New Microsoft VP consigns the PC to irrelevance

[whs]

Yeah, but they can't get rich on OEMs. I suspect it is mainly Office that drives their revenue.

 

[FerchogtX]

The last time I heard something like that, a CEO "got his retirement"... **cough-Ballmer-cough**

 

[lehnerus2000]

"The Fruit company" doing better -- well if you go by the Markets assessment the Stock is still HUGELY off its high point whereas Ms is around 40 USD -- just a few months ago it was around 25 USD.

Yeah, but they can't get rich on OEMs. I suspect it is mainly Office that drives their revenue.

How long will their stock price hold?

People on the EightForums are suggesting (obviously without realising it) that MS is going to voluntarily give up, $100B to $300B in income from Office.
Microsoft as a Subscription?

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

Judging by the latest DROP in the tablet market people who were advocating jumping the PC ship and scuttling on to the Tablet one might really find themselves "Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire".

Those early Tablet advocaters were always wrong in my book -- I'm sure if you go back far enough I think I even posted on these forums that tablets were a "nine days wonder".

From an Earlier news item post on this Forum.

http://www.sevenforums.com/news/330395-worldwide-tablet-sales-drop-35-7-after-holidays.html


Cheers
jimbo

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Tablets are still going to enjoy a better run than netbooks did. Netbooks and tablets are niche products intended to fill the space between notebooks/laptops and smart phones, much like the Edsel was intended to fill the gap between Fords and Mercurys. The price difference was so small, most people opting to upgrade from Ford went on to Mercury (the hideous horse collar grill on the Edsel didn't help it any but, contrary to popular belief, was not the cause of its failure). In the case of tablets, people are finding that smartphones can do pretty much anything a tablet can do and are vastly more portable. Unless one is Captain Kangaroo, no one is going to have pockets big enough for most tablets (purses are a possible exception).

 

[whs]

I don't really know what people do with a 'naket' tablet. I own a Nexus 7 since nearly 2 years which I practically always use with a BT keyboard that has a trackpad. Very rarely - when I watch a comic or Youtube video - do I use it without the keyboard.

And since the end of last year I own an Asus Transformer T100 that I have never used without the attached keyboard and a BT mouse. I have never yet detached the tablet part and used that by itself.

People that use the tablet as a tablet must have special skills typing with the on-board keyboard. I find that to be very awkward. I have done that a bit on my W8Phone, but that is painful.

 

[ThrashZone]

The problem I see is just as Wolfgang has said,
On screen keyboard,
The only decent ones I've seen are on larger tablets,
Basically the same size as my laptop so where is the advantage ?
For me there is no advantage/ backpack,
Cheers.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

The problem I see is just as Wolfgang has said,
On screen keyboard,
The only decent ones I've seen are on larger tablets,
Basically the same size as my laptop so where is the advantage ?
For me there is no advantage/ backpack,
Cheers.

Reduced weight is the only real advantage.

 

[Ranger4]

While these small portable devises are possibly wonderful for the young with fast flexible fingers I find that at my age these small keyboards are a nightmare, so I just don't use them. My mobile phone is only used for emergencies & a back up phone if needed. Otherwise I use my desktop PC for emails & other correspondence.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

While these small portable devises are possibly wonderful for the young with fast flexible fingers I find that at my age these small keyboards are a nightmare, so I just don't use them. My mobile phone is only used for emergencies & a back up phone if needed. Otherwise I use my desktop PC for emails & other correspondence.

Also, after spending most of my life (which is pushing 65), I've never had the need to be connected 24/7, no matter where I am, and don't see the point in it now.

 

[mjf]

I'm still thinking of a hi res 10" Samsung (2014) tablet. But specifically for use such as a photo album and an e-book reader. This complements a desktop IMO.

 

[whs]

For reading e-books it is probably nice. But for that there are $99 options.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

If all one is going to use a tablet for reading books, a good e-ink e-book reader is far superior than a tablet. E-ink is easier on the eyes than an LCD screen. LCD screens get washed out in daylight. For reading in dim lighting, there are e-book readers that have front illuminated screens. Those are also easier on the eyes than LCD screens. The biggest difference, though, is battery life. Tablet battery life is measured in hours; e-book readers, in days or weeks.

If you don't mind two devices, a comparatively inexpensive digital photo frame and a decent e-book reader would meet one's needs far better. If one already has a smart phone, it can also be used for reading e-books and as a photo album.

 

[mjf]

True but I'm a keen amateur photographer and an electronic hi res photo album would be my primary interest. I'm sure I'd find other uses and e-books was just an example. I wouldn't shell out $500 if e-books was all I wanted it for.

 

[bawldiggle]

I've never had the need to be connected 24/7, no matter where I am, and don't see the point in it now.

Ditto !!

 

[Computer0304]

I've never had the need to be connected 24/7, no matter where I am, and don't see the point in it now.

Ditto !!

More like 4/5 for me.

 

[Britton30]

So, 19.2 hours per day Comp304?

 

[jimbo45]

True but I'm a keen amateur photographer and an electronic hi res photo album would be my primary interest. I'm sure I'd find other uses and e-books was just an example. I wouldn't shell out $500 if e-books was all I wanted it for.

Hi there.

if you are a keen amateur photographer a digital frame is LOUSY -- NOTHING beats a really nice produced print of your best "keepers" -- also you'll really enjoy making it too from composing the original print, post processing it and printing it out.

Use HIGH quality printers / papers and inks though -- cheap printers are OK for "Snaps" or pics taken with mobile phones. For the ultimate you can use a Lab (Pro one) -- honestly these aren't as expensive as you think -- and a beautiful A3 or even A2 (large !!) size print just puts any of those digital photo frames straight back in to the garbage can. - I hate them anyway --they just look "tacky" -- OK for a "rolling presentation" at a Sales event or trade exhibition -- but for a HOME. Ugh !!!!

If you just want to BROWSE your pics from time to time then simply stream them from your device to a decent TV or even a smart phone with a proper screen (Samsung S4/S5,Iphone etc). Some newer TV's / DVD players can play straight from USB HDD plugged in or even the SDHC/CF or other camera card itself.

I still like also to make 4 X 6's also in an old fashioned album for quick looking at too -- you can use cheaper printers for this and IMO is far better than the digital photo frame which won't be much larger than a paper back book size.

Again a few stunning A3 prints decently framed on your walls will look FAR FAR superior and get a lot more admiration than a tacky gimmicky digital photo frame.

(BTW the best accessory you can have is a LIGHT tripod -- believe me with a decent Lens the tripod makes ALL the difference between a perfect pic and a near perfect pic -- even with the "IS / Anti-shake" facilities built in to modern cameras).

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

While physical portfolios have far superior resolution when displaying photo quality, they are also incredibly bulky and heavy. However, a digital photo frame is much, much more portable. Keep in mind resolution is not the only criteria for judging photography; things such as composition, lighting effects, etc. can be well demonstrated on a digital photo frame. Think of a digital photo frame as proofs.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there

No way does a tiny digital frame look BETTER than a decent print -- even if it has a much higher DPI -- things like viewing distance also count a lot.

Just think of Advertising hoardings -- these are HUGE but at probably something like 35 - 45 D.P.I which would look horrible with your nose pressed right up against them but from a car on a Freeway can look great.

Exhibition prints also look stunning - but you are usually at some sort of distance away. A Digital photoframe is only a bit better than some of the latest mobile phone screens and from a distance - who even notices it. Some of my prints really make me really GLAD when I get back into the house -- and also other people like them too.

(If I had my life over again -- I wouldn't have done too much differently apart from choosing some different Horses when down at the Bookies !! - and who can say that honestly -- but I probably would have liked to have had a go at being a Professional Photographer - so I do have some sort of idea about Pro photography and decent prints !! I have done a few FREE LANCE gigs though in my time and still do the odd one or two).

Cheers
jimbo