A tablet personal computer (Tablet PC) is a tablet computer having the main characteristics of a personal computer in the tradition of the Microsoft Tablet PC, as a machine operated by an end-user with no intervening computer operator. A portable tablet PC is equipped with a touchscreen as a primary input device and designed to be operated and owned by an individual. The term was made popular as a concept presented by Microsoft in 2001, but tablet PCs now refer to any tablet-sized personal computer, even if it's not using Windows but another PC operating system. Tablets may use virtual keyboards and handwriting recognition for text input through the touchscreen.
