Tablet PC: rules to make it a successful product
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Topic: computer industry
Market size: approx. 150 Million PC manufactured in 2003
Impact: new peripheral market
The Tablet PC, pushed with a big fuss few months ago by Microsoft, is now on the market for sometime and datas are sufficient to draw some conclusions. After a smooth take-off, the market has stabilized at a few hundred of thousands units a year before marginally dropping in 2003.
What was supposed to be the big electronic hit of the early 21st century is on the road of joining the rich museum of unsuccessful "new killer application". But is it really going to be the case?
Going back to the source of the Tablet PC innovation, what was the common belief of investors in the Tablet PC success? Customers had the choice between the following computing technologies: Desktop PC, Laptop PC, Palmtop and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). These investors have seen a hole between the PDA and the Laptop. The first has limited computing power and Windows compatibilities while the second is too big as it allocates space to fit a compact but still too big keyboard.
The idea was simple: remove the keyboard, keep the screen and replace the mouse by a stylus and a sensitive screen. Pack the CD Player and Hard Disk Drive at the back of the screen, adapt the operating system to suit this "new" environment and that's it, you've got a Tablet PC.
Now, what are the real advantages of this Tablet PC versus a standard Laptop PC? It is more expensive but not more powerful. Size is just similar to ultra thin Laptop and it is marginally lighter. For professional use, it is well known that you can type faster with a keyboard that you write with a pen. It is still fragile as the screen is on a glass substrate. If anyone sees a killer application in this, please email us!Still, we believe that consumers will adopt Tablet PC in the future, but not in this way.
First, it takes time for a killer application before it finally takes off. It is more a matter of enabling technologies to transform it into success. Look at the cellular phone market, the biggest market ever in electronics. Cellular phone has existed for 20 years but it took off when new modulation techniques packed into light products made it suitable for more people (operators and consumers).
Second, the tablet PC has not separated its identity sufficiently from the Laptop PC. The keyboard must disappear! This leads to a deep evolution of the product, at the hardware and software level. It's not just a remake of a Laptop, product managers have to review specs with technical and marketing teams to find the right way.
And it shouldn't be that hard to figure out that the dream machine will be a screen wirelessly linked to a powerful remote computer...
It just needs an enhanced wireless communication ability to pass high resolution video (not available yet for consumer). Add a light and flexible screen to survive anywhere: find something else than glass! Remove all mechanical parts; put the HDD & CD player in a central computer, enabled by a wireless link. This shall also simplify the size and weight of the power supply.
Finally, you need an efficient and new human interface, starting from stylus and sensitive screen but evolving to more innovative technologies. And don't forget to pack it together with a dedicated operating system smartly using all the hardware resources.
So, be patient, and just wait for 5 or 6 new technologies to mature and you'll have the "killer application". It shouldn't take much time, 2010 is not too early.
Resources:
Microsoft's home page on Tablet PC:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc
Sources:
http://www.techedito.com
****************************************
Topic: computer industry
Market size: approx. 150 Million PC manufactured in 2003
Impact: new peripheral market
The Tablet PC, pushed with a big fuss few months ago by Microsoft, is now on the market for sometime and datas are sufficient to draw some conclusions. After a smooth take-off, the market has stabilized at a few hundred of thousands units a year before marginally dropping in 2003.
What was supposed to be the big electronic hit of the early 21st century is on the road of joining the rich museum of unsuccessful "new killer application". But is it really going to be the case?
Going back to the source of the Tablet PC innovation, what was the common belief of investors in the Tablet PC success? Customers had the choice between the following computing technologies: Desktop PC, Laptop PC, Palmtop and PDA (Personal Digital Assistant). These investors have seen a hole between the PDA and the Laptop. The first has limited computing power and Windows compatibilities while the second is too big as it allocates space to fit a compact but still too big keyboard.
The idea was simple: remove the keyboard, keep the screen and replace the mouse by a stylus and a sensitive screen. Pack the CD Player and Hard Disk Drive at the back of the screen, adapt the operating system to suit this "new" environment and that's it, you've got a Tablet PC.
Now, what are the real advantages of this Tablet PC versus a standard Laptop PC? It is more expensive but not more powerful. Size is just similar to ultra thin Laptop and it is marginally lighter. For professional use, it is well known that you can type faster with a keyboard that you write with a pen. It is still fragile as the screen is on a glass substrate. If anyone sees a killer application in this, please email us!Still, we believe that consumers will adopt Tablet PC in the future, but not in this way.
First, it takes time for a killer application before it finally takes off. It is more a matter of enabling technologies to transform it into success. Look at the cellular phone market, the biggest market ever in electronics. Cellular phone has existed for 20 years but it took off when new modulation techniques packed into light products made it suitable for more people (operators and consumers).
Second, the tablet PC has not separated its identity sufficiently from the Laptop PC. The keyboard must disappear! This leads to a deep evolution of the product, at the hardware and software level. It's not just a remake of a Laptop, product managers have to review specs with technical and marketing teams to find the right way.
And it shouldn't be that hard to figure out that the dream machine will be a screen wirelessly linked to a powerful remote computer...
It just needs an enhanced wireless communication ability to pass high resolution video (not available yet for consumer). Add a light and flexible screen to survive anywhere: find something else than glass! Remove all mechanical parts; put the HDD & CD player in a central computer, enabled by a wireless link. This shall also simplify the size and weight of the power supply.
Finally, you need an efficient and new human interface, starting from stylus and sensitive screen but evolving to more innovative technologies. And don't forget to pack it together with a dedicated operating system smartly using all the hardware resources.
So, be patient, and just wait for 5 or 6 new technologies to mature and you'll have the "killer application". It shouldn't take much time, 2010 is not too early.
Resources:
Microsoft's home page on Tablet PC:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc
Sources:
http://www.techedito.com
