Is a tablet in your future (or in your bag already)?

With news that Intel earnings were boosted by notebook PC sales (when exactly did "laptops" become "notebooks"?), comes new excitement over the next big portable thing: tablet PCs. News.com is hypothesizing that sales of tablet PCs could take off in the next three years. This week we released a roundup with videos by Associate Editor Michelle Thatcher trying a bunch out. The package could help you decide if a tablet's right for your work.

The devices, which let you, essentially, draw or write on a screen laid flat and have the PC save your scrawl for searches and other manipulation, are great for less-obtrusive note-taking or spreadsheet manipulating rather than typing with your laptop open. They're also good for giving close-up presentations or working in tight quarters, such as a car's backseat or on an airplane.