Microsoft Needs To Do Better

Striving to become relevant in the so-called post-PC age, Microsoft has embraced the idea of making its own hardware. Torpedoes, or unhappy and crappy OEM partners, be damned, the software giant seems to be all gung ho this time.

Forget what used to be an on-again, off-again hardware adventure, this time, Ballmer and company seem serious enough to take their biggest stab yet at the hardware market.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveils the Surface family of PCs for 

Windows during an event in Hollywood, California.

Of course, Microsoft isn’t exactly a complete newbie in the hardware segment. It has had its share of wins and losses. While the Kin smartphone and the Zune media player bring too many cringe-worthy moments even for the most die-hard Microsoft fans, the Xbox gaming platform demonstrates how a determined and focused Microsoft can eventually rule even the most unwelcoming market.

Arnova 7 G2: Humbler Tablets As Good As Their More Pretentiously Priced Rivals

For the past couple of weeks, I have been using a low-caste tablet computer. It does not have the genes or a pedigree that its higher-priced counterparts from Apple and Samsung can lay claim to, no sirs.

Despite its low-end bearing, the Arnova 7 G2 tablet performs as capably as most other tablets.

Nor does it come with any pretentions at all. Unlike those quite popular tablets whose marketers have claimed are made in the land of milk and honey but are actually made in Taiwanese-owned factories in China, the Arnova 7 G2 makes no effort to hide its low-market intentions.

Microsoft's Surface Tablet Finally (Officially) Arrives

After months of sketchy details, which prompted some analysts and critics to dub the tablet as another case of vaporware, Microsoft unveiled some more details about its Surface tablets.

A screengrab from Microsoft's TV ad for the Surface tablet

Complete with a music-and-dance TV ad, which showed off some of the tablet's eye-candy features, the "great unveiling" of Microsoft's pricing strategy for the Surface tablet, specifically for the Windows RT version, had most of the media in frenzy although not as rabid as those generated by an Apple product launch.

Nevertheless, the Surface announcements grabbed some serious media and analyst attention.

Finally, a Real Windows Tablet

Finally, Windows fans can have their tablet fantasies come to life without betraying their favorite operating system.

An added pleasure would be knowing that the tablet comes from Microsoft itself.

Microsoft's Surface tablet comes with a cover-cum-keyboard.

After causing the most media buzz the software company has ever had for almost four decades of existence, Microsoft finally unveiled the Surface tablet computer.

Seems like Microsoft has got a beauty, from whichever angle.

Microsoft actually introduced two models of the Surface tablet. The Windows RT version comes with a USB 2.0 port, while the Windows 8 Professional version includes a USB 3.0.

Windows fans just have their tablet wish granted.

These tablets are expected to be available later this year.

I wonder, if I would be good and nice for the rest of the year, would Santa give me one of these?

So slender, this beauty-and-brain tablet.

Microsoft to Turn Windows Phone Into Another Xbox

Microsoft, Nokia, and wireless operator AT&T threw a lot of their respective marketing muscles behind the Lumia 900 Windows Phone smartphone. Despite this, however, the phone, which has received much critical acclaim for its innovative design and refreshingly different mobile OS, posted so-so sales numbers.

It was not a flop. It was not a blockbuster, which Microsoft and Nokia badly need, either.

Nokia's Lumia 900 sold more units than expected; however, it was not big enough to give Windows Phone a significant market presence.

Things are looking bad for the smartphone partners. Things, however, are not desperate.

Things could improve a lot later this year, when Microsoft launches its next mobile OS, Windows Phone 8. And if we're to believe the rumors and leaks, the next-generation Windows Phone OS will come with some serious firepower.

A Microsoft-Branded Tablet Makes Sense, as Well as Enemies

Much has been said about why Microsoft should come up with its own tablet.

The reason most cited by IT columnists, bloggers, and all the other usual suspects is that by offering its own tablet computer, Microsoft can have control over the tablet's design and features, and most importantly, all aspects of the user experience.

Microsoft will launch its own tablet on Monday, some analysts claim.

Think of what Apple has done with the iPad — despotic control over everything about the world's most popular tablet computer. And consumers, millions of them, seem to love being told what to do. They love having no choice, apparently.

Is Facebook releasing its own smartphone?

Doomed IPO or not, Facebook doesn't seem too happy being an app on everybody else's smartphone. No, sires, the social networking behemoth wants to have its own smartphone, most market analysts believe.

There's no shortage of Facebook-friendly smartphones today; however, Facebook wants to launch its own smartphone, reports say. (Photo from HTC)

Not that we should accept everything that analysts say at face value. God knows we would all be millionaires by now if we were to receive a peso for every analyst forecast that didn't turn out quite near what actually occurred later.

Facebook wants something like this, its own smartphone. (Photo from ubergizmo.com)

But putting our aspirations to be millionaire aside for a while, we might see some semblance of future reality in what these rumors, I mean analysis and forecasts, say.

Facebook has been quite vocal about its lack of mobile muscle, about how mobile Internet could be detrimental to its advertising-based revenue model. Also, this is not the first time Facebook and smartphone have been used in one sentence by media and market commentators.

Some observers claim to know better than Facebook's top honchos and have said in no ambivalent way that making its own smartphone would be like committing suicide for the social networking site. Of course, an equal number of analysts say it would be a good idea, almost as great as eradicating world hunger.

Either way, it would be something exciting to see. Don't you agree?