6 ms·

The courier did its job. That and the news of the HP slate (on indefinite hold) were timed to try and get some free press out of the pre-iPad hype. The fact tha

by JunkDNA 16y ago

The courier did its job. That and the news of the HP slate (on indefinite hold) were timed to try and get some free press out of the pre-iPad hype. The fact that no actual product was close to shipping didn't matter.

SamAtt 16y ago
"the news of the HP slate (on indefinite hold)" Where did you hear that? If you're referring to WebOS I don't think HP is going to cancel a product already in the pipeline for a product that is at least a year away
- nl 16y ago
  Hewlett-Packard has killed off it’s much ballyhooed Windows 7 tablet computer, says a source who’s been briefed on the matter. http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/29/hewlett-packard-to-kill-windows-7-tablet-project/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/29/hewlett-packard-to-kill-win... Anonymous source of course, but still.
- glhaynes 16y ago
  "at least a year away" Where did you hear that?
- JunkDNA 16y ago
  http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-doesnt-have-to-worry-about-the-hp-slate-anymore-2010-4 http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-doesnt-have-to-worry-ab... They are going to wait until the Palm deal closes. My guess is that HP wants more control over their platforms than a commodity Windows mobile provides. WebOS is just the ticket.
  - cstuder 16y ago
    Speaking of competition: How is Googles Chrome OS doing? I haven't heard anything about it either. Is there any competition to Apples iPad anywhere? Apart from dozens indistinguishable Android tablets, there seems to be close to no serious alternatives left on the market today.
glhaynes 16y ago
The fact that no actual product was close to shipping didn't matter. That's right boss, I'm here to report at this project's conclusion that we ... got some hypeglow that dripped off the iPad. No, ... I'm not sure how much any tablet-future-legitimizing hype we did build only helped iPad's reception, ...that's ... a good point. ... Yes, that's correct, we ... have no revenue to report from this. cringe
rbanffy 16y ago
Close to shipping?! Microsoft has been strategically announcing products to harm potential competitors since ever. This one was timed to prevent Microsoft-happy companies from buying Apple's tablet (that wasn't announced on the corresponding Apple event, BTW). Natal is another fine example: a special-effects-heavy video from a product that didn't even have a shipping date, with people assuming it would be a couple months later, timed to hurt sales of competing consoles. They didn't have a product and my bet is that they won't have anything close to what was shown. Microsoft has consistently used vaporware over most of its history to promote a "let's not switch providers - Microsoft will soon have a similar product" attitude on its clients. The downside of this is that the tactic has become transparent to most. A Microsoft announcement has little credibility these days.
- sgk284 16y ago
  Just a small correction (I'm a Microsoft employee). I've played on Project Natal, and (pardon my french) it's pretty fucking awesome. You've got to see it to believe it. Can't say when it will ship (not sure if they announced that date yet), and I'm not sure how hardware constraints will make it different than what I played on, but if it's anything close to what I experienced, it'll be a major game changer (no pun intended).
  - sambeau 16y ago
    If that is the case why did Microsoft and Lionhead opt to show video mock-ups rather than real product demos? Last I heard Natal doesn't work for children, black people and fat people. People who turn too quickly, people who sit down, people who clap or just touch hands. People with too much hair. People who's arms aren't raised. People in wheelchairs... In fact the Quiz application, as shown, is completely impossible for Natal. (I'm not a Microsoft employee)
- JunkDNA 16y ago
  Perhaps I was a bit too terse, but I was essentially making the same point as you. You and I are in violent agreement. I'm not at all surprised courier isn't going anywhere. The leaks were all about trying to assure pundits and tech decision makers that Microsoft is "on the job" so just waits little for their solution. The tech press dutifully lapped up the story. Whether or not anyone actually believes it is another matter.

by JunkDNA 16y ago

SamAtt 16y ago

"the news of the HP slate (on indefinite hold)" Where did you hear that? If you're referring to WebOS I don't think HP is going to cancel a product already in the pipeline for a product that is at least a year away

nl 16y ago
Hewlett-Packard has killed off it’s much ballyhooed Windows 7 tablet computer, says a source who’s been briefed on the matter. http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/29/hewlett-packard-to-kill-windows-7-tablet-project/ http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/29/hewlett-packard-to-kill-win... Anonymous source of course, but still.
glhaynes 16y ago
"at least a year away" Where did you hear that?
JunkDNA 16y ago
http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-doesnt-have-to-worry-about-the-hp-slate-anymore-2010-4 http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-doesnt-have-to-worry-ab... They are going to wait until the Palm deal closes. My guess is that HP wants more control over their platforms than a commodity Windows mobile provides. WebOS is just the ticket.
- cstuder 16y ago
  Speaking of competition: How is Googles Chrome OS doing? I haven't heard anything about it either. Is there any competition to Apples iPad anywhere? Apart from dozens indistinguishable Android tablets, there seems to be close to no serious alternatives left on the market today.

glhaynes 16y ago

The fact that no actual product was close to shipping didn't matter. That's right boss, I'm here to report at this project's conclusion that we ... got some hypeglow that dripped off the iPad. No, ... I'm not sure how much any tablet-future-legitimizing hype we did build only helped iPad's reception, ...that's ... a good point. ... Yes, that's correct, we ... have no revenue to report from this. cringe

rbanffy 16y ago

Close to shipping?! Microsoft has been strategically announcing products to harm potential competitors since ever. This one was timed to prevent Microsoft-happy companies from buying Apple's tablet (that wasn't announced on the corresponding Apple event, BTW). Natal is another fine example: a special-effects-heavy video from a product that didn't even have a shipping date, with people assuming it would be a couple months later, timed to hurt sales of competing consoles. They didn't have a product and my bet is that they won't have anything close to what was shown. Microsoft has consistently used vaporware over most of its history to promote a "let's not switch providers - Microsoft will soon have a similar product" attitude on its clients. The downside of this is that the tactic has become transparent to most. A Microsoft announcement has little credibility these days.

sgk284 16y ago
Just a small correction (I'm a Microsoft employee). I've played on Project Natal, and (pardon my french) it's pretty fucking awesome. You've got to see it to believe it. Can't say when it will ship (not sure if they announced that date yet), and I'm not sure how hardware constraints will make it different than what I played on, but if it's anything close to what I experienced, it'll be a major game changer (no pun intended).
- sambeau 16y ago
  If that is the case why did Microsoft and Lionhead opt to show video mock-ups rather than real product demos? Last I heard Natal doesn't work for children, black people and fat people. People who turn too quickly, people who sit down, people who clap or just touch hands. People with too much hair. People who's arms aren't raised. People in wheelchairs... In fact the Quiz application, as shown, is completely impossible for Natal. (I'm not a Microsoft employee)
JunkDNA 16y ago
Perhaps I was a bit too terse, but I was essentially making the same point as you. You and I are in violent agreement. I'm not at all surprised courier isn't going anywhere. The leaks were all about trying to assure pundits and tech decision makers that Microsoft is "on the job" so just waits little for their solution. The tech press dutifully lapped up the story. Whether or not anyone actually believes it is another matter.