CNET:The inside story of how Microsoft killed its Courier tablet

[kjk]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20...ourier-tablet/

For Ballmer, it wasn't an easy call. Allard and Sinofsky were key executives at Microsoft, both tabbed as the next-generation brain trust. So Ballmer sought advice from the one tech visionary he's trusted more than any other over the decades--Bill Gates. Ballmer arranged for Microsoft's chairman and co-founder to meet for a few hours with Allard; his boss, Entertainment and Devices division President Robbie Bach; and two other Courier team members.

Fascinating look at how in-house development works inside a corporation.

[wodin]

Yes, I read that with interest and am anticipating the next installment.

A great example of how lack of corporate vision and executive cowardice has cost the world a truly innovative product; and allowed Apple to again forge ahead with yet another wildly successful yet merely evolutionary product.

[SeaKing]

I hate the itunes store.

[afa]

Originally Posted by kjk

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-20...ourier-tablet/


Fascinating look at how in-house development works inside a corporation.

Fascinating is correct. I remember I was quite excited about the Courier when I first saw some promo videos for it around the web. And then the iPad came out, and I thought, "Oh great, a big iPod Touch" and still kept thinking about how cool the Courier was. It was very disappointing when Microsoft killed the project.

The fact that the idea was being pushed by Allard and Bach speaks volumes, considering that Microsoft's XBox team is probably the only innovative bunch in the organization. For some reason, MS is really bad at creating and supporting consumer devices. Zune, Windows Phone, those weird Windows egg-shaped phone things that came and went before anyone knew. They always manage to be about 7 steps behind the likes of Apple and Google, and then act indignant when their products don't take off. What the hell ever happened to the Microsoft Surface? You never hear anyone talking about it anymore.

I know it's a huge company, but I really wouldn't be surprised if MS completely bows out of the consumer products industry in the next few years. Not saying it will happen, just saying I wouldn't be surprised. And maybe it would be for the best. Do we really need a company coming out with products three years after their competitors, and even then not bringing anything new to the table?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by afa

The fact that the idea was being pushed by Allard and Bach speaks volumes, considering that Microsoft's XBox team is probably the only innovative bunch in the organization. For some reason, MS is really bad at creating and supporting consumer devices. Zune, Windows Phone, those weird Windows egg-shaped phone things that came and went before anyone knew. They always manage to be about 7 steps behind the likes of Apple and Google, and then act indignant when their products don't take off. What the hell ever happened to the Microsoft Surface? You never hear anyone talking about it anymore.

I wanted a Zune HD, but it didn't have any apps. What's the point in having an app device that doesn't have apps? Then one day it died. Pity the plug wasn't pulled sooner.

[wodin]

The last truly innovative device to come from Apple was the iPod touch. Then add a cellular radio and wallah! You have an iPhone, then stretch it up to 10" and all of a sudden you have an iPad.

Had M$ not canned the courier, THAT would have been truly innovative.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by wodin

The last truly innovative device to come from Apple was the iPod touch. Then add a cellular radio and wallah! You have an iPhone, then stretch it up to 10" and all of a sudden you have an iPad.

Had M$ not canned the courier, THAT would have been truly innovative.

Didn't the iPhone come out at least 1 year before the iPod Touch? So wouldn't that make Apple's last innovation the iPhone with the Touch just being a stripped down version of the iPhone?

[=X=]

The key to Courier, Allard's team argued, was its focus on content creation. Courier was for the creative set, a gadget on which architects might begin to sketch
building plans, or writers might begin to draft documents

That is the reason I was so interested in the Courier. Considering that most tablets today fall short in that area MS still has the potential to take the tablet market. My belief is that they won't but whoever fills that gap will become the tablet leader.

Most people know that tablets cannot replace PCs but once they do the tablet market will explode.

=X=

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Didn't the iPhone come out at least 1 year before the iPod Touch?

A few months - June '07 vs September '07...

So wouldn't that make Apple's last innovation the iPhone with the Touch just being a stripped down version of the iPhone?

Only if you're prepared to overlook say, the App Store, and the Apple Stores...

[=X=]

Originally Posted by petermillard

Only if you're prepared to overlook say, the App Store, and the Apple Stores...

Yes because retail stores and online stores didn't exist before Apple.

'Bit of an Algorian claim there Pete.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by petermillard

Only if you're prepared to overlook say, the App Store, and the Apple Stores...

Thank you, Steve. I don't know what I would
have done if you didn't invent the apple store

[Dulin's Books]

the article is strange. it claims that Gates was put off by there being no email on the device. I would agree with him that no email integration on a productivity/creation/collaboration device would be a complete non starter. problem is all the videos produced about courier clearly show email connectivity with address books available almost all the time and sharing ideas even with simple "post it " style notes, at least one shot shows a conversation stream from email or IM. even the video i've seen of the "Codex" had email in mind and the Inkseine softwear project had email/im connectivity as well.

I dont know where that idea came from. maybe from the person "who knew someone in the room" but it doesnt seem reliable. I dont know why CNET would print that without mentioning the obvious email capabilities found in the videos

[monkeyluis]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I hate the itunes store.

Why? I love it. Next to Amazon it's the best digital store out there.

[monkeyluis]

Whatever tablet they release I believe will be DOA. Ok, not quite. But they are just falling way to behind. With the numerous Android tablets and the iPad(s), it's gonna be hard to get into that market. As they said, enterprise might be interested in it, but by then, who knows how much further we would have come with iOS and Android on the tablet. We'll see......in a year.

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by =X=

Yes because retail stores and online stores didn't exist before Apple.

Of course they existed - that's the point - but nobody was doing it well. Pre App Store, if you wanted to buy software online your choice was either shareware through Kagi, Tucows or something similarly amateurish, or full-blown, full-priced software direct from e.g. Adobe or Microsoft, who might - just might - allow you to download something, but mostly wanted to ship you a disc through the mail. The App Store made buying software online a simple two-click frictionless transaction, delivered directly to your device. Cheap too.

As for the retail stores, show me one computer manufacturer who has any kind of high street presence to compare with Apple Stores. Where I live, a computer store is likely to be a glorified warehouse on the fringes of a windswept 'retail park'- badly lit, badly stocked, poorly staffed, with few of the machines running anything but a demo program. Apple stores may not be perfect but at least all the hardware is plugged in, working and accessible (though you may have to wait your turn) both well stocked and well staffed, and by and large pleasant places to be - even if all you want to do is check your email on the free wifi...

Pete