Tablet Rasa for schools: a new kind of PC crosses a laptop with a PDA. (Tech Knowledge).(tablet computers)

Computer giants are touting the tablet computer as the best of two technological worlds--the innovative mini-laptop is wireless and portable, just like a personal digital assistant, yet powerful enough to run word processing and spreadsheet software. It sounds like an educator's dream. But is it really?

Although many librarians would love to see a tablet computer in every student's hands, it'll be at least two years before the technology becomes widespread in K-12 schools. Right now, tablet computers are prohibitively expensive for most schools. At $1,699 to $2,399 each, they're about $500 more than the cost of a conventional laptop offering the same features. …