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No mention of the Microsoft Cordless Phone? That one was definitely a flop!

Ok, so you added a software OS into a ist of hardware failures? Why? And I hate yo point out that MS rolled WebTV servics into a a then new product called the Xbox. Today it is the only console to support IPTV through providers like AT&T and Extenders with CableReady. I mean sure the actual product was a failure, but lessons learned and technology gained is never a failure. Sort of like how the failure of the Newton got Apple to make the iPod.

I remember WebTV(MSNTV). I was an early adopter of it back in the '90's and really loved it, would surf for hours. I remember numerous articles int he papers and magazines about Webtv and other slim client computers that weren't much more than terminals and a server that could be used for tasks and would bring costs down cause back then PC's were high in cost. But then the bottom dropped out of the PC market so prices plummeted, Webtv never really did catch on and then Microsoft purchased our service and from then the writing was on the wall as MS had a reputation even then of buying companies and picking apart things keeping what they liked and letting the rest just die. I finally bought a laptop but still remember my Webtv fondly.

I object to Windows home server 2007 being a flop. I use it all the time and have over 150GB of just home photos and movies. Cloud storage is too slow to upload and manage this data(although I ultimately back up using carbonite). Every home should have a home server along side cloud services in a home computer ecosystem

What I hope happens here is that this new Microsoft Tablet is a grand success! The fact is, Apple has dominated in the phone and tablet market for far too long, and true competition has been scarce. I would love to see all three players fighting equally neck to neck for market share (i.e. Android, Apple, and Microsoft). For a long time now I’ve witnessed Apple dictate what we as consumers should want in a phone and/or tablet device and they have not really listened to any of their consumer complaints or consumer hardware feature-desires (nor did they have to). It may be that if Microsoft wins big on this, all three players will work again aggressively to dominate within this new tech area and they’ll all start to listen to their consumer base and add the hardware technical features that we as consumers want.

As an iPad owner (first generation) I’ve wanted an SD slot on my iPad, and also a USB Port, but Apple has dictated I neither need these nor do I really want these features, and hence I’m merely a confused consumer. However, with Microsoft now jumping into the ring (with these very features) and if they survive the initial first rounds, I’ll be willing to bet we see a change in Apple’s attitude and new competitive hardware features added to Apple products in the future. I also hope Android takes-off and brings out a few innovative surprises as well, as this will only add fuel to the fire and bring whole new levels of unique innovation into the mix. Competition is great, and is the very foundation of Capitalism (which I love) so let’s all hope all three survive and last into the coming decade!