Microsoft kicks off 80-college tour to demo mobile products

Showcasing some of its newest mobile devices from Tablet PCs to Smartphones, Microsoft started an eight-week Student Mobility Tour at the Friend Center Saturday.

Tara Hadley, Microsoft's education productivity advisor, discussed the latest accessories that will enable students to access the information they need — from any location and at any time.

"We [Microsoft] want to get students informed about mobility devices since they always need to connect, communicate and collaborate, on or off campus," Hadley said.

Princeton was Microsoft's first stop for a tour that will include almost 80 schools over the spring and fall, including Bentley College, Dartmouth College and Columbia University in the coming weeks.

"We pick large universities where advanced technology is embraced and harnessed," Hadley said.

Tablet PCs

"The Tablet PC is the latest Notebook PC in processing power, speed and memory," Hadley said.

Through the latest technology, a user can input handwritten text and save it digitally or convert it to typed text. The Tablet PC also features voice recognition and wireless Internet capability.

"A stylus pen is used as the computer's mouse and one can write, draw, doodle and erase with it," she said.

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Hadley presented a video of a "classroom of the future," in which students took notes on their Tablet PCs. They also interacted with the teaching assistant and professor via an instant messaging program during a lecture.

Students could send questions directly to the teaching assistant, who would then inform the professor.

Impressed by the Tablet PC's various capabilities, Jessica Chong '07 said, "Although the graphics for games on a Tablet seem inferior to a desktop computer's, I wish I had a Tablet PC."

Smartphones

Hadley also showed off a Smartphone, which combines the familiarity of Windows software with the ease of a mobile phone. A Smartphone user can send and receive email, instant messages, browse the web, run PowerPoint presentations and even synchronize information with a desktop PC.

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Smartphones also include a secure digital card slot to store music, games and other files on removable memory. Music can play in the background while one reads email or works in other applications like the calendar or address book.

"The tour of mobile devices was very informative and definitely increased my interest in gadgets like the Smartphone," Kay Ashaolu '07 said.

Microsoft OneNote

According to Hadley, Microsoft OneNote can help students be more efficient and organized with their notes, from class to lab to the dorm. OneNote is a new addition to Microsoft Office and works like a notebook, but with extra features such as searching, drag-and-drop and voice recording.

In the program, students can take notes anywhere on the page and move the cursor to any place on the screen and start typing. In addition, users can record audio notes that are synchronized to written notes and customize as many notebooks, folders and pages as they need.

Since many of the latest mobile devices are accompanied by high prices, Hadley noted that schools are instituting special educational prices and even integrating Tablet PCs as part of university computer initiatives.

Despite the high prices, Amy Seng '04, Microsoft's student representative on campus, said, "It's important for students to be aware of and know how to use mobile technology that can enhance research and classroom learning."