“Microsoft Corp. plans to restrict the number of computer-hardware makers that initially can make tablets using its Windows operating system, requiring five select chip makers to pair up with one development partner each, people familiar with the matter said,” Shara Tibken and Lorraine Luk report for Dow Jones Newswires.
“The software company selected Intel Corp., Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Nvidia Corp., Qualcomm Inc. and Texas Instruments Inc. to choose one hardware maker apiece to develop tablet and clamshell devices based on Microsoft’s mobile platform, the people said,” Tibken and Luk report. “A Microsoft representative said the company is still in the development process on the next version of Windows.”
MacDailyNews Take: Take your time. No rush.
Tibken and Luk report, “Acer Inc. Corporate President Jim Wong said Wednesday during the Computex trade show in Taiwan that he is concerned about Microsoft’s restrictions. ‘The industry does not belong to Microsoft, and it does not belong to Intel,’ Wong said. ‘It belongs to all participants. They cannot make the decision for all of us. That is the problem.'”
MacDailyNews Take: If you don’t like it, use another operating system or make your own. Windows is an anachronism.
Read more in the full article here.
Dude, LIFE is going to restrict the number of tablet assemblers who use Windows. Problem solved.
Too funny!
So, the “Cathearder-In-Chief” thinks success means “hearding fewer cats”. This will be fun to watch…
Restrict the number of assemblers… Sounds more like,
“Dang, we only have xx number of assemblers who want to install our Windows? Guess we better come up with a spin… OH I KNOW… we will call it a ‘restriction’ in the number of assemblers. Sounds much better than no one wants us.”
I am guessing that is how the board room sounded this week.
Nailed it.
Maybe it’s M$ trying to tell assemblers to bug off, and that they are going to have their new Nokia subsidiary assemble the tablets.
They can call it… “Courier”!
I like this strategy… I like it a lot.
Yet another new low in Micro$oft stupidity. “We want to limit manufacturers’ choices so that there will be fewer options.” Gee, that sounds like a winning strategy. Not. 🙂
“Micro$oft: doing everything we can to make Apple a universal success.” I like their new motto, I like it a lot.
It would be better to develop your own OS, software, computers and devices, on line distribution server farms, local stores, establish standards and patents and maybe even design and develop some specialized chips. If a company did that, they would have control of the products, services, prices and profits.
‘The industry does not belong to Microsoft, and it does not belong to Intel,’
Truer words were never spoken.
Is this Microsoft’s answer to improving the user experience?
Ms is thinking that less hatdwarr varietieswill lead to a better “wintablet”.
To me if MS wants to make a solid tablet to take.on the ipad the only chance would be this:
Take a page from the 360 development book.
Design the hardware inhouse
Spin off some devs to an isolated location and have.them build a new tablet OS from the kernel up just like they did on the 360.
DO NOT CALL IT WINDOWS
Do not let the windows devs.dictate the.product.
Thats the only way imho.
This is exactly what MS is thinking. Since they don’t make tablet hardware, the next best thing is to select specific vendors and restrict the variations of hardware configurations that will be produced, thereby establishing a “standard.” Previous “partners” will be angry; and what if selected partners don’t produce a product that meets the “standard?”
“Boys and girls, we have a visitor to the neighborhood.”
“Hello, Ballmer. Can you say, ‘Restraint of trade?'”
> The industry does not belong to Microsoft, and it does not belong to Intel
The “industry,” at least tablet computer segment, apparently belongs to Apple.
Excerpt from Ballmer’s next keynote: “One less thing…”
lol!
“’The industry does not belong to Microsoft, and it does not belong to Intel’, said Acer Inc. Corporate President Jim Wong.”
Wrong Wong.
The industry belongs to Apple.
Obviously, Captain Obvious did not notice ken1w’s post above..
The only way they’re ever going beat Apple is if they, like Apple, restrict it to one.
At the end of all this, and after they piss off all their other partners, there may be only one company left… Nokia. That is, of course, Micro¢oft buys them and makes the new Kin tablet!
Microsoft picking winners and losers?
There is one lawsuit Microsoft will lose billions over.
Ballmer is doing a great job. May he live a long life as Microsoft CEO.
I wonder how the sale of MS “Surface” table-ets is going?! Will those manufacturers get first bite at building something a wee bit smaller? Will it come in under $5 to 10 Grand?!
MS is actually coming out with a new version of the BAT. They’re donating the old ones to different colleges. Poor colleges…
Steve Ballmer…elevating bungling to an art
To those tablet makers – you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
“They cannot make the decision for all of us.”
When it comes to Windows for tablets, absolutely they can. It’s their OS.
Can’t believe I just defended Microsoft.
Smart move to limit the collateral damage from Windows Phone 7 and future versions of the mobile OS. That way we avoid another global crisis.