Way to Sell Those Windows 7 Tablets, Craig

March 30, 2011 at 11:16 am PT

“The tablet takes cutting-edge PC technology and makes it available wherever you want it, which is why I’m already using a tablet as my everyday computer. It’s a PC that is virtually without limits–and within five years I predict it will be the most popular form of PC sold in America.”

– Bill Gates, Comdex, 2001

Good thing Microsoft missed the train on tablets. Because it turns out the things don’t have much longevity.

In fact, the age of the tablet PC, which Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates heralded a decade ago and Apple only recently ushered in, is already drawing to a close. This according to Craig Mundie, Microsoft’s chief research and strategy officer, who’s not sure tablets have much of a future.

Speaking at an economic development lunch in Sydney, Australia, this week, Mundie said he didn’t know whether tablets like the iPad would “remain with us.”

“I think there’s an important distinction–and frankly one we didn’t jump on at Microsoft fast enough–between mobile and portable,” he said. “Mobile is something that you want to use while you’re moving, and portable is something that you move and then use. These are going to bump into one another a little bit and so today you can see tablets and pads and other things that are starting to live in the space in between. Personally I don’t know whether that space will be a persistent one or not.”

For Mundie’s sake, let’s hope it persists at least until the fall of 2012, when Microsoft is expected to release a version of Windows 7 for tablets.

[Image credit: Microsoft]

Tagged with: Apple, Craig Mundie, digital, hardware, innovation, iPad, John Paczkowski, Microsoft, tablet

comments so far. Add yours.

Anonymous

This is a stupid article; stop trying to fill time by writing articles that dont make any sense; the tablet is here to stay (just look back at Star Trek when Picard would always have one at his desk checking information and doing video). Schools, Doctors, and eventually Police Officers, Sales People, and many others will find the device useful.
Anonymous

Craig Mundie wake up wake up….!!!! Where on Earth does this man live??? If Mundie was my boss and he said what he said(No future for the tablet???), I would resign and then offer Craig Mundie a free ride to a mental health institution.I cannot believe such people still have their jobs…..Is this what was to go down at Microsoft post Bill Gates. The deal with Nokia was another joke.Are Stephen Elop(Nokia/Ex-Microsoft) and Craig Mundie just helping Apple……lol.
Anonymous

Translation: “Microkia doesn’t have a viable 10 YEARS after introducing the idea, so Tablets are no good & a fad.”

In 2012, if Monkey Boy Ballmer gets the hell out of the way, Microkia MAY have a viable iPad 1 CLONE.

Of course, by that time who will shit a give?

The quality of MSFT executive never ceases to astound me. Only the Brothers Rimm, Silly & Lazy, come close with statements like “Apps are a fad.” Why are they a Fad? For the same reason Microkia is calling tablets a Fad—we don’t have ‘em!

Ayuh
http://www.facebook.com/bob.obringer Bob Obringer

TEEBOMAN, why is the article stupid? The ARTICLE didn’t suggest tablets weren’t here to stay. In fact, the ARTICLE seems to suggest that Mundie is a bit silly saying that tables might not be here to stay.

You CAN read, right?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_47XHGLZVO6IUYLMWVUYFVN5LQU Dr No

Note that apps were only a “fad” to RIM until they announced that they would be adding Android app emulation to their DOA PlayBook. You’ve just got to love all these tech companies desperately scrambling to keep pace with Apple.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3Y3D7YOUL7MKGO76WI6KMFRPDE BigDawg

Uhm, Windows 7 based tablets are already on the market. I am sure John ment to refer to Windows Next (8) based tablets.
That aside, if Craig’s tablet experiences are limited to Windows 7 based ones, I would understand why is questioning their longevity.The tablet form factor will explode in number of devices and be with us for a long time to come (my personal opinion).
http://twitter.com/BongBong BongBong

Are they perpetually out to lunch? I cannot think of a single strategy left that MS could implement to stop the downward spiral. They need to reboot their entire defeatist management with new blood.
Anonymous

Mundie and Microsoft’s whole research department are one of the big problems at Microsoft. What is the last new thing that came out of Microsoft other than Kinect, which they bought? Mundie is like “forget the iPad, we will beam lasers from your smartphone into your eyes.” News flash: hardly anybody is using a Microsoft smartphone! There are more Verizon iPhones than there are Windows Phone 7 phones.

If I was a Microsoft shareholder, I would be on the rampage. It’s one thing that Microsoft dropped the ball in the worst way with tablets and so many other products, but to come out say tablets are a fad when Microsoft has been pitching tablets as the future for 10 years … c’mon c’mon c’mon.

Has he even used an iPad?
Anonymous

Yes, John is likely referring to Windows 8 tablets, which will apparently include ARM architecture, enabling them to be much smaller and lighter and longer lived then Windows 7 tablets. They are also working on a more touch-friendly interface.

Of course, by the time Windows 8 tablets ship, iPad will be selling in PC numbers.
demodave

If it were not for Bill Gates’ shameless will to plaigarize and Apple’s creativity to bring new OS capabilties into the world, Microsoft would have nothing.

They clearly have no creative vision.
http://www.edmartechguide.com Ed

Tablet will beat PC black and blue sooner rather than later. Even majority of laptop users today will choose a tablet over a new laptop. Netbooks are short-lived because of these tablets.
Anonymous

This guy should be in the Villages playing golf and in general never be seen or heard again.
Anonymous

Thus saith the chief of research and strategy at Microsoft and yet they have a tablet in the pipeline for 2012. Shouldn’t he be in Redmond, strategizing and researching. His company is MIA in the mobile space and he actually takes time to give lunch speeches. This guy should be sleeping in his office.
Anonymous

Microsoft should think about regaining developer’s community support. Closed sources and crippled “Express” development environment are not fun any more.
http://www.facebook.com/joelhfx Joel Richard

Regardless of their lack of vision, I personally believe that half-baked operating systems like Android and IOS will be history once people start to realize how much more power a tablet using windows provides. I use an android tablet and love it but I’m really anxious to switch to a windows 7 tablet.

Way to Sell Those Windows 7 Tablets, Craig

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