Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper

Posted on 17 June 2010, Last updated on 31 July 2015 by

ASUS Eee Pad EP121 12 inch I know there are a lot of designers, manufacturers and resellers that read UMPCPortal so this one is for you. Potential Windows 7 Slate customers should also read this. In fact, as a reviewer, I’m learning from this White Paper too!

Windows 7 Engineering Guidance for Slate PCs.

Windows for Devices have reproduced an extremely useful white paper by Microsoft that gives detailed information about what Windows 7 can bring to slate PCs (note Microsoft aren’t using the ‘Tablet PC’ term!) and how designers should think about everything from ergonomics and electronics. Windows 7 is one of the only operating systems that provides the Full Internet Experience with a productivity focus and a touch-enabled user interface. It may not be the sexiest but as of today, nothing can touch it for desktop-style productivity.

There are some obvious tips that are useful for designer and buyer…

  • Provide 2 gigabytes of memory on CPU-constrained and GPU-constrained systems. inch [which applies to Menlow, Pine Trail and Oak Trail designs in my opinion – Chippy]
  • Slate PCs should use solid-state drives (SSDs) to enable lower power consumption and high reliability in a mobile environment. SSDs also have greater performance than most traditional platter drives. inch
  • Battery life should exceed 4 hours under normal operating conditions.

…and some not-so-obvious tips…

  • To get a Windows 7 hardware logo on a device bigger than 10.2 inch you need to support DirectX 10
  • Ensure handgrip regions are designed away from heat dispersion and venting.
  • Biometric logon — Consider including a fingerprint reader for improved ease of access for logon and security scenarios.

The document is rich with advanced tips and inks and is also a recommended read for anyone considering buying a WIndows 7 ‘slate’. Clearly, with Microsoft pushing Windows 7 into this area, with OakTrail offering a super low-power platform and the general slate/pad/tablet wave of interest we’re seeing at the moment, there will be an increased number of offerings in the late 2010 and 2011 timeframe.

Additional information can be found in my article: Things to Consider when Designing or Buying a Tablet-Style Device

Windows for Devices WIndows 7 Engineering Guidance for Slate PCs

14 Comments For This Post

  1. Gretchen Glasscock says:

    Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper: I know there are a lot of designers, manufacturers and reseller… http://bit.ly/aLVC2H

  2. jkk mobile says:

    Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper http://www.umpcportal.com/2010/06/windows-7-slate-design-must-read-white-paper/

  3. Guy Adams says:

    RT @umpcportal: New article: Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper http://bit.ly/9GVPRR

  4. Morganj says:

    Chippy, Do you have a similar white paper from the UMPC origami days?
    Would be interesting to compare what MS was thinking then and now.

  5. chippy says:

    The PDFs are still around somewhere.
    Origami 2007 spec
    http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2007/05/origami-2-0-to-be-thinner-smaller-and-maybe-less-expesnive.ars

  6. Robert Mitchell says:

    Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper | UMPCPortal …: I know there are a lot of designers, manufactur… http://bit.ly/9qd3Uw

  7. SlowPcTips.com says:

    Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper | UMPCPortal … http://bit.ly/d61UvB

  8. turn_self_off says:

    with requirements like that, expect a 4 digit dollar price.

  9. Marauderz says:

    I think the power consumption between SSD and HDD aren’t that different now following one of the tests they did between an SSD and HDD MacBookAir?

    But power consumption aside, the best reason to use SSDs on a slate is of course… if isn’t afraid of a little shake and roll.

  10. DavidC1 says:

    The Samsung SSD used in the MacBookAir was crap. The good SSDs like the X25-M uses less power than HDDs(or bad SSDs): http://www.anandtech.com/show/2614/16

  11. Marauderz says:

    I see, I stand corrected then.

  12. MobileMondayMalta says:

    Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper – http://bit.ly/buTr37 ^JR

  13. Richard Cooke says:

    RT @MoMoMalta: Windows 7 Slate Design – *Must-Read* White Paper – http://bit.ly/buTr37 ^JR

  14. brandontx1 says:

    a very typical American idiotic, clunky, big fat finger users.
    i’m using those terms very carefully, its just very typical.
    wake up and smell the new world, not those old cabbage smelly clunky stupid jack-hole anymore dudes.
    ppl want small, compact, pocket size devices.
    how stupendously to understand that?
    not 2.2 inches nor.. 4.5 inches.. nor 565656 inches.
    fucking 7 inches or 8 or 9 inches with touch screen.
    try make like that form factor and see if how asian market or market in general you will gain.
    pulling hair screaming fleas.
    ay yi yi

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