nearly 13 hours.

The ThinkPad X200s starts at $2,242 and will be available this month; expect to see the ThinkPad X200 Tablet, which starts at $2,323, in October.

(Credit: Crave Asia)

Kohjinsha made a name for itself by offering one of the most affordable convertible tablet PCs in the market. Its most recent lines, the SC and SX series, now come equipped with the latest Atom processors.

The SC range is an upgrade from the older SH series, choosing portability over an integrated optical drive. The 7-inch screen has a 1,024 x 600 resolution, with the main changes being its 1.33GHz Atom chip and the addition of an ExpressCard/34 slot. The Japanese model comes with an integrated 1Seg TV tuner, which will likely be removed when it hits other Asia markets (since the 1Seg service is not available outside Japan).

The SX series is the largest Kohjinsha yet, sporting an 8.9-inch 1,280 x 768 display with an integrated DVD writer and GPS. There is no indication when these units will start appearing outside of Japan for now.

(Source: Crave Asia)

Leaked specs for the Dell Latitude XT2.

(Credit: Engadget)

If you want to get people's attention (and your product doesn't have an Apple logo stamped on it), one of the best ways to do that is to release a convertible tablet laptop. Although, while these devices offer something different from your run-of-the-mill laptop, and everyone loves reading about them, we've never met anyone who actually uses one on a regular basis.

Still, we were intrigued when Dell made a tablet play late last year with its Latitude XT, and it seems as if this business-oriented system was popular enough to warrant a sequel. Engadget has some leaked specifications and photographs of the Latitude XT2, which probably won't be out until November.

By then you'll be able to get Intel's not-yet-released Centrino 2 platform (formerly code-named Montevina), along with a welcome eSATA port. The leaked documents also say that the addition of an internal optical dive is "under investigation."

A screenshot from the video in which Dell announced it would build a tablet PC.

(Credit: Laptoping)

More Dell news today: the release date for Dell's foray into tablet PCs is making its way around the Internet.

The Latitude XT will be available Tuesday, Engadget reported today. Dell first announced that it would build the convertible notebook PC in May, and last month teased audiences with it at the Oracle OpenWorld conference.

More details will be available about the product specifications next week.

If you are accident-prone and like choices, perhaps the new Panasonic 7 Series Toughbook is for you.

The notebook version of the new 7 Series Toughbook from Panasonic.

(Credit: Panasonic)

Panasonic will introduce three versions of the new business-rugged notebook Monday evening. The ultraportable W7, tablet T7, and slim Y7 notebook. All come loaded with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and weigh between 3 and 3.7 pounds. (The 14-inch notebook is the heaviest of the three, if you can call 3.7 pounds "heavy.") They also come equipped with Bluetooth 2.0, and built-in Wi-Fi and mobile broadband from AT&T, Sprint, or Verizon. The notebook and ultraportable have DVD Super multi drives, while the tablet nixes the optical drive in light of space and weight considerations.

The company has termed these three notebooks "business-rugged." What they mean by that is that these will likely survive a decent amount of abuse sustained over the course of a normal business day for people on the go. They have magnesium-alloy casing, shock-mounted hard drives, and flexible internal connectors, and the casing can survive a 1-foot drop, while the hard drive can withstand a 2.5-foot drop.

In addition, it should stand up under heavy pressure. The 7 Series was designed with the Tokyo subway system in mind, where business folk pack themselves in like sardines for the daily commute, according to Panasonic. Its engineers found that standing on a train with people crushed in on all sides can create more than 220 pounds of compression force on you and your briefcase and notebook.

The 7 Series also adopts the "spill-through" keyboard used in the Toughbook 52 Series.

The notebook version is available now for $2,449, while the tablet and ultraportable will be for sale next month starting at $2,099.

The HP Compaq 2710p

We have a love/hate relationship with tablet PCs. On one hand, we dig the swiveling displays and touch screens, even if we rarely find a chance to use them. On the other hand, adding convertible tablet functionality to a laptop often means adding size and weight, while knocking components down a notch or two.

HP is one of the few PC makers that can design smart-looking tablets (such as the consumer friendly tx1000). New today is the HP Compaq 2710p Tablet PC, a 12-inch widescreen tablet that weighs in at 3.6 pounds and is only 1.1 inches thick. HP smartly adds a LED Backlit display, which helps with battery life and weight, plus Intel's Ultra Low voltage Core 2 Duo CPUs. Looks like the standard HP digitizer screen and stylus are included, which makes this a thin, lightweight package worth checking out.

There are five pre-configured models available, starting at $1,649 and going up to $2,478 for a bigger hard drive, slightly faster processor and a second GB of RAM. We have one of these on order, so check back soon for a full review.