Tablet PCs are notebook computers with the added benefit of being able to use a pen to handwrite, tap, drag, highlight, and erase. Handwriting recognition, where the computer translates your print or cursive ink to typed text, is relatively good for most users, but not perfect for all users. Up until the beta release of "Lonestar" (Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004), Tablet PC users developed several tricks, such as lifting the pen between certain cursive letters to improve recognition, avoiding using a sequence of capital letters, and some supplement with the Pocket PC character letter recognizer. Microsoft posted ?Dictionary Tool for Tabet PC 1.0? PowerToy for download to help people improve handwriting recognition.

The Dictionary Tool compares "recognized" handwriting against dictionary to eliminate bad word choices during conversion to text. You can add words to the Dictionary to improve recognition. If you own a Tablet PC and haven't installed this yet, you should do so now.

Even though the Tablet PC recognizes most handwritten words for most people, it may not translate all colloquialisms, technical terms, or nonsense words properly. Fortunately, the Tablet PC provides a user-extensible dictionary. If you add ones that you use frequently to this Dictionary, it will save a few extra steps with converting handwriting to text.

When you open this simple app, you will see a dialog box with two tabs. The first tab is a list of words for General Tablet PC applications, titled "Tablet PC Dictionary". The second tab is the Microsoft Office generated Dictionary, appropriately titled "Microsoft Office Dictionary".


Image 1: Tablet PC Dictionary


Image 2: Microsoft Office Dictionary

I had a list of words that I knew I wanted to add immediately. For example, my first name, Lora, is not a common spelling. Though "Lora" was already in the Office Dictionary I immediately moved it over to the Tablet PC Dictionary. The Dictionary has taken care of this little misspelling nuisance, just as it did with nonsense words like "lol".


Image 3: Word recognition before using the new Dictionary Tool For Tablet PC 1.0


Image 4: Word recognition after using the new Dictionary Tool For Tablet PC 1.0

Adding a word is straightforward. Just click on the text box and a mini input panel keyboard pops up so you can type or handwrite in your word choice, and then click "Add". If you have a text file with technical phrases, you can import that file.

What's the downside to extending? If you add too many words and custom terms, it's possible that the recognition of the words in the built-in dictionary may not work as well. But we haven't encountered that so far.

More than anything, this Dictionary Tool For Tablet PC 1.0 will help make using your Tablet PC even easier.

Added:  Monday, April 19, 2004

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