Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Ballmer: Microsoft-Powered Tablets Are 'Job One Urgency'

kernkraft said:
You don't get it. I called 'brainwashed mob' people, who blamed MS with stealing the iPad's design, despite the fact that one came half a year before the next. But I said that fairly clearly, some people just don't want to listen.
Click to expand...

This is Microsoft's current MO. If they hear rumors about a new Apple device, they throw out a bunch of prototype garbage to preempt the "Microsoft just copies Apple" accusation.

Remember when we first started hearing rumors about the Magic Mouse? "Magically" Microsoft had a sudden "leak" regarding touch mice designs they were working on themselves. It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.

Imagine if Apple followed Microsoft's lead and showed off every concept, prototype, and designer's daydream that crossed the tabletops of their labs?

It's always amusing to see the MS apologists react to new Apple devices that hit the market. "Big deal - Microsoft showed off a concept video of this like 8 months ago."

So Microsoft's current game plan is:

  • Throw out a bunch of half-baked ideas to convince people that you are "innovative."
  • Wait and see what Apple actually brings to market.
  • Publicly dismiss new Apple product as silly and irrelevant.
  • Scramble to create and ship a similar product - relying on your hardware "partners" - if possible - to take it in the shorts when the product sells poorly or doesn't ship at all.

Microsoft: The Freedom to Innovate (LOL) (TM)
 
ha!

Queso said:
Well, they didn't do that with Windows Vista did they?
Click to expand...

Touché.

LagunaSol said:
This is Microsoft's current MO. If they hear rumors about a new Apple device, they throw out a bunch of prototype garbage to preempt the "Microsoft just copies Apple" accusation.

Remember when we first started hearing rumors about the Magic Mouse? "Magically" Microsoft had a sudden "leak" regarding touch mice designs they were working on themselves. It would be hilarious if it weren't so sad.

Imagine if Apple followed Microsoft's lead and showed off every concept, prototype, and designer's daydream that crossed the tabletops of their labs?

It's always amusing to see the MS apologists react to new Apple devices that hit the market. "Big deal - Microsoft showed off a concept video of this like 8 months ago."

So Microsoft's current game plan is:

* Throw out a bunch of half-baked ideas to convince people that you are "innovative."
* Wait and see what Apple actually brings to market.
* Publicly dismiss new Apple product as silly and irrelevant.
* Scramble to create and ship a similar product - relying on your hardware "partners" - if possible - to take it in the shorts when the product sells poorly or doesn't ship at all.


Microsoft: The Freedom to Innovate (LOL) (TM)
Click to expand...

The funniest part is that since then Apple has cranked out Magic Mouse AND Magic Track Pad. Where is the PC tablet? Where is the PC all-in-one? Laughable.
 
I think those that believe Microsoft will eventually rule the tablet market as they did with PCs are missing something important. Back in the late 80s all their competitors were computer-savvy geeks that didn't really know how to run businesses. Microsoft succeeded by being the only player in the game with a real business plan rather than just accidental success.

In the past two decades everyone left has wisened up considerably. Notice how Google planted itself onto a solidly profitable foundation before looking to challenge into Microsoft's markets. Look how Apple are not only bringing working concept products to market but actually developing their own retail experience to ensure customers can find and purchase those products.

This isn't the 80s. Everybody now understands that profit and finance are the fuel that drives the engine, and everyone is moving quicker than Microsoft. As such I don't think they have a chance.
 
Don't confuse marketing with innovation

LagunaSol said:
...poster mentioning MS garbage, MS apologists and comically dismissing the link between MS and innovation...
Click to expand...

Define innovation! Here, we are talking about a device that has the same memory as a years-old iPod Touch (256MB) with a larger screen, a slightly stronger clock speed of 1GHz and an aluminium back. That's it. That is the product. You might call that innovation but I just call it 'spotting a gap in the market and having an old product that - with minimal changes - fills that gap'.

You can wash clothes with all sorts of chemicals and machinery, but when you realise that you can also wash it by hand and soap, that is not innovation. That is not re-inventing the wheel.
 
kernkraft said:
Define innovation! Here, we are talking about a device that has the same memory as a years-old iPod Touch (256MB) with a larger screen, a slightly stronger clock speed of 1GHz and an aluminium back. That's it. That is the product. You might call that innovation but I just call it 'spotting a gap in the market and having an old product that - with minimal changes - fills that gap'.

You can wash clothes with all sorts of chemicals and machinery, but when you realise that you can also wash it by hand and soap, that is not innovation. That is not re-inventing the wheel.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that definition will not restrict itself to the invention/creation of new, never-before-seen technology.
 
kernkraft said:
*
Click to expand...

First of all, if you're going to quote me, please quote me. Don't fill the "quote" with your own babbling under the context of a quote. That's unfair, dishonest, and frankly, rude.

kernkraft said:
Define innovation! Here, we are talking about a device that has the same memory as a years-old iPod Touch (256MB) with a larger screen, a slightly stronger clock speed of 1GHz and an aluminium back. That's it. That is the product. You might call that innovation but I just call it 'spotting a gap in the market and having an old product that - with minimal changes - fills that gap'.
Click to expand...

You're right of course - I'm sure they won't sell any of these tired out has-beens at all. :rolleyes:

And since it's such a yesterday, obsolete thing, I'm sure all Apple's competitors aren't scrambling at this very moment to produce something very similar (but with a USB port! INNOVATION!).

Enjoy your WinSlate 7 Ultimate Edition Platinum Series. Since you have nothing but bad luck with Apple hardware, think Apple users are brainwashed morons and view Microsoft as a true innovator, I sincerely wonder why you're here at all.

Me, I'm planning to pick up an iPad this weekend. Can't wait.
 
adrian.oconnor said:
I know I'm pissing in to the void with this comment, being buried on page 7 or 8 as it will be, but to all the people saying that this is a blatant rip-off of the iPad --- go check the timeline of events in January. This device was demoed before iPad was announced. Just saying.

Obviously Windows 7 on a slate is going to be awful compared to the slick, focused and fully optimised experience of the iPad, but there will be a market for it. The PHBs don't want Apple, they want MS, but they also want iPad like devices. Nobody got fired for buying MS. Besides, these things will be OK for business use -- they'll have Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote -- those last two in particular might actually be useful. And they'll be stuffed full of ports and features that aren't on the iPad -- the things that geeks are 'crying out for' on the iPad. And you'll be able to program for them using VB.NET, so the hoards of cubical developers that aren't up to Obj-C can still churn out their line-of-business stuff.

Microsoft's problem is that their hardware partners are running away from Windows, so they might find they don't have the products to actually sell. My guess is that there was a very sweet deal to get HP back on board with the slate.
Click to expand...

Just so you don't fell like your pissing into a void...

Did you not see the D8 interview with Jobs? He clearly stated that the iPad concept was what led to the iPhone. That would lead me to believe that what is now the iPad was being worked on/developed/engineered long before the January unveiling of Microsoft's artists rendering. Just sayin'. ;)

And, just an obvservation...isn't it kinda funny that Microsoft only said anything publicly about the Courier twice? Once just before the rumored iPad was announced and once just before the iPad was released. Hmmmmm. Makes one think that maybe...just maybe...they were a bit scared of it doing well.
 
kernkraft said:
Define innovation! Here, we are talking about a device that has the same memory as a years-old iPod Touch (256MB) with a larger screen, a slightly stronger clock speed of 1GHz and an aluminium back. That's it. That is the product. You might call that innovation but I just call it 'spotting a gap in the market and having an old product that - with minimal changes - fills that gap'.

You can wash clothes with all sorts of chemicals and machinery, but when you realise that you can also wash it by hand and soap, that is not innovation. That is not re-inventing the wheel.
Click to expand...

And yet ipad is selling like mad and MS waited around to see how the competition fared. Just like they did with high quality mp3 players. just like they did with mobile phones.

From a business perspective, one definition of innovation would be producing a new product realizing there will be a demand for it. Apple has done that repeatedly. MS has not done that in decades.

And yes a clothes washer was an innovation. Unless you want to say a computer isn't an innovation since people can do calculations themselves. Silly punch cards! And I guess the abacus wasn't an innovation either.
 
LagunaSol said:
First of all, if you're going to quote me, please quote me. Don't fill the "quote" with your own babbling under the context of a quote. That's unfair, dishonest, and frankly, rude.
Click to expand...

I quoted you as "...poster mentioning MS garbage, MS apologists and comically dismissing the link between MS and innovation...". I stand by my summary, I just didn't want to quote that name-calling and general dirt-throwing. Not because I have any preference towards Microsoft, but because I didn't want to take part in something that insulted my intelligence. It's ironic that you are telling me what is unfair or rude.


LagunaSol said:
You're right of course - I'm sure they won't sell any of these tired out has-beens at all. :rolleyes:

And since it's such a yesterday, obsolete thing, I'm sure all Apple's competitors aren't scrambling at this very moment to produce something very similar (but with a USB port! INNOVATION!).

Enjoy your WinSlate 7 Ultimate Edition Platinum Series. Since you have nothing but bad luck with Apple hardware, think Apple users are brainwashed morons and view Microsoft as a true innovator, I sincerely wonder why you're here at all.

Me, I'm planning to pick up an iPad this weekend. Can't wait.
Click to expand...


Oh, dear...

You know, just because we buy Apple products, we don't have to hate all other manufacturers. We are not members of any elite club either. We just purchased some consumer electronics, that's all. Our human decency and respect towards each other should not be left behind.

Yes, I've had a lot of problems with MacBook Airs (hinges, overheating, CPU/fan noise) and MacBook Pros (again, fan noise, overheating, poor screen, poor battery life, misaligned keys and faulty graphics card) in the last few years, but I think that in the end, I can expect a certain level of quality and reliability from these products. None of them were particularly cheap and I don't care, if they come from the Pope himself. In the meantime, my current MBPs only have a few issues that I stopped caring about, just as I never cared that my ancient eMacs have loud fans, when I took them back from my garage. But they are old computers and they have no value whatsoever.

"Enjoy your WinSlate 7" - you know (as I posted some pictures) that I haven't got a Windows-based PC, I only have Macs and I'm on my second iPhone. Yet you keep calling me a "Microsoft apologist" and you keep throwing me these MS insults. Enjoy your iPad, but don't forget to download some apps about critical thinking and manner.
 
kernkraft said:
It's ironic that you are telling me what is unfair or rude.
Click to expand...

Do you have something you'd like to present to back up your insinuation?

kernkraft said:
You know, just because we buy Apple products, we don't have to hate all other manufacturers.
Click to expand...

I never said you did.

kernkraft said:
Our human decency and respect towards each other should not be left behind.
Click to expand...

Is there something "indecent" I said that you would like to quote?

kernkraft said:
Yet you keep calling me a "Microsoft apologist" and you keep throwing me these MS insults.
Click to expand...

I don't recall calling you a "Microsoft apologist." If you'd like to post a link to the quote in question, I'd be happy to review it and recant if appropriate.

And what are the "MS insults" I'm "throwing" you exactly?

kernkraft said:
Enjoy your iPad, but don't forget to download some apps about critical thinking and manner.
Click to expand...

You failed to really address the "critical thinking" part with any cogent counterargument of your own. As for manner, again, please point out where I was rude and I'll take a look and apologize if necessary.
 
kernkraft said:
You know, just because we buy Apple products, we don't have to hate all other manufacturers. We are not members of any elite club either. We just purchased some consumer electronics, that's all. Our human decency and respect towards each other should not be left behind.
Click to expand...

For myself, I have to say I do not care which OS people use. I choose to use Mac OS. However, I do believe that MS (the company) is not very innovative. I believe they have rested on their laurels for a long time. That doesn't mean that if people prefer Window OS that I think they are making a mistake and that they are missing out on something. My observation has to do with the company. The OS, Office and a couple other products were developed and their income is based on continuing those product lines. As an investor I would say that the lack of innovation is troublesome. If any product line starts to fail then the company is in trouble.

The other complaint I have is with Windows users who bash Apple users. Well it used to be a complaint of mine. Now I could care less what these control freaks have to say. They need to work out their own issues. Arguing with them just makes their problem worse.
 
ten-oak-druid said:
For myself, I have to say I do not care which OS people use. I choose to use Mac OS. However, I do believe that MS (the company) is not very innovative. I believe they have rested on their laurels for a long time. That doesn't mean that if people prefer Window OS that I think they are making a mistake and that they are missing out on something. My observation has to do with the company. The OS, Office and a couple other products were developed and their income is based on continuing those product lines. As an investor I would say that the lack of innovation is troublesome. If any product line starts to fail then the company is in trouble.
Click to expand...

I don't necessarily have a problem with Windows, especially the server line. But MS definitely hasn't been innovative in a very, very long time. Well, there was/is the Zune.......:D

That doesn't mean it's a bad OS; it's not. I do get completely tired of cleaning it up though, even Windows 7, which has proven to not be all that secure either. I just don't have the problems with the Mac deployments, those users never call me with issues. They only call when they need a new app or something.

The other complaint I have is with Windows users who bash Apple users. Well it used to be a complaint of mine. Now I could care less what these control freaks have to say. They need to work out their own issues. Arguing with them just makes their problem worse.
Click to expand...

That's become the norm here lately though. You've either got the MS fanboy/Apple bashers who've never owned a Mac, or the guy who has/had a Mac from nearly 10 years ago who bitches about the way things are, and keeps waiting for the "glory days" to come back, even though it's plainly obvious it's not going to happen.
 
Apple was first! Microsoft was first!

Apple stole! Microsoft stole!

Come on guys, there's only so many form factors that a tablet can be.

Doesn't the innovation come from what the tablet can do rather than what it looks like?

When it comes down to brass tacks, it's about who got it to market. In this instance, Apple did. They won the race, as it were.
And they won so decisively, that the other cars didn't even bother trying to get to the finish line. They just turned back and headed to the garage.
 
aethelbert said:
Of course, especially when it helps your flawed argument.
Click to expand...

Uh huh. And the fact that Ballmer was showing off a clearly Not Ready For Prime Time HP Slate just prior to Apple's iPad announcement was pure coincidence, right? :rolleyes:

Oh, and where can I buy that HP Slate? It's almost August now - Ballmer showed it off in January - I'm sure they're sitting on store shelves somewhere, right? Right?

Flawed argument indeed. :rolleyes:
 
LagunaSol said:
Good grief, I'm tired of all the mewling about Courier. It was never an actual product, people! It was a glorified PowerPoint presentation of what "could have been" - a wild fantasy dreamed up in some thinktank inside the bowels of MS. A demo many of us could have created ourselves.
Click to expand...

While not as polished as the demos, it was also not at all the totally fake fantasy that you make it out to be.

The Courier and related PPT presentations were prettied up versions of the well known (to those of us in the decades old tablet+slate field) Codex dual screen booklet, OneNote, Thumbtack and Inkseine R&D projects.

Heck, you can even download some of the apps like Inkseine from the MS Research site, to use on a MS tablet.

Codex and Inkseine - the roots of the Courier

The Courier software puzzle pieces

Microsoft Research - the Codex project
 

Attachments

  • codex-book-posture.png
    codex-book-posture.png
    774.3 KB · Views: 70
PerfSeeker said:
LagunaSol - name me one innovative MSFT product/technology.
Click to expand...

You'll have to ask someone who thinks Microsoft is innovative. I certainly do not.

kdarling said:
While not as polished as the demos, it was also not at all the totally fake fantasy that you make it out to be.
Click to expand...

Indeed, the thing had a screen and it ran software. Whoop-de-doo. It was a rough prototype. Rough prototypes in the industry are legion. The difference is most companies don't show off or intentionally leak their prototypes with the intent to...what? Gain credibility? Spread FUD regarding competitors' products? Set yourself up for humiliating failure later? I don't know.

Microsoft would be wise to copy one of the few things they haven't copied from Apple thus far: discretion, secrecy, and the element of surprise.
 
Eh... um... I'm not sure what is this but a relative of mine works at Microsoft. Yesterday he sent me this trough Skype.
img0014p.jpg
 
raccoontail said:
Hooray for competition - Bring it on! All of us consumers win. When these MSFT software tablets start flooding the market, Apple will probably reduce iPad prices $50-$100 overnight similar to what happened with the iPhone. I think MSFT actually does have an opportunity here, especially in vertical market applications like warehouse floors, sales reps, and healthcare. Do you think competition from the iPad might just have something to do with Amazon dropping Kindle prices?
Click to expand...

You make no sense. MS will do what in terms of a tablet(this so-called holy grail of technology)? They will do nothing more than offer a special version of windows while the OEMs saturate the market with tablets. In effect those tablets will drop in price as more and more players flood the market. Ouch! There goes those profit margins.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back