KU Tech Watch (9/15/2011): Life Goes On!!!
Since My last "Tech Watch" bulletin, a lot has been going on and I have struggled to assess where things are. What is cool about technology is that it is always evolving and changing-.
Let's begin with what Microsoft has done with Windows 8:
As I saw the demo, I was frankly impressed. I think Microsoft gets the fact the future of computing is not typing--but touch and tablets. Microsoft seems to have truly lived up to its challenge to have reimagined Windows as we know it. The problem, though, is that others are not standing by. Google is alraedy out with Chrome's Operating System and it has evolved its' existing Google Docs to be just as powerful and vibrant as MS Office. I was, though, very pleased when I saw that Microsoft has expanded its' online storage to 25 Gb vs. 10 Gb for Google for the basic free service.
Beyond Microsoft, there is of course the 1000-pound Gorrilla in the Room: Apple. There are persistent rumors about iphone 5 and ipad 3. I have seen reports that Apple has already ordered millions of iphone 5. I am sure that Tim Cook wants to yet again do a few bold and innovative things to really take Apple away to the next level now that Steve Jobs is out of the picture. It will be interesting to see how they execute this so that they won't canniblize their existing strong run-rate of sales that they have done.
Beyond Apple, Microsoft and Google, there are a whole host of other players. I continue to be fascinated by the decision made by HP to let go of its' low-end hardware business and basically giving away its' entire inventory of tablets to concentrate on higher margin business. HP apparently has made a decision to be another IBM. Whether that strategy succeeds remains to be seen. Oracle has embarked on a similar strategy when it bought out Sun two years ago.
The one company I have also continued to watch has been Research in Motion (RIM). They just rolled out a number of new slick devices that include the BOLD 9900 which combines touch screen with those of us old "crackberry" addicts who have come to love it. It has also made a decision to be more in line with Microsoft and of course, more voice actvation and Social Networking Features. It is part of RIM's worldwide strategy to counter what all the other players have been so far doing.
The Tablet war, though, continues on. I recently tested out a new HTC 10" tablet at a local AT&T Store. It was one slick piece of machine that continues the Tablet Wars. There are those who believe that the Tablet is a fad. I am not so sure at this stage because of the evolution I have seen from the ipad 1, to what ACER has done with its' dual purpose Tablet to what HTC has done, the sky appears to be the limit.
One thing is for sure: never a dulll moment!!!
Let's begin with what Microsoft has done with Windows 8:
As I saw the demo, I was frankly impressed. I think Microsoft gets the fact the future of computing is not typing--but touch and tablets. Microsoft seems to have truly lived up to its challenge to have reimagined Windows as we know it. The problem, though, is that others are not standing by. Google is alraedy out with Chrome's Operating System and it has evolved its' existing Google Docs to be just as powerful and vibrant as MS Office. I was, though, very pleased when I saw that Microsoft has expanded its' online storage to 25 Gb vs. 10 Gb for Google for the basic free service.
Beyond Microsoft, there is of course the 1000-pound Gorrilla in the Room: Apple. There are persistent rumors about iphone 5 and ipad 3. I have seen reports that Apple has already ordered millions of iphone 5. I am sure that Tim Cook wants to yet again do a few bold and innovative things to really take Apple away to the next level now that Steve Jobs is out of the picture. It will be interesting to see how they execute this so that they won't canniblize their existing strong run-rate of sales that they have done.
Beyond Apple, Microsoft and Google, there are a whole host of other players. I continue to be fascinated by the decision made by HP to let go of its' low-end hardware business and basically giving away its' entire inventory of tablets to concentrate on higher margin business. HP apparently has made a decision to be another IBM. Whether that strategy succeeds remains to be seen. Oracle has embarked on a similar strategy when it bought out Sun two years ago.
The one company I have also continued to watch has been Research in Motion (RIM). They just rolled out a number of new slick devices that include the BOLD 9900 which combines touch screen with those of us old "crackberry" addicts who have come to love it. It has also made a decision to be more in line with Microsoft and of course, more voice actvation and Social Networking Features. It is part of RIM's worldwide strategy to counter what all the other players have been so far doing.
The Tablet war, though, continues on. I recently tested out a new HTC 10" tablet at a local AT&T Store. It was one slick piece of machine that continues the Tablet Wars. There are those who believe that the Tablet is a fad. I am not so sure at this stage because of the evolution I have seen from the ipad 1, to what ACER has done with its' dual purpose Tablet to what HTC has done, the sky appears to be the limit.
One thing is for sure: never a dulll moment!!!
Mike Pouraryan
