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Microsoft Reportedly Scheduled to Introduce Tablet Today
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It's my understanding that Apple announcing some sort of tablet PC is still speculation. There isn't an "official" announcement, is there? How does anyone know that Apple is in fact releasing a tablet this year?
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If "HP + Microsoft" doesn't equal "trainwreck," I'll eat my hat.
If "HP + Microsoft" doesn't equal "trainwreck," I'll eat my hat.
I think if it's a "book type" then people will use it like a book. The prototypes that have been flying around the net are two 7" screens that can be folded over just like a book.
http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/09/500x_courier4.jpg
I like the idea of dual screens and making it "book like". For one, it protects the most delicate areas when folded up, and it probably applies at a sub-conscious level to those wary of high-tech gizmos but who can comprehend an "electronic book". You can even use the hinge area for storing bits and pieces (a stylus if you want to do real handwriting say). Overall it's a great looking concept. Not entirely sure this is what will be displayed at CES, but if so then way to go MS
The screens need to be contiguous or else it falls short of its full functionality in landscape/canvas mode and that is where tablets really shine in my opinion.
This still confuses me about MS. The hardware is HP, not MS. While MS *could* be able to make a nice software package for the tablet, they are reliant on an outside company to make the hardware. So really this is nothing more than Microsoft saying "Hey HP is releasing tablet hardware that can run our software".
I think I'd much rather take my chances on an Apple designed hardware/software package.
My thoughts exactly
No one knows for sure of course but I think there is too much noise for it not to be true this time. It was like this right before the iPhone was announced.
For all we know, it could be a complete joint venture in which Microsoft has a say in the building process.
It may be a Microsoft-branded product from HP, just like the Google-branded HTC phone. HP has been in the touch screen computing market for years now and maybe that is why Microsoft went with them, if this is indeed a MS-branded product. Microsoft does not manufacture hardware. From what I understand, the Xbox is not even made by Microsoft. They contract other companies to do it, and brand it as Microsoft.
I wouldn't be surprised by a low-end basic touchscreen device built on netbook internals running Windows 7 for $300.
Microsoft will then attempt to control the 'value proposition' behind owning a tablet by astro-turfing public perception that this will accomplish 80% of what the 'upcoming Apple' device will be but at 20% of the cost.
I really can't see anything in HP's manufacturing line that could act as a base for a truly revolutionary slim-line table device and there is nothing in Microsoft's OS arsenal that hints at a courier branch.
In Apple's case we know they've got a) The Macbook Air b) iPhone OS 3.0 c) The iPhone.
It's not hard to see how Apple could fuse these three together but it's a lot harder to see how Microsoft could get their OS AND HP upto that level without a clunky 1st Gen device.
Finally, Microsoft doesn't play in high-end devices.
However, I think Apple's device will be built upon a Apple publishing framework developers kit that is free like the App developers kit and puts your 'magazine publication' onto iTunes Magazine rack. This will be the difference and is what will put the publishing revolution into Apple's hands. They may not even ANNOUNCE a tablet at the end of Jan - just the framework app!
Microsoft will then attempt to control the 'value proposition' behind owning a tablet by astro-turfing public perception that this will accomplish 80% of what the 'upcoming Apple' device will be but at 20% of the cost.
I really can't see anything in HP's manufacturing line that could act as a base for a truly revolutionary slim-line table device and there is nothing in Microsoft's OS arsenal that hints at a courier branch.
In Apple's case we know they've got a) The Macbook Air b) iPhone OS 3.0 c) The iPhone.
It's not hard to see how Apple could fuse these three together but it's a lot harder to see how Microsoft could get their OS AND HP upto that level without a clunky 1st Gen device.
Finally, Microsoft doesn't play in high-end devices.
However, I think Apple's device will be built upon a Apple publishing framework developers kit that is free like the App developers kit and puts your 'magazine publication' onto iTunes Magazine rack. This will be the difference and is what will put the publishing revolution into Apple's hands. They may not even ANNOUNCE a tablet at the end of Jan - just the framework app!
It looks like this. BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
Edit:http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-of-microsofts-secret-tablet
Edit:http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-of-microsofts-secret-tablet
Please note my username as I say this:
Hewlett-Packard has produced some good products. They still do produce good products. That said, if you go for the cheapest stuff you can get, no matter what the brand, it's going to be Junk; this includes the Compaq brand as far as I'm concerned.
Microsoft has produced some good products. They still do produce some good products. However, if you have to adapt to any piece of junk out there, the end result becomes junk; this is why Microsoft's reputation is so bad.
These statements do not consider Microsoft's attempts to manipulate the market as accused and litigated by both the US Justice Department or the European Union. If Microsoft had tried to play fair back then, it's very possible they wouldn't have the bad reputation they have today. Of course, if you really study Microsoft's history all the way back to the original MS-Dos, you might find that they never really tried to play fair from the outset. Yes, Bill Gates can be likened to the railroad barons of the 1800's, and like them, his tactics worked... until he got his hand slapped. Even so, like those railroads of old, we're down to two Class A operators and a number of 'mom and pop' operations.
Microsoft and Apple are the top OSes in both market and mind share. Linux, Amiga and other operating systems fill very specific desires and needs, though Linux is seeing a visible rise in its market. But when you compare Apple to Microsoft, it's like comparing the Northern Pacific Railroad to the UP, SP, Santa Fe and Burlington Northern combined--they've been told from the beginning they could never compete with the 'big boys,' and yet they continue to grow by taking a different route entirely--doing things differently. It worked in the 1890's; it's working today.
Not many tech companies manufacture their own products anymore
That's exactly how Apple has its hardware manufactured from computers to earphones, from iPhones to keyboards.
That's exactly how Apple has its hardware manufactured from computers to earphones, from iPhones to keyboards.
Dual Screens
Have you ever used dual screens? The point isn't two text pages facing -- it's for complementary information. Different web pages, a document facing images a spreadsheet and a report. Dual screens means not having to drag and resize windows all of the time. I think someone got it right. This will be geared towards students/business people who want to get some work done. I hope it's a great device as I hope Apple's is insanely great
Have you ever used dual screens? The point isn't two text pages facing -- it's for complementary information. Different web pages, a document facing images a spreadsheet and a report. Dual screens means not having to drag and resize windows all of the time. I think someone got it right. This will be geared towards students/business people who want to get some work done. I hope it's a great device as I hope Apple's is insanely great
True, MS don't manufacture HW but they do brand things like the Zune, Xbox, heck even their mice and keyboards. No different than what Google have recently done, and what Apple have pretty much always done. I'm personally doubtful that we'll see an MS branded "tablet" this evening. I think they'll leave their name on something interesting like the courier concept. What we'll probably see here is just another HP tablet, c/w swinging out keyboard. If so, then "big deal" would be a fair response. But who knows, maybe Balmer will do his monkey dance and pull a Courier out of his ass
.Yes -- and no.
Most of the devices you're talking about are designed by the third-party manufacturer--perhaps to the specifications of the brand-name company, but still designed outside of that brand. Apple, on the other hand, does almost all the design and engineering, adapting components, perhaps, but creating the product in-house, then having the third-party manufacturer build and assemble it.
Windows tablets have been around for years.
Apple, not so much.
But don't let the facts get in way of your rant, though. Carry on.
Sounds like someone has never heard of the Newton.
But don't let the facts get in way of your rant, though. Carry on.
¥es we certainly can.
BTW why are the MS and Apple fanbois on this thread only aware that their opposite numbers are fanbois, while somehow they themselves are assumed to be rational?
Sounds like someone has never heard of the Newton.
But don't let the facts get in way of your rant, though. Carry on.
So the Newton went from a PDA (like Palm) to a tablet device? Or are we saying they are the same thing?
I love how Microsoft can have 90%+ of the desktop OS market for many years yet no one ever calls them "trendy." Yet Apple starts having a streak of success and it's derided as a passing fad.
(Oh, and I am impressed by Apple's amazing power to turn common adjectives of derision into proper names. You forgot Evil, Arrogant and Overpriced.)
And no, there's nothing totalitarian about Microsoft, now is there.
The anti-Apple fanboys are as ridiculous as the Apple fanboys you rant about.
Apparently Apple will always be Anti-Mattie Num Nums though (hat tip to the commenter who first coined that phrase).
Dual screens required?
Are two physical screens really necessary? Couldn't the same separation of information be achieved with a single widescreen? Isn't there a new "snap-to" feature in windows 7 which does exactly that (ie maximise and horizontally align two windows)? I feel that close emulation of the book concept is flawed. Hopefully the advent of the tablet (be it from apple, google or whoever) will lead to a paradigm shift for interacting with surface-based devices.
Are two physical screens really necessary? Couldn't the same separation of information be achieved with a single widescreen? Isn't there a new "snap-to" feature in windows 7 which does exactly that (ie maximise and horizontally align two windows)? I feel that close emulation of the book concept is flawed. Hopefully the advent of the tablet (be it from apple, google or whoever) will lead to a paradigm shift for interacting with surface-based devices.
You might as well give up. *LTD* is a apple troll. Yes I am calling him a troll.
If you look threw all his post is quite often just says how great *blank* apple product is. he will bash anything with out an apple label on it. He refused to look at anything more than a bashing.
Just learn to pass over his post and learn he is what you call a true apple fanboy/troll.
This is hopefully going to be interesting after seeing the Lenovo Hybrid.
It does become very predictable.
Everytime I hear that phrase it reminds me of The Simpsons when Bart got an earring and Lisa said "How rebellious of you. In a conformist sort of way"