IBM pen-based notebook runs dry
MSNBC | at | by Rod
Sometimes the keyboard is mightier than the pen: IBM has discontinued its ThinkPad TransNote, a portable PC that also captures notes jotted on paper. On Monday, an IBM representative confirmed that the company has stopped manufacturing the notebook because, "in this economic environment, sales did not reach our expectations."
The problem for the TransNote was that IBM was selling into "a niche market that had limited growth potential," said Bob Sutherland, an analyst with Technology Business Research. The TransNote's potential buyers included insurance agents, real-estate agents, lawyers and students.