Windows Ocho
When I started this blog five months ago, I never thought that I would someday be lucky enough to break a huge story, let alone one with an anonymous source deep inside one of the largest corporations in the world! I've been sitting on this story since April 1st of this year, but my source would not allow me to print it until he could verify the information.
According to my source, a high-level employee of Micr0soft, the next version of Windows (Windows 8) will have an app store in which ALL Windows software will be distributed! Modeled after the hugely successful Apple app store for iPhone and iPad, the Windows app store will be a 'one stop shop' for all software applications that a user wishes to install on their Windows system.
Apparently, the idea for a Windows app store (not to be confused with the app store available for Windows Phone) had been kicked around for a couple of years in Redmond, but it was the successful launch of Apple's iPad that convinced Microsoft that customers are willing to give up some freedom in exchange for the perception of increased security and quality. My source says that the Microsoft sees the iPad as a full computer, not a 'large format' iPod or iPhone. They are convinced that Apple will, over the next few years, make the iPad more and more powerful, phase out their notebook computers, and eventually all of Apple's products will be tied to app stores. Not wanting to fall behind Apple any further, Microsoft will introduce the Windows app store for Windows 8 first.
Below is my source's list of benefits and restrictions for software deployment on Windows 8:
- All software for Windows 8 will be distributed via the Windows App store including both consumer and enterprise applications.
- Software developers will need to submit their applications to Micorosft for approval. Microsoft will use the approval process to weed out malware (spyware, viruses, etc), poorly written software that impedes the performance of Windows 8, pornography, hate speach, vulgarity, and anything else that Micosoft thinks customers will find offensive.
- In addition to applicaitons developed by large vendors, such as Adobe and Apple, all custom developed software will need to be aproved by Microsoft via the app store.
- Microsoft will continue to allow Adobe Flash on Windows 8, but other software has not yet been approved (and may never be ): Firefox, Chrome, iTunes, Safari -- just to name a few.
The shift to a closed system controlled by Microsoft is a bombshell, no doubt, but the biggest news is that 'Windows 8' is just the code name for the next version of Windows. The real name will be Windows Ocho! It seems that MS execs want to capitalize on the popularity of NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, in an attempt to appeal to the 'kids'. Not THAT is a little hard to believe, wouldn't you say?
Another Damn Apple Post?
When I started Backingin.com last December, I had no intention of creating an Apple blog (pro or con), but after a couple of months, "Apple" is the largest tag in the 'tag cloud'. As I stated in my first post, Backingin.com will become what it wants to become, and lately my thoughts are dominated by technology. So, staying with the tech theme, I read with interest today that Apple is suing HTC for patent infringement. HTC is one of the largest manufacturers of cellphones and the maker of the Google Nexus One smartphone. Apple is claiming that HTC violated 20 iPhone patents.
There seems to be three dogs in this fight. One one side, there are those who think it is long overdue that Apple started defending themselves against intellectual property theft. On the other side is a group that believes Apple is acting like the new Microsoft by using the courts to try to intimidate any real competition to the iPhone. Then there are those who believe that all technology companies have lost their minds and sold their souls by using patents as weapons. Place me firmly in the third camp.
The patent battles have become ridiculous. Apple and Nokia have been trading barbs over who infringed on who's patents for the past few months. According to an article on CNet's News.com, Nokia claims that Apple infringed on seven Nokia patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, and computers." I don't know who is right and who is wrong is this case, and I believe that patents are necessary to protect your company's technology, but the current state of patent litigation mania will only hurt one party: the consumer.
Windows Phone
Microsoft gave a sneak peak at Windows Phone 7 Series, the replacement for Windows Mobile at Mobile World Congress 2010. I have read some very enthusiastic reviews so far, but Windows Phone 7 Series (WP7) must be more impressive in person compared to the photos I've seen. To be fair, photographs of videos screens and impromptu 'hands on' demos can't really shine a proper light on a product. From the product description it appears that Microsoft came to play, and I'm glad they didn't 'phone it in' (sorry about the bad pun). This product is a must for them. There is no way that Microsoft can leave the smartphone market to rivals Apple and Google. There is too much at stake. Desktop computing is dying, and the company that can control the Cloud, the TV screen, and the mobile device will be the winner. Microsoft has it's foot in the door against Google with Windows Live, Bing, and their Cloud Computing platform, and they have Xbox and Xbox Live in the living room, but they need WP7 to complete the picture.
Is this a winner for Microsoft? At this point, who knows? WP7 phones won't be available until late 2010. I believe it is not too late for Microsoft to be a viable player in the smartphone market. Apple has yet to monopolize the market in the way that Microsoft did with desktop Windows, and it appears that Apple's competitors are finally getting organized (Android, Open Handset Alliance, Palm webOS, Flash 10.1, etc.). With that said, I've seen this scenario before: a company demos some brilliant technology only to epically fail to market the product.
A lot can happen between now and the 2010 holiday season. If Microsoft can execute what was demonstrated today, and Apple doesn't re-revolutionize the iPhone between then and now, Microsoft might have a chance to get back into the game.
Nexus D’oh! II
It looks like my concern that the Google Nexus One would supplant the Motorola Droid as the top Android phone was unfounded (in sales at least). According to an article on Gizmodo, the Nexus One only sold 20,000 units during the first week of sales and 80,000 in the first month. Compare those numbers to the Droid: 250,000 in the first week and 525,000 in the first month of sales! Only the original iPhone beats the Droid at 350,000 and 600,000.
I guess the lesson learned here is: you have to advertise your products! Apple and Motorola/Verizon inundated television with commercials for their phones. Google’s marketing plan so far is to have text and image ads all over the web via Google AdWords/AdSense. Combine the lack of television advertising with the fact that you can only purchase the Nexus One through Google.com, and you have a recipe for disaster. You can go to any Apple or AT&T store and hold an iPhone in your hands, or you can visit the Verizon store for a demo of the Droid. Being able to actually use an expensive product before purchase means a lot. Not to mention that stores and salespeople have a vested interest in making you buy their phone. When Verizon or AT&T gets you in their store, they can do the hard sell, and they can up-sell you service plans and accessories. When you go to google.com/phone, you will see an awesome demo of the Nexus One, but all you have to do is close your browser when you've had enough.
Selling consumer electronics is not like launching Google Maps. The Nexus One can’t be in ‘beta’ for 3 years. If Google search goes down, so what? Users will switch over to Yahoo! or Bing. If a user’s Nexus One locks up, they are going to want immediate customer service. When you shell out a couple hundred bucks for a phone and it doesn’t work, you’re not going to be too pleased with searching a support forum for answers.
Unless Google finds a partner to help them sell and service the Nexus One (T-Mobile is the Nexus One network, but they don’t provide customer sales or support), the Motorola Droid will continue to be the Android top dog (until the next big think comes along in about 10 minutes ).
Reading: “In their words: Experts weigh in on Mac vs. PC security”
I'm reading a very interesting article about Windows and Mac security on CNet News. In this article, "In their words: Experts weigh in on Mac vs. PC security," the author gets expert input on which operating system is more secure and why.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10444561-245.html
Ignore some of the idiotic fan-boy flame wars in the comments section. This type of useless dialog is exactly what I hope to avoid on BackingIn.com.
Max iPad
Apple unveiled the iPad today. Seriously, it's called 'iPad'. Before I read the specs, I thought it was a device that would warn the user of possible toxic shock syndrome by monitoring pH levels and sending an email to the user's iPhone, all the while allowing the user to enjoy the active lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. The big question in my mind was 'does it stay in place and does it have wings?'
HP Tablet PC
The iPad is a large iPod Touch that can run iPhone apps and custom iPad apps. It comes standard with wifi and can be purchased with 3G from AT&T. It runs a custom iPhone OS, has no physical keyboard, and employs multi-touch touchscreen for user interaction. Like the iPod Touch and the iPhone, the iPad does not support Flash, so despite the 1024 x 768 real estate, it won't give you a true web experience like you get on your computer. By not supporting Flash, Apple continues to exert its dictatorial control over every aspect of the technology experience. With the iPad, Apple wants to expand its dominance over content distribution as it did with the iPod and iPhone: first it was music, then proprietary applications, and now magazines, newspapers, and textbooks. It is more a competitor to Amazon's Kindle than a traditional Tablet PC since it is not a full computer. Microsoft and the OEMs invented Tablet computing back in 2001 with Windows XP Tablet edition, and they are still produced today with multitouch enabled Windows 7. These expensive computers never caught on with the general public and are mostly a niche product.
The iPad (I can't stop giggling over this ridiculous name) is a new category of portable electronic device, and Apple's first misstep in a long time. I'm sure it will initially sell in big numbers due to Apple's marketing genius and their enthusiastic customer base, but I can't imagine this device being a huge success. The iPad is too big to be carried as a smartphone, and if you're going to carry a device in a case then why not just buy a netbook or light laptop?
I think the iPad will be a flop in the long-term, but I could be wrong. Apple hasn't made many mistakes over the past few years. They have thrived in the Great Recession selling million of iPhones, gaining PC market share, and posting huge profits, so they must know what they're doing, right? Not this time. The iPad will be about as successful as Apple TV and the Mac Mini.
Overall, my impression of the iPad: "meh." It is not the revolutionary product that I have become accustomed to seeing from Apple. I think Lenovo is closer to being on the right track with the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid Notebook (kinda rolls off the tongue, doesn't it. Sheesh.) The U1 is a Windows 7 netbook with a removable 'slate' computer, but even this, while cool, still seems like a answer to a question that nobody asked.
Buyers Remorse
To some extent, I always regret what I purchase. As much as I may love the item, parting with my hard-earned cash always takes a toll on me. As a result, I am VERY critical of every good and service that I purchase. I wouldn't have it any other way. When you buy a car, rent a DVD, or dine out at a fancy restaurant you have not only purchased that good or service, you have also purchased the right to bitch about it!
I have noticed that some people never negatively criticize something they have purchased, a sports team they follow, or anything on which they have spent money, time, or energy. I assume that they subconsciously feel that their choice of purchase reflects on them to a very large degree. Not me. I'll tell you straight up that I purchased a Chrysler PT Cruiser in 2002, and it was the biggest piece of crap that I've ever owned, but others would never admit it. They would defend the Cruiser and tell you how great it is despite their deep hatred for the car. This mentality is completely foreign to me. What's the use of being alive if you can't complain about living?!
If you are a regular reader of BackingIn, you know that I'm a Microsoft enthusiast, but don't get me started on how much I hate Microsoft Outlook. I live for the New York Mets, but I could do a thesis on why they suck out loud. I bought a 2009Volkswagen Rabbit, and it is a great car, but it gets horrendous gas mileage and the fit and finish are sub-par. I own a Motorola Droid, and it is way cool, but rest assured, I will give you a true assessment of it below.
Shhh! Cool Tech…
Sony Vaio L-Series
Microsoft is making a big mistake. They have a great deal of amazing technology, but they are keeping it all a secret from the public. It's not just Microsoft. Many tech companies are failing to market their products effectively. It's not that they don't advertise, but they don't produce the right type of advertising, and in some cases, not enough.
Last week, two friends and I took a trip to the mall for lunch. After a quick bite at the food court, we strolled the mall and hit the usual spots. We stopped in the Apple store, browsed the over-priced gadget stores, and popped our heads into SonyStyle. Among the huge and brilliant LCDs sat an all-in-one Sony Vaio desktop computer, similar in function to an iMac but with a industrial look.
The Sony Vaio L-Series computer is an all-in-one desktop computer with a multi-touch touchscreen display and Windows 7. Prices range from $1200 to $2000, but the one we played with had these specs:
- 24 inch HD touchscreen monitor
- Quad-core processor
- 6 GBs of RAM
- Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
- 1/2 TB Hard drive
- BluRay
- Windows 7 64-bit
- TV Tuner with Remote
Nexus D’oh!
I owned the hottest Android-based smartphone for exactly 33 days. Today, Google announced the Nexus One Android phone. Google created (now administered by Open Handset Alliance) the free, open-source smartphone operating system, called Android. Multiple phone manufactures build Android-based smartphones, but Google stayed out of the hardware business until now. I own the Motorola Droid. Motorola has a massive marketing campaign pitting the Droid against Apple’s iPhone, and by the reaction of my friends to my new phone, it appears that the marketing is paying off. People know the Droid, and it selling very well. Technology moves very fast, and I knew that I wouldn’t have the leading-edge phone for very long, but 33 days?!
Google will really blow the wind out of Motorola’s sales with the Nexus One. The Nexus One is thinner, faster, and has a better screen than the Droid (and the iPhone!). Nexus also has specific hardware and software features like 3D and voice to text for all input fields. Not to mention, that when people think about the iPhone’s biggest competition from now on, it will be the Nexus One.
Think Different(ly)
Today, I am going to discuss the most controversial subject know to man. It's not health care reform or gay marriage. It's not religion or abortion. The subject that evokes more passion from geeks around the word is, of course, Apple. I can't think of another company or product that actually personifies its products in the way Apple does. The "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads have turned one's choice of computer into a definition self. So much so, that Microsoft had to respond by personifying Windows with their own 'I'm a PC' ads.
I have a love/hate relationship with Apple, Inc. It's more hate than love, and the fact that I can feel hate or love for a corporation disturbs me. Years ago, during an animated discussion with my brother about Microsoft and Apple he gave me some advice. He said, "You shouldn't love or hate something that can't love or hate you back." This is not to be confused with loving somebody who doesn't love you back. Unrequited love is a whole different concept. My brother was referring to my ongoing angst over the Windows/Mac 'war' that was raging. That bit of advice really struck a chord with me, and I tried to follow my brother's advice from then on with varying amounts of success.
