Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer has recently released a statement indicating that the company is urgently working with its partners to unveil a host of tablet computers running Windows 7. The success of Apple’s iPad has Microsoft scrambling to get their own product in the game of tablet computers.
Referring to Apple’s iPad, Ballmer recently said "they've sold certainly more than I'd like them to have sold."
Ballmer also mentions that the task Microsoft faces is similar to the early days of the Netbook, when many of those machines were Linux-based. "We have got to make things happen," he said. "We're in the process of doing that as we speak. We're working with our hardware partners. We're tuning Windows 7."
For those who own an iPad and enjoy all of its innovative qualities, there are some very obvious missing functions that are crippling the device and need to be improved upon.
First of all, it’s got to have the ability to run Flash. Despite all the arguments, without Flash browsing is limited and renders one of the iPad’s basic functions useless. Other inhibitors include limits on memory expansion, no USB port or HDMI connector as well as no built-in camera.
If Microsoft can adapt its Windows 7 operating system for deployment on tablet devices, and improve upon the limitations of the iPad, then it very well could be a game-changer. UI Centric is a company that is in the process of developing a device that pushes the capabilities of Windows 7 with a tablet codenamed Macallan. Take a look at an early version below.
Overlaying the Windows 7 operating system offers native multitasking, Adobe Flash support, USB and memory card support and camera/video chat functionality.
What do you think? Is the UI Centric Macallan tablet Microsoft’s best chance at competing in the highly-scrutinized tablet space? No matter what, Microsoft’s urgency is palpable. Though Ballmer famously canned a Microsoft tablet project that had been in the works for almost a decade, the success of Apple’s iPad has certainly changed things. Many analysts are predicting that the tablet space will be one of the fastest-growing technology segments this decade, right up there with smartphones.
Would love to hear some feedback in our comments section!
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
Yes, it's the newest shining star to come out of "über-cool" world of Apple... the
iPad. In case you've been living under a rock this week, Apple CEO Steve Jobs revealed the company's newest product on Wednesday. A lightweight, slim, and portable touch screen slab has everyone buzzing and will be available for all to use this March. It's a state-of-the-art device that gives all forms of entertainment, news and print media a chance to move their content into the digital age.
The gadget has a 9.7-inch, high-resolution screen and comes at merely half an inch thick and weighs under 1.5 pounds. It's an iPhone or iTouch on steroids and runs just about all of the 140,000 apps available at the App Store as well. The iPad without 3G arrives in about 60 days and models with cellular are due about a month later. The device lets you surf the web, play games, watch movies, listen to music and access email along with reading electronic newspapers and books. It basically puts the Amazon Kindle to shame, being much more versatile and competitive in price.
Speaking of price... that was one of the biggest shocks at Wednesday's big reveal; $499 for a 16-gigabyte model. The iPhone cost equaled that when it first came out. And with Amazon's single-purpose Kindle costing around $260, the iPad may prove to be a game changer.
Along with being versatile and all around "magical", it looks pretty dang cool, too. Its sleek and smooth hardware makes it attractive and the soft or virtual keyboard allows for a clean workspace (although you can connect a physical keyboard if you need it).
But almost just as important as what it can do is what it can't. Apple customers may still have some concerns. The iWork software suite is still in the works, which will include Pages word processor, Numbers spreadsheet and Keynote presentation. Adobe Flash videos are not accessible on the iPad (so long, Hulu and Dailymotion), and there's no memory card slot or USB port for uploading photos or videos. And while it is a step in the right direction (smaller than a laptop, bigger than an iPhone), it doesn't quite have the ability to replace either one. So will people really carry all three? We'll have to wait and see about that.
No matter what the downfalls may be, I think the iPad will prove to be pretty popular... even with HP, Intel and Dell coming out with similar models in the near future. Apple users are loyal and love all the new flashy gadgets. I'm a Mac user myself and I have to say I'm intrigued. It combines so many media capabilities that will surely impact books, newspapers, magazines, gamers and others in ways we've never seen. I don't think Apple even knows quite how it will evolve yet. But we're all excited to see where things are headed.
Tara Young, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360