Couple questions on x61 tablet

[truk]

I've got a couple questions on my "new" x61 tablet that on google and forum search have so far failed me on. It has both pen and touch input, and I just installed windows 7 on it.

First one is on the Multitouch; Im guessing it means Multitouch as in pen and touch, not that it can pick up the position of two fingers at once, right? If not, how can I get gesture support?

The other thing I'm wondering about is changing the function of the power button on the screen separate from the one on the keyboard. I'd like the screen one to sleep and the keyboard one to shutdown. I know there's a registry mod for the Lenovo toolbox button, I didn't know if there was one for the tablet buttons.

Any info would be great!
Thanks!

[loyukfai]

IIRC, the multi-touch option is as you described, pen and stylus. One finger only.

And pinch-and-zoom and all those 2 or 3-finger actions are not the only gesture, although they've probably been made popular by a certain Steve Jobs.

People are used to, and are still using, gestures with 1-finger or even mouse as the input device.

No idea about the other one question...

Cheers!

[dmdsoftware]

I've got a couple questions on my "new" x61 tablet that on google and forum search have so far failed me on. It has both pen and touch input, and I just installed windows 7 on it.

First one is on the Multitouch; Im guessing it means Multitouch as in pen and touch, not that it can pick up the position of two fingers at once, right? If not, how can I get gesture support?

The other thing I'm wondering about is changing the function of the power button on the screen separate from the one on the keyboard. I'd like the screen one to sleep and the keyboard one to shutdown. I know there's a registry mod for the Lenovo toolbox button, I didn't know if there was one for the tablet buttons.

Any info would be great!
Thanks!

Both power buttons are treated the same -- either sleep or power on/off but not both.

[truk]

I know about pen gestures, as I use them in firefox. Is there a way to set up gestures in windows other than 'flicks'? I'd like a few options other than moving the mouse straight!

Thanks!

[loyukfai]

Sure. Had one utility installed to do just that beforehand, IIRC it was in XP, but I don't use it often and have lost track of it already.

Cheers.

Edit: Ohh... Got lucky... Found it...

http://www.tcbmi.com/strokeit/

[truk]

OK, next set of questions I guess, now that I'm starting to get used to this. Is there any better drivers I can use for the screen without losing the touch functionality? I know on my old tablet I had the official wacom drivers, and they were a ton better. It didn't have a touch screen though, and was running XP not 7. I can't even calibrate differently for each rotation, and pressure, nor eraser, seems to be working in Photoshop CS5 at all.

The backlight in this really is bad. I like the screen, but I can't see it at all during the day (not to mention it's a power hog.) I find myself sitting in dark rooms to make the screen easy to read without squinting at full brightness. I love the LED backlight in my t400. I believe one of the x6x series came with an LED backlight. I haven't read anything about this in the last year other than the guy who made his own (and I can't make PCBs ATM, or I would be trying it.) Anybody know if it can be made to work in this (or will even fit?)

Last but not least, how did the batteries with the docks work? It's the X6 tablet ultrabase with an advanced ultrabay battery right? How long will that little battery really give the computer? Will it charge the system battery off the dock battery, so I can take it of the dock and use it? How hard is the computer to use in the dock? When I plug it in, will it cover the tablet battery or dock battery first? Finally, does it have a fan?

Sorry to pummel with questions, I can get a dock for ~$25 on eBay, and I'm on the fence. My research has given me facts, but not opinions. Thanks for the responses so far. I've got all kinds of experience in the t-series, but these are a whole new ball game to me.

PS: Looks like stroke-it runs in 7, I'm gonna try it. Looks cool!

[loyukfai]

1. Think the Wacom Penabled driver runs just fine under Win7.

2. Don't think any X6x-series came with LED backlight. But after market mod, yes, find and use that thread to ask your question again.

3. No dock experience.

Cheers.

[truk]

Found some things out about the tablet drivers. If you just use the wacom drivers (the pen pen touch driver), or install them over the Lenovo drivers, they will break touch support. If you remove all drivers then install the wacom driver, then the Lenovo driver, it will get touch and pressure/eraser working. The only problem is it sticks you with only four point calibration that wacom uses (not that great.) I can use any number of points and get really good tracking without the wacom drivers using a similar command to the one described here.

Now I've just got to make the decision on whether I want pressure (ok, more eraser) in photoshop, or actually have the pen click where I press. I'm not really a graphics guy anyway...

As for LED backlighting, there isn't any standard ratio 12.1" LED backlit screens in the thinkpad line, are there? The info I saw on the LED backlit x60s was wrong.

[loyukfai]

Good find on the information... : )

Don't think there's any 4:3 12.1" LCD with LED backlight from Lenovo though. *IF* I recall correctly, X61/T/s was the last ThinkPads that came with a 4:3 12.1" screen.

Cheers.

[truk]

OK, so I got an x6 tablet ultrabase. It appears to run the system off the dock battery only after the system battery is gone. I read, many times in fact, that the dock will not take ultrabay slim batteries, only devices. Is there any reason as to why they say this, as my serial ultrabay slim battery from my t400 seems to work just fine. Anyone know if this will start a black hole or something?

Oh, on the off chance anyone knows, are the batteries hooked all to the same controller, or do they each get a separate system? I notice the dock seems to have a lot of empty space, and I'm thinking of throwing a few cells in to fix the issue. I could use a bit more juice!

[NorrisCell]

Oh, on the off chance anyone knows, are the batteries hooked all to the same controller, or do they each get a separate system? I notice the dock seems to have a lot of empty space, and I'm thinking of throwing a few cells in to fix the issue. I could use a bit more juice!

If I recall correctly from my last tablet, the batteries are hooked to the same controller. I say this because I believe it only charged one battery at a time when you have a slim battery in the dock. Once one was full, it would charge the other. I don't recall which battery it started with.

[thinkpadforum]

X61 tablet screen: is there a function key or (combination) to press in turning screen off?

(a 0 brightness setting is still visible)

[dr_st]

Fn+F3?

[rkawakami]

In general, Fn+F3 should turn off the display. Moving the mouse or pressing any key will turn it back on. You can also try using Fn+F7 but this depends upon the (non) installation of Presentation Manager as if it's installed, it will pop up an on-screen menu asking what you want to do (activate LCD, VGA and other options). Without it, the system should automatically cycle through enabling the LCD only, VGA output and both.