Thursday, June 02, 2011

Windows Introduces the iPad

Yesterday Microsoft's UI (user interface) team announced the look and feel of the new Windows 8 Interface. See http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx.

View the video demo of Windows 8 Interface
.

If you turn off the sound, you can easily imagine it's a iPad commercial. But don't get too carried away and say that Microsoft stole this from Apple. Remember, Microsoft has had the Tablet PC and the Windows Surface computer. Sorry, I can't help but post this parody of the Surface computer:


Anyway . . .

The new Windows UI seems to be designed completely for hand-held devices. Clean. Fast. Cool.

But it seems silly as a desktop PC interface. I already have to buy ergo anti-crippling devices for my employees. How will they sit at a desk all day with their arms fully extended forward, moving back and forth on a wide screen monitor?

For a couple years now I have been saying in my live presentations that the browser is the interface of the future, and "apps" are the way we'll compute. But most of the time, most of the people doing most of the tasks in most of the offices just need to stare at a screen and type most of the time. Period. Those users don't know or CARE about the difference between Windows 3.1, 95, Vista, or iPad. Just get me to the program where I get my real work done.

Interfaces seem to be designed for home users, hobbyists, and guys who wear black turtleneck-like t-shirts all the time.

Luckily, Microsoft always has an option to make the current operating system look like the previous operating system. I suspect the delightful Vista interface we've enjoyed since 2006 will be around for another five years. Some things just work. In fact, if we could just make everything look like Windows XP, that would make everyone happy.

I'm not sure why Microsoft is slavishly copying a company that's been around since Day One of the personal computer market and has less than 10% of the market.

:-)




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2 comments:

  1. I was introduced to Windows Phone 7 in March while having breakfast with Jeff Middleton at MVP Nation and I must say that Windows 8 appears to be built upon that interface. I had already dismissed Windows Phone 7 from consideration but I must admit that I was very impressed by it and the organizational logic it presents to the user. Now I am torn between replacing my existing Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone with a Windows Phone 7 or an Android phone. iPhone is out because I refuse to deal with AT&T and Verizon can't provide the full iPhone experience at this point.

    I say this not because I love everything that Microsoft creates but rather because I saw how well the Windows Phone 7 worked. I realize that the market has not shown much interest in this product to date but perhaps the introduction of Windows 8 will change that. I agree with you, Karl, that it seems problematic to run Windows 8 on desktop computers but I think it clearly has a future on tablets. As to why Microsoft is trying to compete with Apple I think the reason is abundantly clear. The marketplace has shown a great deal of love for the Apple interface. The limited ability to use finger gestures on my old phone sold me on the idea long ago. So Microsoft has decided not to continuously push water uphill. They now are learning to go with the flow.

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  2. See the Article on this at Redmond Channel Partner magazine: http://rcpmag.com/Articles/2011/06/02/Microsoft-Partners-Rave-About-Windows-8-Interface.aspx?Page=2

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