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Why can they not finish projects like the Courier tablet they were showing around? Or, even better, release something innovative before someone else has proven
by code_duck 16y ago
Why can they not finish projects like the Courier tablet they were showing around? Or, even better, release something innovative before someone else has proven the market.
It's been years, and they are just barely getting around to addressing the iPhone. They let Apple take off running with the iPad, and Microsoft still offers no comparable hardware or software... and it's not clear at all when they will.
- Someone 16y ago1. They weren't showing a tablet, they were showing an idea. Nobody can build that thing at a reasonable price with technology that is available in the next two years. 2. IMO, they are making a long bet on C# and .Net that may pay of huge. C# in particular is a bit to programming languages what Apple is to computing devices: nothing really new, but really nicely packaged. Having said that, their focus on backwards compatibility doesn't help in keeping things nice. For example, .Net has how at least 3 XML serialization technologies, all with their own set of problems.
- code_duck 16y agoWell, while they were showing an idea, Apple was selling 5 million tablets. I don't see why the idea is impractical, though - it was basically two iPads stuck together with a hinge. They have done well with their version of Java. It's generally well regarded.
- Someone 16y agoI do not see how one would combine 'two iPads with a hinge' with 'for a reasonable price', even if it were 7" iPads. That hinge complicates the engineering a lot; the easy choice would be to have batteries in one half and CPU in the other, but I fear that might lead to asymmetry in weight and/or volume of the device.
- code_duck 16y agoSo, who is going to be the first to make a device like that? I have no doubt we'll be seeing them within 5 years.