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

[RainingLemur]

Originally Posted by =X=

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

Well, depending on who you ask...

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by petermillard

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



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

I'm sorry, I'm not getting your point.

[Valentino]

Had something to say, not worth typing it out.
/me EXPLODES

[JeremyR]

Is the Xbox really innovative? They pretty much copied Sony's Playstation stategy, and Sony took cues from a failed partnership with Nintendo (the cd-rom add-on for the SNES)

[HansTWN]

Apple did the same to its most innovative product ever, the Newton.

[frahse]

There are new Win7 and Win8 tablets in the works from Dell, from HP, and others.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by frahse

There are new Win7 and Win8 tablets in the works from Dell, from HP, and others.

Windows 8 tablets that can run almost all Windows programs, are as thin and light as tablets running mobile OS's and have a battery life of 7 hours+ would be the holy grail of tablets. If Windows 8 works out well.

[afa]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Is the Xbox really innovative? They pretty much copied Sony's Playstation stategy, and Sony took cues from a failed partnership with Nintendo (the cd-rom add-on for the SNES)

The reason I mentioned Xbox is because, unlike Microsoft's approach Windows Phone 7, Zune, and now tablets, the Xbox 360 came out ahead of its chief competitor, i.e. the PlayStation 3. On a related note, Xbox continues to outsell PS3 to this day.

And they have shown innovation, too. The Kinect is a pretty remarkable piece of hardware, one that leaves the PlayStation Move and Wii's controller in the dust.

[Dulin's Books]

i just read part 2 and it is hardly worth reading

[afa]

Yeah, I just read it, too. You're quite right.

The first part, though long, was engaging and quite illuminating. This was decidedly anti-climactic.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by Dulin's Books

i just read part 2 and it is hardly worth reading

Originally Posted by afa

Yeah, I just read it, too. You're quite right.

The first part, though long, was engaging and quite illuminating. This was decidedly anti-climactic.

Agreed. The ending just...did nothing.

[SeaKing]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Windows 8 tablets that can run almost all Windows programs, are as thin and light as tablets running mobile OS's and have a battery life of 7 hours+ would be the holy grail of tablets. If Windows 8 works out well.

I want to know how much they would cost.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by SeaKing

I want to know how much they would cost.

Seems to me a Windows tablet should not have to cost any more than a netbook,& maybe less.

I don't think MS could have made a success of Courier, even if they'd moved forward with it. If it was such a great idea, somebody would have run with it by now (Entourage Edge did not succeed, for example).

The 2 screen (or multi screen) idea is interesting, but 90% of the time you only need 1, and 2 is too cumbersome and power-consuming for a mobile device.

Better might be a way to link independent devices together so that you do specific tasks more efficiently or when you need more screen or collaboration. We're starting to see some of this, e.g. Adobe's tablet apps which extend/complement desktop apps, but it's just a start. What about 'extended' tablet apps?

[frahse]

Originally Posted by tomsem

Seems to me a Windows tablet should not have to cost any more than a netbook,& maybe less.

I don't think MS could have made a success of Courier, even if they'd moved forward with it. If it was such a great idea, somebody would have run with it by now (Entourage Edge did not succeed, for example).

The 2 screen (or multi screen) idea is interesting, but 90% of the time you only need 1, and 2 is too cumbersome and power-consuming for a mobile device.

Better might be a way to link independent devices together so that you do specific tasks more efficiently or when you need more screen or collaboration. We're starting to see some of this, e.g. Adobe's tablet apps which extend/complement desktop apps, but it's just a start. What about 'extended' tablet apps?

I am becoming impatient as I wait to see what tablet I am going to get for Christmas. I have narrowed the field somewhat. The current possibilities are:

7" tablets
1) Lenovo A1, 16GB, $250 +tax
2) HTC Flyer, 16GB, $300 +tax
Stylus for 2) $40
3) The great new (unannounced Nook) $200 or more, no tax if at Amazon.
(I just hope it is not handcuffed like the Kindle Fire is.)

5" tablet
1) Samsung Galaxy 8GB, $270 no tax, at Amazon

The reason I would pay $350 for the HTC is for the stylus writing. I have to check though at Best Buy and see how well it works.
Then the Lenovo and finally,
The 5" Galaxy 5.0 is a fall back position.
I am also waiting for reviews.

The above reasoning is for me.

For a relative I will buy a new Nook if it is close to a tablet or the Lenovo A1.

And yes there are a variety of other tablets out there and each day more and more are in the range of $200 to $250, but the above is what I have my eye on.

[HansTWN]

From my experience using the Dell Streak, 5" is the perfect size for a phone, but for a tablet I would go no lower than 7". 5" is a great compromise for portability. But for real tablet functionality it is much too small.