What caught my attention was a lead question from CNet about his thoughts on technologies, such as the Tablet PC, that are working towards becoming mainstream.
Although Craig Mundie deosn’t mention Tablet PCs in response, he does touch on one key trait of Microsoft–that as a company they perservere. The Tablet PC is one technology where Microsoft continues to work through enhancements. They take an incrmemental approach. For instance, Vista several extremely valuable “Tablet” enhancements as well as ink support in almost all its versions. Incrementally, ink is becoming mainstream in Microsoft’s products.
I’d really like to see the day though, when Microsoft executives, such as Craig Mundie use or Tablet PC in public. I’ve often wondered about ways that they could use a Tablet in one of their speeches, for instance. What about walking around with a UMPC or Tablet PC, circling something on the screen to emphasize it? Or maybe jumping to a OneNote session during a Q&A session and handwriting the questions or answer as they are asked? Or better yet, rather than the traditional Q&A session at an event, call it a brainstorming session and have Craig or someone esle handwrite out various ideas and questions that the audience gives? Another possibility is to use an unwired UMPC to control a presentation on the display via touch–rather than using an old, boring remote.
These are some simple examples. There are many more other possibilities. Whatever the use might be, the goal can be not just to demonstrate utility, but it can also become a signature to their speeches. End speeches by writing a todo list. Start speeches with a drawing. Replace Q&As with a brainstorming session. Control the stage with touch. Take a webcam photo from a UMPC and post it online at the beginning of each speech or at some point in the speech–some “Wow” moment that you want to share. Lots of possibilities.
The main objective would be to get Tablets and UMPCs more in the public view.