Microsoft just leap frogged over Apple and Google at CES

[whooleytoo]

Leap frogged Apple and Google with an announcement. LOLz. Talk to me when they have a shipping product.

Exactly, FUD FTW! My Whooleytoo Hoverboard with built-in mind-controlled web browsing is a whole generation ahead again, and will be available "Real Soon Now".

Surface is a very cool technology, but until it's a readily available, affordable product, Microsoft hasn't leapfrogged anyone. Lots of companies have great technologies which aren't feasible, or that they simply can't figure out how to mould into a product/solution.

 

[Winni]

I think Microsoft is about to be the future unless Apple makes some big moves.

Microsoft has always provided working platforms and solutions for an entire industry while Apple has only been catering to their own little ecosystem.

Yes, Apple is currently doing extraordinarily well in the mobile gadget market. But since they don't share their platform with others, that success won't last. The only question at the moment is whether Android or Windows will become the dominating platform for non-Apple mobile gadgets. Android is ahead of the pack, but that doesn't mean they will stay in the lead. Microsoft has a long history of being the last to join the race but to eventually own the market.

And unlike Apple, Microsoft knows how to treat software developers. "Developers, developers, developers" was not just Ballmer's monkey dance, it is what Microsoft's strategy is all about. Developers make or break a platform, it's as simple as that, and Microsoft has always understood the immense value of software developers.

 

[peterdevries]

Microsoft's got it all ready to go... Apple and Google, not so much (from what I can see).

What Apple and Google do better than Microsoft is reasoning from a demand perspective. The amount of people on this planet that would use and be prepared to pay for a screen such as this is not very large. I concede that the functionality is cool, especially scanning, but there won't be a soul on this planet that would spend thousands of dollars on a table sized scanner if they can hook up a less than $100 scanner to their existing computer. Playing scrabble and synching doesn't add anything. The synching by putting it on the table might look cool, but in the end the killler feature is synching when you step into the door or get near the medium that you want your media on. What does the "putting it on the table" add to the synching experience? I don't need to see or know that synching is going on. I just want to see my documents on the unti that I'm working with. IMO that's the real power of something like Dropbox. No thrills or bells and whistles, it just works.

Enterprises will most likely not be very interested as they have multifunction units for printing, scanning and copying.

A solution such as this will be confined (as the first Surface was) to a few expensive office waiting rooms, trade fairs etc.. A waste of the creativity and time of the people involved in making this product.

 

[Melrose]

For Microsoft, not playing safe began with their win7 phones. They also fixed what was wrong with windows Vista, and win7 is a winner. They're promising to have some more radical changes in win8. So if this is indeed the direction of MS, then they realize playing safe and projecting their cash cows is insufficient and need to stick their neck out from time to time.

I like where Microsoft is going lately. It seems they're getting a bit more imaginative. Whether Kinect works as well as advertised or not, it's a drastic move and it's selling very well (I've read up on it since that last thread ); WinPhone7 looks sharp and has reimagined what a smartphone interface looks like (again, whether it works as well as advertised is yet to be seen).

They're making moves now.. but I'd hardly call them innovative, at least not in the way some other companies - yes, including Apple - are. It depends on the success and influence their latest products have.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

snip

thejadedmonkey for President 2011

 

[*LTD*]

Waiting for me to comment? On what?

On a company well past its sell-by date that's retreated into gaming because they can't hack it in the main consumer markets?

You actually need a shipping product - a whole integrated suite of them to "leap frog" anyone, especially a company like Apple. You need a seamless, comprehensive, dead-easy ecosystem. MS doesn't have it.

Why no mention of any tablet by Ballmer? They were all hot and bothered by "slates" last year. What happened?

Courier-esque, MS is usually late to the game with nothing meaningful to offer. They're too interested in their old Windows/Office cash cow to be bothered. Unless it concerns cameras that can sense you jumping around in front of your Xbox.

Pay attention here: As long as Ballmer is in charge (may he remain so forever) nothing will really change at MS. You can go ahead and map out the next few years under Ballmer (if he lasts that long) without any other information. Crickets all the way. MS' management is destroying the company.

 

[rhett7660]

Leap frogged Apple and Google with an announcement. LOLz. Talk to me when they have a shipping product.

To "leap frog" requires a shipping product. Until then, it's just blowing hot air.

This.... I will believe it when I see it. Sorry this isn't leap frogging at all. This is just another announcement that has yet to see day light. If this ever comes to light. Maybe............and that is a big maybe.

 

[emw]

People who invent coffee table computers don't have young boys.

 

[maflynn]

I like where Microsoft is going lately. It seems they're getting a bit more imaginative. Whether Kinect works as well as advertised or not, it's a drastic move and it's selling very well (I've read up on it since that last thread ); WinPhone7 looks sharp and has reimagined what a smartphone interface looks like (again, whether it works as well as advertised is yet to be seen).

They're making moves now.. but I'd hardly call them innovative, at least not in the way some other companies - yes, including Apple - are. It depends on the success and influence their latest products have.

Agreed, but I do think that their win7 are innovative. Win, lose or draw they're using a completely new UI for their phones and people seem to be receptive to the new UI.

 

[Liquorpuki]

The Surface looks like a game changer. Hopefully it's another Kinect and not a Courier.

 

[Stella]

Surface is not a consumer product. I think you misunderstand the uses of it from your description, so here's a link:
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/whatissurface.aspx

It is both recreation and working computer - but not a working computer in the same way as your desktop or laptop. You wouldn't sit down and watch a movie, either.

While I haven't seen a surface unit, I know other people have and are quite impressed by it, especially by its collaboration / interactive applications. For example, in a bank and having the bank employee with the customer, go through scenarios of a service and interacting with various objects as required. Or, put a phone down on the Surface and have it recognize the device and sync or pull out photos, and display them from there the user(s) can interact with the photos in various ways.

Surface and iPad are aimed towards different markets.

BTW - No Apple Touch products have feedback either!

And then you get the Surface. Which is typical MS. Engineer types will be drooling over it (yech, don't know that I like that mental image, actually) but obviously never really prototyped in a typical setting.

You can't really type on it, the ergonomics are bad, plus no touch feed-back. You can't really do any serious photo post production on it (my profession). I just tried leaning over my desk to simulate looking at an image and then picking tools and using them. My back started hurting in short order.

I can't put papers or a telephone on the working surface. So not a good working computer, which means recreation. But not movies, trying staring down at your desk for 2 hours. Now try to fit another person or 3.

So, perhaps good for games - and it may end up being a great non-portable games table. And expensive. Remember that on top of the cost of the computer there will be the cost of the table.

Just IMHO, of course....

 

[snberk103]

Surface is not a consumer product. I think you misunderstand the uses of it from your description, so here's a link:
http://www.microsoft.com/surface/whatissurface.aspx
...

You're right. My comments were based on the initial posting, which was full of, um, enthusiasm. I checked out a demo, and the Surface is obviously a niche product for very a specific market. Interesting the Royal Bank of Canada has, according to MS, expressed an interest in the Surface. RBC is a conservative outfit, so if they're looking at it, then MS probably going to sell a lot of units.

The Surface looks quite intriguing. I wish my bank would get them.... but they won't. That said, imagine what Apple could do with the technology if MS (in my pipe dream!) gave them the technology, eh?

Referring back to the 1st post (not your post, I know), saying MS has leapfrogged Apple with the Surface is like saying Bose (speakers) has leapfrogged Apple. Not really a comparison, imo.

 

[Consultant]

Someone seems to be shilling for MicroSheep.

To "leap frog" requires a shipping product. Until then, it's just blowing hot air.

Exactly. Real artists ship.

Vaporware announcements =/= leap frogging market leader.

 

[zap2]

I'm not convinced ARM is MS's solution...sure ARM is where the market is going for tablets and smartphones, but desktop OSes like Windows aren't going to fill the role of the tablet. Android, MeeGo and iOS are going to fill that role, MS needs a better UI for the tablet market.

I think this CES is setting MS for good things in the future, but its not very exciting for a consumer point of view.

 

[Burnsey]

On Jan 10th I will announce on these boards the Burnsey OS Type-i, which will be a leapfrog of everyone by at least a decade.

 

[firestarter]

I'm not convinced ARM is MS's solution...sure ARM is where the market is going for tablets and smartphones, but desktop OSes like Windows aren't going to fill the role of the tablet. Android, MeeGo and iOS are going to fill that role, MS needs a better UI for the tablet market.

I think this CES is setting MS for good things in the future, but its not very exciting for a consumer point of view.

What's really tragic about this announcement is that Windows-on-ARM is a sure signal that Microsoft have completely given up on CE (which has always been on ARM).

I think Apple has it right. Introduce a simplified OS on portable devices, then move that across the the desktop (and believe me, that's what's happening - the App store and full screen apps are the first steps).

Taking an OLD operating system that's already bloated and pretty unsuitable for portable devices and porting it to ARM just seems completely the wrong way 'round. If I were MS, I'd have taken the successful X-Box OS and tried to expand that out.

I just think that Windows is an old and tired brand that's busy shrinking. Microsoft is making a big mistake thinking that it's going to have appeal to a more consumer based audience - especially up against iOS and Android.

 

[revelated]

Leap frogged Apple and Google with an announcement. LOLz. Talk to me when they have a shipping product.

To "leap frog" requires a shipping product. Until then, it's just blowing hot air.

And Surface? Please. Microsoft is always showing off R&D stuff that never makes it to market.

Talk about people who have no clue. Surface IS a shipping product, has been for two years. But as stated in other posts it is NOT a consumer-targeted product and never will be. It's designed to enhance business applications so that those businesses can impress their customers. I envision a Gorilla Glass version of Surface replacing kids' desks in schools someday in the future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1IpDStL23M&feature=related

Microsoft has a long history of being the last to join the race but to eventually own the market.

Microsoft is also known for taking risks. If their risk fails, they learn from their mistakes and improve upon the base concept.

Windows 95: mistake. Fixed with Windows 98.
Windows ME: mistake. Fixed with Windows XP/2000.
Office XP: mistake. Fixed with Office 2003.
Office 2007 ribbon: mistake. Fixed with Office 2010 ribbon.
Windows Vista sans-Service Pack: mistake. Fixed with Vista Service Pack 2. Improved with Vista Service Pack 3, vîs a vîs, Windows 7 (though Vista SP2 spanks 7 in certain things, i.e. Explorer window rendering).
Windows OneCare: mistake. Fixed with Security Essentials.
Original Xbox: calculated risk that had ups and downs. Xbox 360: cornered the video game marketplace and stole share away from the Kings, continuing to do so. Revolutionized online console gaming. In fact I do believe that 360 and Xbox Live are cash cows for Microsoft compared to their other consumer products.

I don't think they will rule the market as far as Apple/Google. But i do believe that they will continue to own the enterprise. That's all that really matters to them in the long run anyway.

 

[ctt1wbw]

Leap frogged Apple and Google with an announcement. LOLz. Talk to me when they have a shipping product.

Microsoft is great as announcing vaporware.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

If I were MS, I'd have taken the successful X-Box OS and tried to expand that out.

The 360 OS is based off of a heavily modified Windows 2000 kernel.

The latest Windows Phone 7 rumor is kinect/360 integration. It's not hard to see how MS will be able to leverage everything to all of a sudden have an iOS style integration, but with different hardware that isn't stuck in a screen.

 

[SidBala]

I really like the direction MS is moving in.

An ARM tablet with the ZuneHD "Metro" interface would be very sweet.

 

[*LTD*]

Microsoft has always provided working platforms and solutions for an entire industry while Apple has only been catering to the entire technology consumer population .

Fixed.

Microsoft has provided various levels of ********* "working" platforms and solutions for consumers, and broken but manageable platforms and solutions for IT. Their consumer-level efforts for the past few years have been utterly laughable outside gaming consoles. They're still milking the dying Windows/Office cash cow at the cost of nearly every forward looking consumer market outside gaming for kiddies. For some reason they're still touting their Big Ass Table™ as well. Can I get one to use every day in my home ot to take with me? No? Oh well.

Microsoft understands the consumer market like I understand Swahili. Of course, there's always Halo et al and gaming consoles to hide behind.

There's a reason Apple now has them in their rear-view mirror.

Yes, Apple is currently doing extraordinarily well in the mobile gadget market. But since they don't share their platform with others, that success won't last.

"Currently" . . . as if it's only a temporary thing. We've been hearing "currently" applied to Apple's efforts every year for the past decade. $300 billion later and we're *still* hearing it in small corners from the desperate and envious.

Provide a superior user experience across all of your products, within a vibrant software/hardware ecosystem, and success LASTS. Even in recessions. When it comes to Apple, there's no longer any going back. Apple's tapped in to the consumers' "desire" and "want" sectors of the brain. As long as they keep to their winning formula, Apple OWNS this decade. Period. #2 spot is a fight between Google and MS. MS looks to be on the losing end at the moment. The solution is to pretend selling more copies of Windows and Office makes them somehow relevant.

And unlike Apple, Microsoft knows how to treat software developers. "Developers, developers, developers" was not just Ballmer's monkey dance, it is what Microsoft's strategy is all about. Developers make or break a platform, it's as simple as that, and Microsoft has always understood the immense value of software developers.

Which is why they're flocking to iOS and Android. It isn't about how developers are treated, it's about how absolutely friggin great your platform is to use and how much money can be made from it. MS can scream "developers!" all they like, but when their products are ****-on-a-stick that might have been cool three years ago, it's just a lot of hot air and baloney. But yes, throw $ at developers and you'll get a few.

 

[skottichan]

Original Xbox: calculated risk that had ups and downs. Xbox 360: cornered the video game marketplace and stole share away from the Kings, continuing to do so. Revolutionized online console gaming. In fact I do believe that 360 and Xbox Live are cash cows for Microsoft compared to their other consumer products.

I'm sorry, I couldn't let this BS pass. The 360 and it's ~50% failure rate, did NOT corner the market, nor did it steal share from the Kings.

XBox 306: ~50mill world wide
PS3: ~45mill world wide
Wii: ~80mill world wide

I'm looking at those numbers, and the 360 isn't even close to stealing the market away from Nintendo. Even Sony's catching up, and their PS3 was released a full year later than the 360 (as was the Wii).

 

[roadbloc]

I'm looking at those numbers, and the 360 isn't even close to stealing the market away from Nintendo. Even Sony's catching up, and their PS3 was released a full year later than the 360 (as was the Wii).

Totally different market.
Wii = Family, party and child orientated gaming.
Xbox/PS3 = Adult and online orientated gaming.

 

[revelated]

I'm sorry, I couldn't let this BS pass. The 360 and it's ~50% failure rate, did NOT corner the market, nor did it steal share from the Kings.

XBox 306: ~50mill world wide
PS3: ~45mill world wide
Wii: ~80mill world wide

Seriously? You really don't understand how market share truly works, do you?

Market share, at the core, means the amount and/or percentage of dollars spent on one market participant vs. another. It is illogical to think that Microsoft is not taking money from the others given Microsoft actually charges for its online service which has been proven to be superior many times over. Additionally, its online service has been around longer than the competition. It was the first of any console since the Dreamcast to have a true online networked gaming system. It's not just about units sold, dude. Sony might sell a million Killzone copies but then that's it, whereas Microsoft can sell a million Halo units PLUS add Live Gold members for recurrent cash flow that would otherwise be spent on the competition.

Microsoft was the first to deliver a video marketplace. They also brought Netflix first.

Microsoft was the first to set up integrations with internet sites using a unified ID structure. More exposure, free marketing.

Microsoft continues to make a profit on everything it puts out in the gaming arena yet manages to drop price at every turn. Sony has struggled to do so.

Microsoft brings newer features with almost every update. Sony has removed and/or nerfed features with the last updates it has put out and added very little (photo sharing? Really?)



In all seriousness, the PS3 is an excellent Blu-ray player. Unfortunately, for me that's all it is. The games swallow, the online swallows, the Store limitations and forced updates swallow, them removing features swallows...where the 360 seems to just get it right most of the time. Games in general haven't been that great in the last two years, but I give the nod to 360 when comparing the two. Nintendo isn't even in the league except for the DS.

You must give Microsoft the most credit in the world for their tenacity. They took a risk even getting into the market much less lasting this long AND managing to take over this gen in true market share, given Sony's long standing experience in the genre and Microsoft having never released a console in their life. It's too bad MS didn't just buy Sega and take the Dreamcast to new heights.