Microsoft Category Archives

а что, если нам посчитать?

5 November 2012 | Amazon, Apple, Google, Hardware, Microsoft | No Comments

немного цифр:

Still, Apple has managed to sell a whopping 3 million of both devices in a very short period of time. For reference, Asus has said that the company sells around 1 million Nexus 7 tablets per month.

иными словами, могут и продавать, и зарабатывать:

Previously known as iSuppli, and widely known for its so-called “teardown” analysis reports, IHS has just completed its teardown report on the Apple’s newest iteration of the tablet. The verdict: The base model, a Wi-Fi-only 16 gigabyte iPad mini, which sells for a starting retail price of $329, costs about $188 to build.

наверное, все дело в подходе?

It’s not that Apple can’t go after the low-end of the market — of course they could, and they’d likely dominate from a market share perspective. But they choose not to time and time again because the low-end of the market is unprofitable. Apple prefers to work in the profitable end of the spectrum. Crazy, I know.

в отличии от Amazon:

Like the old one, the new Kindle Fire HD sells for a starting price of $199, and carries a combined cost of components of $165, according to IHS estimates.

ну[1], или возьмем очередной Nexus:

The early verdict, shared exclusively with AllThingsD, is that the low-end eight gigabyte model of the Nexus 7, which sells for $199, costs $151.75 to build.

вообще, если глянуть на историю этой франшизы, то станет очевидной интересная тенденция:

  • Nexus One smartphone, manufactured by HTC
  • Nexus S smartphone, manufactured by Samsung
  • Galaxy Nexus smartphone, manufactured by Samsung
  • Nexus 7 tablet, manufactured by Asus
  • Nexus Q, a media-streaming entertainment device
  • Nexus 4 smartphone, manufactured by LG
  • Nexus 10 tablet, manufactured by Samsung

иными словами, Google, что, разыгрывает эту почетную обязанность — изготовить очередной Nexus — в карты? в русскую рулетку? а кто тогда из жертв изнасилования первым обанкротится?


  1. хотя, конечно, до Microsoft всем далеко:

    With a base price of $499 for a 32 gigabyte Surface without the Touch Cover accessory, IHS estimates that the cost of components used to build it amount to $271 for a starter 32GB model, without the cover.

    вот, кто вас обдирает.  ↩

  

специализация

1 November 2012 | Design, Microsoft, Software | No Comments

поскольку я еще не ложился (но только смыл кровь, ага), то давайте продолжим:

Is [software] Microsoft’s specialty? Has Windows, Office, or IE really ever been amazing software? I’d argue that Microsoft’s specialty is market dominance, business savvy, relentlessness. In other words, the same things that Samsung is good at.

That’s not to be mean to Microsoft, it’s the truth. Microsoft has been impressively good at creating a dominating business, but they’ve never actually made great software.

  

in a bad way

31 October 2012 | Hardware, Microsoft | 1 Comment

и напоследок[1]:

I think the Surface suffers visually from having more ports. I know that comes with added capabilities, but it just ends up looking like a Windows laptop and I don’t mean in a good way.

метко сказано.

 


  1. сегодня ведь Halloween, не забыли?  ↩

  

much like Windows 8

31 October 2012 | Design, Hardware, Microsoft | 1 Comment

и заодно про Microsoft Surface:

Nobody asked me about my Surface. I tried flashing it all over the place. But despite my best efforts, no one seemed curious.

вообще, там много показательного именно в плане разработки мобильных интерфейсов, но к чему многословие?

I would never want it to be my only computer.

ну да, ну да, ну да.

  

пальчики устали

9 September 2012 | Apple, Hardware, Metaphysics, Microsoft | 3 Comments

давайте снова о клавиатурах – мне определенно по душе этот способ ввода информации. однако, насколько органично сегодня он пересекается с иными устройствами?

нирвана, впрочем, или нет, однако если подытожить, то важен, разумеется, отнюдь не способ ввода данных, но их наличие: абсолютно некритично, с какой скоростью вы печатаете или жестикулируете, куда существеннее другое – информационное пересечение с миром:

Some tweets take hours to write, some are just side notes for myself.

 

а вообще жаль, конечно, что сегодня не первое апреля.

  

о стратегиях

20 July 2012 | Economics, Microsoft | 1 Comment

бывший советник Билла Клинтона и Тони Блэра теперь начнет изучать другой спрос:

From the White House to Redmond, Mark Penn will join Microsoft as corporate vice president of strategic and special projects, the company announced today.

что ж, мне нравится вот этот комментарий:

The message I take away from this hiring is that Steve Ballmer doesn’t know what to do, and he’s hoping polling will give him the answers. That’s how you wind up skating to where the puck was, not where it’s going to be.

Баллмера должны были уволить годы, годы назад.

  

system requirements

21 June 2012 | Design, Hardware, Microsoft, Software | No Comments

вот он, ньюанс:

The Surface for Windows 8 Pro runs full-on traditional Windows apps — apps which you cannot use with touch input. You need a keyboard and trackpad[1] for those apps.


[1] — все-таки трекпад у планшета — это что-то запредельное, по-моему.

  

чистая экономика

21 June 2012 | Economics, Hardware, Microsoft | 1 Comment

да, кстати, раз уж Microsoft не полагается больше на сторонних производителей, то когда они все-таки купят Nokia?

и что об этом думают HP, Dell и все-все-все?

  

вопросы, вопросы

20 June 2012 | Design, Hardware, Microsoft, Software | 1 Comment

все, чего мы еще не знаем о Surface — и там много интересного, поверьте.

  

design language

6 March 2012 | Apple, Design, Microsoft, Software | No Comments

чем дальше, тем больше отзывов о новой версии Windows — что ж, все ожидаемо:

Trying to deal with Windows when your driving results in it flipping between classic Windows and Metro-style app is like having someone sneak up behind you and flick you on the ear when you’re least expecting it. This massive context switching of “YOU’RE IN WINDOWS WAIT NO NO YOU’RE NOT!” creates an appalling user experience.

а суть проста: классические Windows созданы для работы с клавиатурой и мышью, а Metro — ровно наоборот, для сенсорных экранов.

вот и все:

I’ve seen a lot of people predict that Apple is going to replace OS X with iOS, and they point to several new features of OS X as evidence (the App Store, Launch Pad, etc.). I don’t believe that’s true. I think Apple is taking a very balanced and practical approach which dictates that they incorporate features of iOS into OS X only where it makes sense (and vice versa), but I don’t think Apple will combine both operating systems into one. Apple seems to have a clear understanding that a desktop needs much more powerful and flexible features and interaction models than tablets, phones, TVs, etc. In my opinion, the best computing model is one in which all the devices you use have operating systems, UIs, and interaction models that are appropriate for that device’s form factor and for its intended purpose with data being seamlessly shared between them. My interpretation of Windows 8 is that Microsoft tried to anticipate Apple combining their operating systems into one, and tried to beat them to it. However, I think they’ve beaten Apple to something Apple isn’t interested in doing, and that actually represents a big step backwards in computer interaction and productivity.