Are Microsoft stuck in the future?

Microsoft have had a tricky few years. They were recovering their reputation with Windows 7, then jumped into Windows 8. Windows RT has hardly shaken the world either, just look at the Surface. To top this off, their market-leading Xbox 360 was upgraded after 8 years to the 'XBox One' and subsequently slammed by consumers and the press, for a variety of caveats.
     So, looking at these in isolation; Microsoft have got it wrong. Mistakes have been made, as if the company is in blind panic. But, if you look a bit closer, I think Microsoft have leapt into the future, but the world isn't ready for it.

Take the Xbox One for example. Microsoft have pushed towards an internet age that doesn't quite exist. We're not ready to have to be connected to play games, and we're certainly not ready to use the Xbox as the focal-point of the living room. In 5 years, we may be, but not yet. Similarly with Kinect; it's a great piece of kit but again, we're not ready to interact with consoles in that way.

Microsoft's attempt to bridge that gap between mobile and desktop with Windows 8 was admirable, but yet again, ahead of it's time. The OS simply was not ready for it. The apps are a case in point. They work on one device, but only few transcend that gap smoothly.

The Surface is another example. The world isn't quite ready to let go of laptops, and have them replaced with tablets and keyboards. It's a good, solid product. It's not mind-blowing, but it does the job well. Better priced, this is a feasible option for consumers, but it has been misjudged. This point can be repeated with touch-screen PCs.

In a similar way to Google's Chromebooks, Microsoft's current products are ahead of their time. What Microsoft have misjudged, however, is their complete shift towards these products. They have no contingency plan. The Chromebook is absolutely a side project for Google, and if it fails, the company will still survive. Not only that, Google are playing the long game with the product, whereas Microsoft need quick changes, and an error on this scale, could be very costly. Microsoft have thrown everything into Windows 8, Windows RT and the Xbox One. If these fail, Microsoft will be up the metaphorical creek without a paddle...

I could've gone into much more detail on this, but I didn't feel it necessary. I'd love to hear your thoughts as I'm sure many wont agree. Please feel free to comment below.

Chromebook: The saviour of the laptop?

Amid a holiday, leaving We Are Social, and starting my new job at Pitch, I managed to miss the quite startling news that Chromebooks now lay claim to nearly 25% of the <$300 laptop market in the US over the last eight months.

According to NPD Group Inc., Chromebooks are defying the global trend of a shrinking laptop market, and indeed shrinking PC market (predicted to fall 7.8% in 2013). This is quite startling, and impressive from Google/Chromebook OEMs. The key in this drive is Samsung's Chromebook which, at just $249, is a bargain given its specs. Also important, is Google's continued success with Chrome.

I previously queried the mass appeal for Chromebooks at this point in time, but could definitely foresee the shift taking place in the future. It appears this shift has occurred far quicker than I expected, and the niche that Google was bound to find with the Chromebook, is greater than first thought. It seems Caesar Sengupta, head of product development for Chromebooks, is surprised as well:

“We’re seeing tremendous growth, without a doubt -- massive, massive growth,”

Now, before we read too much into this report, Chromebooks still only accounted for 5% of total shipped laptops and netbooks in Q1 2013, but this was up from 1% in 2012 showing that the interest is certainly there. According to DigiTimes, Google is looking to maximise this interest by pushing further Chromebooks in the lead up to Christmas.

"Because of weak demand for Windows 8, Google has been trying to use the chance to expand into the PC industry and with Intel’s aggressive R&D supports as well as AMD’s entrance to the Chromebook market, many brand vendors such as Asustek Computer are reportedly considering to develop related models to counter Microsoft’s dominance."

Are you get to be sold on the Chromebook revolution? Do you see this growth continuing into 2014?

The Chrome maze - Google's intriguing little experiment

Google have launched a little Chrome-based experiment in the form of a maze. The app turns a website of your choice into a maze and allows you to guide a marble around using your phones browser.

Now, I had problems on other websites so I would advise you stick to the Google experimental version but see if you can find another website that works efficiently.

It's still a bit rough and ready but it works, and that's what will please Google.

Why Google are doing this we can't be sure, it may simply be to learn how to improve the Chrome experience, however we can be sure that Chrome is central to Google's plans for the near future. Perhaps even an Android-Chrome merge is indeed on the cards...

Anyway, give it a go - it's pretty fun.

Chromebooks - Is the world ready for them?

First of all - Happy New Year and I hope you all had a great Christmas break. The delay in this blog can be partly attributed to a busy Christmas period, and partly to a misplacement of my HTC One X.... (just for note, the customer service was excellent once again).

I thought I would blog about a product that has been heavily advertised and promoted over Christmas - the Chromebook. If you haven't heard of it yet, a Chromebook is a laptop with no desktop. It is a browser that relies almost solely on Google's never-ending list of services. Scary right?

My first experience of Chromebooks was a few years back on my Asus eePC 901 notebook. It seemed a logical OS given how light it is and how little power it requires. However, it wasn't long before I became frustrated with its limitations. The Chromebook has changed a lot since then, for the better, but it still doesn't compete on the same level as a laptop in my eyes.

Firstly, you need internet to properly function with it. Seems obvious but it really holds you up, especially on the commute etc. What happens if you want to watch a film? You can't.
     Secondly, the lack of a hard-drive concerns me. I do actually prefer to store on clouds than the desktop, but the lack of the option doesn't sit comfortably. The other problem with this is simply the functionality and accessibility of files just isn't as good.
    Lastly, whilst Google's services really are extraordinary - they aren't quite good enough to better all of their rivals just yet. The biggest problem for me is Google docs. Whilst it is very impressive, it never takes preference over Microsoft Office in my eyes. I find it slow, and it also feels that bit limited compared to its offline rival. Again, Google Drive is effective and functional but my preference is with Dropbox, which I am slightly addicted to. Until these Google services are market leaders, I will always feel the need for a desktop.

Now, Google have the right idea. Given time this will be a brilliant piece of equipment which will make our lives extraordinarily simple - but not yet.  When we reach 'WiFi everywhere' - which will happen - this will be brilliant. However, the world isn't ready for it just yet and I just hope that this attempt to force the market doesn't delay its adoption. 

The widely promoted Samsung Chromebook looks great, and has a very attractive price at $249 - BUT you shouldn't look to buy one unless you are looking to install a new OS in my opinion. Google have jumped the gun with the Chromebook and, if you want a laptop for anything more than browsing I would avoid it. To be honest, if you're looking to buy a laptop for just browsing - what are you doing? Just buy the Nexus 7 tablet!

I'd love to hear any thoughts on this. It would be good to hear from anyone who has used/uses a Chromebook, especially on a daily basis. Everyone functions with technology in a different way and perhaps my experience says more about me than about the Chromebook.