Comments on: An oft-overlooked benefit to Windows 8 licensing: Device variety

By: Jack C

Jack C — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:00:09 +0000

If Apple shows us anything, it is the importance of the user experience, which, I think relates chiefly to the marriage of hardware and software.

The licensing thing is only an advantage for MS as long as there are no consumer-grade free alternatives. The cost of a full blown Windows license is one of the reasons I run OpenElec on my HTPC and, principally similar to the reason I run FreeNAS on my NAS. FreeNAS took quite a bit of time for me to configure to be useful and OpenElec took less. I’m consciously making a trade-off between my time and money here, which most people won’t elect to do. Android, however, shows the next generation of options, costs nothing and is useful out of the box. Competition should mean that there is always a cheaper Android option.

By: Andy

Andy — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 17:44:16 +0000

It’s not hard to see right now that computing and communicating are getting more diverse and this is all tailored to the user experience. Is it a phone or tablet? Is it a microsoft PC or tablet or phone? There’s a full range of sizes of every device with different input devices. We’re all different and how we use these devices will decide what form factor we want for each situation. We can pay up for more functionality with a windows oriented device. We can go to cheap cloud devices like chromebooks and nexus 7′s that still have a good user experience. Do you want one device or many? A chromebook and nexus 7 is still cheaper than a window 8 PC that merges tablet and laptop in one device. Some people will see the single device that accomplishes what 2 other devices do and see synergy. Other people will see compromises and want 2 devices rather than 1. I think google’s cheap cloud devices gain share starting right now and Apple gets even more challenged with low cost google devices undercutting them. Microsoft could do ok too if desktop to phone to tablet is seamless without having to transport anything between devices. Any problems though and I’ll stick with my windows PCs and android device strategy.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:32:44 +0000

Check out the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, ThinkPad Twist, and ThinkPad X230t, all very similar in formfactor but also very specialized and all that from a single manufacturer. One solution is never enough for everyone.

By: Mclars

Mclars — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:18:36 +0000

Hardware choice matters to very few people. In fact, most people prefer the “it” devices, if they care at all. Android and Windows have huge numbers because they are cheap and easy to obtain, not because they are better or more desired. Sure, they have true believers, but those are a small minority. The majority buy what is cheap and does the basics.

By: jjj

jjj — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Apple is not a long term problem in phones or in tablets they are doomed to be a niche product
with their strategy ( iphone has some sub 20% smartphone market share,depending on quarter).
That said Microsoft doesn’t have all that much variety,The RT version is pretty limited to just 2 SoCs (a third maybe soon) and there is no sub 10 inch RT tablet.For Win 8 the options are 2 low price, but still not all that cheap ,from iIntel and AMD and all else pushes prices in a range that can only cannibalize traditional PC sales. Vs Android there isn’t all that much flexibility and prices are pushed higher by the OS and in the Win 8 version the Intel CPU ads to the cost as well as the need for more NAND and RAM.
Win 8 tablets based on anything more powerful than Atom are also too bulky and heavy.Tablets are,as it is,a bit too heavy so there is no chance for those to get in an ideal range anytime soon.
All in all Apple is only an imaginary enemy,perpetuated by the mainstream american press,that has a deep need to be Apple’s PR machine and Microsoft has to compete with Android and whatever else might come but it’s main problem will always be cost.
Apple doesn’t offer choice,Apple is crippling it’s devices to force consumers spend some more money on other Apple products and services (no microSD slot) , you are limited to only 1 app store no matter what (so they can get a cut from everything you buy – regulators should really step in here) ,proprietary connectors,updated every so often to force users into updating accessories sold in Apple stores.Apple is charging you 100$ for 16GB of extra NAND when they pay 60 cents or less for 1GB..and i can keep going but what’s the point.