Quote:
Originally Posted by pilotbob
MS introduced the tablet and and OS with "pen enabled" API what, 8 years ago? Now you are saying that Apple might "beat" them at it.
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Just like Apple beat Sony at the portable mp3 market, when Sony had a head start with Walkman.
Sure Microsoft has products and the foresight, but they don't actually have something that catches on with the general public. I have a tablet, and love it. Except text entry is tough and it's too big and heavy and etc etc. Mostly I use it as a small laptop, and for viewing content with the screen folded back to look like it's a slate.
Agreed, the Apple tablet is likely to be priced too high to dominate the slate market, and will likely take only a segment. At least for now. Heck, MS has some neat concepts and I wouldn't count them out yet either. I am biased toward MS approaches to mobile (phone and tablet) because they have more of the "computer in your hand" approach as opposed to the "consumer gadget which happens to be on a computer platform" approach that smart phone competitors have seem to have taken.
Btw, has anyone noticed that we always seem to be just on the "verge" of really useful mobile products, but they are all still somewhat painful for the user? Netbooks are too slow. Tablet input is too hard. Battery life is not yet truly full day (except for e-ink, which has its own limitations). Tiny screens are too limiting because of the large screen bias in applications and OS and web page designs. Phones can't do real computing stuff and application options are limited (despite the growth of app stores).
Personally, I still believe the "promised land" is still coming for mobile, but not this year. For now, we have to bear the shortcomings and grab only those devices whose shortcomings we can live with in order to get the mobility. At least we have good solutions for reading flowable text. And full page pdf solutions are apparently arriving if you want to spend a lot of money. Tablets may also help with the full page by allowing "zippy" control of half-page views. Netbooks are also a good solution for general computing for some people.
I guess what I really want is "no compromise" - full 24hr battery, survives rough handling, has a light zippy full OS with instant on and full web support in a form factor that is all about the screen and keyboard rather than the electronics constraints. That may take a while.