Smartbooks, tablets, slates–what's the difference? And iSlate=iHospital?

Donna Cusano

This brief article from FierceHealthcareIT will assist the bewildered on these three new terms which were hot news at CES.  Of course, there’s crossover already, and will they cannibalize smartphones which are now getting traction in healthcare usage?  Confounding all is the Apple iSlate (rumored name, rumored debut January 26) which may have ‘tablet’ functionality by Lynette Luna’s definition.  The hype in the healthcare area is that the iSlate will be the platform for mobile healthcare in hospitals.  FierceMobileHealthcare has tracked down a blog rumor of a prototype test at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.  It may replace mobile clinical assistants (MobileHealthComputing). Or it will be a Kindle on steroids.  (Steve Jobs hasn’t even waved it around yet.)  Away we go…and pass the aspirin please.