James Kendrick asks–for the average person–give them a choice between a low cost notebook and a Tablet PC–is the price difference worth it for a Tablet?
Depending on what you do, the answer may be no. For me, yes. For many no. Why isn’t the answer yes for more people?
Here’s the thing with Tablet PCs: Microsoft markets them as a “premium offering,” focusing on Tablet features in higher SKUs in Vista. This makes sense. The OEMs love it because a higher price is consistent with this marketing model. However, when’s the last time you saw Microsoft really make this case, strongly. You don’t. One problem is what’s meant by a “premium experience.” Is it one that a CEO has? An artist drawing a Disney animation? A person on a sojourn through the Andes? Likewise, Tablet PCs make an ideal offering for schools. However, price is a big issue here. Unfortunately, Tablets do very poorly here. Similarly, Tablets rank poorly on the coolness factor–something many older students pay attention to, even though Tablets are actually quite impressive from a technology perspective.
So in a nutshell, the two markets where Tablets look like they might have a chance–on the high end SKUs (think businesses) and the low end (think schools and students), Tablets do very poorly.
But looking at Tablets today, I think all this misses the real opportunity. I ask, why isn’t a smart board in a classroom a “Tablet” if you will. Why isn’t a MID? Why isn’t the Microsoft Surface Computer?
The way I look at it, there’s a collection of technologies that are slowly becoming practical which make computers more natural to use–and which enable them to work in ways that help me be more efficient, to do more, and make my life more enjoyable. I don’t want to live my life behind a keyboard and a mouse.
And as I pointed out in the previous post, it’s less and less today about one OS, one platform. It’s about how devices work together. The problem with the Tablet as a platform approach is that it’s too restrictive and more aligned with yesterday’s world. Have you ever tried to “share” with or send ink to anyone over the Internet? ‘nuf said.
For ink to really work today, ink and reco have to work in the browser, on the Mac, on Linux, with smart boards, and most importantly all versions of Windows. There have to be top notch drawing primitives. There has to be great digitizer and touch support. It’s not just about Vista XYZ. A Tablet is not unto itself. Those days are gone.
That’s one reason that these lower cost computers are doing so well right now–because they don’t have to do much. There’s great value in the connectivity. That’s why the “Tablet” per se has to reach out and be a great connection and communication enabler.
Now in terms of the Tablet as a form factor. I still think there’s lots of room for innovation. I’d like to go back to the days of the NEC Litepad or the HP TC1100. Now these were great Tablets even if they were a little under powered.
Similarly, I have great hopes that the OEMs building UMPCs and now MIDs will begin to appreciate the importance of the whole experience and not just the specs on a hardware listing.
Still lots of room for growth and evolution in my mind.
As of right now, I wonder, who’s leading the way? Now that’s a tough question to answer.