The right approach to UMPC market
I wrote a little while back about the rumored Apple Tablet. At the time I talked about my desire for a product which would truly legitimize the netbook/UMPC category. Apple has done a terrific job differentiating its computing offerings. The majority of computer users start with a laptop for general everyday use and occasional mobility. Power users might buy a desktop for more horse power. And, everyone needs an iPhone for highly mobile media and light productivity. To me, the natural follow on to these three product categories is a full on mobile productivity device.
The Mobile Productivity Device
In my post on the Apple Tablet, I talked about my image of the perfect mobile device being shaped by the viral Microsoft Origami Project videos circa 2006. Well, leave it to Microsoft to drop yet another follow on which I think once again targets my mobile productivity desires – the Microsoft Courier.
E-mail, a quick and simple input system, and a large enough format for reading larger amounts of text, editing pictures, and watching videos. It’s just the type of device I’d like to add to my tech tool belt.
Apple’s Media Tablet
It seems that recent rumors show Apple to be taking a slightly different tact with regards to the tablet. According to iLounge, the Apple Tablet is slated to be, for all intents and purposes, a large format iPhone. It will run iPhone OS and is meant as a slate-like replacement for books and magazines with the added functionalities of an iPhone.
Should this be written off? Well, I don’t think it’s as powerful or as compelling a consumer product as the Courier (which is no where near production ready). But, this product does seem to fit Apple’s business model very well. They’ve struck gold once with a personal media player and content ecosystem (iPod + iTunes) and e-reading has gained much more momentum through the release of Amazon’s Kindle. With an increasing amount of browsing and video watching being done on iPhones, maybe a large format device is just what the doctor ordered. Further, Apple will have the benefit of being able to add more content for sale through its iTunes distribution channel.
Granted, there’s no news on an input system, and if it is through a on-screen keyboard, this device will be severely handicapped from a productivity standpoint. At a $700 price range, I just don’t know that I’d be interested in purchasing such a piece of hardware.
So, now it’s your turn! What do readers out there think? Which product would you like better? Do you see more potential in one approach versus another?
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