Posted by Solutions Center on Tue, Jul 13, 2010
Does anyone care?
Maybe.
Steve Ballmer, at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, announced that Microsoft Windows 7 slates are coming this year. Well, I’m glad Microsoft caught on and realized the iPad/tablets aren’t going to fade away. Finally.
Anyway, ol’ Ballmer mentioned that Microsoft and some of its partners, including Asus, Dell, Samsung, Toshiba, and Sony will all take a crack at Windows 7 slates. There will be a lot of variation amongst slates, and they will vary in price and features.
Seeing that the majority of the world’s businesses run on Windows, it would be interesting to see how a Windows 7 based tablet would compete with the iPad and Android tablets in the workplace. The iPad, based on my experiences, is great for personal use; however, I don’t see it catching on much with business. A Microsoft tablet could definitely steal the thunder here, and would fit in nicely. It would more likely than not be supported by IT support departments and companies over any other type of tablet, and could have a major effect on business.
Here’s the catch: is Windows 7 a tablet OS? Probably not. I have fallen in love with Windows 7 on my PC. It’s great, truly. However, will it hold up on a tablet? I’m not thinking so. It’s too intricate, too in depth, and nowhere near simple enough. It's not streamlined like iOS. One article I read, on ZDnet.com, put it nicely “…there’s more to a slate than just the physical form factor. If there isn’t longer battery life, instant on/off and some kind of app store with not just the usually business apps, but also consumer-focused apps and games, I’m not so sure users are going to bite…”
Anyway, whether these Windows based slates will be relevant or not in the marketplace, it will be interesting to see how they’ll affect business, IT Mobility, and maybe the use of PCs. I’m not going to say that I couldn’t care less, but the idea of a slate with Windows 7 does not excite me, and I don't think it can compete with the iPad.
Hopefully, I’ll be made to look stupid.
C'mon, Microsoft, in a weird way, I'm pulling for you...
