5 ms·

And this is surprising to who exactly? Microsoft has shown repeatedly in the last few years that they excel at creating pretty renders and hype for products th

by necubi 17y ago

And this is surprising to who exactly? Microsoft has shown repeatedly in the last few years that they excel at creating pretty renders and hype for products that never appear on the market in comparable form. Anybody remember the Origami project? If not, here's a reminder: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXHKCS28z1s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXHKCS28z1s. The same is true of the original Longhorn videos (which were revealed to be shockwave animations) and to a certain extent surface. Contrast this with Apple's approach, which is to show absolutely nothing until they have a shipping product. Microsoft drives hype; apple makes products. All that being said, I do hope somebody takes the ideas in those videos and makes a compelling product from them. I doubt the technology is there now, but it will be in a few years.

MichaelGG 17y ago
I get your point, but Origami did ship, didn't it? They even have a list of hardware: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/default.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/def... Of course the experiences never match up. In the videos, you get nice clips of some perfect UI. In reality, you get some crappy apps still designed for a mouse and keyboard.
- necubi 17y ago
  Hence my qualifier "in comparable form." Origami did ship, but when it did it was twice as expensive as promised (initially: "as much as a good mobile phone", when released: $1200+) and was an unusable mess (read some reviews). The devices shipped bore no resemblance to those in the video, either in terms of interface or hardware. So while Microsoft's partners did ship UMPCs, it would be highly misleading to suggest that Microsoft shipped "Origami," at least as presented in the videos.
CamperBob 17y ago
All that being said, I do hope somebody takes the ideas in those videos and makes a compelling product from them What, actually make something? Sounds like a good way to get hit with a patent suit.
smallblacksun 17y ago
You don't think Apple "drove hype" for the iPad? Seriously? Also, I'd be willing to bet that Microsoft ships more new products each year than Apple (meaning a larger number of different products, not just more total).
- DLWormwood 17y ago
  Apple doesn't have to drive hype. The tech media does it for them... For free, to boot.
  - marknutter 17y ago
    And why do you think this is? Because they don't release concept videos, and they deliver really polished products on their own time. People say Apple is all about marketing, but that's a joke. The press does all of Apple's marketing for them, all Apple needs to do is keep generating hits.
    - jrockway 17y ago
      Metamarketing is still marketing.
      - marknutter 17y ago
        If consistently releasing great products to generate hype about future products is "metamarketing", then yes, Apple is all about marketing.
        jrockway 17y ago
        People just forget about Apple's failed products. Rev. A anything, the iPod HiFi, etc.
        sambeau 17y ago
        Apple's failed products are more notable because of two facts: * they release very small number of products * there have only had a small number of failed products
eagleal 17y ago
I was really hoping Microsoft shipped Courier, because I really don't want to buy an iPad (and I have a lot of personal reasons to do that). Have to wait and see what is going to do HP. > ...show absolutely nothing until they have a shipping product... Courier was a MSR project, and they were kind enough to make it public. (MSR) It's actually one of the good things MS does.
- perokreco 17y ago
  You can a multi touch EEE if you don't mind the keyboard.
- dannyr 17y ago
  "I was really hoping Microsoft shipped Courier, because I really don't want to buy an iPad (and I have a lot of personal reasons to do that). Have to wait and see what is going to do HP." I would tune in to Google I/O instead. Google plans to release a ChromeOS/Android tablet and the conference seems to be the best time to announce it (aside from their big Android announcements).
  - joubert 17y ago
    i wonder which one it is gonna be: ChromeOS or Android... and will they get in the consumer hardware business or will it just be a rebranding ala nexus one?
    - macrael 17y ago
      Man oh man, if Google went into the hardware business, now that would shake things up. Seriously, it would be a huge shift for the company and would require some massive hiring and restructuring. I think that would be exciting, but not at all likely.

by necubi 17y ago

MichaelGG 17y ago

I get your point, but Origami did ship, didn't it? They even have a list of hardware: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/default.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/umpc/def... Of course the experiences never match up. In the videos, you get nice clips of some perfect UI. In reality, you get some crappy apps still designed for a mouse and keyboard.

necubi 17y ago
Hence my qualifier "in comparable form." Origami did ship, but when it did it was twice as expensive as promised (initially: "as much as a good mobile phone", when released: $1200+) and was an unusable mess (read some reviews). The devices shipped bore no resemblance to those in the video, either in terms of interface or hardware. So while Microsoft's partners did ship UMPCs, it would be highly misleading to suggest that Microsoft shipped "Origami," at least as presented in the videos.

CamperBob 17y ago

All that being said, I do hope somebody takes the ideas in those videos and makes a compelling product from them What, actually make something? Sounds like a good way to get hit with a patent suit.

smallblacksun 17y ago

You don't think Apple "drove hype" for the iPad? Seriously? Also, I'd be willing to bet that Microsoft ships more new products each year than Apple (meaning a larger number of different products, not just more total).

DLWormwood 17y ago
Apple doesn't have to drive hype. The tech media does it for them... For free, to boot.
- marknutter 17y ago
  And why do you think this is? Because they don't release concept videos, and they deliver really polished products on their own time. People say Apple is all about marketing, but that's a joke. The press does all of Apple's marketing for them, all Apple needs to do is keep generating hits.
  - jrockway 17y ago
    Metamarketing is still marketing.
    - marknutter 17y ago
      If consistently releasing great products to generate hype about future products is "metamarketing", then yes, Apple is all about marketing.
      - jrockway 17y ago
        People just forget about Apple's failed products. Rev. A anything, the iPod HiFi, etc.
        sambeau 17y ago
        Apple's failed products are more notable because of two facts: * they release very small number of products * there have only had a small number of failed products

eagleal 17y ago

I was really hoping Microsoft shipped Courier, because I really don't want to buy an iPad (and I have a lot of personal reasons to do that). Have to wait and see what is going to do HP. > ...show absolutely nothing until they have a shipping product... Courier was a MSR project, and they were kind enough to make it public. (MSR) It's actually one of the good things MS does.

perokreco 17y ago
You can a multi touch EEE if you don't mind the keyboard.
dannyr 17y ago
"I was really hoping Microsoft shipped Courier, because I really don't want to buy an iPad (and I have a lot of personal reasons to do that). Have to wait and see what is going to do HP." I would tune in to Google I/O instead. Google plans to release a ChromeOS/Android tablet and the conference seems to be the best time to announce it (aside from their big Android announcements).
- joubert 17y ago
  i wonder which one it is gonna be: ChromeOS or Android... and will they get in the consumer hardware business or will it just be a rebranding ala nexus one?
  - macrael 17y ago
    Man oh man, if Google went into the hardware business, now that would shake things up. Seriously, it would be a huge shift for the company and would require some massive hiring and restructuring. I think that would be exciting, but not at all likely.