Face it. Microsoft sucks and yet the employees are completely oblivious to why their company decisions anger people. I've hit the roof this morning and my head hurts from the bump and bruise. I've had enough about being silent. Sorry to offend but the latest two weeks have sucked for the Tablet PC community. Where is everyone? Great things have happened and there is NOTHING in the news.

Microsoft needs to look people in the eye and say, "The Tablet PC is a great product. We will do our best to promote it because it is a great product. You should buy it because it is a great product. By the way, did we tell you this is a great product? It is a great product."

Instead, we get ... uhm ... yeah what do we get? Rotten news stories, blurry comments about just wait until ... sniff.

Robert Scoble admits he failed as a Tablet PC evagelist, even though he didn't. It's just a good headline grabber. Interestingly, this headline traveled all around the internet. People want the Tablet PC to succeed while the press wants it to fail.

The latest releases of the Tablet PC, such as the Fujitsu T4000, are packed full of features and these babies can finally act as desktop replacements. These are cool. I want one. I really want one. I dream of all the cool things that I can do with the Tablet PC. I picture myself in meetings, on planes, on trains, in cars, and even on a boat. Heck, I picture myself sitting at my desk writing up lesson plans in Word and kept in GoBinder, having skype going, MSN Messenger, and the firefox browser filled with tabs of websites. Ah, the beauty and simplicity of actually being productive.

I can't get enough of these Tablet PCs. A unit from Sahara is making rounds with the administration. Martin was kind enough to send one and each person who has used it now states that they want a Tablet PC. They are going to buy one.

But instead of great follow ups about the advances in the Tablet PC, Robert talks consistently about podcasting and how it's taking the nation by storm. I know it's not his job to only talk about the Tablet PC - but it was a missed opportunity. Strike while the iron is hot! People are just beginning to learn about the Tablet PC.

To really drive the knives in my back, I've argued for years that price is not the sole issue for not buying a Tablet PC. It's usually just not knowing about the product. Sadly, Microsoft lowered the price for the Media Center OS to below Professional - after they refused to do the same for the Tablet PC group.

Sigh.

I feel like I'm on the 1 yard line and trying to reach the goal. I'm willing to go that extra yard. The only problem is that Microsoft seems to be in a different stadium playing a different team - on a different day.

I don't blame Robert or anyone else interested in Podcasting to write about it. Even a rather calm and usually level headed friend of mine called me on skype and excitedly talked to me about podcasting. Even my brother talked about it!

Argh (Head thump)

Seven years ago I was excited about placing audio and video on www.whatisnew.com . A few samples were done but the bandwidth was horrible. Worse, it took forever to write a good script. Next, the voice needed to fluctuate so that monotones didn't put people to sleep. I really thought 3 or 4 people should be involed - but - oh well. Anyway, download times were horrible and and and and and ...

My friend thinks things have improved and he's making samples for his blog. I didn't want to discourage him because he could be right. Maybe seven years ago didn't work but it would work now. But something kept nagging at me and then I realized it.

Podcasting is simply the wrong name. I own an iPod but I also own a Tablet PC. I use my Tablet PC with iTunes and going to play with MSN Music. I use Windows Media Player 10. I watch Channel9 videos, CBS videos, etc. In fact, everything that people are excited about with their iPod, can already be done with my Tablet PC. OK, that's an exaggeration. I can't run with the Tablet PC. Well, I could but it would look funny with the Tablet PC strapped to my back. You get the idea, though. The Tablet PC is becoming a good portable radio, tv player, dvd player, telephone, and more.

Where are the evangelists for the Tablet PC on this one? Why isn't there a big deal about TabCasting?

Oh well. The Tablet PC has already been cast. The media already insists they are right and the Tablet PC should sit on the second shelf next to the Apple Newton. What is Microsoft doing about it? They are just introducing more and more gadgets. In turn, this causes more noise and less focus.

As I tell my students when their sound level jumps in the classroom. "FOCUS"

Are you listening Microsoft employees?

FOCUS !!

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Robert is my hero. Uhm, at least he is this morning. I've been sick for the past few days and haven't really traveled around the internet. I missed his post about a great conversation with a gentleman about Microsoft products.

Yes. That's the ticket. Show the product. Let someone use the product. Let them buy the product. :yes:

__________________
Layne P. Heiny / Administrator for Tux Reports Network

Please do not send private messages requesting technical support. Place your request in the proper forum and hopefully someone can help you.

Computer Sites
Tablet PC Blogs | Technology Questions | Tablet PC Post | Windows Vista | What Is New

Prelaunch
Insane Politics