All Not Well in Tablet PC Land as Acer Complaints Continue

Joshua · 12-11-2003, 08:32 AM

A year after the debut of Microsoft's innovative Tablet PC
platform, the software giant is keeping an upbeat tone despite slow
sales. A powerful new hardware platform is in the works that will
erase past performance and battery life problems, and a new version of
the Tablet PC software--Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004, code-named
Lonestar--will fix some technical problems in the original software.
But a growing rift between the hardware makers that create the Tablet
PCs and software-maker Microsoft could escalate into the biggest
threat to the handwriting-capable systems. This week, PC maker Acer,
one of the original Tablet PC makers, reiterated charges that
Microsoft isn't doing enough to drive forward the Tablet PC market.
"[The Tablet PC market] is a mess," Jim Wong, president of the Acer
IT Products Business Group, said. "We are disappointed in the market.
We believe it will happen, but it will happen too late. We keep on
challenging Microsoft [to do more]." Wong's charges follow similar
complaints that Acer President Wang Chen-tang made last month when he
said that Acer barely sold 100,000 Tablet PCs last year, far short of
its target of 2 million units. And all the hardware makers sold only
256,000 Tablet PCs through June 30, according to market research firm
IDC. Wong says Tablet PC sales are hampered by high prices and a lack
of applications that take advantage of the unique features of Tablet
PCs. To this day, large corporations with specific needs build most
Tablet PC applications inhouse.
Microsoft says it's addressing these problems. Regarding Acer's
charge that pricing is too high, many PC makers are now charging just
a small premium over non-Tablet PC hardware models; Gateway is
offering a Tablet PC model that's just $100 more than an equivalent
notebook computer running Windows XP Professional Edition. But Wong
says that the Tablet PC OS should cost the same as, and not more than,
XP Pro, as it does now.
As for applications, Microsoft says its constant upgrading of the
XP Tablet PC Edition software development kit (SDK) has helped
developers more easily and seamlessly add Tablet PC-specific features
to existing applications. And the new version of the OS, due in early
2004, makes it much easier for users to input handwriting-based
Digital Ink data. In many cases, the company tells me, developers can
add new XP Tablet PC Edition 2004 functionality without even
recompiling applications--a boon for companies that want to get
running on the new system quickly.
Clearly, the platform's biggest problem is communication. Microsoft
needs to do a better job of informing key volume markets such as the
educational sector that the Tablet PC is an effective and inexpensive
solution that can benefit large numbers of users. Most people who try
a Tablet PC immediately understand its benefits, but it's a product
you really need to pick up and experiment with before you appreciate
it. The Tablet PC isn't a product for everyone--many computer users
type far more quickly than they write, and many people's handwriting
is illegible. But many people could benefit from the handwriting
capabilities in XP Tablet PC Edition. The trick is to let them know
such capabilities are available. If successful, the Tablet PC,
combined with strong Microsoft Smartphone sales, should destroy the
market for traditional PDAs. That scenario isn't taking place yet.

bachviet · 12-12-2003, 08:11 AM

The price is a big drawback of the tablet PCs.

eSDee · 12-12-2003, 09:42 AM

We use 3 of them here at my work, and I think they suck.

12-11-2003, 08:32 AM	#1
Joshua Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 3,390	All Not Well in Tablet PC Land as Acer Complaints Continue A year after the debut of Microsoft's innovative Tablet PC platform, the software giant is keeping an upbeat tone despite slow sales. A powerful new hardware platform is in the works that will erase past performance and battery life problems, and a new version of the Tablet PC software--Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2004, code-named Lonestar--will fix some technical problems in the original software. But a growing rift between the hardware makers that create the Tablet PCs and software-maker Microsoft could escalate into the biggest threat to the handwriting-capable systems. This week, PC maker Acer, one of the original Tablet PC makers, reiterated charges that Microsoft isn't doing enough to drive forward the Tablet PC market. "[The Tablet PC market] is a mess," Jim Wong, president of the Acer IT Products Business Group, said. "We are disappointed in the market. We believe it will happen, but it will happen too late. We keep on challenging Microsoft [to do more]." Wong's charges follow similar complaints that Acer President Wang Chen-tang made last month when he said that Acer barely sold 100,000 Tablet PCs last year, far short of its target of 2 million units. And all the hardware makers sold only 256,000 Tablet PCs through June 30, according to market research firm IDC. Wong says Tablet PC sales are hampered by high prices and a lack of applications that take advantage of the unique features of Tablet PCs. To this day, large corporations with specific needs build most Tablet PC applications inhouse. Microsoft says it's addressing these problems. Regarding Acer's charge that pricing is too high, many PC makers are now charging just a small premium over non-Tablet PC hardware models; Gateway is offering a Tablet PC model that's just $100 more than an equivalent notebook computer running Windows XP Professional Edition. But Wong says that the Tablet PC OS should cost the same as, and not more than, XP Pro, as it does now. As for applications, Microsoft says its constant upgrading of the XP Tablet PC Edition software development kit (SDK) has helped developers more easily and seamlessly add Tablet PC-specific features to existing applications. And the new version of the OS, due in early 2004, makes it much easier for users to input handwriting-based Digital Ink data. In many cases, the company tells me, developers can add new XP Tablet PC Edition 2004 functionality without even recompiling applications--a boon for companies that want to get running on the new system quickly. Clearly, the platform's biggest problem is communication. Microsoft needs to do a better job of informing key volume markets such as the educational sector that the Tablet PC is an effective and inexpensive solution that can benefit large numbers of users. Most people who try a Tablet PC immediately understand its benefits, but it's a product you really need to pick up and experiment with before you appreciate it. The Tablet PC isn't a product for everyone--many computer users type far more quickly than they write, and many people's handwriting is illegible. But many people could benefit from the handwriting capabilities in XP Tablet PC Edition. The trick is to let them know such capabilities are available. If successful, the Tablet PC, combined with strong Microsoft Smartphone sales, should destroy the market for traditional PDAs. That scenario isn't taking place yet. __________________ The Apexer formerly known as SnotRocket. "Like I **ing said, "Ok, so I hear it may be a repost. Blah But I had never seen it, so..." ** you Canta." -Jenny 12/4/2003

12-12-2003, 08:11 AM	#2
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,296	The price is a big drawback of the tablet PCs. __________________ Dell Dimension 9200 \| Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4GHz) \| 4x1GB DDR2 \| 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Studio 17 \| Intel Core i7-720QM (1.6GHz) \| 2x2GB DDR3 1066MHz \| 1GHz ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz \| ECS 865PE-A \| 3x512MB PC3200 \| 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT

12-12-2003, 09:42 AM	#3
eSDee Old Skooler Numba 1 Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Diego Posts: 10,063	We use 3 of them here at my work, and I think they suck. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 days ~ Willie Nelson 3 days I dread to see arrive 3 days I hate to be alive 3 days filled with tears and sorrow yesterday today and tomorrow

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

User Name
Password
Remember Me?