Apple vs. Microsoft: Who Will Bring the Ideal Mobile Productivity Device?

I wrote a little while back about the rumored Apple Tablet. At the time I talked about my desire for a product which would truly legitimize the netbook/UMPC category. Apple has done a terrific job differentiating its computing offerings. The majority of computer users start with a laptop for general everyday use and occasional mobility. Power users might buy a desktop for more horse power. And, everyone needs an iPhone for highly mobile media and light productivity. To me, the natural follow on to these three product categories is a full on mobile productivity device.

The Mobile Productivity Device
In my post on the Apple Tablet, I talked about my image of the perfect mobile device being shaped by the viral Microsoft Origami Project videos circa 2006. Well, leave it to Microsoft to drop yet another follow on which I think once again targets my mobile productivity desires – the Microsoft Courier.

E-mail, a quick and simple input system, and a large enough format for reading larger amounts of text, editing pictures, and watching videos. It’s just the type of device I’d like to add to my tech tool belt.

Apple’s Media Tablet
It seems that recent rumors show Apple to be taking a slightly different tack with regards to the tablet. According to iLounge, the Apple Tablet is slated to be, for all intents and purposes, a large format iPhone. It will run iPhone OS and is meant as a slate-like replacement for books and magazines with the added functionalities of an iPhone.

Should this be written off? Well, I don’t think it’s as powerful or as compelling a consumer product as the Courier (which is no where near production ready). But, this product does seem to fit Apple’s business model very well. They’ve struck gold once with a personal media player and content ecosystem (iPod + iTunes) and e-reading has gained much more momentum through the release of Amazon’s (AMZN) Kindle. With an increasing amount of browsing and video watching being done on iPhones, maybe a large format device is just what the doctor ordered. Further, Apple will have the benefit of being able to add more content for sale through its iTunes distribution channel.

Granted, there’s no news on an input system, and if it is through a on-screen keyboard, this device will be severely handicapped from a productivity standpoint. At a $700 price range, I just don’t know that I’d be interested in purchasing such a piece of hardware.

Comments

[Roger Knights:]

I like the idea of something foldable, so it can be pocketable. Maybe Apple will offer a version with this feature eventually.

Oct 16 09:29 AM

[Anthony B:]

I think we should just bring back cargo pants!

Oct 16 10:03 AM

[JamesApple:]

I think the basic premise defining Apple and Microsoft offerings is that Microsoft tends to define their customers by the ways Microsoft software work whereas Apple define their customers by the ways the customers work with Apple software. These are two very different approaches and the world will always have these two approaches because among other things, there are two kinds of people, the ones who like to use things the way they are predefined, and the ones who like to use things the way they want. Depending on how many people are fix minded and how many are open minded, Apple and Microsoft will benefit from the kinds of customers who are genetically open minded, or closed.

Oct 16 12:42 PM

[AdamC:]

What insight - "Well, I don’t think it’s as powerful or as compelling a consumer product as the Courier"

You have not even seen what Apple is doing and you can come to this kind of conclusion.

As I have been saying if bloggers are really good they would and should be writing great softwares and inventing hardwares and not guessing.

Oct 17 01:21 AM

[JamesApple:]

Microsoft's forte is in Visual controls embedded in the windows, frames, menu bar, toolbar, status bar, application bar, resizing of the windows, overstacking or lining up windows, context dropdown lists, weak in shortcuts or voice commands and mouse commands. Apple's forte is dynamic context sensitive icons which are really smart icons which require minimal user interaction due to the fine granularity of their functions and interfaces with little needs for parameters. Apple's smart icons mobile interface is a lot more intuitive than any other mobile interfaces and is a major contributor to the iPhone's first class user experience including any offerings from Microsoft's mobile interfaces so far.

Beyond the user interface, a mobile productivity device must provide local on device intelligence in order to make effective decisions and conduct processes with maximum speed and accuracies with closure, remote system and data requests are time consuming and subject to security risks plus dependencies of external resource availablities and access authorizations. For a truly productive mobile device local info and processing capabilities is a must without depending on servers or controllers outside the mobile device itself. All resources for mobile productivity have to be prepared prior to using the mobile device, otherwise don't use mobile device at all.

Apple Tablet inherits the iPhone Smart icon user interface, has gigabytes of flash memories with persistent storage capability for the info and processing power making the Apple Tablet a better choice than the Microsoft Courier which is still designed for contacts, calendars, and note taking functionalities. Apple's Smart icons allow users to put whatever kinds of things he wants onto the iPhone or Apple Tablet, making him a lot more productive using the Apple mobile device.

Oct 17 02:46 AM

[Slavak09:]

This is a great idea, but would venture does anyone know when the public was first introduced to the concept? I submit it was 1968....In the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, astronauts Bowman and Poole are seen eating at a table with tablet like devices with multiple windows.
Arthur C Clarke wrote the original story (The Sentinel) in the 1950's and named these devices as "fax's".

I would say hat's off to another accurate call by the late futurist.

Oct 17 09:15 AM

[pk de cville:]

"Granted, there’s no news on an input system, and if it is through a on-screen keyboard, this device will be severely handicapped from a productivity standpoint."

Aw, come on.

It will have an optional Blue Tooth keyboard, the only question being, "Will it be from Apple or 3rd parties?"

(Yes, it will cost $50 and you will buy it.)

Oct 17 09:49 AM

[mollytjm:]

even if it costs more, having a paperback book sized computer to carry around would be wonderful. something twice the size of the iPhone would do well with everyone. saying that microsoft has something great but it's not developed yet brings to mind Vista. So by the time it's developed, who cares?
Fast innovation is the name of the game. Apple does make products its customers want and it makes them so its customers can use them in the way they want to use them. But they're also great at thinking outside the box and coming up with things we didn't know we'd love!
Long APPL. It's the stock for the future.

Oct 17 10:28 AM

[SmartyGuy:]

How many decades will writers continue to buy in to the Microsoft vaporware sales machine?

Oct 17 11:13 AM

[Jon T:]

It is an utter joke to bring Microsoft into this debate - they are NOWHERE!

10 years and Win Mobile is at 6.5, and it may as well be out of the ark.

Oct 17 11:55 AM

[brewer:]

Microsoft's greatest invention was vaporware, and people are still buying it.

Oct 17 12:06 PM

[Warnin4U:]

When has Microsoft ever offered anyone a successful device. They work on the Microsoft paradigm (our software is the best and everyone has to use it). Devices aren't software and Microsoft knows nothing about devices. As of yet they have not even been able to sustain a marketing activity for any device. It isn't in the gene pool!

Oct 18 01:18 PM

[JamesApple:]

Microsoft Exchange Server can be executed right off a Microsoft mobile. Not only that, provided the CPU is strong enough with enough RAM, a Microsoft mobile can be configured to be complete Microsoft Windows Server 2010. This means nothing to Apple users, but to a enterprise business user this Microsoft mobile Windows Server 2010 means total computing power and flexibility and telephony, email, messaging, business applications and connectivity packed into one single handset anywhere anytime. This kind of handset is a enterprise mobile user's Holy Grail.

Oct 18 05:45 PM

[Diegojames:]

Give me a iPhone with a real key board ...not ...funny little imaginery squares...............

Oct 18 07:55 PM

[JamesApple:]

Microsoft mobile phone running as a Windows Server 2010 will absolutely kill the Research in Motion blackberrys.

Oct 19 01:20 AM

[Wireless Wiz:]

phew, i was getting worried for a second, james finally got his insult in on rim.


On Oct 19 01:20 AM JamesApple wrote:

> Microsoft mobile phone running as a Windows Server 2010 will absolutely
> kill the Research in Motion blackberrys.

Oct 19 12:16 PM

[JamesApple:]

Research in Motion share price should go below $30 by February 2010 if Christmas sales for blackberrys drop by 30%.

Oct 19 01:53 PM

[iSlate:]

The Courier doesn't have a chance compared to the Apple iSlate. The iSlate is a superior product. islate.org

Nov 07 01:10 PM