UPDATE: I revised this on January 21, 2006.
Here is my list of the Top 10 11 Tablet PC apps on the market today (or in beta). Note that the programs on this list are ones I prefer or preferred to use in my daily routine. I'm sure your list may be different based on how you use your Tablet PC. The one constant here is that each app uses digital ink and the functions of a Tablet PC well (there are two exceptions.)
At the end I also list the Top Tablet PC Apps I'm looking forward to in the next year (or sooner.)
That said here we go.
- InkGestures. Loren Heiny's document editing app transforms the Tablet PC experience for me. This makes it easy to create and edit a Word document or Outlook email uisng the pen. What an INK should be. Though still in beta, this is a must have Tablet PC app.
- ActiveWords and the ActiveWords Inkpad. No other app offers the customization and ease of use for a Tablet PC as ActiveWords. With the Inkpad, it makes working in slate mode a breeze for many tasks. If you own a Tablet PC and aren't using this app, you have no idea how much easier life can be with ActiveWords.
- TEO 2.0. This is not a stand alone app as it is an add-in for Microsoft Outlook. If you use Outlook at all with a Tablet PC you need this app.
- OneNote 2003. For my money it is the best note-taking and organization tool for a Tablet PC on the market. There are others that handle some of the functions of OneNote well (Journal, GoBinder, Evernote to name three) but OneNote does it all for me.
- SendToOneNote Powertoy. This simple powertoy's functionality should have been included in OneNote from the beginning. But this toy allows you to print anything to OneNote making data collection a breeze. Free with the Microsoft Education/Enhancement Pack.
- Fit-Width Print. Soon to be made obsolete by Windows Vista this little utility used in conjunction with the SendToOneNote Powertoy will allow you to capture an entire webpage and not end up with a cut off image.
- Inkyboard. Charlie Cassidy's nifty tool allows you to create a white board and ink away to your heart's content. But that's not all. You can adjust the translucency of the whiteboard and overlay it on just about anything making notes/drawings/markups as you need to and save the overlay. Great tool.
- MindManager: Simply put an awesome mind-mapping tool with more features than I have had time to discover. I use this extensively to brainstorm and for that alone it is an awesome tool.
- Ink Art 1.3 and Alias Sketchbook Pro. Two versions, one free, one not. One very capable. One even more so. Ink Art is contained in the Microsoft Experience/Expansion pack an is a great painting tool. Alias Sketchbook Pro takes it one step further (there are some differences between the two.)Both are excellent art programs and excellent ink programs.
- Snipping Tool 2.0 and/or Snag-It. Again, one free, one not. The Snipping Tool is free with the Microsoft Experience/Expansion Pack. Snag-It does require a payment. If you're on a budget the Snipping Tool can handle your screen capture needs just fine. Snag-It is like the Snipping Tool on steroids when it comes to capturing data and outputting it. One advantage to the Snipping Tool, it is built to handle INK.
- PDF Annotator. It does just what the title says, letting you annotate a pdf document.
Tablet PC Apps I'm Anxious To See
- OneNote 12. From what has already been blogged this new edition looks like it will take an already great program to an awesome new level.
- TEO 3.0 Again, from the hints Josh Einstein has dropped this must have Tablet PC App looks like it will become even more essential.
- BlogPad. Craig Pringle's Tablet PC blogging tool. Blog in ink and have it converted to text.
- Onfolio Add-In for ActiveWords. Buzz Bruggeman mentioned this recently on the OnTheRun With Tablet PCs podcast. Onfolio is my RSS reader of choice and a great data collection tool. Adding an ActiveWords agent can only make a great tool even better.
- Rob Bushway's Bible Reader Plug-in for OneNote.
- Whatever Tom Clarkson is working on.
- Microsoft Windows Vista. This promises to add much more for the Tablet PC. Interested in a sneak peek? Check out Colin Walker's blog. UPDATE: And also Pete Wright's blog.
