07-16-2010, 03:44 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 468
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I agree completely that trying to put Windows 7 on anything but the most powerful slate devices is a mistake, but I don't think Microsoft gets it, even after seeing the success (so far) of the iPad. The evidence? Their statements that they won't support Windows Phone 7 on tablets and are instead pushing Windows Compact Embedded 7 (basically Windows CE) for tablets, which will require vendors to implement their own shell on top of it. This is just absurd and no such device has a prayer to gain any sort of meaningful market share (or apps built for it).
The Metro UI being used on the Windows Phone 7 devices has the ability to make for a very good touch interface across all sorts of devices and Microsoft should be pushing to make it available on lower-end slates (based on WP7) as well as higher end devices based on Windows 7. To avoid market confusion between devices on which the UI may look alike, but would be based on different underlying OSs, Microsoft should develop a compatibility layer that lets Windows devices run Windows Phone apps; something Apple could have done with OSX and iOS, but have not. That, along with the more advance UI concepts that Metro offers (as opposed to the iOS focus on discrete apps) would make for a very compelling platform across all levels of devices.
I've heard rumors that Windows 8 may also incorporate more advanced UI concepts "borrowed" from Metro as well as virtualization that better leverages cloud computing. This is also a great step in the right direction, but it all needs to be coordinated and integrated across desktops, laptops, slates, phones, everything.
Microsoft has all the pieces already, they just need to put them all together.
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