On Microsoft Surface

So, Surface used to be this kind of cool idea from Microsoft that was essentially a giant tablet built into a table. This was before tablets were a big deal, or even around in their present form. Surface is now a compelling entry into the tablet field (surface.com).

Microsofts interesting press conference invitation strategy aside, today's announcement was telling in a couple of ways. First, it shows how Microsoft feels about OEMs(Original Equipment Manufacturer). In the PC world, Microsoft has been content to let OEMs handle the hardware while Microsoft focuses on software. They struck oil with Xbox, however, and I think that has started to change how Microsoft thinks about the way they introduce new products. I think we may be seeing the Microsoft of the future in this announcement: a company that introduces flagship products running it's OS and productivity software but also licenses that OS to other OEMs. 

They have left phone manufacturing up to third party OEMs thus far, but if Surface takes off I wouldn't be surprised to see a Microsoft branded Windows Phone in the next couple of years. Frankly, I'd be surprised if the left the Microsoft Kin as their only entry into the modern smartphone arena, regardless of how the Surface does.

Second, I think it shows that Microsoft may not be as out of touch with today's computing world as a lot of people(read: I) thought. It did take Microsoft a long time to introduce a tablet on par with Android and iOS tablets. I think they got it right. They found deficiencies that iPad and Android tablets have not addressed and fixed them: it has a keyboard and stand built in, includes a trackpad, runs a full OS, does great things with stylus input, and runs Microsoft Office. Don't misunderstand, this will not kill the iPad. It might kill Android tablets, though.

Android tablets have had little widespread success, outside of the heavily modified Kindle and Nook tablets. What Surface does is give people who want an alternative to the iPad an alternative that not only does tablet things, they can run their Windows-based work-related software on the same tablet. My bet on a new best-selling accessory: a Bluetooth 10-key pad.

We still need to find out a lot about the Surface. The reports on Windows 8 have been positive to this point, but there was no mention of pricing, battery life, and a few other key items that could have a huge impact on whether the Surface does well or not. My guess is that we'll be back to the old "are you a Mac or a PC?" question. And probably the old stereotype "yeah, those iPads are nice, but if you want to get some real work done, you need to be running Windows". We'll find out if those comments are justified or not.

 

Andrew

 

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