Giving Microsoft a Chance in the Tablet Market
Publicly, Microsoft executives like Craig Mundie often dismiss the media tablet market. But you can be sure that behind closed doors, Microsoft heavyweights are obsessing over how to make Windows a media tablet player.
An argument that Microsoft's actually got one of the best chances of delivering a successful media tablet comes from a surprising quarter this month.
Bryan Chaffin writes at the Mac Observer that the important thing about the iPad is the experience. In that light, he makes the case that Amazon and Microsoft, more than Google, RIM or HP, are best positioned to compete.
Chaffin's key arguments for Microsoft:
"I believe that Big Redmond's biggest opportunity for creating an experience for a Microsoft tablet is to integrate its tablet with the Xbox. Make it a game controller, make it a means of accessing the Internet and browsing Internet content through your TV, make it a way to chat with your opponents while you are playing, to see additional game content like maps, scores, bonus rewards, whatever. These kinds of things make for an experience that many consumers would find attractive.
"Imagine being able to start off a Kinect video chat on your TV and be able to pick up your Microsoft tablet and take the conversation into the kitchen using a camera on the device without having to change anything? That would rock."
To be sure, Chaffin doesn't think Microsoft will manage to capitalize on the opportunity. Still, it's the rare analysis that's both thoughtful and doesn't count Microsoft entirely out of this game.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 09, 2011 at 11:58 AM