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Microsoft Windows 8 consumer preview and its dilemma


Today was a day I was so looking forward too! I wanted to see what Microsoft had up it's sleeve and I was quite amazed to see what Microsoft has done with it's consumer preview version. According to Microsoft they have more than 100,000 changes from Window7 and I am sure they are right. It looks and feels a lot polished since the last time I played with it.

When I installed my Windows 8 developer edition version last September on my main laptop, to say that I was upset was an understatement. I did get the point that it was a buggy product and they wanted to get it out for developers to start building apps on but it was really confusing.

After today's consumer preview release I do see a huge improvement over the developer release. Everything is Metro UI. Everything!

I am not looking at this release or this product from a tablet perspective. Microsoft has a 0% market share in tablet segment. I am still looking at this product from a Truck perspective. i.e. looking purely from a desktop/laptop perspective where Microsoft still rules in consumer and enterprise market! 

With the consumer preview that was released today there are small subtle changes and they are great! I loved the integration between Xbox and Skydrive. That was expected and I really see consumers excited about it. 
Utilizing the 4 corners and side of a laptop/desktop are neatly done. I am glad to see the changes they made to get rid of the Start button. I was not sure why they were even debating about it if the focus was one unified operating system for everything - i.e Phone, Desktop, Tablets, Phablets and anything with a screen size of 2 inches to 84 inches as they did demo today!

After spending some time with it, I  was really pleased with the direction Microsoft is heading. There is a lot to be worked on and a lot to be accomplished. Power users are going to be using Windows + tab a lot.  There is absolutely no interaction with Metro and Desktop version with the current state and Metro UI almost feels like a lipstick or gimmicky at times

But then I started thinking. I am 35 and I love technology and I love to try new OS and gadgets. I work primarily in Enterprise market and have been doing that for 13+ years now and I know how they execute and think. I started thinking about the huge training cost involved for companies to get people trained in with this new release. Its no ordinary release. I thought about almost 1000+ legacy applications that an average enterprise company uses to maintain it's operation. There is no way, Windows 8 will be installed in the enterprise space with it's current incarnation. I have seen clients spent thousands of man hours to make their legacy app to fit a screen size and I don't see them even changing to Metro UI!

Even though Metro UI is nice, I don't see my Parents using it or for that matter, I don't see an iPad user switching to Window 8 tablet for Metro UI. With more than 50 million iPad sold so far and rising every single quarter - I see no reason why folks would abandon it and use an Windows 8 tablet.

Price -

Tablet

If Microsoft is going to charge OEM an average 80-100$ for Windows licence, how much would the tablet cost? Will the tablet be able to compete with Apple on that front? Do we really need an MS word and Excel on our tablet or do a remote in to my work machine and start up a JDeveloper application to modify Oracle forms?

I am not even taking Android in to consideration as they don't exists in this game no matter what the market share says. (Google lost a huge opportunity...but that is another post). Can they compete with 100/150 $  Nook and Amazon tablet 6 months from now?

update - How about 249$ iPad 7.85 inch?

PC

What if Apple starts selling the 11 inch entry level Macbook Air for 799$ and the 13 inch for 999$ and the 14/15 inch 1199$? There are already 300 million+ iOS devices in the market with the biggest music store in the world and they are getting in to the TV market. How does that affect Intel, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Acer and more importantly Microsoft in the future?

It's a fascinating 2 years to see how this unfolds. Fasten your seat belts everyone - this is going to be one hell of a ride!
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/29/microsoft-windows-8-consumer-preview-detailed-impressions/

Comments

  1. 2 things,,,,

    1. Going to launch end of this year !! who have so much patience.. Ms giving enough time to Apple n others to settle down n have cream of market!....

    2. Why two browsers... do we need separate browsers .... I just can't understand that!

    ReplyDelete

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