Summary: The Tablet PC has been growing in popularity and the number of websites and blogs continues to increaseI and now with the release of Ultra-Mobile PCs (UMPCs, codename Origami) the developer opportunities are even greater. This Wiki celebrates the continued adoption of the form factor and is designed to help share Tablet PC and Ultra-Mobile PC resources.

What are Tablet PC and Ultra-Mobile PCs?

Tablet PCs and Ultra-Mobile PCs are the newest generation of mobile computers. The Tablet PC provides all the power of a standard Microsoft Windows-based notebook plus additional features that improve mobility including pen-input, light form-factors, and handwriting and speech recognition. Ultra-Mobile PCs are an even smaller form factor using full Windows XP also. These enhancements increase the number of ways people can use computers for practical and creative work.

Tablets an Ultra-Mobile PCs use Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 operating system to provide ink and speech features.

What mobile PC features can I add to my applications?

As a developer, you need to add features to your applications that make them more friendly for mobile lifestyle. Integrating Pen and Ink features will allow people to point, tap, draw, and handwrite information quickly and easily. Making sure your application functions properly and transmits data at convenient times will be critical as people take machines online and offline, so your application should be network aware and capable of synchronizing data. And the more people use mobile computers, the more they will demand longer battery life. The way you design your application can help that battery power last longer.

Will Tablet PC and mobile PC features be part of Windows Vista?

Yes! As you know, mobile computers are increasing in popularity. People want to be able to take computers with them wherever they go and access that information from wherever that may be.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Development

Getting Started

* End user features
* Developer features
* Frequently Asked Questions
* Tablet PC SDK 1.7
* Power Management SDK_powermgmt.asp
* Tablet PC Game SDK
* Documentation
* Design guidelines

Visual Studio 2005 and mobile PC and Tablet PC development

* Setup
* Mobile Ink To-Do Starter Kit

Migrating an app from Windows XP or Windows Mobile

* Tablet 101 Column 1: Getting Started - Describes the Windows XP Tablet PC Platform and how developers can migrate existing applications to the platform or create new applications for the platform. In addition, this article lists further resources for developers wishing to employ the Tablet PC Platform API. Code examples are written in C#. Readers need not be previously familiar with the Tablet PC Platform API but need be familiar with managed code to understand the examples. (9 printed pages)
* Design considerations

Controls

Sample code

Hands-on labs

* Getting Started with the Tablet PC Platform - C#

Windows Vista Mobile PC and Tablet PC Development

Getting Started

* End user features
* Developer features
* Frequently Asked Questions
* "Mobile PC and Tablet PC SDK Sept Release (Beta)":
* Documentation

Visual Studio 2005 and mobile PC and Tablet PC development

* Setup

Migrating an app from Windows Mobile

* Design considerations

Controls


Sample code

Hands-on labs for Windows Vista CTP 5219
* Getting Started with the Tablet PC Platform - C# Windows Vista versiontabletcsreleasecs.exe
* Getting Started with the Tablet PC Platform - Visual Basic .NET, Windows Vista versiontabletvbreleasecs.exe
* RealTimeStylus Hands-on Lab (C#, Windows Vista version) - This lab is familiarizes you with the Tablet PC RealTimeStylus (RTS) APIs. You create a pair of RTS plug-ins. The first plug-in is a packet filtering plug-in that demonstrates packet modification by constraining all (x,y) packet data within a rectangular area. The second plug-in is a simple custom dynamic renderer plug-in that renders stylus input by drawing a small circle around each (x,y) point. You then use your plug-ins in a sample application that is provided for you.

Business reasons

* Case studies

Articles by category

Auxiliary Displays
* Learning about the SDK

Connectivity / Networking
* Network Location Awareness Service Provider (NLA)
* Mobile PC Network Location Awareness_NLA.asp

* Notification from NLA
* Longhorn Network Location Awareness Service

* Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking
* Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking Documentation

* Bluetooth
* Bluetooth Documentation

Context Tagging

Data Synchronization
* Synchronization Manager Documentationmanagerstart_page.asp - The Synchronization Manager provides a centralized, standard technology for synchronizing files for offline use on a mobile computer or a computer connected to a local area network.

Ink, General
* Ink and Agents on Tablet PC - Learn how to use Microsoft Agent 2.0 in a Tablet PC application.

* Ink It Up with Tablet PC Digital Pen and Ink - Learn the design considerations you'll need to know when developing an applications for Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, plus how to programmatically delete, select, and highlight ink.

* Learn How Ink Interoperates on Other Microsoft Operating Systems - Read about an architecture for building Ink support into Instant Messaging clients, so that Ink can be collected by the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system, then broadcast to and rendered on other operating systems.

* Disabling Press and Hold in Applications Written for Tablet PC - Learn how to disable the press and hold system gesture on Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

* Frequently Asked Questions about Developing Software for the Tablet PC - Find answers to common questions about the Tablet PC development environment.

* Mobile Ink Jots 4: Writing Solid Tablet PC Applications - This edition of Mobile Ink Jots lists common bugs and other coding mistakes that may appear in the course of developing Tablet PC applications and demonstrates how to avoid them.

* Optimizing Applications for Tablet PC - Lists methods for taking advantage of Tablet PC features within applications; discusses use of the Context Tagging tool and the SetInputScope API. Includes sample code that creates a managed wrapper for the SetInputScope API. Includes sample code for an extender control that adds SetInputScope properties to all controls on a form that are derived from the TextBoxBase class. Accompanying code sample is written in C#.


* Tablet-Enable Your Windows Application Without Changing the Code - This article, posted on the ".NET Developer's Journal" Web site, discusses various levels of ink integration for your applications and goes into detail about implementing the Context Tagging Tool to maximize Tablet PC compatibility with minimal developer investment.

* Digital Ink Signatures—Concepts and Technologies - White paper about how to design and implement Tablet PC applications that efficiently utilize digital ink signatures for identity validation.

* Converting Journal Notes to XML, SVG, and OneNote - Learn how to use the Journal Reader Supplemental Component to convert Journal notes to XML and then convert them to Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) for viewing on the Web or a Pocket PC. Also provides the code to import a Journal Note into OneNote.

* Printing Ink with Tablet PC Platform SDK - Discover how to print ink from an ink collector, adjust for printer margins, and print antialiased and transparent ink in Tablet PC.

* Tablet PC Platform Independence - Describes a number of strategies for deploying an application across Windows XP and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. Details and code examples illustrate single application deployment for multiple platforms.


Ink Analysis

* Ink Analysis with the Tablet PC SDK - Learn how to analyze ink using the Divider APIs in the Tablet PC Platform SDK.

Gesture and Handwriting Recognition

* Easily Write Custom Gesture Recognizers for Your Tablet PC Applications - Learn how to write a custom gesture recognizer with the Simple Gesture Recognition library. Sample project in Visual Basic .NET, with some C# example code.

* Get the Best Results from Tablet PC Handwriting Recognizers - Describes how best to use handwriting recognizers so that they provide the best results for your application. These descriptions and examples — in C# and Microsoft Visual Basic .NET — use the Microsoft Tablet PC Platform SDK version 1.7 API, currently in Beta.

* Using Recognition Alternates - Learn the various ways to present recognition alternates so that users can specify the correct text for handwriting.

* Using Speech Dictionaries to Improve Handwriting Recognition Results - Programmatically modify speech dictionaries to improve handwriting recognition in Tablet PC applications.

Power Management

* Mobile PC Power Management - This article introduces you to the topic of power management for mobile PC applications running on Microsoft Windows XP.

* Introducing "Longhorn" for Developers. Chapter 7: Creating Mobility-Aware "Longhorn" Applications

Reading and Writing Ink

* Persisting Ink on the Web - Learn how to move ink around in a Web site without falling prey to the many potential programming problems. Example code is in C# and JavaScript

* Persisting Ink with Attached Recognition Data - Learn how to store and persist recognition data with ink using the Microsoft Tablet PC Platform SDK version 1.5.

* Storing Ink in a Database - Learn to create applications that can store ink in a Microsoft SQL Server database and retrieve it, using the Microsoft Tablet PC Platform SDK version 1.7 API. Includes samples in Visual C# and Visual Basic .NET.

Real-time stylus
* The Pen is Mightier with GDI+ and the Tablet PC Real-Time Stylus - Charles Petzold writes about how if InkOverlay doesn't quite meet your needs, you may want to make the leap to the other Tablet PC programming interface—the far more versatile Real-Time Stylus.

Rendering and Managing Ink Strokes

* Custom Render Tablet PC Ink - Get to know what an ink transformation is and the three kinds of transformations that can be applied to ink using the Tablet PC.

* Use Controls to Manipulate Ink in Tablet PC Applications - Learn to programmatically manipulate the CustomStrokes, Renderer, and ExtendedProperties objects in ink-based applications for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.

* Use Ink Controls with Visual Studio to Create Ink-Based Applications - Learn how to use the InkEdit and InkPicture controls for the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition operating system and how to enhance the appearance of ink strokes within those controls.

* Create Ink-Based Applications That Can Count User Strokes and Track Pen Placement - Learn how to apply the InkPicture Stroke, NewInAirPackets Events and NewPackets Events ink controls with Visual Basic .NET or C# and the Tablet PC SDK.

* Using a Timestamp on Strokes with Tablet PC - This document describes a recommended practice for storing timestamp information with ink strokes when developing applications designed for the Tablet PC.

Screen Orientation and Multiple Monitors

* Multiple Monitors - Supporting Multiple-Monitor Configuration Devices

* Detecting Screen Orientation and Screen Rotation in Tablet PC Applications - Learn to program your application to detect whether a user is viewing a Tablet PC in portrait or landscape orientation and adjust your application accordingly.

* Add articles on auto-configuration of display types


Tablet PC Input Panel

* Caret Tracking in Tablet PC Input Panel - Learn caret tracking best practices for enabling the Tablet PC Input Panel that appears next to text entry areas in your application.

* Disabling Tablet PC Input Panel - Learn to use registry keys to disable Tablet PC Input Panel that appears next to text entry areas in your application.

Touch display functionality

* Insert articles about what is a touch display and what developers do / do not need to do with to improve functionality within their applications.


Web Development

* Doodling on the Web - Demonstrates a way to redisplay ink images drawn on ASP.NET pages as regular GIF images, without having to waste unnecessary resources.

* Persisting Ink on the Web - Learn how to move ink around in a Web site without falling prey to the many potential programming problems. Example code is in C# and JavaScript

Directory:

Books on Tablet PC Development

* Getting Started with Tablet Development eBook
* Building Tablet PC Applications

Case Studies

*Microsoft case studies
*ISV Case studies

Code Samples

Columns and Articles

* Mobile Ink Jots
* Tablet 101

Community

Newsgroups

Websites
* http://www.tabletpctalk.com
* http://www.tabletpcbuzz.com
* http://www.tabletquestions.com
* Microsoft Developer Newsgroup
* TabletPCWiki.net

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* Student Tablet PC Forum

News & Resources Websites
* http://www.tablet.roodyn.com/
* http://www.medicaltabletpc.com/
* http://www.tabletpc2.com/
* http://www.tabletpccorner.net/
* http://www.tabletpc.it/
* http://www.nicecreations.us/
* http://www.thetabletpc.net

Podcasts
* The Tablet PC Show- Weekly Podcast covering all things Tablet PC
* On the Run with Tablet - New name and location of the Tablet PC Show

Tablet PC Developer Websites
* TabletDev
* Microsoft Tablet PC Developer Center
* Microsoft Mobile PC Developer Center
* DevX.com

ISV Blogs
* Tom Clarkson - OrangeGuava
* Scott Lemon - Agilix
* Thomas Becker - Mind&Machines
* Rob Bushway - TabletBible
* Loren Heiny - Incremental Blogger - JumpingMinds
* Julia Lerman - The Data Farm
* Iggy Kin - Googgy
* 3Leaf - Early Adopters
* Pfizer Viapro_id=131&id=3740/
* Joerg Lenz - Tablet PC Scene Central Europe - Softpro
* Tablet UML News
* Josh Einstein - Einstein Technologies

Related Microsoft Blogs
* Microsoft Tablet PC Team Blog
* Microsoft Mobile PC Team Blog
* UK Clearpores


Blog Posts About Using A Tablet PC As A Primary Development Machine
* Developing with a Tablet PC
* Using A Tablet PC For Developement
* Program FOR Tablets? Program ON a Tablet?

Community Blogs
* The Student Tablet PC Blogstudenttablet_pc/
* The Tablet PC Education Blog
* James Kendrick - JKOnTheRun
* Warner Crocker - Life on the Wicked Stage Act 2
* Baby Feeding
* Tabletology Tabletology.com features the real-life use and (some might say) abuse of tablet pcs in higher education, research, leisure, and travel.
* What is new
* TabletPCBlogs.com
* Inklings and Impressions
* CSI: Tablet PC

Tablet PC Software Directories
* http://www.tabletpcpost.com
* http://www.tabletpcpartners.com/launch.htm
* http://microsoft.handango.com/tablet

Microsoft Tablet PC Sites
* Tablet PC Main Page
* 10 Benefits of the Tablet PC
* MSDN Tablet PC Library
* Tablet PC Developer Center
* Tablet PC SDK 1.7 Download

Development Tools

* Within Reach

Downloads

* Education Pack
* Experience Pack
* Power Toys
* SDK
* Game SDK
* Power Management SDK
* inkshortcut

Reference Applications

* Arcs of Fire

Resources for

* Web Development
* Game Development

Support / KB Articles

* Memory Leak fix

Partner Information

* Sign up for the Tablet PC ISV Partner Program and newsletter
* Introduction to Tablet PC the new ISV Programs
* Partner Showcase
* Email tabisv@microsoft.com for more Tablet PC ISV partner information

Webcasts

* Tablet and Mobile PC Applications Development Webcast Series

Check out these sub-pages:

* TabletPCDevelopmentTools - Tools for building ink-enabled applications
* TabletPCFeedback - Give your input about the current Tablet PC SDK & OS
* ExperiencePackFeedback
* PowerToysFeedback
* VistaTabletFeedback - Give your input about hopes for Tablet PC and Mobile PC features in Windows Vista

Contact mobdvctr@microsoft.com when you have questions.