A tablet pc is a smaller portable computer. Tablets have been around a number of years, but have become much more popular recently. They are fully functioning computers, but look different and are smaller.

Sizes of computers that people usually use are desktop, laptop, netbook/notebook, tablet and cell phone, going from physically larger to smaller. With the increased capability of computers, sometimes the smaller out-perform the larger.

Tablet computers are a single unit design and appear to be just a flat screen, but actually the processing capabilities are behind the screen. They also have no keyboard, but the keyboard appears on the screen when needed.

More often you are just using the screen as your input device, as it is a touch screen. The screen has drawing abilities so you can sketch with your finger on the screen.

Effectively, this means you hold the tablet like you used to hold or carry paper, and then you can enter information like you write on paper, but not stored electronically. Many of your cell phones have these capabilities too, but it is a smaller screen and harder for many to use.

Tablets are good devices for a lot of purposes. I see a lot of people use them to take to class or meetings to enter notes in and be able to look stuff up.

Thanks to Evelyn for the question.

Send your questions to Dwight Watt at dwight@dwightwatt.com. He teaches at a technical college in northwest Georgia and does consulting work for businesses and individuals. His website is www.dwightwatt.com.