I had an opportunity to go to MDC as a speaker (Tablet) and struggled with a decision because it was quickly followed by my upcoming trip to Seattle for the MVP Summit and a likely trip to TechEd. Three trips out west in such a short period would have just been too too much for me, so I unhappily said “no” to the wonderful offer. Now after reading so many posts about MDC, though I don’t regret my decision, I do feel like I really missed out on a great event. Oh well.
Daily Archives: March 29, 2004
Boozing it up (in style of course) with Windows CE
When I saw ‘Macallan Windows CE release Due this Summer’ from Mary Jo Foley’s Microsoft watch, I laughed. “Funny, “ I thought, “that can’t be a reference to The Macallan “ – a high end Scotch Whiskey (I don’t drink whiskey but I once had a job that required me to be in the know). It was clear that this is indeed, the reference as I saw further in the article that the code name for the current version of Windows CE is McKendric.
Hey Verizon – Please talk to Robert Hurlbut and Sam Gentile!
This is the third month in a row I have had trouble paying my Verizon Wireless bill on line. Even the pay by phone method had me going around in circles before I gave up and pressed “0”. It took me over 10 minutes to finally find out from someone that they were updating the systems (on a monday morning? must have been some problems, poor I.T. folks!!) and just gave up and am putting my check in the mail.
I think that the project that Robert and Sam have been working on (bcgi Mobile Guardian) might help Verizon out…
Great Pro & Con lessons on the GAC
To me, the best education is gained when two great and knowledgable minds debate.
Here are Chris Sells and Ted Neward on the pros & cons of the GAC. Chris is talking about not using the GAC and Ted heartily disagrees with a lot of Chris’ points (though he heartily agrees with some as well.) Listen and learn, folks!
update Steven Smith adds some valuable insight to the conversation.
Who to market Tablets to??
From my previous post: Microsoft and Tablet PC manufacturers have a hard road ahead of them. Who should they be targetting? Developers? (yes) Consumers? (iffy) Corporations? (yes yes yes).
IF IF they want the consumer market, that will be the rockiest road. I had a long talk with a friend who is a passionate tablet pc end-user – not a developer and not using custom apps. Just using it as her main computer. Her advice is this: target the 40+ crowd. Target the crowd that wrote all of their college theses by hand (before they sat down at a typewriter to make it legible). The crowd that does not type 100 words a minute on a computer. The crowd that travels and has to work on planes (in coach, with no room for a keyboard).
I’m sure she would be MORE than happy to talk to the marketers.
As for marketing to the developers, Lora says that Microsoft still missed a big opportunity at MDC : “Judging by the number of people in the hands-on labs and in the sessions I’d say that had the Tablet PC been given a more prominent spot in the conference the group could have accomplished even more.”
Lora Heiny MDC Wrapup and Showing Tablets to PDA Developers
Thought I suggest reading her entire post , this part was the most interesting to me:
”I was very pleased to see that though many believed the myth that Tablet PCs are just a big PDA that by the time they used it and saw what was being done that they understood that the Tablet PC is really an extension of standard Windows XP in a highly portable design. Many asked if this is simply the future direction of all Windows clients.”
Microsoft and Tablet PC manufacturers have a hard road ahead of them. Who should they be targetting? Developers? (yes) Consumers? (iffy) Corporations? (yes yes yes).
More thoughts but they deserve their own post… watch for my next one. (who to market tablets to…)