Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A Brief History of Tablet Computing


Today’s tablet computers evolved from pen computing technology, which started as a way to capture handwriting with stylus devices. Here is a timeline of major events in the evolution of tablets.


1888:
A U.S. patent was granted to Elisha Gray for an electrical stylus device for capturing handwriting.


1915:
A U.S. patent was granted on a handwriting user interface with a stylus.


1942:
A U.S. patent was granted on a touchscreen used for handwriting input.


1957:
The Styalator electronic tablet with pen is invented; it is the first tablet that resembles the tablet computers we use today.


Early 1960s:
The RAND tablet (also known as Grafacon) was invented; this is often misidentified as the first tablet device. It sold for $18,000.


1966: Crew members on Star Trek carried large, wedge-shaped electronic clipboards, operated through the use of a stylus.


1982:
Pencept introduces a general-purpose computer terminal using a tablet with handwriting recognition.


1989:
The GRiDPad from GRiD Systems was introduced, running on MS-DOS.


1991:
GO Corp. developed the PenPoint OS for tablet coputers. NCR released the Model 3125 pen computer running on MS-DOS and the new PenPoint OS.


1993
: Apple Computer releases the Newton PDA. IBM releases the ThinkPad, its first commercial portable tablet PC. AT&T releases the EO Personal Communicator with wireless communications.


2002:
Motion Computing ships its first tablet on Microsoft’s Tablet OS.


2003:
PaceBlade releases the PaceBook Tablet PC. Fingerworks develops the touch technology and gestures that are later used in the Apple iPhone.


2006:
The Samsung Q1 UMPC (ultra-mobile PC) is released.


2008:
The touch interface becomes mainstream as HP releases its multi-touch capable TouchSmart tx2 series.


2009: The Asus tablet netbook EEE PC is released with a multi-touch screen. Always Innovating introduces a tablet netbook with an ARM CPU.


2010: Apple debuts the iPad.


2011:
At the Consumer Electronics Show, more than 80 new tablets are announced.