Asus CEO On Windows RT: "We're Out." 246
symbolset writes "AllThingsD's intrepid reporter Ina Fried has an interview up where Asus chairman and CEO Jonney Shih says they will not make any more Windows RT devices until Microsoft proves demand for the product. This leaves Dell as the only OEM who has not sworn off Windows RT. Dell is seeking to take itself private, relying on a $2 billion loan from Microsoft."
Turns out people want things that are the size of a laptop to work as well as a laptop.
maybe next time lose the lockdown (Score:5, Insightful)
So that you can make hardware that doesn't depend on MS?
A tablet isn't a PC. That's the point. (Score:5, Insightful)
How many MBAs does it take to miss that mind-boggingly obvious fact?
Here's some free advice if anyone important is reading this (haha):
Want to be wildly successful? Go invest a lot of time and money into figuring our how to make a 8.5 x 11" replacement for paper. That includes being able to write and draw engineering diagrams with a 0.2mm tip.
I've wanted one of those forever, I'd be willing to bet a lot of professionals out there have the same problem - the ipad is close, but not quite big enough, and it doesn't have written input.
"Me too" doesn't cut it. Have some vision, Microsoft. I dare you.
No killer app (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:A tablet isn't a PC. That's the point. (Score:5, Insightful)
It would be nice if tablet designers, OS designers, and app coders stopped treating tablets like media consumption devices and started treating them like actual replacements for people who need to do actual work. Try working on a spreadsheet on one. Yes, you can do it. Yes, it's a colossal pain in the ass. Wanna reset a password in Active Directory from your tablet? If you're on Android or iPad, there's MAYBE one or two apps that can do it and then not very well. Oh, but if you want to listen to music on the crappy little speakers, there are about a thousand music players out there. There are any number of freemium games out there, too.
Tablets are fine for what they are, but you can't sell them as a productivity tool without actually designing it as one, and that's what Microsoft tried to pull with Windows RT.
Re:Makes sense (Score:5, Insightful)
Nobody wants to work on a tablet! (Score:4, Insightful)
You're missing my point.
I have three 30" screens I work on. It is wonderful.
I want a device that acts like my trusty pad of paper, but better. I like to be able to read and flip through reference papers leaned back in my chair, or over a coffee. I'm not going to sit down and work in that environment - certainly not to code, design a CAD part, work out a tooling process, design a PCB, figure out a circuit, or even write a long memo. I have a great work setup for those tasks.
Microsoft completely missed the mark and the consumers have spoken. You and some others want to work on a tablet, fine - most don't.
Re: Cheap over touchscreen (Score:2, Insightful)
Indeed, reality is that people are willing to pay a premium to avoid Windows...
This is one area where Ballmer's decision to build a cult to rationalize away the glaringly unethical and predatory nature of the Windows monopoly is hurting them big time.
Re:A tablet isn't a PC. That's the point. (Score:2, Insightful)
Apple didn't pretend iOS was OSX (Score:4, Insightful)
And Android has never claimed that you would be running full Linux on your device. Microsoft's blunder wasn't that they made a tablet OS, it's that they tried to pass it off as their full fledged desktop by giving it the same name when they had already spent 8 years with their desktop software already on tablet computers, and doubled down by simultaneously releasing a looks-and-feels identical version which really did run all of Windows desktop software.
Can't Believe Microsoft Thought it was a Good Idea (Score:5, Insightful)
Linux Netbooks Did (Score:4, Insightful)
Linux netbooks didn't really take off
Except they did every store had more netbooks than anything else, Microsoft heavily discounted XP to compete(11 years old only if your stupid enough to count from launch), and then with Intel limited its specifications and Microsoft limits its OS (and it ran badly) to not cannibalise its more profitable none existent Ultrabook and its existing laptop market. They successfully killed it of...and then Apple launched the iPad which had none of the limits, some advantages...and a killer price (then not now) and obvious the brand.