Many thanks to those of you who participated in my informal survey, “What’s in a Name?”, probing whether the beloved Tablet PC is in need of a name change. It is now time to reveal the results the (non-scientific, margin of error = +/- 100%) poll of what you all think about the name “Tablet PC”. You may be surprised by the results…

Well, maybe not TOO surprised. First, the sample size was small – many thanks to all 18 of you who participated! Secondly, it is clear that most of you are ardent Tablet PC aficionados, so your opinion is already skewed:

6% - I've only played with one a little bit
11% - Yes but not every day
83% - Yes - I use my Tablet PC every day


As it turns out, despite my creative attempts to come up with a better alternative, most of you like the name “Tablet PC”:

18% "Inkable Notebook"
6% "Notebook PC with Digital Ink"
64% "Tablet PC is perfect - leave it alone!"
12% I've got a better idea... (Two other suggested alternatives were submitted: “InkNotebook” and “Notebook PC with Touch Screen” - Thanks for the suggestions!)

I also received a few comments that are worth mentioning here:

• “Marketing needs to go mainstream! There's no visibility of TabletPCs (or whatever you want to call them) in the popular media. That's the real reason why parents aren't buying them for their kids heading to school--they don't know they even exist.” [I will be sure to share this with our marketing team – jv]
  
  
• “I love it!!!!! I just got it in January and I teach math with it. I can't imagine my class without it anymore.” [Hooray! You’re not alone… jv]
  
  
• “I don't feel the name has anything to do with general adoption or understanding of the concept, rather I think it is the limited scope or nature of the current concept that is the roadblock. I don't expect general awareness of Tablet PCs (or whatever you would like to call them) to occur until it is seen as a general term; in other words, not specificly tied to having a Windows machine. When you can walk into a classroom and see "Tablet PCs" in student and instructors hands that are independent of seeing an operating system -- that is you see Mac Tablet PCs, Linux Tablet PCs, and Windows Tablet PCs -- then you can expect Tablet PC to be a well-known "type" of computer. (Yes, non-Windows Tablet PCs do exist already, but they are not an accessible solution right now for your everyday person.)



• “It would be difficult to change the name of a tablet PC. I think most people know what a tablet PC is, but maybe I'm wrong. Changing the name would just confuse people..."so, you're using a 'notebook PC with digital pen'? But isn't that one of those tablet PCs?" [I certainly don’t want to confuse people any more than they already are! – jv]
  
  
• “HP and all Tablet PC manufacturers should flood retail stores with Tablet PC demo models. People need to see and touch the Tablet PCs. Once retail staff and consumers realize that a Tablet PC ("notebook PC with TouchScreen" or "TouchScreen laptop") is just a laptop with a touch-sensitive screen that flips, and once they get to touch it, play with the Tablet PC pen, and actually write on it they'll be sold on the pen user interface and digital ink. ...but HP and all Tablet PC manufacturers must deploy lots of demo units out there, and replenish all the Tablet pens that will be lost to give people a real and ubiquitous Tablet PC experience. Everytime I stop by a Micro Center, Fry's, Best Buy or some other computer, I am happy if I see one (1) out of 20 or 40 notebooks that is actually a Tablet PC. That ratio needs to change significantly.” [What a concept! Put Tablets where people can try them! FYI – I did find an HP consumer tablet pc online at Best Buy – jv]

So while the sample size was small, your inputs are MUCH appreciated. Next stop – I have to send an email to our education marketing team and let them know what you said! Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

I am still dreaming of the day when people stop asking me, “What is that??”