Hugo Ortega does Fujitsu U1010

Ive pushed the envelope and burnt the candle at both ends this week to bring you, yesterdays "The Shift" video, and todays video of what we lovingly term The Stormtrooper! Both were promised and as such both were delivered.

These videos have been much anticipated so with the burden of your buying decision in mind I have made the humanly impossible, possible. If you pay close attention you will notice that I am in the same attire for this video, as I am for The Shift Video, as I am for the Nova SunPad video - which is no coincidence as I filmed and edited them all on the same day! (Plus currently uploaded my TechED Speech which I will post shortly!)

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Watch or download the High Res InkShow Video Review (39 minutes, 297MB, Windows Media streaming or direct download)

Visit the Official U1010 Homepage

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Hugo Ortega receives Microsoft MVP Award

This Monday morning was always going to be pleasant given that it was a Public Holiday in Australia – Labour Day, New South Wales (NSW) and beyond. Yet it was destined to be more substantial than just that.

As I grabbed a cup of coffee and pressed send/receive to check for new messages I was astounded by one of the headers that read:

“[MVP] Congratulations! You have received the Microsoft MVP Award”

Wow! What an amazing way to start a Monday. Microsoft was officially acknowledging everything I had done this last year by awarding me the status of Microsoft MVP 2007. The first thing I did was look up who else had been awarded the title in my competency, i.e. Windows - Tablet PC.

As I gazed at the list it struck me that there were only 18 of us worldwide. Secondly I noticed that I was Australia’s first Tablet PC MVP (Dr. Neil represented here but was actually US based); and only the second ever in the Southern Hemisphere (line honours went to NZ’s Craig Pringle).

The other thing that struck was the company I was holding. Some of my personal favourites include:

• Linda A. Epstein: Windows - Tablet PC
• Dennis Rice: Windows - Tablet PC
• Rob Bushway: Windows - Tablet PC
• Lora Heiny: Windows - Tablet PC
• James Kendrick: Windows - Tablet PC
• Warner Crocker: Windows - Tablet PC
• Josh Einstein: Windows - Tablet PC
• Marc Orchant: Windows - Tablet PC
• Tracy Hooten: Windows - Tablet PC
• Craig Pringle: Windows - Tablet PC
• Hugo Ortega: Windows - Tablet PC (me)
• Neil Roodyn: Windows - Live Developer (a notable absentee from this years Tablet PC list due to a new MVP appointment as Live Developer).

I couldn’t help but be overjoyed by the status and feel more determined than ever to assist in Australia, and beyond.

At this stage I would like to personally thank several people, in a very particular order: My Wife, Dr. Neil Roodyn & Kris, TabletKiosk Team USA, Frank Arrigo, Lora Heiny and family, Craig Pringle, Jeff Alexander, Roger Lawrence, Warner Crocker, Rob Bushway, James Kendrick, Tablet PC Bloggers, Rick Anderson (Microsoft AU), Doug Mulray, and many more.

[If you’re not on the list do not feel left out as the list is endless.]

One thing I realized by looking at the current Tablet MVPs is that it is not enough to simply want the award; it must be earned.

Thank you Microsoft.

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Hugo Ortega plays with Fujitsu T4020

I announced several posts back that I’d been handed a Fujitsu T4020 Convertible Tablet PC. Today, although not intended as a full review, I decided to posts some thoughts.

I must disclose that my original purpose for having this device was somewhat selfish. Since I’d been handed the role as blogger for the CeBIT Australia Fair I knew that my primary dilemma in accomplishing this task would be my love for the slate pc. I hunted and looked through my piles of Tablets to only realise that I have a rather refined Slate fetish; the only convertible/hybrid I own is a HP TC1100 which would definitely be under-processed and under-sized for the task.

David at Fujitsu answered my call rather enthusiastically with the delivery of a “Brand New” T4020 Convertible Tablet PC that had been sitting in the office and designated as a “Emergency Only” Tablet… I peeled open the boxes, and layers of insulation, to find what at first site appears to be a rather good attempt at post-modern Tabletism. The reason I term it post-modern is that Fujitsu’s design team has gone to considerable effort to create a funky machine; with its rounded edges and two-toned grey/silvers it seems that Fujitsu colour coordinators have definitely done away with PC Beige as a preferred hue.

Booting the T4020 quickly gives the Tableteer a glimpse of great things to come…speed (impressive for an Intel® Pentium® M Processor 750 1.86GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB) ! As we all know faster is better, right? In this case absolutely, positively better. From the word GO this Tablet screams. Gone are all the proprietary software bits that make very good computers run like dogs, i.e. infamous with IBM and Sony VAIO. When I first booted this device I was pleasantly surprised to find myself in the Windows environment well before many more fabled machines. One Windows Mobile fanatic friend of mine pointed out a very ironic little quirk in this device just recently: “stupid isn’t it that the fingerprint scanner is located on the body of the computer and not the screen? What if I want to swipe my finger when in Tablet mode?”

All-in-all the keyboard feels great and the weight/functionality ratios are all tipped in the favour of the T4020. I like it so far but stay tuned for a more comprehensive Video Review later next week.

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