A technical session is also planned on the same day to discuss the strategy behind the TabletPC, which Gates first publicly debuted at Forum 2000 last June, the same event he used to launch Microsoft's .Net strategy. Gates showed a prototype of the TabletPC during his keynote at Comdex in November. At that time, he said it had 12MB of RAM and a 600MHtz processor. It also featured wireless networking and a simple user interface. The ink is captured at 133 samples a second rather than the 30 or 40 samples a second captured with a mouse.
Users can add text, cut and paste, and search through all handwritten ink documents for any word.
Alex Loeb, the general manager of TabletPC, said in an interview at the time that she hoped it would be ready for general release by summer or fall of 2002. Chip choices One source said Microsoft is unlikely to limit the choice of chip used in the TabletPC to just one manufacturer, adding it will most likely allow OEM partners to decide exactly which low-power X86 chip they will use. While Microsoft has done some experimental work with Transmeta Corp., it has not been selected as the only chip provider. OEMs will be given the basic framework and can then add to and develop it further. They will also brand the product, the source said.