While the concept of pen-based computing was known earlier, applying it to business environment is innovative. It is worthwhile examining some of the business applications the tablet PCs can run. Persons regularly attending business meetings will find the note-taking capabilities of a tablet PC extremely useful. Tablet PCs eliminate the need for pen and paper in seminars and conferences. Business houses will find tablet PCs a natural replacement for laptops for the field sales force. When deciding between a laptop and a tablet, consider that the tablet does all that the laptop does, but also includes features ideally suited for people on the move. Among other business-related activities, tablet PCs allow users to email, sign, and store digital contracts.
A distinct advantage of the tablet PC is users can extract standardized forms from drop-down lists and dialog boxes for data entry. For instance, a vehicle insurance surveyor can straightaway fill out all the variable information in a claim form on the tablet PC.