IBM handwriting notebook gets an outing

Hope we don't have to call it the StinkScribe

By Lucy Sherriff • Get more from this author

Posted in Business, 21st February 2001 15:40 GMT

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IBM's redesigned notebook, the ThinkPad TransNote, was launched today.

It has a digital notepad attached, for making handwritten notes. IBM says that the digital pad can be used to fill in customised forms so will be marketed at industries where there is a lot of form filing - for example, insurance firms. "Anywhere where there is a lot of duplication," an IBM spokeswoman said.

The pad is called ThinkScribe (obviously) and input from it is handled by the Ink Manager Pro software. Although there is no handwriting recognition, the data is stored in a text file. We await a fuller explanation.

Prices start at £2,059 for a machine pre-loaded with Windows 98. It is also available with Windows 2000, but that pushes the price up to £2,186 before VAT.

And the spec? Well, it runs a 600MHz Mobile Pentium III, has 64MB RAM, and a 10GB hard drive. It has integrated Ethernet and a 56Kbps modem, two USB ports, a video port, a port replication port and PC Card and Compact Flash slots.

Now, IBM has called this new design a Portfolio laptop, as opposed to a clamshell. We seriously recommend you check out this link because it is tricky to describe, and we don't have pictures. ®

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