MobilityLeaks: Pogue and Scoble must have talked

Doug Smith: Looks like more dooms day from Pogue but at least the last sentence is encouraging if not little condescending. http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/

David K: he isn’t that negative. He likes Win8. He just thinks that the setup with a keyboard makes more sense. Which means he misses it a bit…I get the lack of a keyboard. Prop it up and watch a movie or leave it on your lap and no keyboard to hide since it’s just a cover. It’s like when Apple debuted the iPad and we all mocked what anyone would want a 10″ phone…and now?

Jimski: So are Wall Street analysts changing Apple to “sell” this morning. Na, let all the sheep go down with the ship.

David K: Microsoft is up 4% today. Not bad considering the size of the company and the time before the product is available. AAPL is flat (as expected).

Marti:  My commentary:

Apple is a “safe choice”?  Says who?

“Won’t it anger Microsoft’s traditional ‘hardware partners’ that Microsoft is now making its own competitive tablet”?
Well, if imitation is the best form of flattery, and everyone is going to be imitating Apple because they’ve been MASSIVELY successful, then the “hardware partners” should be seeing the writing on the wall.  Apple controls the vertical and the horizontal, Google may be following their lead with the, Nexus right?; MS is following with the Surface tablet. (I was reminded by another article this morning that the Surface is actually Not a new product – it’s their touchscreen technology they’ve been using for retail businesses since 2008ish.)

“Will there be a cellular version?”
Yeah, it’s call the Windows Phone, idiot!

Will the keyboard be included or sold separately?
Dude please use the little grey cells.  It’s almost Got to be sold with one, and I Highly Suspect that the colors will be available as separate purchases as well.  You want us ladies to be coordinated, don’t you?

“…no two-piece PC has ever caught on in a big way.”
I wouldn’t call this a two-piece, though.  I think this solution is a good one.

“So I mean no disrespect to Microsoft when I predict that the Surface will have a tough climb ahead.”
Of COURSE it will.  MS is playing catch-up.  We never SAID it would be easy…

Personally, I DETEST Apple design.  Innovative? Maybe.  Well-marketed?  Absolutely. Shiny? A little vanilla (literally) for my tastes.  There was a reason the iMac was referred to as “candy Apples.”  Futuristic?  I think that’s  HUGE stretch.  The only time something futuristic was shown in Blazing White was 2001’s Discovery.  And we all know how THAT computer ended…

Murani: The TouchType cover/keyboard will be included. The other cover will be sold separately.

Jimski: I think a part of Microsoft’s strategy here has to do with the accessory/aftermarket stuff. If they can guarantee manufacturers a couple years with the same form factor (internals can change) there is less risk making a line of accessories for tablets. And yes, even phones. With OEMs popping out new stuff every few weeks and completely changing everything there are no opportunities for shelves to be filled with this stuff. People make eye contact with Surface accessories and start asking, “what’s a Surface?”. Need to establish a baseline and that’s what Microsoft is doing.

Murani: Microsoft labs has always been amazing at what they can produce. Google’s eyeglass they are trotting around is cooky. Microsoft has a much more advanced product that they are collaborating with the medical industry on. The glasses will be able to monitor your health and give you a warning.

So what do you think? We started it, now you take the ball and run with it. Dropz a comment or two and chime in.

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