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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Officially Opens CES, Briefly Demos Forthcoming HP Slate
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Who says the digital version of magazines can't contain ads? Thats where the magazines make there money. The 3.99 is just to cover the cost of getting it into your hands.
My favorite part of the keynote is where Ballmer said you can now read your favorite book in color!...lol, he is such a spaz
My favorite part of the keynote is where Ballmer said you can now read your favorite book in color!...lol, he is such a spaz
May the battle of the Slates begin.
MS would have been better served by saying, "look, we're going to put out tablet pcs, but they're exactly what you would think we would release... don't get too excited" than doing their half-assed demo. I was more excited watching a 30 second video on that Lenova Ideapad U1 Hybrid concept/product... MS pretty much showed NOTHING in the "slate battle" haha
Gruber nailed it:
Engadgets Live Coverage of Steve Ballmers CES Keynote
One odd takeaway: what Microsoft once called tablet PCs, it now calls slate PCs. This strikes me as beyond coincidence regarding the hype from MacRumors story that Apple has the trademark and domain name for iSlate. I honestly think Microsoft renamed these things on the basis on a rumored name for Apples tablet, just to try to **** with them. (I cant wait for all the stories, when Apple unveils The Tablet with some name other than iSlate, that Apple changed the name at the last minute because of these Microsoft jobbies.)
Anyway, all these slates announced tonight are just tablet PCs running Windows 7 a terrible interface for a touch screen. Nice job, Ashlee Vance of the New York Times.
Maybe Microsoft thinks theyre somehow sticking it to Apple by taking the slate name first, but everything tablet-related they announced on stage was boring non-news. This is a comparison they want to draw with Apple?
★
Daring Fireball 10-01-06 11:05 PM John Gruber http://daringfireball.net/
Engadgets Live Coverage of Steve Ballmers CES Keynote
One odd takeaway: what Microsoft once called tablet PCs, it now calls slate PCs. This strikes me as beyond coincidence regarding the hype from MacRumors story that Apple has the trademark and domain name for iSlate. I honestly think Microsoft renamed these things on the basis on a rumored name for Apples tablet, just to try to **** with them. (I cant wait for all the stories, when Apple unveils The Tablet with some name other than iSlate, that Apple changed the name at the last minute because of these Microsoft jobbies.)
Anyway, all these slates announced tonight are just tablet PCs running Windows 7 a terrible interface for a touch screen. Nice job, Ashlee Vance of the New York Times.
Maybe Microsoft thinks theyre somehow sticking it to Apple by taking the slate name first, but everything tablet-related they announced on stage was boring non-news. This is a comparison they want to draw with Apple?
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Daring Fireball 10-01-06 11:05 PM John Gruber http://daringfireball.net/
That monstrosity doesn't look like my iMac. Maybe the base, a little bit. But not the screen, enclosure, or peripherals. Don't bring Apple down.
Lol, well, they pretty much copied everything an iMac has. The chin, speaker placement, stand, built-in webcam, etc.
Steve Jobs, speaking from the past, reacts to tonight's Microsoft keynote:
"The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste. They have absolutely no taste. And I don't mean that in a small way, I mean that in a big way, in the sense that they don't think of original ideas, and they don't bring much culture into their products."
That about sums it up.
"The only problem with Microsoft is they just have no taste. They have absolutely no taste. And I don't mean that in a small way, I mean that in a big way, in the sense that they don't think of original ideas, and they don't bring much culture into their products."
That about sums it up.
I think Apple is going to make a competent product with their tablet. Sadly it will be an Apple product.
The key is to avoid product collisions and watch your price. We still don't know what the goal of the tablet is though.
I walked pass the new Microsoft store in Scottsdale this past weekend and I was so embarrassed for those employees. What a complete rip with no originality. They had the same T-Shirts and lanyard nametags as the Apple Store. Now they hastily push the ‘slate’, which Apple had patented already as the iSlate? Is there nothing Microsoft won’t copy from Apple?
BTW, Slate PCs have always been those Tablet PCs that did not have a keyboard. The name has been used for... Probably 4-5 years now. So calling the Tablet PC a slate is fine, as long as it doesn't have a (physical) keyboard. Don't get all bent up over it. You don't hear it much because no one was buying that form factor, they all wanted one with a keyboard that could also be a tablet.
I will give Microsoft one thumb up for the Live Keynote feed on their website. Apple really ought to do that sometime soon. Otherwise... Blegh.
I will give Microsoft one thumb up for the Live Keynote feed on their website. Apple really ought to do that sometime soon. Otherwise... Blegh.
Excessive control freak works both ways. I haven't used a Windows 7 touch device beyond a HP TouchSmart. It works for short periods but your arms tend to get tired. A slate is much more manageable to lug and use than a desktop. I'd still need to play with how Windows 7 handles touch only.Why is it sad?
Apple has the interface side down. Now it's coming up with a purpose. It's trying to be too many things at once but can't satisfy expectations and it appears to be trying to leverage the illusion of specialized content.
It doesn't bring anything new compared what you already have. It's like the MacBook Air.
Except the Halo Reach and Xbox Arcade parts where they blanked the feed. They freaking own Bungie, you'd think they'd figure out how to broadcast the streaming trailer "legally".
Did anyone count how many times the dude that Ballmer followed around (like a bitch) said "and"? Must have been at least a hundred.
Also, how funny was it when Ballmer got all confused and didn't know if the video came from the Zune marketplace or the cable capture card in the PC. Or maybe he knew and was trying to clarify it for the audience. Either way, the whole presentation failed. The XBOX guy at least knew what he was talking about and was able to deliver the important news (Natal release date & Game Room) in a clear fashion. Ballmer and his lackey were a disgrace. They should never be allowed to deliver a keynote again.
Also, how funny was it when Ballmer got all confused and didn't know if the video came from the Zune marketplace or the cable capture card in the PC. Or maybe he knew and was trying to clarify it for the audience. Either way, the whole presentation failed. The XBOX guy at least knew what he was talking about and was able to deliver the important news (Natal release date & Game Room) in a clear fashion. Ballmer and his lackey were a disgrace. They should never be allowed to deliver a keynote again.
I'm not sure it's an illusion. One reason that tablets or slates or whatever you want to call them haven't taken off, in my opinion, is because they run desktop-class OSs. If I wanted a desktop-class OS, wouldn't I use my desktop or carry a 'book? By scaling all that overhead away, Apple has (supposedly) developed a user experience that's in line with the form factor. Instead of trying to shoe-horn an elephant into a suitcase. But I guess we'll see.
With a web browser, the sky's the limit on content - specialized or otherwise. But no one should expect to edit HD video, write a novel, or conduct intense computing tasks on an iSlate...
Even a 7 or 10" touch would be better than what is being offered so far. My netbook is safe for a couple more weeks.
I agree with shoe-horning in a desktop class OS to a tablet. This is why I really like the Lenovo Hybrid. You don't lose the desktop OS or power in notebook mode. You pop the display off and you're on a touch optimized OS.
There's plenty of speculation on content in the other tablet threads but it's still nothing that you can't already do.
e-Reader, smartphone, PMP, netbook, ultraportable notebook, or 13.3" standard notebook. Where does the tablet fit to really stand out?
It isn't pocketable and it's ARM. Super iPod Touch syndrome is a big problem.